The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts yesterday lauded the accomplishments of the Christie administration, among them a reversal of the economic downturn in Grand Bahama.

Speaking during a church service to mark the second anniversary of the PLP’s return to office, Mr Roberts said while the country has enjoyed some success, there remains much work to be done on behalf of the Bahamian people.

He said there are reasons to feel optimistic in knowing that the country has turned the corner and is squarely in recovery mode.

Scores of PLP politicians and supporters gathered at the Mount Tabor Baptist Church at Pinewood Gardens for the service.

Mr Roberts said: “Twenty-five years of tourism decline has been reversed in Grand Bahama and its beleaguered and battered economy is on an upward trajectory. Yes, the magic is returning to Freeport and the soul to Grand Bahama.

“Increased airlifts into Nassau, Eleuthera, Bimini, Exuma, San Salvador and a new airstrip in Mayaguana all signal positive economic news in those Family Islands.”

In addition, Mr Roberts said there has been a significant effort to address unemployment and the training of Bahamian youth.

“The government is aggressively addressing the training needs of our young people through the National Training Agency and is literally building a new economy in Andros around the academic and commercial activities of BAMSI.

“With this initiative, the government is committed to diversifying our economy, creating new job and entrepreneurial opportunities for Bahamians and reducing our outrageously high national import food bill estimated to be in the range of $1bn annually.

“Having lost some 15,000 jobs between 2007 and 2012, the Bahamas economy has added almost 7,000 jobs over the last two years.

“These types of key performance indicators give us reasons for optimism as we look to the future.”

As it concerns the escalating crime situation, Mr Roberts encouraged those gathered to intensify community and police support to combat the crime-wave and other social issues.

Most of the perpetrators and victims of crime, he said, are young men whom he encouraged to find a higher calling.

“Too many households are headed by single mothers; too many of our young men are incarcerated and too few of them are in institutions of higher learning. You were given the innate capacity to lead and build civilisations, not tear them down through ungodly and unlawful behaviour.

“You cannot continue to betray the promise of Majority Rule and Independence. This is heartbreaking. This carnage is unacceptable and not what your forebears fought and sacrificed so much for,” Mr Roberts said.