The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

Now that we have celebrated and observed the Easter Season, we are faced with the brutality of politics on the ground. The stark inability to resolve so-called issues in the public arena is debilitating and retards the positive development of our wonderful nation. Communication skills are also missing in action in our political; social and even religious intercourse or interaction with each other. May I, with your anticipated leave, to discourse on precisely what I mean.

The late great and deeply lamented Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, our first Prime Minister and recognised “Founding Father”, was a master communicator. One might not know what he sometimes projected as “public policy” but he had a way with words and a manner of oratorical delivery that few Bahamians, before or since, save for me perhaps, seem to possess.

The FNM and its vaunted leadership cadre, starting with The Most Honourable, have the opportunity to usher in a gilded age in The Bahamas but, for inexplicable reasons, they seem reluctant or, God forbid, reluctant to do so. Their communication skills and non interest in fleshing out their public policy positions, they remain mute and self delusional. It was by a natural political disaster that they came to office almost two years ago.

The then Christie led regime had lost it’s political way and forgotten the original mission statement of the PLP. Now that the unwashed masses, especially right here in New Providence, would have witnessed the performance of these people and the FNM government, there is quiet discontent on the streets. It is conceded that too many Bahamians, over the decades of massive political abuses and perceived and overt corruption in the public sector, now expect instant changes and instant political and economic salvation. It does not go like that.

The FNM could well be like most previous administrations which would have been ushered into high office, pardon the pun, and unceremoniously driven out at the end of a single term. What are the alternatives? Of course, we have the iconic Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) waiting in the wings for the “fall” of the current political Minns-Lite regime. That is the narrative. One which I do not subscribe to and let me, again, be clear as day, I am a New Deal PLP who is motivated pure by the original manifesto of the party promulgated back in the 1950’s. It worked quite well then and it will work, again, God willing, one day.

The PLP is not communications savvy, even though we have the available raw resources and access to technology. We also appear to still be shell shocked by the political wipe out which was imposed by God Himself, on us back in 2017. As a party and the one of preference by most right thinking Bahamians, we, under Christie’s benign leadership, fumbled badly and misread the tea leaves. To this very day, despite meetings and seminars, my party has yet to announce formulated alternative public policy positions to the almost non existent ones of the FNM protectorate.

We are fast becoming the party of reaction instead of the juggernaut to keep hitting this group, where and when necessary with alternatives and not just acting like cry babies and reactionaries. It is okay, sometimes, to be critical but there comes a time when a party that wants power again, must stand and deliver. An age old biblical questions is: “Can these dry bones live again?” God answered the prophet and those same dried up bones, with a great sound, were resurrected.

This is the question which I now pose to my beloved party and leadership “Can these politically dried up bones live again?” I say yes but there is much work to be done. The continued reactions will not get us too far. Protesting the administration’s choice/s for certain public positions, Like Brother Murphy up at The Bahamas Correctional Centre or sending senior officers on accumulated vacation time prior to eventual retirement. All administrations have the right to appoint whomsoever they will. Publicly questioning the independence and personal integrity of the Auditor General, a creature of statute, is a no no. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H. BODIE, JR.

Nassau

April 21, 2019