Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis. Photo: Terrel W Carey Sr/Tribune Staff
By MALCOLM STRACHAN
Prime Minister Minnis’ tenure has not been short of blunders and contradictions - as any cursory search through his soundbites would reveal. A host of his campaign postures have since been walked back in some way or another. Dr Minnis, shortly after being sworn in as prime minister, made a bold proclamation to his ministers that reverberated throughout the nation. He cautioned his ministers against corruption, conflicts of interest and any unethical behaviour.
During his first official address as the nation’s third prime minister, Dr Minnis said: “My government will ensure that the Public Treasury is utilised for the public good rather than directed toward private interest.
“I will ever remind my ministers to avoid conflicts of interest in the exercise of their public duties.”
That declaration has become laughable with the government’s most recent decision to relocate the post office to the Town Centre Mall. Naturally, this was done despite the anger of many Bahamian people who see this as an overt conflict of interest. Although Immigration and Financial Services Minister Brent Symonette – who, along with his brother, owns the mall – would have recused himself from voting, such a formality does not justify why a sitting Cabinet minister will further be enriched by securing a contract worth nearly a million dollars annually.
It is absolutely insane that the prime minister, who hypocritically presents himself as the guardian of good governance, attempted to justify this to the Bahamian people. However, it should not serve as a surprise, as he too, has benefited from a government contract while he was the minister of health.
Certainly, it is quite easy to make light of Symonette cashing in from the public purse when the prime minister previously rented his building to a ministry whose portfolio he held.
How does one get more brazen than that?
Unfortunately, this has further damaged the government’s reputation, and the prime minister will be the one the Bahamian people will hold to account when the time comes.
The populace, the media and opposing parties will all have a field day analysing the government’s record – comparing what was said on the campaign trail with what was done in office.
We also recall the prime minister taking the previous government to task when an income tax was proposed as a means to fund the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme. While there may be no getting around some form of increased taxation if NHI is to become a reality, Prime Minister Minnis may require the jaws of life to dislodge his foot from his mouth.
At a time when the poverty rate was less than it is currently, the prime minister – then leader of the Opposition – said: “Already you have a 12.8 percent poverty rate. So when you tax them even further you are going to cause an even greater increase in poverty and possibly decrease the quality of living and healthcare in the country.”
It’s hard to imagine the man who said that was also the same one who, upon coming into office, led the charge on supposed belt-tightening and austerity measures which resulted in the firing of thousands in the public service, other cutbacks and the decried increase of value added tax.
Yet with all the penny-pinching, it would not be long before the government was purchasing hotels and issuing contracts to one of its own Cabinet ministers.
The truth is that Prime Minister Minnis, who previously denied being like other politicians, is exactly like the type of politician Bahamian people have grown to despise. No amount of justifications can sway the opinions of disappointed Bahamians – many of whom were previously FNM supporters.
Tuning into any medium that covers national politics, you can hear the tenor of the Bahamian people is one of extreme disappointment in this government. Many citizens are chomping at the bit for the next election in 2022, and understandably so.
Life in The Bahamas has gotten harder. Crime is still a problem. Hardly a soul feels that it’s their time to do anything but continue to trudge along hopelessly.
The state the average Bahamian exists within is still one of desperation for an elusive future where equity abounds – a time that is truly possessed by the people. Instead, the Minnis administration continues to perpetrate an elaborate hoax.
As the Progressive Liberal Party continues to try to rebrand its image and reorganise in hopes of a successful campaign in 2022, their work is being made easy by the sitting government. While it is a sad reality, it would seem as though we’re becoming an electorate that votes the lesser of two evils.
Certainly, the PLP was blighted by the perception of rampant corruption, as propagated by the FNM during its campaign. However, with the lack of convictions and doubling-down on contracts with purported “whistleblowers”, the Minnis administration simply looks like another leopard that can’t change its spots.
The Bahamian people voted for a party selling us on change, but if all they are presented with is the same kind of politician they wanted to be rid of, then the FNM can be sure that election 2022 will be payback for insulting our intelligence.
As the saying goes: “Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you.”
Comments
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
Why yinna bring this dumb writer on this site? I don't know about yinna but I had had my fill of stupid writers who can't think pass their petty feelings. . .THIS ONE NEEDS TO GROW THE HELL UP AND FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO DO OR BE HONEST!!
Let ma gee ya a hint there Mr. confused read trough before ya try and compose. . .for example, you blaming the government because there are no convictions for those who were put before the courts for corruptions!! HOW THE HELL YOU GER SAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS TO FAULT BECAUSE NO CONVICTIONS WERE MADE IN COURT. . .YOU DON'T KNOW HOW COURT AND GOVERNMENTS WORK AYE? GOVERNMENT DON'T CHARGE NOBODY. . .THEY DON'T TRY NOBODY!! WHAT NATION YOU COME FROM. . .WE HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AROUND HERE IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW CIVIL RIGHTS WORK! yOU HAVE BETTER LEAVE THIS NATION. . .AND TAKE YA CHIRRINS THEM WITH YA WHEN THE GOVERNMENT START CONVICTING PEOPLE WHO GO BEFORE THE COURTS!
And that stupidity about double-down on contracts with wistleblowers. . . WHAT YOU SAYING? Are there any "smart" writes in this country? I do understand what a letter to the editor by Rev. Dr. Simeon Hall is talking about THIS MORNING. . ."we lame brains them all over the place with one mic talkin fool with no hitch on he mouths" so to speak!! And the bad part about the deep ignorant talk out there is that them talk show hosts AND WRITERS them are too dumb to correct anybody!! In fact talk shows and dumb writers they contribute more nonsense than the basic public! Everybody know how to run everything!
All fun and joke aside. . .THIS WRITER IS JOKEY BAD BAD. . .HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 1 month ago
LMAO. The joke has been, and always will be, on you licks2. Like most, I don't even bother to read what you post.
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
Then I rest my case. . .you refuses to read sense and I am the one who is dumb? My posts and others posts is not your enemy. . .your myopic and naive reasoning is your pariah. . . your not reading is a testament to your one-sided and provincial sentiments that pervades your reasoning style!!! I read every one's posts and if I think that they make no sense I tell ya I am going to kick rocks or watch paint dry. . . but never the route of refusing to read or hear ANYTHING!! That is the tactic of a "empty headed" die hard political yard chicken!!
I wish you do read some other persons :thinking style". . .then maybe you will improve your skills. . .but I guess you can not help from acting politically childish!!
DDK 6 years, 1 month ago
The writers is absolutely right on every count! Wake up and smell the coffee!
DDK 6 years, 1 month ago
writer*
BahamaPundit 6 years, 1 month ago
Re Licks2 The tone of your criticism of the article seems unnecessary and inflated. The article was important and shows that the Press is starting to see Minnis for what he is: a complete hypocrite As many Bahamian politicians, Minnis would have better served this nation as a public gardener and not its leader.
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
I gave you some of his poo poo thinking. . .it is called critical thinking. . . it happens all the time, everywhere. . .but you must gave ya reasoning for the critique. . .not just run ya juicy mouths!! You say he is right. . .you gave no substantiations. . .ha the hell yinna expect for anybody with lil bit of critical reasoning skills training to gave yinna the time of day?
Rest a sure there genius . . . the educated world don't have time for yinna dumb nonsense. . . we see what what we see. . .from what you say. . .now if you can't say what you want to say. . .or say things that don't make sense. . .that on yinna political hacks!!
Bahamianbychoice 6 years, 1 month ago
I believe this article to be important as well. Bahamians expected so much better...the country is desperate for strong leadership. Instead we have boldness such as the BPL and BCA debacles where strong professionals were crushed so a select few can keep their hands in the cookie jar...while the poor is taxed..education and healthcare are struggling. It’s disgraceful. The FNM is supposed to be better than this. I so wish Ingraham was back in charge!!!
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
Ya new name should be "dumbbychoice". Polemic reasoning style never shows good grasp of reasoning skills but only a "ruining" of the face validity of you opponent's opinion in the sight of an audience who themselves have no idea whether the information is right or wrong! For example, one time ago people were laughing at persons for saying the earth goes around the sun because a Polmist would say things at them such as: "all persons who are experts in cosmogeny knows that the sun goes around the earth". . . or some wide spread notion says! This sounded slick, smart and learned. . .but persons with knowledge of cosmogeny knew it was not accurate!
TalRussell 6 years, 1 month ago
Good question. What is word of Comrade Minnis and his 34 MP's worth? First, you'd have deduct 12% for the VAT, and then deflate the rationale pricing used by the 91,409 who on 10 May 2017 trusted word 35 red party's candidates - enough to have voted Imperial red shirts in as they governing party.
BahamaPundit 6 years, 1 month ago
This is my favorite part. Very well written:
The truth is that Prime Minister Minnis, who previously denied being like other politicians, is exactly like the type of politician Bahamian people have grown to despise.
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 1 month ago
Wrong....he's not "exactly like"...he's much, much worse than any existing or previous politician!
TalRussell 6 years, 1 month ago
Wasn't it just this past week that a article by Comrade Malcolm - which has also negative on PM Minnis, suddenly within hours appearing - got deleted.... Has wonder wonder how many hours before another phone call is made from PMO to the Tribune?
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
Perhaps it was because the article was such a poor quality. . .at least it was the reason I thought that they remove it. . .the persons who manage the site probably placed it here where your dumb reasoning can be chalked-up as "opinion". . .so if ya sound dumb who cares.
BahamaPundit 6 years, 1 month ago
Talk if that is true and licks2 is making a political threat on behalf of the FNM dictatorship, it shows just how low class the FNM has become. Without Ingraham on board, we may have a real nasty bunch of deviants now at the helm of our ship.
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
Why do I need to threatened any of you political hacks. . .THE BIGGEST THREATS TO YOUR CREDIBILITY IS YALL STUPID POLEMICAL REASONING SKILLS. . . that's what holding a political fealty do for yinna. . .yall have to talk stupidity to be relevant. . .I speak whatever I see, feel and understand!!
BahamaPundit 6 years, 1 month ago
SP Re:TalRussell
SP 6 years, 1 month ago
@ BahamaPundit........You cannot be referring to the "Hubert Ingraham" that told us that the best solution to the Haitian invasion was for Bahamians give up and learn Creole.
And after the 2010 collapse of Freeports' economy which forced Bahamians to live on beaches and in cars, Hubert Ingraham told Bahamians to an send every dime they could find to help with Haiti's 2010 earthquake and never lifted a finger for our own people.
If that is the "Ingraham" you refer, he could go and join Bradly!
hnhanna 6 years, 1 month ago
LMAO, this 2018 and the world is changing what was good yesterday is not good today.
CatIslandBoy 6 years, 1 month ago
This article is very well written and true to the core. There is no doubt that the truth does hurt, and as more of the Minnis' style of governing is revealed, the more this truth hurts. I am certainly disappointed that Minnis sees no Conflict of Interest in renting space from one of his Cabinet members. I certainly hope that there is a viable alternative third party come next election.
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
Did you read Article 49 of the Bahamas constitution? A process ruled on by the Privy Council as non-conflicting for MPs? The real feeling for yinna jealous people is : "brent een need no more money". . .WHAT A BUNCH OF MYOPIC NONSENSE. I actually heard Juan McCartney say that childishness on his radio show! In fact HI said that on public radio. . .HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! If yinna look real close yall will see plenty plantation thinking coming from yall. . . don't give brent no more "things". . . why? Because he is white? He is a business man with money to make ventures. . .lucrative ventures. . .HE HAS THE SAME DANG CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO MAKE THEM MILLIONS LIKE ANYONE OF YALL!! Grow the hell up as a people I say again. . .the world is watching yinna "bush bukkie thinking"! Oh I wait for the day when most persons who post on this site are no longer relevant to anything to do with health of national life. . .yall are the political yard chickens. . .not the brains of this nation!!
truetruebahamian 6 years, 1 month ago
This article is by all standards relevant.
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
And I call it stupid, childish, dumb, unlearned, convoluted, nonsensical and just plain yard chicken like. . .scratchy and piqued!! Polmic and out of focus with little content validity!! I will give the nonsensical reason! FNM put people in court and no convictions come out. . .they promised to cut out corruption but we have no convictions!! Now if yinna did not know what we are talking about and that statement is read to yinna. . ."who jack tail" wrote such nonsense will be all yinna response to it!! Now I gave you one reason for this writes dumb crap. . .so you now give one on why he did a good job!!
DDK 6 years, 1 month ago
"Many citizens are chomping at the bit for the next election in 2022, and understandably so."
Do we have to wait that long? Most of us won't make it! Where is the shining alternative coming to the fore???
Bahamianbychoice 6 years, 1 month ago
I feel like this is the time for a fourth party...one of proven professionals who have demonstrated integrity and social compassion. Let it truly be the people’s time!
DDK 6 years, 1 month ago
You are right, of course, but that party cannot form itself. Persons involved in front-line politics obviously require more that integrity, sense and sensibility; time, money and organizational skills are a big factor. Perhaps this party could be made up not only of newcomers but the best from the existing two/three parties who have a true love for service and country????
birdiestrachan 6 years, 1 month ago
Wonders of wonders CATISLANDBOY is seeing the light. I never envisioned he would. if CATISLANDBOY who was blinded with the Torch is now seeing the light, doc is in deep trouble.
Some of the smartest people in the whole wide world hail from CAT ISLAND.
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
Read the business section in ya dailies. . .them business peoples them een talkin no crap like yall. . .government deficits down by 50%, the economy is growing 2.5% (no nation except china did this in the last 20+ years), them white people drawing up plans to upgrade bay street to world class, FDI are breaking down yinna doors. . .crime gone down, even America out there "catchin Haitians them" for yinna (coast guard catching all now) and ground breaking legislation are put in place for orderly developments. . .
birdiestrachan 6 years, 1 month ago
doc lies to much he stood on the house floor and said the Government did not pay for him to go to medical school. because he was FNM. Doctor Nottage asked Mr> Christie you know about that> ?? Mr; Christie said no.
doc wants the peoples time voters to believe he paid his way through Medical school by washing cars and packing groceries. He also said he did not know toggie or boggie when it was found out that he lied. He said the man bought him fish....
he was telling lies all along the peoples time voters were not paying attention.
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
Maybe they did not pay for him to go to school because his daddy is a rich man and can afford to pay his own child way. . .but what that has to do with anything anyhow??
Bahamianbychoice 6 years, 1 month ago
DDK I agree completely. A fourth party consisting of newcomers and those from existing parties who truly have a love for country. I have a feeling some of the money behind the FNM would be open minded to supporting a new option!
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
Hehehehehehehehehehehehe. . .this is all you all seem able to be in the near future. . ."THE PEENIT GALLERY" . . . YALL USELESS AS ANY REAL HELP FOR ANY KIND OF MEANINGFUL CHANGE. . .IF I TAKE YINNA REASONING SKILLS FOR ANY POINT OF INTEGRITY IN YALL. . .THE HOPE IS TINY TINY. . .FEW OF YALL AROUND HERE "GAT THE RIGHT STUFF". Let me tell Bahamianbychoice why he/she talking nonsense. You are going to white Bahamians for money to get rid of doc. . .for why? Hahahahahahaha! And he just gave their "prime white" general a contract and yinna house niggars them went into a "tizzic" and want to kill doc, brent and now think that the other white Bahamians them will give you money to rid of the FNM. . .to do what. . .bring ya "bile" out at them? See how dumb you thinking? You really yard chickenie nay!! BOO YINNA NOW SAYING STUPID THINGS LIKE" "WHAT MORE BRENT WANT. . .HE HAVE ENOUGH"! That what the Hitler germans said about thee jew in 1943. . .and we know how that turned out when they got power!
Porcupine 6 years, 1 month ago
Licks2,
You posts degrade the level of debate here. You want critical thinking, yet lower the bar with each comment you make. You could do better with your time, such as going back to school, doing community service, or simply staying home and masturbating, which it seems you are really doing here anyway.
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