Bahamian Politics
DNA: Where is the bahamian plan?
By Christopher Mortimer, DNA Interim Leader
Jan 18, 2018 - 11:24:57 AM


In the eight short months since taking the reigns of governance, the Minnis administration has seemingly adopted the same late again, and foreigner dependent style of governance made popular by the Progressive Liberal Party during their last term in office. Despite its many campaign promises the government has failed to put forward any plans designed to meet the needs of the citizenry and have instead focused its efforts on fast tracking legislation which satisfy foreign interests and bend to international pressures.

First, the government set an aggressive 2019 timetable for the Bahamas’ accession to the WTO, which has left little time for local businesses to prepare for impending changes to the business climate. Second, under the guise of encouraging new industry, the government all but declared war on Bahamian businesses in 2017 by fast tracking the problematic Commercial Enterprises Bill, which will allow large foreign interests to compete with Bahamians.  However, eighteen days into the New Year, and eight months into its administration, Bahamians continue to wait with bated breath for the Minnis administration’s highly anticipated economic plans to move Bahamians to the front of the economic line. 

As a party, the DNA had hoped that by now this government would have revealed plans to bolster Bahamian ownership of our economy, improve employment, and spur economic growth through tangible means such as (1) a flat rate Business License scheme, (2) reduction in mortgage rates by 50%, (3) reduce the cost of power by 50%. Instead we’ve heard more of the same tired rhetoric, much of which continues to depend heavily on foreign investment rather than proactive changes to make the Bahamas for Bahamians.

After five years of a government which ignored the will of the people, Bahamians everywhere believed the FNM when they promised that it would finally be THEIR time, but is this what the people’s time looks like?

Christopher Mortimer

DNA Interim Leader

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