Even in the wake of intense public outcry over this administration’s plans to review the salaries of Members of Parliament, this Christie led administration is again proving itself untrue to its election campaign slogan of Believing in Bahamians by failing to accept the mandate given to them by the people of this great country.
Rather than seriously consider the well placed apprehension expressed by the voting public, this government, true to form, has attempted instead to defend its bad behavior.
The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) found recent comments by the Deputy Prime Minister on the issue most disconcerting. In a media interview outside Parliament, the nation’s second in command indicated to members of the media that increasing the salaries of Members of Parliament would reduce the likelihood of corruption among politicians. In those very comments he further accused the public of jumping to conclusions and even dismissed what he called the public’s skepticism and mistrust of politicians.
The DNA asserts however, that after 40 years of pivoting back and forth between the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and Free National Movement (FNM) this mistrust of the country’s politicians is more than warranted. We have see some persons enter the political arena broke as the day is long and leave as multi-millionaires. Since taking office more than two year ago, this Christie Government has only served to bolster that mistrust.
Bahamians who questioned the government’s reckless spending on lavish trips are still waiting for the Prime Minister to honor his promise of revealing exactly how much was spent on trips to the Middle East.
Bahamians who participated in that gaming referendum faux pas are still waiting on the Prime Minister to honor the promises he made in connection with that failed process as well. Even worse, come July 1 Bahamians will receive a further slap in the face as the government again chooses to ignore the will of the people and regulate the web shop industry anyway.
And what of the refusal of the Minister responsible for National Insurance Minister Shane Gibson to reveal the details surrounding the contract on the new National Security Complex on JFK Drive? Many Bahamians will recall the minister’s defensive and borderline rude responses to the media when pressed for answers during a nationally televised press conference.
Does this sound like the actions of a government deserving of the public’s trust? Certainly not!Further lending to the obvious moral deficit of this Christie led administration has been the failure of members of this government to continuously declare their assets.
Despite calls from the DNA that Members of Parliament adhere to the rule of law as it relates to The Public Disclosures Act, politicians on both sides of the political divide have yet to do so. What do they have to hide?
Clearly the DPM’s assertion that Members of Parliament require financial incentives to do the right thing is further proof of why this failing government and inept opposition MUST GO!
As Members of this corrupt PLP administration continue to spew what can only be described as a skewed sense of logic. Is it any wonder then that the country continues to face such dire economic straits? With such individuals holding the country’s purse strings Bahamians can expect members of this government to continue to line their pockets rather than act in the best interest of the country.
Branville McCartney
DNA Leader
