Exuma MP and PLP Deputy Leader Chester Cooper.
By SANCHESKA DORSETT
Tribune Staff Reporter
sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
GOD gave the the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) a mission to transform The Bahamas into the “best little country in the world,” according to PLP Deputy Leader Chester Cooper, who said the opposition party will not win the next general election without “a fight and a hell of a lot of hard work”.
Mr Cooper said the PLP has “four years to rebuild and plan” and execute an agenda that will see the party ready to govern in 2022.
He said the party’s convention last month was “the beginning of the resurgence of the PLP” and he will be ready to govern “from day one”.
He made his comments while speaking to the Progressive Young Liberals, the youth arm of the PLP, at the party’s headquarters last night.
“We have a duty to this country to let them know that we have the solutions on how to get our economy growing again and make sure those gains are felt throughout our communities and not just the profit margins of the select few,” Mr Cooper said.
“But, of course, in order to do that we must win the government and to win the government we must present the people with a PLP that is ready to lead the next wave of transformation in this country. A PLP that will do what it takes to regain the admiration and trust of the majority of Bahamians...
“The modern Bahamas would not exist without the PLP, and don’t you for a second let anyone forget it or make you feel as though the heritage of this great party is to be taken lightly or forgotten. We mean business, and we’ve produced results and we plan to do so again. We have an unfinished agenda. The PLP has not yet completed its work and we won’t let anyone, no matter who they call corrupt, no matter how they try to shift the blame of their incompetence on to us, no way, not today.
“We won’t let anyone set about stopping us from doing our work because God gave the PLP a mission, to transform this Bahamas into the best country in the world. We’ve put in lots of work, but our mission is far from complete.”
Mr Cooper said the PLP will recruit “many more millennials” who will help the party fulfil its agenda of economic development.
“Now is the best time to be PLP because we have the advantage,” he said. “We could reform, recruit and rebrand and rebuild and present better ideas, better policy than the FNM, while they spin their wheels out of their depth.
“The talent in this party is unmatched. The reach of our organisation is unmatched. The institutional knowledge of the PLP is unmatched. The grasp of technology and messaging among those of us who proudly carry the banner of the PLP is unmatched.
“We don’t need to commiserate any longer. We don’t need to lick our wounds. We’re done with that. We are going to move into the future and we’re starting today. We have four years to rebuild and plan and fundraise and execute plans that will see us ready to govern right after the 2022 election rolls around, not meander for six months trying to figure out where we are. We will be ready to govern from day one.”
The Christie administration was soundly defeated in the 2017 general election, winning only four out of 39 seats in the House of Assembly. The party also lost areas which were traditionally PLP strongholds such as Bain and Grants Town and Centreville, the latter an area former Prime Minister Perry Christie represented for 40 years. Mr Christie became the first prime minister to lose his seat in a general election.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 7 years ago
Uh huh. Sure. God. Yeah right....
sheeprunner12 7 years ago
Who is this latest PLP fool??????????
FreeportFreddy 7 years ago
I would be very hesitant to stand near this man ... because I think god may not appreciate his name being linked to the PLP. I know that I wouldn't!
God may decide that a lightening bolt is an appropriate response - so stay clear!!
ThisIsOurs 7 years ago
I don't know about all that...but God does tend to use the most unlikely characters. If he gets these people on the Damascus road in front of a talking donkey that will indeed be miracle
licks2 7 years ago
THIS MP IS SHOWING AND REMINDING US WHY WE "JOOK-UP" THEM BUNCHA CROOKS ON MAY 10TH. . .NOW THIS LAME BRAINED PERSON STANDING UP AND TALKING FOOL!! "SUCK TEETH"!!
Dawes 7 years ago
Must be a vengeful God then.
EasternGate 7 years ago
I thought this fool "had some sense"!
DDK 7 years ago
Think again!
birdiestrachan 7 years ago
It is true that the PLP has transformed the Bahamas and it is true that the vision for the Bahamas lies in the PLP. They say and they say but they can never say what the FNM party has done to transform the Bahamas. And what visionary ideas have they presented.?
Speaking of fools. whistle while I point. It is the one with the green beads bracelet.
realfreethinker 7 years ago
So birdie,what happened to that vision during the past two plp administration?. You are a real clown.
realfreethinker 7 years ago
I had hopes for Coops,but here we go. he has fallen into the plp trance. I thought he was a new breed,but that plp shit is really strong.
birdiestrachan 7 years ago
urban renewal. the University of the Bahamas . The air space and BAMSI VISIONARY. FORWARD, ADVANCING.
realfreethinker 7 years ago
birdie in order for me to think that there is hope for you,please don't mention bamsi,or urban renewal as succeses. There is nothing to indicate they are successful
licks2 7 years ago
Or the air-space thing. . .ween getting no money for the next 15 years!!! What deal is that. . .
Porcupine 7 years ago
BAMSI was nothing but a scam of our tax money. Anyone who sees this differently needs some reading glasses. We were screwed out of millions of dollars by our people's representatives right here on Andros. Please stay focused on reality, birdie. Or, are you a PLP troll on a mission? Most of us suspect so.
ohdrap4 7 years ago
the effects of the COUCOU soup are starting to show.
SP 7 years ago
"Cooper: We're On A Mission From GAWD" is more aptly put.
bogart 7 years ago
Excellent that It is now known that OUR Lord and Saviour is everything. State and Church are separate, or you proposing a Christian state. But at this juncture to use this to go after many more millennials, someone should have told you by now that many millennials are into themselves and still live at home wid their ma and pa. Wrong political strategy for voters. Try the one from the sweat of thy brow ........lets change the whole Bahamian view instead of voting one out lets be inspired to vote a party in and possibly a third or fourth or fifth.....
TalRussell 7 years ago
Comrades! First, your party runs your country into the ground - then you stand up on the floor of a House which your party received an dishonourable discharge from to announce ya is accepted an assignment from God to be on some kinds mission to rescue the Bahamaland - out its third word status that didn't exist before 2012? { Why even bother make this "new and improved" PLP gang of four, up? }
BONEFISH 7 years ago
I had such high hopes for Chester Cooper. He is just pandering to the old stalwart councillors
Porcupine 7 years ago
God, nor anyone else can help our abject stupidity and our stultifying superstition. If there is a god, we have let her down in every way imaginable in this small country. We are intellectually backward, stuck in the mud. If there was a god, she would have made sure we had the brains and responsibility to be responsible, caring, honest and loving people. Apparently god screwed up.
Reality_Check 7 years ago
Someone needs to remind this clown Cooper that God did not elect him....he was elected by the voters in his constituency.......and his only mission as an elected official comes from them.....being the mission to faithfully represent his constituents' interests and the interests of the Bahamian people at large to the best of his ability.
licks2 7 years ago
NO LEADER AMONG MEN TEND TO PICK A "BETTER AND BRILLIANT" VP THAN THEMSELVES. . . IF BRAVE PICKED HIM AND IS NOT AFRAID OF HIM AS A THREAT TO HIS LEADERSHIP. . .THAT DOES NOT SAY MUCH ABOUT HIS SKILLS AS A POLITICIAN! Good insurance man I am told. . .but woefully "out-to-lunch" as the men who will rebuild the PLP. . .
TheMadHatter 7 years ago
Article says : He said the party’s convention last month was “the beginning of the resurgence of the PLP” and he will be ready to govern “from day one”.
Really? Wasn't their last slogan in 2012 - ready from day one? Then they were still making plans from january 2016 like they just came in office?
How can they be ready? HE NEEDS TO ASK why the FNM now couldn't be ready on day one - which they WERE NOT. The answer is because SHADOW MINISTERS have no authority to view the books, view the accounts, agreements, treaties, etc that the sitting government does. So when they take office they have to try and find where all the skeletons are hidden in which closets.
If he really wants do something useful besides just warm the bottom of a chair, he can propose an change in Law allowing shadow ministers to have such authorities. THEN his people can find out what they need to and keep abreast of what is really going on with Minnis them and be ready to govern on day one.
However, it will likely be a waste of time. The DNA will be the next government of this country, and much much much sooner than 2022. The people are tired.
birdiestrachan 7 years ago
If you folks who believed the PLP Government was all bad which I clearly do not believe you folks should stay tuned you all have a lot to see there will be much wailing and gashing of teeth. if you folks are not weeping now you all will be weeping soon, then you all can comfort each other.
DDK 7 years ago
Looks like we have a church leader who wants to be a politician and a politician who wants to be a church leader. So very Bahamas!!!!
birdiestrachan 7 years ago
Who knows Mr: Cooper more than likely had a vision from the God Of Abraham. It does happen, It is to bad that roc wit doc has no vision at all.
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