Bahamian Politics
DNA Vision 2017 & Beyond
By Branville McCartney, Leader, Democratic National Alliance (DNA)
Apr 10, 2017 - 2:58:24 PM

I invited you here today to announce the launching of our Vision 2017 & Beyond document, a comprehensive plan to guide a Democratic National Alliance government over the next five years.

The Vision 2017 is a 70-page document that will be distributed electronically, as we in the green party seek to reduce our carbon footprint and move to a paperless environment – a philosophy we will take with us into governance as a start in eliminating the rampant waste and lack of accountability that signifies the past 20 years of PLP and FNM rule.

By releasing this document we are saying to the Bahamian people “hold us accountable” we will show you how we’re going to change this country. Unlike the FNM and PLP who have released similar manifestos, and failed to deliver for us, this is not just campaign talk – this is what we will accomplish.

Our aim is to meet achievable goals that we will measure ourselves by the end of five years – we don’t have aspirations as a political dynasty and if we can’t deliver in our first five years then we don’t belong in government.

This document covers all aspects of government and signifies revolutionary change in the way an administration should operate.

The Vision 2017 and Beyond outlines the finer points of our platform, mainly, good governance; the economy; national security; youth development, education and culture; energy and the environment, healthcare and social policy; and Grand Bahama and the Family Islands.

These are the areas of focus that will encompass change in this country.

First, and foremost, we must focus on decreasing crime, growing the economy, and ending corruption.

At the end of the first year of a DNA administration, we will have commissions of Inquiry on matters pertaining to Baha Mar, the Bank of The Bahamas, and VAT disbursements. If it is determined that there was wrong-doing, people will go to jail – everyone must be equal under the law especially our government.

Reducing crime has two sides. We must enforce the law and focus police efforts on prosecuting dangerous criminals. We must also realize that crime is an economic problem – if people had more opportunities for work they would not be forced into petty crime. That’s why we’re proposing a $500 million-dollar economic stimulus and liberalizing our energy sector which will create more direct jobs but will also encourage economic growth creating thousands of residual jobs. And for those Bahamians who have always dreamed of starting a business of their own, we will reduce the Central Bank’s lending rate by two basis points, making that dream a reality.

In addition, we’ll properly liberalize exchange controls, enact Marco’s Law, implement anti-corruption legislation, move toward a national lottery, legislate the platform where capital punishment can be enforced, privatize Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival and re‐direct funding to our established Junkanoo Festival and other cultural festivals, revise the National Health Insurance Act to allow for more insurance company participation, and reduce penalties for the possession of small quantities of marijuana, as well as initialize the pilot programme for town councils for New Providence, as well as meet other first-year objectives.

At the end of five years, the DNA will have expanded opportunities in the financial services sector, diversified our Tourism product, added a 1% of GDP surplus to our annual budget, reduced unemployment to 8%, created new industries in technology, restructure the Immigration Department and cut wait times for permits and visas in half, decriminalized marijuana, created Universal coverage in our National Healthcare Programme, increased the amount of public prosecutions and convictions in public fraud and embezzlement cases, increased the Gross Domestic Product by 5% with projections to grow by another 10% within the next five years, put in place a comprehensive mortgage relief and distressed property programme for consumers, created an average savings of 33% on the cost of energy per consumer, increased the number of mobile service providers, increased the amount of broadband service providers, create more sustainable jobs in banking and in tourism, and much more.

These may seem like lofty goals, and they are. The Vision 2017 and Beyond provides the road map and strategy to make these things happen.

For too long, we’ve been inflicted by self-interested governance by the legacy parties. Both parties have lined their own pockets while Bahamians have suffered. The DNA is the only way to move the Bahamas in a different direction. We in the DNA propose bold change and transformation for The Bahamas, to redirect us from our current trajectory toward ruin.

This document is now available online on our website and Facebook page and on the DNA’s App.

Time doesn’t allow now for a full breakdown of what we’re proposing, but we plan on holding a forum tomorrow at the BCPOU Hall at 6:30PM to drill into the Vision 2017 and Beyond and allow for discussion.

It’s not a rally or a constituency office opening, but it is a chance to hear how you can take part in bringing meaningful change to our country and of course correct this runaway train of governance.

We invite you to read this document and come out to our forum to understand how a vote for the DNA is a vote for a better life.

Branville McCartney

DNA Leader

Link to Vision 2017 & Beyond Document: https://issuu.com/

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