By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis pinpointed the need this year for the drafting of anti-corruption legislation to ensure politicians and government officials are prevented from using their positions of privilege to engage in nefarious practices.
In his 2016 national address, he further highlighted the collective responsibility of Bahamians to do their part to tackle this nation’s vexing crime problems by addressing the root causes, which should be the building blocks for anti-crime initiatives.
The Killarney MP called on all Bahamians to band together with one common goal of transforming the country into a new and better Bahamas.
He said while 2015 was difficult, the resiliency and collective ability of Bahamians to rise to the occasion positions the country to recover from the devastation experienced last year.
He said: “The year 2015 has indeed been a difficult and challenging year for many in our beloved Bahamaland. During this year, our economy experienced significant challenges, downgrading of our sovereign rating, rising unemployment, rising cost of living, increasing poverty and closure of several small and medium-size businesses.
“The fate of Baha Mar remains uncertain and we have witnessed an appalling increase in violent crimes and the incidence of murder. We continue to live through and recover from the devastating impact of Hurricane Joaquin, which ravaged our southern islands a few months ago.”
He continued: “We are a resilient and resourceful people. We possess a collective ability to rise to the occasion, to face our national and local challenges, and to overcome them with a determination and persistence that is unmatched anywhere in the world. Each challenge faced during 2015, has a solution, and each solution presents a unique opportunity for future growth and progress. We must be mindful however, that these solutions require a unified and collective effort on the part of all Bahamians.
“Therefore, as citizens, and stakeholders, we all bear the responsibility for confronting/addressing and resolving our national challenges through results-oriented outcomes and for the benefit of the entire society.”
Dr Minnis said as the country charts its course throughout 2016, efforts should also be made to diversify the economy and combat unemployment by creating more Bahamian business owners and entrepreneurs.
“In 2016 and beyond, we must prepare ourselves for the task of transforming our country into a new and better Bahamas. We must tackle our vexing crime problem by addressing its root causes, which should form the building blocks for producing anti-crime initiatives, programmes and policies.
“We must seek to diversify our economy and combat unemployment by creating Bahamian business owners and entrepreneurs in addition to salaried workers and labourers. We must create more Bahamian employers to create more sustainable Bahamian jobs and grow our middle class.
“Furthermore, we must ensure that we create a society where there is equal opportunity for all Bahamians regardless of race, socio-economic status, or family name, so that all persons can access necessary resources to assist them in their entrepreneurial and business ventures and undertakings.
“We must continue to develop a sound and practical investment and development policy in our Commonwealth that demands a return on investment equal in value to concessions given to foreign investors.
“We must transform our civil service into one that is customer service oriented and results oriented and responsive to the needs of the consuming public. We must anticipate the drafting and passage of anti-corruption legislation to ensure that politicians and government officials are precluded from using their privileged positions to engage in corruption, cronyism, nepotism and other nefarious practices. We must also pass into law the Freedom of Information Act,” Dr Minnis said.
Comments
asiseeit 8 years, 11 months ago
I will vote for Dr. Minnis for this. Corruption has hurt this country and caused untold hardship on the people of The Bahamas. It is time for the country to grow up and tackle this scourge. Perry and his kleptocrates need to be investigated and charged with crimes against the nation.
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 11 months ago
Yes, i too would support Minnis just for this. Corruption must end and perpetrators made to pay a heavy price.
TalRussell 8 years, 11 months ago
Comrades don't you think the red party should hold-off on anything do with corruption by officials at least until after the verdict comes down from the courts on one their own over the alleged BEC bribe money?
Their red may go free or the reds can start booking visitation visits,
Emac 8 years, 11 months ago
While I agree with Dr. Minnis' request, I still have to wonder why his approach is so "scattery" in bringing forth these issues as leader of the opposition. One day he demands that the government should combat guns, the next day he talking about corruption and this and that. What I would like to hear is Dr. Minnis' plan for the concerns that he continuously brings to the people. Talk is cheap. Please stop telling the PLP what to do and what not to do. They are obviously not listening. The Bahamian people also do not need to hear that the PLP is corrupt or a failure. We are tired of the PLP and even hearing about them. The nagging question is, what is the master plan of the FNM party? What is the FNM's plan to combat crime, corruption and all these other ills of society???
SP 8 years, 11 months ago
............................... People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones ...................................
Dr. Minnis is attempting to play a card which he know was used successfully in Guatemala, Italy, Nigeria, Panama etc.
However he does not have this card to play as he has not addressed corruption he was a part of as an FNM Cabinet minister.
Where is the $5M former FNM Cabinet minister of tourism walked away with just before the 2012 elections?
How could Saunders beach toilets cost $350,000.00?
Why did the FNM contract infrastructure improvement works with a company from Argentina?
The Fred Rahmsey BEC scandal is proof positive of corruption in FNM Cabinet and only a drop in the bucket of corruption at the highest level of government across the board.
Dr. Minnis needs to clean his own house before anyone with sense will even begin to take him seriously.
Hubert Ingraham, Brave Davis and Perry Christie were caught red handed as the secret architects of plans to run away with control of the countries oil resources.
The FNM have just as much corruption to answer for as the current pirates.
Unquestionably the country needs to root out corruption starting at the very top. However, this can never be accomplished as long as the PLP or FNM are in power because the top dogs and their minions on either side are coconspirators in corruption and take turns protecting each other from exposure and prosecution.
The only proven solution is the country needs a third party involvement unencumbered and free to attack corruption from either side of the house.
Publius 8 years, 11 months ago
Now let him tell you what that legislation must look like and contain. He cannot - and that is exactly what is wrong with where this country is at with the options before us for a general election.
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