“Action Expresses Priorities”. Those words uttered by the late Mahatma Gandhi ring truer today in our modern Bahamas than ever before.
Today, in a country where crime and the fear of crime threaten to consume and destroy our communities, where unemployment and underemployment keeps scores of Bahamians living well below the poverty line, the ACTIONS of this Christie government consistently prove that their PRIORITIES are NOT where they should be. The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) was disheartened to hear the Leader of Government Business, Dr. Bernard Nottage, table a report in Parliament which again reflected the lack of importance this government places on national issues.
In a Bahamas where struggling men and women continue to lose their jobs and their homes, members of this Christie government are agitating for – among other things – more money and increased travel budgets for Members of Parliament and to build a Parliamentary Complex within this Parliamentary term.
As the country continues to wait for this government to move forward with important pieces of legislation such as the much touted Marco’s Law, Gender Equality and countless others, this administration has instead chosen to spend precious time outlining its plans to increase the salaries and allowances of the country’s politicians; proving for the umpteenth time that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), despite their “Believe in Bahamians” election mantra, cannot be trusted to make the needs of the country a priority.
Since taking office, the Christie administration has constantly reminded the public of the country’s ailing fiscal position. In fact, the government’s need to find new revenue streams has been the basis of plans to introduce more taxes which now threaten to decimate the middle class. How then can this administration truly justify the recommendations outlined in this report?
During his Parliamentary contributions on Wednesday, Dr. Nottage attempted to dojust that, asserting that salary increases were necessary because MP’s are required to leave behind their primary source of employment to take up public office. That argument however, holds no water. The reality is that many members of parliament, even before coming to office, were well paid attorneys, physicians and businessmen in their own right, living lives far superior to that of the average Bahamian.
Such a move is certainly a slap in the face to the men and women who continue to struggle while elected officials live high off the hog, all on the dime of hard working Bahamian taxpayers.
Even more disheartening is the stand taken by members of the Official Opposition who were also represented on the government’ select committee, and who reportedly signed off of these recommendations. Clearly the Free National Movement (FNM) is failing in its mandate to keep the government’s feet to the fire, choosing instead to align itself with an administration whose only agenda since taking office has been to line their own pockets and those of their friends, families and loved ones.
Again, we in the DNA question how, during the worst economic recession in recent memory can our elected officials be more concerned about securing higher paychecks for themselves when the rights of those they took an oath to protect continue to be violated? The government and opposition continue to operate as two sides of the same corrupt coin with no regard for the needs of this developing nation.
Action Expresses Priorities. This country will not survive a political directorate which fails to put the priorities of its people over its personal agendas. The time has come for this PLP administration and its leaders to put aside their personal ambitions and inclinations and truly live up to the expectations of the electorate by putting the needs of the Bahamian people and this country FIRST.
Branville McCartney
DNA Leader
