The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Chairman Michael Pintard yesterday blamed the increase in the country’s unemployment rate on “poor governance” from the Christie administration and a lack of “outrage among these government officials about the level of suffering that their people are facing”.

Mr Pintard accused the government of not doing “what is needed to stop the economic bleeding that is going on in the country.”

Yesterday, it was revealed that the Bahamas’ unemployment rate now stands at 14.8 per cent, nearly 3 per cent more than the 12 per cent recorded in May, according to the latest Labour Force and Household Income Survey from the Department of Statistics.

Both New Providence and Grand Bahama experienced an increase in their unemployment rates, which now stands at 15.9 per cent and 14.2 per cent respectively for those islands, according to the survey’s results.

The survey also showed that youth employment now stands at 30 per cent, nearly 5 per cent more than the 25.3 per cent recorded in the last survey.

When contacted yesterday, Mr Pintard blasted the government for not doing anything “to suggest that there would be any fundamental change in the trend of unemployment growing.”

“What we’re experiencing now in part is a reflection of poor governance,” Mr Pintard told The Tribune. “Because what the population can clearly see, is, notwithstanding a recovery that is underway in the United States, we are not seeing a recovery here that is consistent with a recovery by our number one trading partner, the source of more than 85 per cent of our tourists, etc.”

He added: “We are especially concerned in the FNM about the level of apathy among some members of the public and the level of cynicism because of the horrendous, terrible governance by this Progressive Liberal Party government, and just the lack of sense of urgency and outrage among these government officials about the level of suffering that their people are facing.”

Mr Pintard also lamented the increase in the youth unemployment rate, stating that while there are “many contributing factors” when it comes to crime, a spike in youth unemployment “may contribute to further crime or persons making unethical decisions because they have needs or wants.”

“So to the extent that these figures increase, you’re increasing the misery index, you’re increasing the potential for crime, you’re increasing the potential for greater cynicism in the public, and all of those are quite worrisome,” he said. “We need to be optimistic about the future but realistic about what we must do to make that future the kind of future that all of us want.

“The last thing we need is for more Bahamians – who are already quite cynical about public officials – losing confidence in government.”

The latest labour force survey provides information on the labour force as it existed during the reference period of October 26 to November 1, officials said.

Officials said overall, there was a “moderate” growth in the labour force, from the 208,895 recorded in May’s survey to 212,195 for November.