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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Nassau, Bahamas - Sidney Collie, Chairman of the Free National Movement (FNM), issued the following statement on the release of the 2016 Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival’s Economic Impact Report:
“It has taken months for this Government to release the 2016 Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival’s Economic Impact Report to the public, and the findings are just one more example of why we need more transparency from our Government. The 2016 Junkanoo Carnival report reveals that the PLP Government went over budget by more than five million dollars. This comes even though Minister Obie Wilchcombe had publicly stated he was confident that they stayed within budget this year. Now we find out the truth – in fact not only did they far exceed their budget, but this news comes even as we know that the national gross domestic product dropped by $10 million this year compared to 2015.
“The 2016 Junkanoo Carnival was a prime example of a completely mismanaged event, more than five million dollars over budget and short of the promised economic benefits. Sadly it is what Bahamians have come to expect from this Government – lots of empty rhetoric and broken promises. Their continuing failures are hurting our economy–failure to root out corruption, failure to offer concrete solutions to fix the economy, failure to address the growing crime epidemic. This madness is chasing tourists away and crippling our tourism industry. The failure of this Government has resulted in a 7% year-over-year decline in peak winter room revenues. All this contributed to our current economic struggles that are plaguing our country and all coming in the wake of a rating agency downgrading our credit, as well as the continuing debacle of the Baha Mar saga.
“We should see this report as another clear example of why we need to have transparency – because only when the people have access to the information about their government can they hold them accountable. That is why we have all been calling for the embattled Prime Minister to unseal the secret deal he has negotiated with the Chinese on Baha Mar. What don’t the people know about this secret deal? The people deserve better, they deserve real leadership. Leadership that will deliver transparency and accountability – the PLP can’t do that, but the FNM will.”
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