From:TheBahamasWeekly.com

Bahamian Politics
FNM Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis's remarks at Grand Bahama Candidates Launch
By Dr. Hubert Minnis - FNM Leader
Mar 18, 2017 - 10:24:49 AM

 
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Photos by David Mackey - Mackey Media Ltd for The Michael Pintard FNM Marco City Campaign


Honorable Dr. Hubert Minnis, MP
Leader of the Free National Movement
Grand Bahama Candidates Launch
7:00 PM, Friday, March 17, 2017
A Social Affair Convention Center
Freeport, Grand Bahama


FNMS, FNMS, FNMS, GRand Bahama!

We have come to take our country back!
Grand Bahama, we are taking all five! We want West End and Bimini!
We want Marco City! We want Pineridge! We want Central Grand Bahama and
We want East Grand Bahama!

This is the home of the FNM!!! Welcome… to… OUR… House!

Grand Bahama you have always been with me. Thank you, Thank you. Thank you for your overwhelming support for our change team. Thank you for your faithfulness to the Free National Movement for over 40 plus years. GRAND BAHAMA WAS, ….IS , …..AND WILL ALWAYS BE FNM COUNTRY!!!!

FNMs!!!!

Have you had enough of the PLP? You know and I have said it before and I will say again and again and again…Perry Christie and this PLP has been the worst government in the history of our Bahamas!!! They gat to go!!!!

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Photos by David Mackey - Mackey Media Ltd for The Michael Pintard FNM Marco City Campaign


My brothers and sisters, I know you in Grand Bahama are tired of the broken promises on jobs and our economy. Recently, Perry Christie had the nerve to brag about spending 100 million dollars here in Grand Bahama. Even The Freeport News refuted what Christie said.  Imagine that: 100 million and unemployment still high; 100 million and the people still suffering; 100 million and businesses and hotels still closed; 100 MILLION and little to no hurricane relief.   Despite all that big talk very little was actually done. Grand Bahama, aren’t you tired of all the broken promises and excuses?  When they come asking for more time… tell them No… it's the people's time now!

Grand Bahama! The Prime Minister was brazen enough to come to Bahamas Business Outlook in Grand Bahama to once again put together a bunch of words saying absolutely nothing. His speeches are like cotton candy: Big, beautiful, colourful, sweet but full of air and lacking substance.  Cotton candy Christie told you about a conference call that he had with some investors that promised that they are evaluating, considering and contemplating doing some comprehensive things in Grand Bahama. Mr Prime Minister: Just a piece of advice. Your failures now speak so loudly no one is listening to anything you have to say.

Not so long ago you promised the massive Ginn development in Grand Bahama.  Total Failure.  After the loss of approximately 1400 jobs you promised the reopening of Royal Oasis. Total Failure. Just recently the Treasure Bay Casino closed with the loss of more jobs.  Total Failure.  Just recently Memories resort closed with the loss of hundreds of jobs.  More failure.  Cotton Candy Christie even set up a Ministry for Grand Bahama. Complete failure.  The PLP consistently, completely and utterly failed Grand Bahama.  The PLP under Cotton Candy Christie presided over the loss of more jobs in Grand Bahama than any previous administrations.
 
The difference between the FNM and the PLP is that we go out into the world to seek investments for The Bahamas.  We don’t have the arrogance to sit home and believe that the world will come to us.   So under our administration, you will see an increase in the number of trips that we will take with the private and public sector together to bring more industry to Grand Bahama in the same way that we were so successful in doing so before.

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Photos by David Mackey - Mackey Media Ltd for The Michael Pintard FNM Marco City Campaign


Grand Bahama! How many times have you heard the promise of the new school in West Grand Bahama or the new hospital?  If you had a dollar for every time they made a promise, you would be just as rich as some PLP MPs.   You know, they actually believe they can fool you, by plastering posters all over Freeport about this new hospital, and they know nothing was done in 5 years.

The PLP’s decisions have been just outrageous. If you promise a new hospital why would you spend millions of taxpayer’s dollars on a cafeteria and a hallway in a completely different location? But rest assured there is a new change team in Grand Bahama. Change is coming!!!

A few weeks ago I heard the Minister for Grand Bahama say things are booming in Grand Bahama. Obviously he doesn’t live here or in the real world. The PLP has brought nothing but misery, misery, and more misery. The misery index is off the charts. Businesses, hotels and your casino closing ….misery!  Thousands laid off…. MISERY!!! High unemployment and crime increasing… misery!

Homeless families living in the International Bazaar or in parked cars          …MISERY!!! School lunch programme stopped because Lunch Vendors cannot get paid….MISERY!!!  I don’t know about you but I am tired of this miserable life!  Grand Bahama are you tired of this miserable life?

FNMs just as we have done before we will put an end to Grand Bahama's neglect! Grand Bahama will LIVE AGAIN!!!  The success of Grand Bahama arose because it was different from Nassau and Paradise Island. Grand Bahama has all the advantages of becoming the industrial capital of the Bahamas and we use this to the full advantage for the benefit of Grand Bahamians and The Bahamas. Look around, almost every major successful industry in Freeport came under FNM leadership.

The container Port, The Grand Bahama Ship yard, Bahama Rock, Bradford Marine, Polymers International, and all the industrial companies that service these companies came as a part of our vision to make Grand Bahama the industrial capital of The Bahamas. Under a Minnis led government we will continue the practice started by my predecessor.

In conjunction with the University of The Bahamas we will encourage the establishment of a technical and scientific research hub in Grand Bahama similar to the renowned Silicon Valley in California.  And yes we will extend the course offerings at the Northern Campus of the University so that students will not have to travel to Nassau to complete their degree.

We will encourage investors to take advantage of the duty free concessions offered to businesses locating in East and West Grand Bahama.  Grand Bahama declined when Grand Bahama lost those magical differences.  When Grand Bahama tried to become another Nassau or Paradise Island, that’s when Grand Bahama began to lose.

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Photos by David Mackey - Mackey Media Ltd for The Michael Pintard FNM Marco City Campaign

The FNM will stimulate and support a restoration of the glory that was once Grand Bahama. Grand Bahama will become that destination in The Bahamas where the enjoyment is once again outside hotels. And that enjoyment will be delivered by Bahamians with the talent; the creativity and the entrepreneurial drive that restores the magic. Bahamian music, Bahamian art, Bahamian shows, Bahamian theme parks and the Bahamian people will be the core reason to come to Grand Bahama.

As we have heard through the years, Grand Bahama has an enormous advantage.
Grand Bahama is much closer to the United States of America, the largest economy on earth, than most of the competing destinations in this region.  Yet for nearly every place in North America Grand Bahama on nearly every day, is much, much more expensive to travel to than to Nassau, to Turks & Caicos, to Jamaica and to many other places in the Caribbean and Mexico that are much farther away.
This makes no sense.   We are going to correct this problem.

Next, we have been sitting on an advantage in Grand Bahama that is envied across our region. This advantage is the possibilities of duty free shopping. Freeport can become world-renowned for its shopping opportunities. When we have visitors traveling all across Grand Bahama enjoying the Bahamian experiences that are the Grand Bahama experience, we will enable them to shop at prices that will make Grand Bahama an ideal destination.  Yes, people will leave Florida and travel to Grand Bahama for a quick foreign getaway and for a quick shopping trip at the same time.  Millions come from Europe to Florida.  Millions come from South America to Florida. Millions come from all across North America to Florida.  But many do not know how close they are to The Bahamas and many do not know when they will again have such an opportunity.

Grand Bahama! Let’s give our visitors a real Bahamian experience from beginning to end.  Restoring the glory to Grand Bahama means restoring the experiences that made Grand Bahama special in the first place.  And those experiences were provided by enterprising Bahamians all across this island before we lost our way.

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Photos by David Mackey - Mackey Media Ltd for The Michael Pintard FNM Marco City Campaign

You see the PLP does not like independent Bahamian businessmen and business women. The PLP loves to have people beholden to them. They believe that is the way to keep you in check and to keep you relying on their handouts.

Grand Bahama! Let me make this clear for all to hear, we will bring relief to Grand Bahama's poor and less fortunate. The PLP’s time is up!…  It’s the peoples time now!
Grand Bahama it’s the peoples time!

FNMs, there is a wave taking over the Bahamas. It is a wave of change!! People all across our Bahamas are saying “I am red and I aint scared”

I heard the reports of the wave starting with my deputy in East Grand Bahama. Peter is a talented and successful businessman. He knows how the economy works and what it takes to create jobs. Thank you Peter for remaining faithful through it all. For the first time, the Deputy Prime Minister will be from Grand Bahama!!!!   

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Photos by David Mackey - Mackey Media Ltd for The Michael Pintard FNM Marco City Campaign


The wave has hit Marco City. Mike Pintard is one of the hardest working candidates in the country. Mike is a former Senator and Chairman of our party. He is a gifted writer, author, speaker, businessman, and producer. We need Mike on our team. From Pioneers Loop, Mayfield Park to Chesapeake, Marco City will be FNM.

In Pineridge, this time it’s McAlpine! Ducking Darville will not be able to hide from the MAC ATTACK!! Pineridge will have caring, competent and hands on leadership. Pineridge will be FNM!!

We sent you a qualified architect in Central Grand Bahama. He is one of your proud sons who represented his country well in the Olympics.  Iram Lewis will ensure that Central Grand Bahama remains FNM!!!!

FNMs: All I will say Obie GONE!!! OBIE GONE!!!  All I am hearing is Pakeisha, Pakeisha, Pakeisha. West Grand Bahama and Bimini I want you to send Obie into retirement. Send me Pakeisha Parker Edgecombe!!  

The  Free National Movement will  bring  trust and good  governance  back to our Bahamas!

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Photos by David Mackey - Mackey Media Ltd for The Michael Pintard FNM Marco City Campaign


FNMs the status quo just won't do! Not this time! Not this election!  I want to leave you with one word! That word is soon.
Grand Bahama SOON…….FNMs  SOON.

YES, After years of suffering under the PLP, SOON and very SOON…

I said SOON and Very SOON the PLP you see today you will see no more.
 
SOON no more PLP lies; SOON no more broken promises; SOON AND VERY SOON CHANGE IS COMING TO GRAND BAHAMA.

God bless our Bahamas and God bless the wonderful people of Grand Bahama.

Thank you and good night.

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FNM leader Dr. Minnis (center) poses with his 5 ratified Grand Bahama Island candidates; Central Grand Bahama, Iram Lewis, Marco City candidate Michael Pintard, Deputy FNM leader and candidate for East Grand Bahama, Peter Turnquest; West Grand Bahama candidate Pakeisha Parker Edgecombe and Pineridge candidate Frederick McAlpine. Photos by David Mackey - Mackey Media Ltd for The Michael Pintard FNM Marco City Campaign



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