The Tribune

AT THIS time of the year, celebrating Easter as a time of redemption, forgiveness and hope of new beginnings, and with a general election just around the corner, we return to the theme of good governance and national unity in a modern Bahamas where love of country is too often superseded by selfishness, greed and political divisiveness.

Political campaigning will begin in earnest next week after the announcement yesterday of May 10 as the election date. Although this is likely to be a bitter contest, we must pray that it will be free from violence, and we wonder whether - somehow - the country can start moving away from the traditional system of tribal politics which has bedevilled our way of life for so long. Is it being naive to hope that the forthcoming election could be the moment to set in motion new attitudes in relation to this issue?

For a small country like ours, the over-emphasis on two-party politics - with people dubbed as PLPs (Progressive Liberal Party) or FNMs (Free National Movement) as if there were significant ideological differences between the two - is unneccesarily divisive and thus inimical to the goal of national unity. For, as a young independent nation with a short post-colonial history and a relatively modest population, we need to work together to the greatest extent possible in order to maximise our potential development and prosperity.

Furthermore, tribal politics are a throwback to practice in some less developed countries in Africa, where so often politicians seek elective office either to line their own pockets or to put themselves in a position to benefit their extended families and local communities by giving out money, jobs or other favours.

Even though traditional loyalties are deeply entrenched, the old party political histories and labels should be cast aside in a contemporary, more sophisticated Bahamas - together with the intrinsic beliefs and prejudices passed on from one generation to the next - since these are no longer relevant when the priority is how to manage the nation’s affairs for the benefit of all its people in a new ‘globalised world’.

What voters are now concerned about is the policies of those seeking election next month and their likely competence in running the country and solving its problems. The policies of the old United Bahamian Party (UBP) and the PLP, and their attitudes, practices, faults and achievements, should no longer influence the electorate when it goes to the polls.

It is plain to most observers that there is discernible and widespread public dissatisfaction (and a serious lack of trust) concerning the current PLP government. This is because of crime, unemployment, poor governance, economic mismanagement, fraud and unprecedented levels of debt together with corruption and victimisation at all levels. So, new parliamentary candidates should surely seek to persuade voters that not only will they introduce fresh blood and ideas but also have the capacity to run the country’s affairs efficiently ; and the latest examples of mismanagement of the dump fire and allegations of registration fraud, as well as the deteriorating postal service, will surely concentrate minds yet again about the pressing need for competence at every level of government.

In addition, candidates need to convince people that they will make themselves accountable to the electorate and apply proper standards of honesty, transparency, decency and fairness in public life which have been conspicuously lacking for the last five years of PLP rule.

We believe that, for younger voters, in particular, with their modern expectations, these are the factors which are of major concern rather than obsolete and misguided loyalty to one or other party irrespective of their current behaviour and actions. The PLP government can, of course, justifiably point to a number of achievements while in office, but some political commentators seem to be unable to grasp the level of dissatisfaction with its performance as a whole and the reasons for it.

In order to maintain and improve our standards and our way of life and to correct so much of what is wrong at present so that we can move forward as a nation towards a brighter future, we need political change. However, the election will be strongly contested, not least because PLP grassroots supporters are likely to continue to take the bait of pre-election empty promises that tomorrow will be better than today when so many are still suffering and in poverty despite being given the same undertakings and assurances the last time around.

There is a pressing need for a new government of fresh faces, ideas and policies. But it is also important that a strong political leadership should emerge - both to improve the governance of the country across the board and to help to bring about genuine national unity in the months and years ahead. This is a tall order but we remain optimistic.