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Last Updated: Feb 17, 2012 - 2:34:11 PM |
Remarks
By
Bradley B Roberts National Chair PLP
At
Launch of PLP Golden Isles Headquarters
February 16th 2012
The countdown my brothers & sisters is on and Bahamians are counting the days when the heavy and destructive feet of the FNM oppressors will be removed from the necks of our people.
Kenneth Russell MP, a once blind follower and strong disciple who did what ever Papa asked of him was unceremoniously kicked out of the Cabinet; woke up from the deep spell Papa had cast over him, then came head on to the truth and denounced Hubert "Papa" Ingraham as a dictator and tyrant.
A dictator and tyrant lead to oppressing the people.
To the strong and steadfast people of Golden Isles;
My Brothers and Sister, Good Evening!
It’s a great joy to be here in Golden Isles and to lend special and loving support to a great son of Cat Island who is married to my special niece Dr Tracy Roberts Halkitis. Michael is a gifted, focused, loyal and faithful husband.
I remember giving a toast at the wedding of Michael and Tracey in 2001 and told my niece that I had a bombshell to drop on Frank Watson and that would have provided the knockout punch and that her husband would be the next MP for Adelaide. It was my special wedding gift to them. I told Tracey she could begin looking for that special dress to join her husband as he walks to take his seat. Ladies and Gentlemen, so said so done.
I am here tonight to predict that Michael Halkitis will be elected as the next MP for Golden Isles and that he will again play a significant role in the next PLP Government headed by the Rt. Hon. Perry Gladstone Christie as the PLP shall once again work to restore good and productive governance to our Bahama Land as was done during 2002 to 2007.
I told Golden Isles PLP Generals that I am dedicating Michael’s victory in this election to Tracey’s Dad my brother Vaughn Roberts who is not well and would have loved to be here tonight to cheer his son in law and daughter on. Vaughan we love you, hang in there.
Crime
My brothers and sisters, I am and thousands of Bahamians are very deeply concerned about the alarming rate of crime in our land. This past Monday I reminded the audience at our Party’s Yamacraw launch that the government is mandated to actively and aggressively protect its citizens from violent criminals. The state’s highest function is to make sure people are reasonably safe, in and out of their homes.
It is very clear that Hubert Ingraham and Tommy Turnquest have failed to keep Bahamians safe from crime.
Philosopher John Locke once said: "A government that fails to fulfill its responsibility is not a legitimate government, thus, citizens aren't obligated to recognize its legitimacy"
Ladies and Gentlemen, murders have doubled under the FNM during the past four years. Thus far in 2012 the count continues with 5 murders in the past 6 days and not a peep from the government. Hubert Ingraham and his FNM government have bitterly failed to fulfill its responsibility of keeping Bahamians safe from crime, consequently it is not a legitimate government. It is time for thinking Bahamians to show them the door.
Michael Halkitis the man & Election 2012
Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to remind you that Michael Halkitis served as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance during the Christie administration. You remember that when the PLP came to office in 2002, we met an economy still reeling from the effects of 911. Hotel occupancy was dismal at around 10%; there was double-digit unemployment; government revenue was declining and there was no foreign investment at the bar. Michael was part of an extraordinary team that turned this country around through sound fiscal and economic policies and created one of the strongest economies on record.
An economy where 22,000 jobs were created; record levels of foreign direct investment; record tourism arrivals and expenditure, record government revenue and not one tax increase on the backs of Bahamians.
My brothers and sisters, your PLP has done it before and we will do it again. I urge you to put your support behind Michael as he will again play an important role in the incoming Christie government to rescue this dying economy, empower our people, arrest the scourge of crime, place this country on the right path to prosperity by putting Bahamians first.
Now ladies and gentlemen, if you read the papers or listened to the news you would have seen and heard the essence of the FNM. A party ashamed of its record of 443 murders, 305 murderers out on bail as I speak and fewer than 25 murder convictions since May 2007.I must repeat, the FNM has been an abysmal failure at keeping Bahamians safe.
They are ashamed of 15.9% unemployment nationally, with unemployment in GB moving to 25% and one in three youths out of work or 34% unemployed. There are thousands still living in darkness tonight. The FNM has borrowed over $2 billion, collected almost $450 million in one-offs and spent over $10 billion in almost five years, but at the end of the day our tourism stopover numbers are dismal and at a 26 year low, the financial services sector is in decline and the private sector is stagnant at best.
This is the record the FNM is ashamed of and is running from. They are running from their record of failure by resorting to lies, recycled lies, distortions, half-truths and mud slinging. They are so desperate that they believe that if they kick up enough dust and present enough smoke and mirrors, they could distract you the Bahamian people from their massive failure to keep you safe and secure your future. They are ashamed and they are desperate.
But my brothers and sisters, desperate times force men to do and desperate things and tell lies. Dion Foulkes and Duane Sands are desperate men doing desperate things, telling lies and intentionally misleading the public.
But ladies and gentlemen, this is just the latest in a long list of lies told by the FNM government against the PLP and I will take you down memory lane:
First, Charles Maynard, the House of Assembly jester, claimed that no plans were made by the PLP to host Carifesta – this was patently false.
Zhivargo Laing then claimed that the PLP did not make a services offer in the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). That turned out to be a lie as the Nassau Guardian presented documented evidence of a services offer the very next day in their Business Section.
The outgoing MP for Golden Isles then claimed that there was no National Development Plan for sports or a design for the national stadium by the PLP. Those too were lies.
The FNM then claimed that $20 million had gone missing from NEMA under the watch of the PLP. This turned out to be another big lie and they were forced to retract that lie.
Then of all people Dion “Stephen’s Close” Foulkes continues to recycle this lie that former Foreign Affairs Minister Mitchell pressured civil servants to issue visas to Chinese visitors. A transparent police investigation and audits conducted by both the Public Service Commission and the Auditor General discredited this lie when both agencies found no evidence of malfeasance; still the FNM continues to recycle these old worn out lies.
Now this political neophyte and rejected candidate, Duane Sands, no doubt coached and prepped by the seasoned veterans in his party in the art of lying, is now spinning his own web of lies about homeowners being overcharged by the PLP. When asked to produce the document that itemized the cost overruns by government sub-division, he states that the relevant files are “conveniently” missing.
For the record ladies and gentlemen, there is no evidence that homeowners were overcharged and there is no evidence of incompetence or wrongdoing between 2002 and 2007 as Senator Sands claims. The public is advised that reimbursement requests made by the Director of Housing from the Corporation’s Sole Account are based on actual cost overruns, therefore it is impossible to over charge homeowners. That claim is a blatant lie.
The fact is the FNM has no credibility, as they have been caught red handed telling lie after lie for petty political reasons so they are not to be believed.
We also call on Duane Sands to make public the results of the audit of the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation. What are you afraid of Duane….THE TRUTH? Duane Sands, you must put up or shut up.
My brothers and sisters, this election is not about personalities, mud slinging, distractions, slander, lies, lies and more lies.
This election is about putting Bahamians first, keeping you safe, empowering Bahamians and putting Bahamians back to work.
So I urge you to vote for Project Safe Bahamas.
Vote for an Emergency Jobs Plan.
Vote for doubling the investment in education for 21st century skills for Bahamians.
Vote for Bahamian entrepreneurs.
Vote for expanding our economy.
Vote for BAHAMIANS FIRST and
Vote PLP. Good Night.
© Copyright 2012 by thebahamasweekly.com
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