OFFICIAL Opposition Leader Philip 'Brave' Davis.
By SANCHESKA DORSETT
Tribune Staff Reporter
Sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
MEMBER of Parliament for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador, Phillip “Brave” Davis yesterday defended the former administration’s decision to award $14m in contracts for clinics in his constituency, telling parliamentarians that “all Bahamians have the same rights as those in New Providence”.
While making a contribution to the budget debate in the House of Assembly, the former deputy prime minister said every Bahamian, no matter which island they live on, has the right to have access to basic health care and essential services.
“The 80 people in Rum Cay, 72 in Ragged Island or the 700 in Berry Islands all have the same rights as those in New Providence. They are all citizens. None has priority over the other,” Mr Davis said.
“Each has the right to live where he or she wishes and our right to them is to ensure that they have at minimum access to essential services and where possible access to enhanced services.
“Nothing is too good for any Bahamian. Nothing is too good for Cat Island, nothing too good for San Salvador, nothing too good for Rum Cay. What amazes me is that this posturing, this flippant referral to these islands comes from the government that committed to the ‘Back-To-The-Island’ campaign which is anticipated to become the largest migration of Bahamians back to the Family Islands.
“Why did they move in the first place? What incentive is there for them to return when something as basic as the construction of facilities to provide essential services becomes the subject of debate?”
Mr Davis was responding to Heath Minister Dr Duane Sands who revealed in the House of Assembly last week that before the election, the Progressive Liberal Party awarded contracts totalling $14m for three clinics in Cat Island, one in Rum Cay and one in San Salvador.
“I want to point to a particular constituency that would have received 13 per cent of the contracts, despite the fact that they only have 0.5 per cent of the population,” Dr Sands said last week.
“I speak about an island that has 1,200 residents, a cay with 70 residents and another island San Salvador, with 930 residents. That comes to roughly 2,200 residents. All Bahamians are equally important, but a contract for Old Bight $2,349,000; Orange Creek Clinic $2,100,000; Smith’s Bay $6,600,000; Rum Cay $1.6m; San Salvador $300,000 for a total of under $14m. I have directed the National Health Insurance administration to revisit some of the decisions that have been made. We are going to review these contracts and if we can cancel some, we will cancel some, but we are going to set this right for the Bahamian people.”
Comments
Alex_Charles 7 years, 5 months ago
What was the timing for this contract? around when was these contracts awarded. That's the issue here Brave. Cut the bullshit.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 5 months ago
This pudgy man with his little stubby grubby dirty yellow sticky fingers epitomizes what corruption is all about. He is about as insincere and disingenuous as they come; in fact he is a lying imbecile. He knows full well our country does not have unlimited resources and therefore cannot create a Nassau on each and every one of our islands, especially now that we are learning the full extent to which this man and his cronies raped, pillaged and plundered our scarce resources under the last government. Davis is one whose activities and corrupt dealings as a government minister should be thoroughly investigated......he truly belongs behind bars decked out in standard prison attire with his very own slop bucket.
OMG 7 years, 5 months ago
We already have Primary Health care which are the existing clinics. Why not centralize facilities in Nassau and purchase and operate a small number of medivac planes on some islands. It is a fact that none of these so called mini hospitals will be able do anything of substance and will still send people to Nassau. Its this refusal to accept reality and put on a show that is the downfall of this country.
Sickened 7 years, 5 months ago
So right! Outfitting a Bahamasair plane or two with medivac capabilities as well as purchasing 1 or 2 dedicated medivac planes or helicopters would be A LOT cheaper than building/maintaining/staffing hospitals on several family islands.
banker 7 years, 5 months ago
I bet you that for the next 4 years the headlines will all read "Davis Defends" -- this if he is not in Fox Hill during the interval.
Truism 7 years, 5 months ago
Isn't that an indictment of mainstream media in The Bahamas?
OMG 7 years, 5 months ago
What a total dickhead. I want a top of the line Escalade but I can't afford it so guess what I don't buy it. On Eleuthera huge amounts of money are being spent just preparing the land for construction of a so called mini hospital. Land purchased from a former PLP cabinet member. Why not modernize, repair, and update the existing clinic because at the end of the day if you can't staff other island clinics and areas of PMH how the hell will you staff let alone afford to operate a mini hospital. Surely the country cannot afford this 30 million project and would be better spent centralizing facilities in Nassau and making emergency transportation to Nassau more affordable.
MassExodus 7 years, 5 months ago
“The 80 people in Rum Cay, 72 in Ragged Island or the 700 in Berry Islands all have the same rights as those in New Providence. They are all citizens. None has priority over the other,” Mr Davis said.
SOOOOOOO WHAT HAPPENED TO ABACO AFTER THE PLP GOT IN IN 2012 YOU LYING FUCK. perry christie and the plp sabotaged the Abaco clinic for 5 YEARS! Then just before election perry 'sissy' christie has the audacity to fly down, and hug up on people and claim the clinic is opening to try and get plp votes. CARRY YA ASS
ohdrap4 7 years, 5 months ago
they build the abaco clinic on some sink holes and had to remediate the parking lot.
MassExodus 7 years, 5 months ago
After they changed the contractor in 2012 after the PLP got into power to a shitty PLP contractor who probably got paid a buttload of money because he was buddies with Perry, Brave, or Shane and then after there was a problem. They abandoned it. 5YEARS! Give me a fucking break!
Truism 7 years, 5 months ago
OMG I'm nominating you as chairman of the national development council. (Where do we find these font of wisdom in these isles of June?) LOL
Chucky 7 years, 5 months ago
When Davis says " every Bahamian, no matter which island they live on, has the right to have access to basic health care and essential services"
Translation: Davis means that every Bahamian can be used in a plot to steal from the treasury.
realfreethinker 7 years, 5 months ago
They did a damn good job at that
Socrates 7 years, 5 months ago
As usual, Davis is doing a good job of trying to muddy the water. The issue is not whether those folks are any less bahamian, the issue is does it really require $14m to provide what will be no more than places to get your temperature checked and blood pressure... with that cavalier attitude to expenditure, any wonder why they ran up billions more in national debt? As an aside, isn't it interesting that after 5 years when you could not get an explanation for anything from Davis & Co. suddenly he has an answer for everything...
Sickened 7 years, 5 months ago
LOL! His answers are bullshit but at least he's answering now.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 5 months ago
Can Desmond Bannister and KPT go on a fact-finding mission with the QS at Public Works and verify these "contracts" on these islands???? ....... Why would a primary school be built on San Salvador for $7 million?????? .......... These prices for government contracts are outrageous!!!!!!
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