The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

2023 was a game changing year and one of the literal resurrection of The Bahamas. With the still lingering effects of back-to-back hurricanes a few short years ago and the debilitating economic and health status of Bahamians across the board with the arrival of COVID-19, we as a people were between a rock and a very hard place. Compounding these issues was the fact that an FNM administration, led by the Most Honourable Dr Hubert Minnis, was, seemingly, grossly out of touch and was stymied by signs of incompetence and infighting.

One of the few ‘good’ things that Dr Minnis did as Competent Authority was to call early elections in 2021, with more than a year left in his single and final term in office as Prime Minister. By doing so, he, perhaps, unwittingly, opened the political door for the Hon Philip “Brave“ Davis, KC, MP, to literally slip into high office. It is my submission that Dr Minnis and his kitchen cabinet misread the tea leaves and badly under estimated the mood of the collective Bahamian people.

Neither the advent of the hurricanes nor the deadly arrival of the pandemic were the fault of Minnis and the now rump FNM. Their handling of those crisis was the final nail in their political coffin. The PLP was swept back into office by a large majority and the rest is history. The challenges which this party and its leadership faced were daunting to say the least. 2021 into 2022 were rough and tough. Now, thanks to the adroit handling of increased energy costs; inflation and badly broken infrastructure, The Bahamas appears to have bounced back better and bigger than before. This year of 2023 is one of the BEST ones we have had in a decade. Employment opportunities are in abundance. Potential entrepreneurs are lined up to kick start new businesses or to improve existing ones. The downtown Sheraton British Colonial Hotel has reopened. The new port is opened for cruise ship arrivals. Affordable housing continues to come on stream. There is a positive glimmer of light at the end of the Grand Bahama tunnel. Major Family Islands like Abaco; Andros; Eleuthera and Exuma are bursting at the seams and the future looks exceedingly bright for the entire nation.

Yes, 2023 is the year that witnessed the literal resurrection of our wonderful nation and her people. There is still much more work to be done. We are in URGENT need of a systematic National Youth Service and a comprehensive and affordable National Health Care regime, especially for debilitating issues such as dental; vision and management of chronic diseases. Talking about vision issues there are too many Bahamians suffering from cataracts and are literally going blind due to a chronic lack of equipment and skilled medical personnel. I have no doubt, however, that we will all SEE game changing improvements in 2024.

And so, on behalf of tens of thousands of grateful Bahamians, regardless of partisan politics, I award the New Day PLP and it’s pragmatic and stellar unchallenged Leader, the Most Honourable Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, KC, MP, on a job well done and achievement of the resurrection of The Bahamas and her people. 2024 is destined, in my view, to be even BETTER and BIGGER than 2023, the Lord willing.

ORTLAND H BODIE Jr

Nassau,

December 28, 2023.