Freeport, Bahamas - The following are remarks made by Branville McCartney, Leader, DNA Party at a Meeting in Grand Bahama on March 8th:
I always enjoy coming too Grand Bahama. The air is clearer, the streets are clear, and that clarity can do wonders for the soul.

I was troubled earlier this week to hear of the death of a 25 year old man who is suspected to have committed suicide, I’m told his name Delano Dorval. I did not know the young man personally but I would like to extend my condolences to his family and friends. His death is sad for many reasons. Firstly, the loss of one life, is one life too many, but more importantly, the circumstances of his passing speaks to the level of despair that Bahamians all across the country now feel.

Coming to Grand Bahama is also rather bitter sweet. I recall coming here many years ago and finding a bustling metropolis with a balance of industry and tourist attractions and now after years of neglect by successive governments, the magic that gave Freeport is nick name: The Magic City is now more of a memory.

Like elsewhere in the country, residents on Grand Bahama Island (GBI) face difficult circumstances; high unemployment, the even higher cost of electricity, a lack of opportunities for qualified Bahamians and even worse, a leadership deficit which has stifled the country both economically and socially. We have had 45 years of governance collectively under the PLP and the FNM andI am saddened to say that the majority of Bahamians have seen no real economic empowerment. And now ladies and Gentlemen, the impending implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) threatens to make a bad economic situation even worse.

I have said repeatedly, that it is the duty of the government to create an economic and social environment that facilitates employment, entrepreneurship, innovation and ownership for its citizens and residents. At the heart of that mandate is efficient governance, responsible management of the country’s assets and effective leadership.

Many of you will recall the promise of ten thousand jobs made on the campaign trail however according to the department of Statistics’ 2013 labour force survey unemployment on this island is now at a staggering 19.5%. Among young people between the ages of 15-24 that number is significantly higher at a 30.8%.

Let’s think about what that means in terms of actual persons. According to the department of statistics, the country’s labor force consists of 195,660 persons. This means that overall, there are 38,154 unemployed persons on GBI. Of that number, 11,751 persons are young, able bodied men and women under the age of 24. That, ladies and gentlemen, in a modern day Bahamas, is a travesty.

This June thousands of high school graduates will leave high school hoping to enter the workforce. The question is though; will there be jobs available for them?

Presently much of the government’s efforts in tourism are focused within the city of Freeport, but what about East and West Grand Bahama? While visitors appreciate the city experience, they come to the Bahamas to enjoy the family island charm which these smaller communities can offer. We cannot continue to ignore them. Instead we must promote those experiences in addition to the glitz and the nightlife offered by more central hotel attractions. We must also consider the creation of a cultural center which will open the door for spin off opportunities and create ownership opportunities for Bahamians within the country’s number one industry, extending concessions which are currently enjoyed by businesses within the city limits, to companies in the East and West as well.

Here on GBI there is a need to strike a balance between the island’s natural touristic appeal and key industrial elements. For too long, successive governments have paid only lip service to the idea of economic diversification, instead choosing to rely on Direct Foreign Investments. Ladies and Gentlemen, the root of our economic problem in the Bahamas can be described as a “Double Dependency Syndrome”. Most persons depend on the Government for everything and in turn the Government depends on the foreign investor for everything! The problem is when the foreign dollars stop flowing…everything comes to a grinding halt.

We know from past and even present experience that industry can thrive here in Grand Bahama. The creation of an industrial and manufacturing park can create opportunities for training in some of world’s most highly specialized fields; however this can only happen if there is a real and concerted effort to reduce the cost of energy.

I’m sure that all of you would agree that the cost of electricity on this island is simply too high! How many more companies will be forced to shut down otherwise successful operations because they simply cannot afford electricity? The high cost of electricity is not just bad for business but puts an undue strain on the backs of residents; families, mothers and fathers with children who are unable to enjoy one of the most basic of essential services. It is estimated that more than ten thousand households on this island are now without power. TEN THOUSAND! That number is unacceptably high and is further proof that the government is not serious about energy reform.

As I alluded to earlier the government is preparing to implement Value Added Tax at a rate of 15%. The level of economic uncertainty surrounding VAT could spell disaster for thousands of Bahamian businesses who are being forced to consider the termination of hundreds of hard working people. Can you imagine hundreds more on the unemployment lines? Can you imagine hundreds more single parent families reduced to living off the handouts from social services? Can you imagine even more despair?

Despite the incredible opposition to the idea the government has ignored the very valid questions and concerns raised by the business community, threatening them instead with heavy fines, and even jail time for noncompliance; even when members of their own agencies have been found deficient in this department.

Earlier this week Michael Halkitis, the government’s State Minister of Finance, warned the local business community that the Christie Administration would not be bullied on the issue of Value Added Tax (VAT)

Is it a coincidence that the Minister chose that word ‘Bully’ to describe the stand being taken by the local business community? By definition to bully means to habitually badger, brow beat and intimidate. Is that not a more accurate description of the way this government has chosen to handle the impending implementation of VAT?

Even as it remains adamant about the implementation of the new tax system, the government has failed to table important accompanying legislation which could clear up the lingering misconceptions about the way the new laws will affect the cost of doing business and the lives of the general public. This is especially true for residents here in Freeport which is governed by the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. Instead, we have all been left to draw our own conclusions from the disjointed statements of various ministers. This is certainly not the way to oversee the transformation of the country’s tax structure. It is certainly not the way to efficiently manage the country’s resources and it certainly does not reflect the actions of an administration that cares about its people.

The truth is that after years of broken promises, Grand Bahama and its residents deserve a new start. You deserve a government which will listen to your voice, a government with vision that is serious about developing the island of Grand Bahama to its fullest potential. It’s time to put the magic back into the magic city!