Nassau, Bahamas - The
National General Council (NGC) of the Progressive Liberal (PLP) ratified
Yamacraw MP and Social Services and Community Development Minister the Hon.
Melanie Griffin and former Fort Charlotte MP and cabinet Minister, Alfred M
Sears at its monthly meeting
on Thursday, 21stAril 2016.
These
ratifications represent the first round of several to come as the party
assembles its team of candidates to contest the 2017 General Election. This is
the culmination of a democratic process pursuant, inter alia, to Article 17 of
the party’s constitution with the full participation and blessings of the
respective constituencies.
Further, I
can assure Bahamians everywhere that they will be proud of the level and
quality of Bahamian talent, skill sets and proven leadership that the PLP will
present to them for scrutiny, consideration and support. The myriad of
challenges facing our country within the context of a dynamic increasingly
competitive and complex world demand that we put forth our best and brightest
sons and daughters. I remain confident as I survey the political landscape -
and in particular the other teams being assembled - that at the end of this
process the PLP would have assembled the most talented, accomplished, energetic
and prepared team for the challenging task of nation building that lie ahead of
us.
Regarding
the honourable member for Yamacraw, I have worked very closely with Melanie in
both chambers of the House from the time she was in the Senate leading up to
the 2002 General Elections, as cabinet colleague and I have observed and
admired her ministerial work as private citizen. She remains focused, she
approaches her assignments with tremendous energy and passion and as a result,
she is an accomplished Minister and legislator who is loved dearly by her
constituents. Few can argue that Mrs. Griffin has become one of the country’s
great champions for women’s affairs, the equal treatment of those living with
disabilities and the protection of our most vulnerable, our children and the
poor among us.
As a good
Christian woman, mother, and wife, her abiding faith and conviction has served
as per guide and moral compass as she executed public policy on behalf of the
vulnerable among us. Melanie truly believes that what she does to the least
among us she has done unto Christ. Melanie is certainly living proof that
justice, social justice and the rule of law can be properly and sensibly
reconciled with principles of morality.
Alfred M
Sears in my view is also the consummate political leader – be it at the
constituency, parliamentary or cabinet level. He represented Fort Charlotte
from 2002 to 2012 before his return to private life. It is no secret that his
replacement turned out to be a colossal disappointment and I have personally
expressed the party’s deep regret and offered an apology on the party’s behalf.
Alfred
established and extended the Fort Charlotte Community Center from which after
school programs, remedial classes, a Legal Aid Clinic, Summer Camp and job
placement programs were conducted. Alfred worked tireless to solve long vexing
drainage problem in Fort Charlotte; built the modern T.G. Glover Primary; and
established an Urban Renewal Center, a Arts and Craft Festival and built the
Ardastra Housing subdivision in Fort Charlotte.
As the
country’s esteemed Attorney General from 2002 to 2006, Alfred and his legal
team successfully removed The Bahamas from the Monitoring list of the Financial
Action Task Force (FATF) in October 2005. He would later chair the Caribbean
arm of the FATF. He also commenced construction of the South Street Magistrate
Court complex and led the way in having witness protection laws enacted in The
Bahamas.
As the
Minister of Education, Science and Technology, the national scholastic
performance average improved; Sears also expanded the public school’s tutorial
program; negotiated the first Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Bahamas
Union of Teachers; began the process toward the establishment of the University
of The Bahamas; established the Education Leadership Institute and the National
Commission on Special Education. He also started the INSPIRE program with a $23
million IDB loan; expanded pre-school education and established the Bahamas
Learning Channel.
As the
Minister responsible for public works, I was intimately involved in the single
largest upgrade of the country’s education infrastructure. Some $70 million was
spent between 2002 and 2007 on extending and repairing schools and constructing
426 new classrooms. That was a massive undertaking by any measure.
With this
record of accomplishment in such a short period of time, the interest of The
Bahamas will be well served with Alfred as a member of the leadership team
charting the course for the future of our beloved country.
I make no
apology for making this statement personal because I feel strongly about these
choices having worked with both candidates at multiple levels – the
constituency level, the parliamentary level and at the cabinet level.
This
process will continue in earnest as the party deploys its soldiers in the field
and become battle ready for the task ahead. The party is adamant that the
process will be democratic and transparent, with the full participation of the
constituent each step of the way.
I am happy and proud to predict that Melanie and
Alfred will again be in the winner’s column when the ballots are counted.