Remarks by Philip Brave Davis

Deputy Leader of the Progressive Liberal Party

At the Party's Constituency Office Opening South Abaco

Saturday Dec. 10th, 2011

It is time for them to Ring the Bell.

Are you ready Abaco for the bell to be rung?

Mr. Party Leader, Rt. Hon. Perry Christie, and Mrs. Christie…Parliamentary Colleagues and Bahamians all across this great country of ours and around the world…Goodnight!

Are you ready South Abaco?

This week another leader in a Caribbean country to the south of us, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, found the courage to ring the bell and call elections. It is long past time for Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham to do the same, so that the Bahamian people can return good governance to this wonderful country of ours by electing the PLP as the new government of The Bahamas.

Make no mistake about it. This is the sure fate that awaits this uncaring and heartless FNM government whenever Ingraham musters the courage to ring the bell.

Like some bad sickness everything they touch fails. They have wrecked the Bahamian economy. Under their watch, unemployment soared to an all time high, our national debt is also at an all-time high, home and business foreclosures are up at record levels, and the FNM’s bad management of crime and violence has left residents in New Providence cowering in fear and afraid to venture far from home.

Meanwhile, you here in Abaco, one of The Bahamas’ favourite tourist destinations, have seen a decline in tourist arrivals, resulting in drop in profits not only for those of you who are involved in tourist-related businesses but businesses generally.

They have wrecked the economy of The Bahamas! As we travel the length and breadth of this country, the foul and unpleasant stench of failure and destruction by this FNM government is quite evident. Just look around South Abaco; look what they have done to you here on these islands.

[BEC IN ABACO]

BEC here in this part of the country is a classic example of what I am talking about.

A mass malfunction at BEC's main plant occurred early this week and the minister, who flies around in helicopters these days, has nothing to say. The disruption continued throughout the early morning hours of the following day, leaving residents and visitors alike here in Abaco running to the hills singing that old Jamaican hit from the 90's, "Lawd me can't take it no more"!

But ENOUGH is ENOUGH, South Abaco. I say you must VOTE THEM OUT!

With multiple power outages throughout the nights, how can people continue under these conditions? Tell me South Abaco, you think BEC ga replace your damaged appliances? NO!

I say VOTE THEM OUT South Abaco, VOTE THEM OUT!

Hotel operators tell us they are lamenting over the poor service being rendered by BEC on this island. Second-hand homeowners are packing up and leaving, because when it came to BEC, as a good Abaco woman said, "This isn't a matter of trust, it's a breach of trust."

The FNM’s Bad MANAGEMENT OF THE BAHAMIAN ECONOMY HAS SPELT DISASTER ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY, AND IT’S TIME TO VOTE THEM OUT SOUTH ABACO!

The faulty generators at Wilson City are still not fully functional, leaving a severe overload on the old BEC plant in Marsh Harbour. After spending over $100 million of the people’s money, someone forget to run power lines! It’s not a matter of trust, but a breach of trust…and it’s time to VOTE THEM OUT!

Abaco, come with the rest of the Bahamas! All over the country people are flocking to the PLP! Gather your children, young and old, take them to the registration office and get them registered to vote. Any day now the Bell is about to ring, and we want them in the FNM to find some courage and RING THE BELL!!!!

Now having said that, South Abaco I want you to know that this PLP, led by Perry Gladstone Christie, is entrusting to you ONE CANDIDATE! That candidate we are placing into your care is GARY SAWYER!

Let me say that again, the PLP has only one candidate in the race for this seat in South Abaco. We want you to send him to Parliament. When elected, Gary will join the team that will take care of South Abaco.

They have raised the burden of taxes on the backs of workers in almost every area.

They increase taxes on national insurance. They have increased taxes on gas. They increased the fuel surge and have raised the tax burden on electricity to every household and business across this country. It’s not a matter of Trust South Abaco; it's a breach of trust!

In their abysmal failure in running the country, they raised taxes on cars, sending into recession car dealers. License fees also went up. The cost on food went through the roof. And while everything was going up, this OUTGOING FNM GOVERNMENT watched in silence as businesses began a mass exercise with layoffs. And guess what South Abaco? They said nothing!

It’s not a matter of Trust South Abaco; it is a breach of trust!

South Abaco, are you better off today then you were four and a half years ago? Are you taking home more money than you were in 2007? If not, then you must VOTE THEM OUT! YOU MUST SEND THEM PACKING AND YOU MUST ELECT A PLP GOVERNMENT!

We in the PLP are about creating a new culture of Progress, Development and Prosperity for all. We are about turning around our economy for the Better. We in the PLP are all about job creation and empowering people. We are about putting people back to work and getting our economy back on track.

We did it before, and I want to assure you South Abaco we will do it again.

We in the PLP have added to our team some of the brightest minds in the country. Men and women in our Party are ready to begin work on day one for the people.

When elected, as noted by our newest candidate in Bamboo Town, Renward Wells, a PLP government will deliver a Renewed Agriculture Focus. We shall introduce an aggressive policy to develop this industry, with special focus on technology and innovation, aimed at increasing the production, quality and marketability of locally grown goods. We will begin investing in local products; expanding packinghouses and canneries so that we can develop full-circle economies right here in South Abaco.

As we strengthen these family island economies through these initiatives, greater attention will further be placed on expanding opportunities into our fishing industry. We shall open our waters to Bahamian fishermen to expand into deep sea harvesting of prized tuna and snapper products.

By granting these deep sea licenses to our people, we believe this new focus will open the well fields of opportunity for trade on the world stage for Bahamians; generating million of dollars into the economy, while at the same time delivering employment for canning factories, and technical support staff for these production houses. In short, providing long-term sustainable jobs for our people right here in South Abaco.

Yes South Abaco we care about you, we in the PLP are all about empowering you! We believe in you!

Our team is about restoring the Bahamian dream! We are about uplifting people! We did it before, and I want to assure you South Abaco we will do it again.

We are ready to put people back to work and create a culture of big ideas for Bahamians!

Our team is ready to inject a new spirit of investment and stir confidence with big plans for small business owners that will create partnerships for our people and expose them to the global community.

Our team is ready to deliver better health care across the Bahamas and introduce real security in the health care network by implementing National Health Insurance once and for all.

Our team is ready to restore safe streets back into our community with Urban Renewal 2.0, taking our streets back and at the same time provide safety in our schools, homes and businesses.

We are ready to deliver! We are prepared and ready to do the work with your mandate to turn our country around for the better.

Are you READY SOUTH ABACO?

Come with us, and send Gary Sawyer and the PLP into the Parliament! Elect the man who we tonight entrust into your care.

Get on board South Abaco, come with the winning team that is sweeping country!

March with us as we set the stage on a course to Victory; island by island, Street-to-Street, and House-to-House.

It ain’t long now…. Hold Fast South Abaco the night is almost over - for I could hear the sound of a victory….[RING THE BELL]….

Join US as our leader, Perry Gladstone Christie, echoes the call, ‘No Retreat No Surrender’!

VICTORY! VICTORY VICTORY!

- PLP PLP PLP PLP PLP!!!!

God Bless and Goodnight!

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