Nassau, Bahamas - The following is a statement by Bradley B. Roberts, National Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party:
Contrary to the
politically motivated diatribe by Dr. Minnis recently, there is
incontrovertible evidence that the PLP government is demonstrating
extraordinary fiscal discipline and leadership with their tough but necessary
program to rein in government spending.
Dr. Minnis cannot and
should not be allowed to get away with telling untruths and misleading the
general public on this matter, regardless of what words or message his
political advisors continue to place in his mouth. For the record, the Central
Bank of The Bahamas reported that the government narrowed the national debt by
$66 million during the first quarter of the current fiscal year. The government
initially projected the budgetary deficit for the current year to be $443
million which works out to $110.75 million per quarter. That figure was
narrowed by $66 million or by more than 50%. At this current level of spending
containment, the actual deficit could come in at under $200 million which is a
significant improvement over the state of our fiscal house inherited by this
government back in 2012 with runaway spending, no accountability and $500
million in borrowing. The government is to be commended for its focus,
leadership and fiscal discipline.
This improvement in our
public finances might very well be an inconvenient truth to Dr. Minnis, his
cohorts and FNM operatives, but THE FACTS DO MATTER and he cannot get
away with making up his own facts as he sees fit regardless of the paid
messaging advice he received. If he insists that he sees no tangible evidence
that the government is cutting waste and containing spending, then perhaps the
government should cut his salary, take away his car and insist that he find
office space and an assistant at his personal cost. Having felt first-hand the
sting of the government’s drastic cost cutting measures the way civil servants
and public corporations have felt the pinch for the past twenty months, perhaps
Dr. Minnis would cease and desist with his intellectually dishonest,
politically driven and foolish drivel about spending cuts. Since he cannot see,
perhaps he should be made to feel.
The government must not
waiver in its determined quest to put our fiscal house in order, turn this
economy around and right this ship of state after Dr. Minnis and his cohorts
ran it aground, abandoned ship and are now shamelessly posturing and feigning
dementia, shock and outrage at the poor state in which they left the country
just twenty short months ago.
