The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard said the FNM is disappointed by the absence of a growth plan or preparations to deal with inflation in Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ mid-year budget communication.

During his communication yesterday, Mr Davis highlighted relaxation in COVID-19 rules, uptick in tourism arrivals and improved rates of tax collection.

At a press conference, Mr Pintard said: “What is his plan to ensure prosperity for Bahamians so that they don’t need unemployment benefits or the food programme? We are now faced with inflation, increase in fuel costs and the Prime Minister had nothing to say in any meaningful way about what his plan is to address the rising costs that have been brought on by inflation. He continues to say that he did the right thing by pulling back on bread basket items, that he did the right thing in terms of reducing the VAT payments from 12 percent downward for persons who made property purchases that exceeded $2m.”

Mr Pintard said the FNM is pleased that the economic plan it left in place is still largely being followed by the PLP.

“When the Prime Minister referred to the first six months of the revenue generation, three of those months that he was in fact referring to were under the Free National Movement government,” he said. “In fact, the work that they are presently doing is a continuation of what we started and when they boast about revenue being ahead of projections, they are in fact referring in part to a period that we were in government and the continuation of the policies that’s generating the returns that they seem quite excited about.”

Mr Pintard accused the Davis administration of trying to rewrite history after Mr Davis tied his relaxation of COVID-19 rules to the improving economy.

“It is disingenuous for the government to give the impression,” Mr Pintard said, “that the circumstances at the beginning of COVID are identical to this period when the economy is gradually being opened in its entirety.”

The FNM also defended itself against allegations Mr Davis made about government programmes run by the Minnis administration.

Mr Davis said investigations into the former government’s handling of its food assistance programme revealed some NGOs had held onto unused large sums of money, with one group holding $2m in its bank account which has since been returned. He also charged that the Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority had been used as a “slush fund”.

Mr Davis also faulted the Minnis administration for leaving nearly $1bn in liabilities and unfunded obligations, which he said were not disclosed in its pre-election report.

In response, Mr Pintard said: “The truth is, the previous administration’s interpretation of the law requiring the pre-election report cite certain liabilities, that interpretation differs from the financial secretary and those that are presently in the chair.”

On the issue of the food programme, Mr Pintard defended the NGOs involved.

“The government through Social Services has always been helping, but in terms of a concentrated effort in the midst of COVID, a number of community groups, faith based organisations were all engaged in this work.

“So it’s very troubling that the way he laid out the case today, suggested that some of them were doing something untoward.”

Former BPPPBA chairman Shanendon Cartwright defended his tenure, saying the body followed policies and protocols left by the Christie administration.