FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham. Photo: Austin Fernander
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Tribune Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
FORMER prime minister Hubert Ingraham has described the Davis administration as being reluctant to make decisions on controversial issues since being elected, adding that “not long from now” the government will be held accountable for its actions or perceived inaction.
As he gave his view on the Progressive Liberal Party government post the September 2021 vote, Mr Ingraham said the only major decision made by the administration has been the reduction of value added tax to 10 percent from 12 percent.
While admitting that generally the government was at this point receiving good reviews, Mr Ingraham said this was “on the surface” and could change at any time.
“The PLP won the election. There was a low poll 65 percent or thereabouts of the population that voted. They won convincingly,” Mr Ingraham said on Friday.
He was a guest on Guardian Talk Radio’s Z Live: Off the Record, with host Zhivargo Laing and asked for his views of the government nearly a year after it took office. The former prime minister’s participation on the show was also to mark the 30th anniversary of the Free National Movement’s first election victory.
“They have, since they’ve been in office, put on a first class show of public relations. I envy them. I could never have produced such a show when I was in office.
“The public is very happy that the FNM government is gone because they really wanted the FNM out and the public is willing to excuse many things that the present government is doing because they’re just happy to say ‘Well, at least they ain’t here now.’
“But as time goes on they will be judged by the public as we all have been up to now.
“They’ve not done anything major since they came in except they reduced VAT from 12 to 10 percent and put it on breadbasket items and they were able to get away with that and the public accepted that 10 percent is better than 12 even though it’s costing lots of money for lots of people who can’t afford it.
“But generally speaking they’re getting a good review by the population so far but that’s on the surface. I expect that not long from now they will be held accountable for their actions or inaction just like everybody else.
“What I do know is they have been very reluctant to make decisions about anything that’s possibly controversial. As you know they can only push that back so far.”
He suggested that this was the case with issues associated with the National Insurance Board.
Mr Ingraham was also critical of the government’s conduct in acting as if the country did not have financial challenges.
“I was in Inagua last week and Inagua had a resident doctor when Sir Arthur Foulkes, who is now just over 90 years of age, father was up there as a doctor.
“We have built a wonderful mini hospital up there and then they told me that there was no doctor there.
“So, it’s that kind of a thing that the government needs to take account of and try to ensure order that the public is getting the services that they require and deserve. Public relations can only do so much.
“The other thing is there is clearly a scarcity of money.
“Many people are complaining who can’t get paid, but the government is not acting as if there is financial difficulty or challenges.”
The former prime minister also noted that one of the concerns he has for the country is how immigration is handled.
“We are very skittish about foreigners. We want them here. We want their money here, but we don’t really want them here.
“We have large numbers of people who are here who have no status, who are entitled to status, etc, but we keep kicking that can down the road.
“I fear that that’s going to be a problem for us at some point in time.”
He said other than this, there was a need to find a means to offer more services in The Bahamas.
Comments
JokeyJack 2 years, 4 months ago
FNM. Foreign Nationals Matter
truetruebahamian 2 years, 4 months ago
FNM’s loss in the last election rests solely on the shoulders of Minnis.
DDK 2 years, 4 months ago
........and his minions who went along with him on that terrible downhill ride.
birdiestrachan 2 years, 4 months ago
Never mind
The FNM papa he should know that 10% VAT is better than no VAT on a few items that did not benefit poor people the FNM papa did not care about poor people he was
all about making the rich richer His record speaks for itself start with the arawak cay port
pro_test 2 years, 4 months ago
Dog don't bark at park car.
themessenger 2 years, 4 months ago
But birdies do crap on them..............
TalRussell 2 years, 4 months ago
'Humble Comrades,' are you really of mindset that you 'can' just make this up?' ... Why it wasn't such a tough decision by The 'Humble' Fisherman Papa Hubert's need resurface after passage what must've been Five long frustration years spent in Thee Mr. Minnis forced exile to his adopted Cooper's Town.... Could there be more to this than a just sudden surge of jealousy's need to tief the spotlight away from the premiership "Brave?" ... Oh yes, indeed history books list others who had attempted successful return out exile to politics ― Yes?
LastManStanding 2 years, 4 months ago
These are two separate issues really (foreign investment vs migration). Foreign investment is great, but we absolutely do need to be mindful of who we are selling our land to and what kind of influence they will have on this country. Nygard, for example, was an international stain on the Bahamas that did much to bring back the "nation for sale" reputation that we are infamous for. Nothing wrong with vetting who is investing here (ie. buying control over the government).
When it comes to the migration issue, it really is not that hard to solve. Really all that needs to be asked is what citizenship did your parents hold? If they were Haitian, congratulations you are Haitian and have zero claim to any citizenship here. I don't know why so many people feel that someone is entitled to citizenship just because you happened to be born here, our laws do not work that way. The authors of the constitution really had their thinking caps on for that issue as it is the only thing stopping us from becoming Haiti 2.0 with all of these anchor babies; it is a crying shame that no government since then really has had the balls to enforce the law as it is written.
Emilio26 2 years, 3 months ago
LastManStanding so what of someone has a Bahamian parent and other is a foreign parent? Should they still be entitled to citizenship?
TalRussell 2 years, 4 months ago
The early years after unseatin' Lynden Pindling's PLP's ... The Rt. Honourable Comrade Papa Hubert administration did in fact start broughtin' about significant electrified changes to The Colony's governance ways ― Yes?
birdiestrachan 2 years, 4 months ago
Tough decision ? Did he mention what they are this man who gave away BTC and said Bahamians need not apply and the doc travels on tax payers money and calls the Bahamas corrupt
BONEFISH 2 years, 4 months ago
The former prime minister Ingraham is blunt and plain-spoken. What he said about this PLP administration is true. They are essentially smoke and mirrors and public relations spin. They have avoided dealing with hard issues and don't want to offend certain parts of this electorate. A perfect example is the situation about marital rape and the latest actuary report about the state of the National Insurance Board's fund.
trueBahamian 2 years, 4 months ago
Not sure why Mr. Ingraham is taking this public platform to.make a case for the party. It's better that he sits back and reserves his public commentary for rallies or conventions. When he needed to speak up when it would have been really in the best interest of the people he decided to be quiet.
Is the PLP the answer 5o our problems, no? Ate the issues Mr. Ingraham speaks of just manifesting themselves within this one year of PLP governance? No. So, let's not play the political spin game. Both parties have demonstrated the inability tomtackle tough issues. Both parties have dropped the ball in the overall management if the country. So, let's grow up people and start thinking about nation building. If you have ideas go publicly and give those to whomever is in power, for the greater good of the country.
tribanon 2 years, 4 months ago
Hubiggety Ingraham should be remembered for only one thing: In 1992 he gave the keys to our country to the Chinese Communist Party.
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