Nassau, Bahamas - The following is a statement by the Hon. Philip Brave Davis, MP, Leader of the Opposition in response to the Speech from the Throne on May 24th, 2017:
The
Government must now enter the real world of governance and not trash talk from
a platform.
Governance requires
hard choices. It is easy as a critic to stand and promote ideas which have no
foundation in fact but reality has now hit home.
We listened
intently and the reality is that the Speech from the Throne is an
acknowledgement of the transformative foundation already constructed by the
Progressive Liberal Party Government. We are encouraged to hear that the
Government has embraced essential job related skills training and specialized
programmes for youth unemployment.
We have
already laid the foundation for wider access to justice. We created the Public
Defender’s Office and the statutory ability to appoint more judges. We reduced
the time it takes for cases to come to trial.
We will
support any policy which protect the poor and the vulnerable.
We will
support any policy in which the national interests are protected and promoted.
As for
Customs and Treasury reform, the systems were already acquired for Customs and
the Treasury. Substantial reform has already taken place in the Ministry of
Finance and the blueprint was left in place for them to execute.
National
Health Insurance was done by the PLP and we were already committed to the
secondary and tertiary implementation of NHI. It is reassuring to see that the
FNM is going to continue the work on NHI.
So the
foundation is there, set by the PLP but the devil is in the details.
It is also
important to ensure that the favoured few who provided the funding for this
government doesn’t end up being the main beneficiaries of thisgovernment.
While the FNM speaks the words of the protection for the poor, we will ensure
that the benefits do not go to the wealthy.
We will be ever watchful and call them out
for every time that there is any attempt to reverse the policies put in place
to protect the poor, the vulnerable and the interests of Bahamians.