The Tribune

YESTERDAY in these columns, we praised the Prime Minister for making a review of the public finances his first priority.

We also believe that he must, without delay, scrutinise the full spectrum of government business and, where necessary, take appropriate action to rectify wrongdoing, faults and inadequacies.

The general election should now be put behind us, so today we take a final look at the outcome of last week’s tumultuous events while the new Free National Movement government begins its work in earnest.

There seems to be not only a manifest feeling of relief at the outcome of the FNM’s election victory but also an air of anticipation of better times ahead for the whole nation. For those with long enough memories, there seems to be a parallel with former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham’s electoral success in 1992, which ushered in a period of stability and prosperity for the country following 25 years of rule by the Progressive Liberal Party.

But, amidst the widespread euphoria, the resignation earlier this week of two-term Prime Minister Perry Christie from leadership of the PLP after a political career spanning 40 years deserves recognition as a significant event in our political history.

Despite accusations of anti-PLP bias, this newspaper has always sought to honour its commitment to honest, fair and objective reporting and commentary. Our criticism of Mr Christie’s PLP government during the past five years has been in reaction to its systematic wrongdoing, corruption and poor governance.

It is worth repeating - perhaps for the last time - that the PLP was swept to overwhelming defeat because people were fed up with its blatant dishonesty, greed, corruption, broken promises, cronyism, victimisation, financial malpractice and sheer incompetence and inefficiency.

For these reasons, not because of some supposed inherent opposition to the PLP as a political party, we have consistently taken the view that a change of government was needed for the benefit of the whole country. But, while we may not have agreed with the former Prime Minister’s policies and stances on a range of issues, and have taken him to task about the way he has conducted the nation’s business, there is no denying the significance of his contribution to our political life as he withdraws from the scene.

As Mr Christie himself acknowledged in a dignified resignation speech, his departure was inevitable after having lost his own seat in the PLP’s worst ever defeat. This must have been a hugely emotional moment for him after such a long period in politics - particularly, perhaps, in the realisation of the disastrous effects of his failure to provide decisive leadership and to take proper control of his own government - and he deserves respect for taking full responsibility for the PLP’s defeat.

The comparison with the actions of the now former Member of Parliament for the Fox Hill constituency could not be more marked. Fred Mitchell’s intemperate and petulant statement attributing the PLP’s defeat (together with his own loss to an unknown FNM candidate) to “the money of foreign interests”, “the turn of clever phrases’ and manipulation of the populace suffering the ill-effects of economic recession was patently absurd.

It has attracted a slew of letters to the Editor, some of which we have published. While displaying a dangerous lack of any understanding of the real reasons for the PLP being wiped out, his arrogant and egocentric attitude epitomises what was wrong with him and his colleagues and why the public rejected them at the polls. We can only hope that, in his enforced retirement, he will study the wise words in Shakespeare’s Henry V - “in peace there’s nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility’’.

With all eyes now on the newly-installed FNM government, we urge the Prime Minister, in the interests of national unity, to follow Winston Churchill’s famous advice to be magnanimous in victory. So the FNM should not indulge in a witch-hunt of its predecessors or in the type of victimisation pursued by former PLP governments.

However, since one of the main reasons for voting the PLP out was its blatant dishonesty and corruption concerning financial matters, there is pressure for an investigation of economic malpractice and misuse of public funds - in relation, for example, to the Bank of the Bahamas as just one striking case among many which need to be examined; and, if evidence of criminality is revealed, the law should be allowed to take its course, whoever is found to be at fault and not just the small players.

The launch of forensic audits is a welcome first step because it is crucial for this country that the mythical Augean stables should be cleaned out, enabling a fresh start across-the-board so that Dr Hubert Minnis’s strong words about stamping out corruption will have some real meaning.

In a well-ordered democracy, the press must play its rightful role, on behalf of the public, in helping to curb possible governmental excesses or abuse of power. While we welcome the FNM’s victory, we shall be vigilant in holding the new government to account.

The nation is crying out for honest, firm and efficient governance. These are still early days, but the portents so far are good.