|
|
|
|
Last Updated: May 4, 2017 - 2:28:03 PM |
 Nassau, Bahamas - Remarks by Thomas Desmond Bannister at Mass Rally on 3rd May, 2017:
Tonight I say a sincere “Thank You” to our brave Police Officers and valiant Defence Force Officers who exercised their right to vote their conscience in today’s advanced poll.
Those officers voted because they believe in a better Bahamas, and they know that the FNM is the only party that will work hard to improve our country.
They voted because they know that the FNM is the only party that will build schools and improve educational opportunities for all Bahamian children.
They voted because they are sick and tired of PLP corruption and incompetence, and they know that the FNM will investigate and prosecute lawbreakers.
They voted because they want to make a difference, and they know that every vote counts.
And almost all of them voted FNM.
Secondly, I offer my sincere apologies to those same Police and Defence Force Officers as well as the poll workers and volunteers who were out today. None of you should have been subjected to the negligence and incompetence that caused so many people to suffer today. In all of my life I have never seen such chaos, confusion, disorganization and disarray.
It was as though we took the dumbest, most lamebrained, boneheaded nitwit in our country and asked them to organize the elections.
As far as I am concerned, it was premeditated sabotage.
We will be the joke of the democratic world when they learn that the elections started one hour and twenty minutes late. Why? Because there were no ballot boxes at the polling place!! Only under the PLP would some idiot try to organize an election without ballot boxes!
And then, they made our Defence Force Officers and Police Officers punish in the sun. There was no organization whatsoever, and no pretense of any attempt to be organized.
The lines were miserably long. Anyone who wanted to vote had to wait in the hot sun for at least 4 hours. It was scorching hot, depressing, tiring, disheartening and discouraging. Anyone who wanted to vote today had to fight to do so. That should not happen in the Bahamas. Many officers left rather than put up with the misery today.
For those who stayed, I have nothing but praise, because it was so confusing and frustrating.
Poll workers had to sit on bleachers with no regard to their comfort; and no public address system was used, so most of the time they could not hear what was being said.
It was a sad state of affairs, and the PLP meant for it to be that way!
They wanted to discourage as many people as possible from voting; and they were very successful at achieving their purpose today.
We have had universal adult sufferage for 55 years. We have organized elections in the Bahamas for more than 200 years, and today the PLP showed what damage nincompooks can do to our renowned democratic heritage.
Today was bad, and May 10th will be worse because the PLP know that they can only win if they discourage Bahamian voters.
They are trying to steal this election, and if we are not careful they will succeed.
Officers from Nassau who are posted in the family islands had to fly into Nassau in order to vote today. Under the FNM they could have voted at the Administrator’s Office, but the PLP refused to organize voting in the family islands for the advanced poll. Just imagine the challenges that law enforcement will have because of police officers had to travel in large numbers because of the laziness and laxity of this PLP government.
Not only did they treat our law enforcement officers poorly, they did the same thing to our students. In Barbados they also opened the polls more than an hour late. They had only 1 person manning the polls, so our students had to stand out in the sun for hours in order to vote. The ballots were not secure, and ballots for several constituencies never arrived. Many students who had registered were not on the official register. So many of our students were deprived of the right to vote, and many others were frustrated. Now the question arises as to how those ballots will be protected, and whether we can have any confidence in the integrity of the system. It was chaotic, and our democratic deficiencies were exposed to the entire world.
The PLP is doing this because they can see the handwriting on the wall. They know that in a fair election they will not stand a chance. The Bahamian people have had enough of them. But they are determined to hold onto power by hook or by crook, and our vibrant democracy will be the victim of their subterfuge and insidious underhanded tricks because desperate people will do anything.
The Bahamas has an international reputation for free and fair elections. Today that reputation was tarnished at the hands of this PLP government. If they continue this trend on May 10th, they can destroy the international reputation and respect that took hundreds of years to build, and our beautiful country will be all the worse for it.
So starting tonight we must be extra vigilant. The dirty tricks people are now out in full force. They don’t care who they hurt or how much they damage the reputation of the Bahamas as long as they can remain in charge.
So we have to show them that they will not get away with this nonsense. In addition to being vigilant, we must record and publicize all of the tricks that the PLP is engaging in. Everyone has a cell phone camera so let’s use them. The Bahamas cannot afford to let the PLP steal this election.
If we are vigilant, 2017 could be another huge victory for the Bahamian people like in 1992 or 1997.
The Bahamian people are fed up.
They are tired of Christie.
They are disappointed in the PLP.
Bahamians want good governance. and they know that only the FNM will willingly make a positive difference in our country.
There are 7 more days to go.
We must hold them accountable.
We must remain vigilant.
We must vote FNM.
© Copyright 2017 by thebahamasweekly.com
Top of Page
|
|
|
|
