The Tribune

WHEN Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis spoke at Mount Tabour Church yesterday, he was in reflective mood.

It is, after all, two years since his party won the election and took office – and the weekend was one of celebration for the party.

In his address to the congregation at the church, he outlined the decisions the party had made since coming to power.

He talked of needing to “lay the foundation for big changes as we take steps toward a fairer and more prosperous society for all Bahamians.”

He said: “Our first priority was to drive the recovery of the economy and job market, strengthen the healthcare system, and reopen schools. So many people were suffering financially, going hungry, and praying for better days. We moved immediately to expand support to those who needed it the most while rolling out a new, data-driven approach to combatting COVID-19.

“Within months, the economy roared back to life, and we began seeing major progress as hope returned to our nation.”

In short, open the schools, get back to work and rebuild the economy.

That was certainly a priority of the incoming administration – although it is also true that the rest of the world was in the process of opening up too.

Credit where it is due though and the economic resurgence has certainly coincided with the PLP administration.

The question is of course what comes next? If the foundation has been laid, then what will be built upon it? That will be the test the administration faces as it starts to turn towards the countdown to the next election.

The coming year in that case will be crucial. If Mr Davis is to make the big changes he talks about, the time is now.

Speaking of credit where it is due, in today’s Tribune Dr Hubert Minnis speaks up about issues on the national agenda – and appears to try to take back some of the credit belonging to the PLP administration.

He speaks of the demolition work being conducted Downtown, saying that the Davis administration “continued the work” his administration began.

He cites the demolition of the old Post Office and the Churchill Building as evidence of that.

Dr Minnis is over-reaching in his attempt to claim the current demolition programme for his own. He had plenty of opportunity to carry out such a demolition scheme in the Downtown area. He did not.

The malaise that has affected Downtown for too long has spanned a number of administrations, that of Dr Minnis included. In the span of his leadership, to point to two demolitions across his whole administration is thin indeed.

However, he is correct in that we now need to ensure that once the demolition is done, we need to revive the area – through tax incentives, investment and good management.

Dr Minnis has given praise for the PLP’s demolition work, and urges the government to show the “creativity and courage to bring about the proper leadership structure for the area”.

There is an opportunity here for both sides to work together, to share the work and ensure the best outcome for the Downtown area.

There does not need to be a contest for who gains the most credit. But if, as Mr Davis looks upon the foundation he sought to build, he can set his sights on ensuring that Downtown has a bright future ahead, that will indeed be a target worth aiming for during the remainder of this term.