The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

AFTER Attorney General Carl Bethel stated that there was nothing said by any FNM MP during the budget debate that raised criminal concerns, with respect to the PLP government’s handling of public funds, smug PLPs have bragged that the FNM “They Gern to Jail” campaign has fallen flat on its face. While nothing in our judicial system is in place to penalise government malfeasance, cronyism and gross mismanagement, Bahamians are hopeful that Minister of Works Desmond Bannister’s scenario of the Caribbean Court of Justice giving the Belizean government legal grounds to sue two former Cabinet ministers for misfeasance could be applied in The Bahamas.

The FNM was catapulted to power based on incessant accusations of systemic corruption in the Christie government. Bahamians had a difficult time understanding how the PLP could raise over $1 billion in VAT in addition to billions collected through other forms of taxation, and yet hear reports of $2 billion being added to the National Debt in five years.

To them, nothing was adding up. The FNM won 35 of the 39 seats, not because of PM Dr Hubert Minnis’ campaign platform to reduce or eliminate VAT on breadbasket items, electricity and other utilities, health insurance, etc.

They didn’t hand over to Minnis and Co the largest landslide election victory in Bahamian history because of his pledge to make over-the-hill a type of Freeport City, with tax exemptions.

They didn’t vote FNM because of Minnis’ charisma and great oratorical skills. Truth is, Minnis has none of those.

Most Bahamians voted for the FNM in order to see PLP politicians and their cronies who may have pillage the treasury prosecuted.

They voted FNM because they want to see PLP politicians do the Bank Lane shuffle, like everybody else who breaks the law. Bahamians are currently waiting with bated breath for the outcome of the various audit reports to be completed. However, notwithstanding the impending forensic audit reports, the Whistleblower is already sensing that the electorate is growing impatient with the FNM, despite only being in power for a little under 50 days.

Bahamians are beginning to wonder if the FNM used the jail threats to PLPs who may have been engaged in malfeasance in the lead up to May 10 in order to win votes.

If the Minnis administration fails to bring anyone to account within the next six months, the Whistleblower feel that his administration will lose the goodwill of a substantial majority of voters who supported the FNM in the election.

In the meantime, the PLP is already gaining traction and will no doubt rebound, despite its current shambolic condition. Many of the former PLP Cabinet ministers and MPs who assisted in making a complete mess of this country will re-emerge with a defiant posture in 2022.

PLP cronies who pocketed millions via inflated contracts are already laughing with glee at the Bahamian electorate. One particular self styled PLP Facebook activist hiding behind a fake profile is already saying that Bahamians are stupid for believing anything Minnis said on the campaign stage.

The Bahamian people are peeved. If no one is held to account, then the FNM might as well forfeit the 2022 general election, rather than nominate any of its candidates, as the party would be a hard sell.

Most voters, including the Whistleblower, will view the FNM and PLP as two sides of the same coin. If nobody is punished for what transpired between 2012-2017, the Whistleblower will not be wasting his time in voting in 2022. That is the sentiment that is shared by many disillusioned voters across The Bahamas.

THE WHISTLEBLOWER

Nassau,

June 25, 2017.