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News : Bahamas Information Services Updates Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM


Roberts Addresses PLP Southern Shores Branch Meeting May 26th 2016‏
May 27, 2016 - 12:13:13 AM

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Nassau, Bahamas - Remarks Bradley R. Roberts, National Chairman Progressive Liberal Party Public Meeting of The Southern Shores Branch Progressive Liberal Party Garvin Tynes Primary School Thursday, 26 May 2016:

Ladies and gentlemen, good evening.

When I addressed the Nassau Village Branch on 26th January 2016, I said that the silly season of politics was upon us and there is bound to be an abundance misinformation, acts of deception, detraction, distraction, hidden agendas and plain lies all in an attempt to cause you to lose focus on your task at hand which.

The latest big fat lie was that the duly elected government of The Bahamas selling 500 Bahamian citizenships to the Chinese in exchange for the investment in Baha Mar. The Prime Minister branded this claim as an “ABSOLUTE LIE” and the Deputy Prime Minister dismissed the claim as political mischief as no such request for citizenship had come before the Immigration Committee which is the cabinet chaired by none other than the Prime Minister himself.

Southern Shores, I warn you that the lies will come faster and more furious and more outrageous as the season progresses to a general election. The FNM cannot debate the PLP on policy and ideas so they have resorted to bold faced lies, scare tactics, fear mongering and fabricating scandals that are figments of their imaginations.

Hubert Minnis and the Free National Movement have foolishly placed their political fortunes on the failed opening of Baha Mar, a failed Mortgage Relief Plan, a failed CLICO pay out plan, a failed Bank of The Bahamas rescue plan, a failed implementation of NHI and the biggest of all, the failed completion and opening of Baha Mar.

IN OTHER WORDS, MINNIS’ ENTIRE POLITICAL STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS IN THE 2017 GENERAL ELECTION HINGED ON HIS FOOLHARDY BET AGAINST THE WELFARE BAHAMIAN PEOPLE.

We are all quite aware that gambling is now legal, but Minnis has clearly crossed the line in betting against the Bahamian people because he will lose.
 
The stoned look on the faces of the entire FNM parliamentary caucus on Wednesday as Prime Minister Christie outlined his government’s plan for a modern Bahamas was priceless. Bahamians should be asking themselves these questions:

Why do Minnis and the FNM not want Bahamian youth to be properly trained with job skills that will secure sustained jobs? He criticized the job placement program.

Why do Minnis and the FNM not want the 12,000 policy holders of CLICO to have their policies made whole? This policy decision is good for the Bahamian people.

Why does Minnis not want thousands of homeowners who are 90 days in arrears with their mortgages assisted in keeping their single largest investment – their home? The mortgage relief plan is good for the Bahamian people. 

Why do Minnis and the FNM not want more than 200,000 Bahamians who do not have health insurance to have access to affordable and quality health care through National Health Insurance? Polls have shown that 79% of Bahamians support NHI but Minnis and the FNM complain bitterly about it and demand its indefinite delay.

And why does Minnis and the FNM not want Baha Mar opened and more than 2,000 Bahamians put back to work? He remains in a state of denial on Baha Mar. The Prime Minister read a joint statement from China EXIM Bank, the China Construction Company and the Government of The Bahamas about an agreement to complete and open Baha Mar. Further, the first round of bidding for the purchase of the property is complete and Minnis and the FNM chose to remain in denial; remain in their parallel universe and in their echo chamber where they can hear their voices only; voices that continue to preach gloom and doom and say nothing will happen that is what Minnis really wants: he selfishly wants the Bahamian people to continue to suffer.

He said that his government left the country’s economy in a wheelchair and apparently he wants the country to remain in that wheelchair. He expresses contempt for any positive or progressive policy decision that will improve the lives of the Bahamian people.

On the issue of constitutional reform, I again call on Dr. Minnis to stand in solidarity with Prime Minister Christie just as he did in Parliament and condemn misinformation and fear mongering. These four amended bills that will ensure equality for our sons and daughters will deepen our democracy and expand our freedoms and rights. Dr. Minnis should be an advocate for equality under the law. History should record that he was on the side of the suffragettes, the freedom fighters and the framers of the constitution. He should ensure that he is on the right side of history on this historic vote.

I also call on Dr. Minnis to caution against anti-Chinese rhetoric that is bordering on racism, xenophobia and jingoism because the investors in the Baha Mar project are Chinese. Capital knows no race and the Bahamian economy is driven in large part by Foreign Direct Investment. I will go further and state that the funding for much of the tourism projects in this country, loan by Wall Street investment banks and mutual funds have the origins in the pension funds of the more than one billion Asian workers. The single largest holder of United States debt is China, but China is not taking over the United States.

Bahamians must do their part in protecting the international reputation of The Bahamas and our key economic, geo-political and diplomatic interests. Our way of life is based on our friendly and attractive investment climate and xenophobic vitriolic invective does not help the image of The Bahamas on the international stage so I appeal to calm heads and reason on this matter.

I wonder where Dr. Minnis and the FNM are on this issue. His silence is deafening. The PLP government and the party are not a part of that campaign and have publicly expressed their concerns about this harmful, xenophobic and racist rhetoric. I am also advised that operatives connected with Save the Bays are involved in this destructive campaign. I say cease and desist in the interests of the Bahamas.  

Switching gears to the front line soldiers that move Southern Shores: on behalf of the Progressive Liberal Party I thank you for your tireless work as a tremendous amount of your work usually go unnoticed; you are indispensable unsung heroes. I encourage you to remain focused and vigilant; keep your ears close to the ground; stay on the ground and constantly communicate the mood and general needs of your people to your representative. He is the liaison between the people and the government.

It is an understatement that as Minister for the Environment and Housing, the Hon. Kenred Dorsett is fully engaged in fulfilling the mandate of the government to facilitate the further development and transformation of the energy sector. This is necessary to reduce the cost of doing business in The Bahamas and reduced energy costs will make our economy more attractive to investors and more competitive.  

He needs your full support in Southern Shores with all hands on deck. Ken Dorsett is a brilliant and competent new generation leader. He is the product of a good, progressive, industrious and hard working family so the proverbial apple never falls far from the tree. As you know, Mr. Dorsett was just elected to chair the International Renewable Energy Agency and co-chairs the Caribbean Challenge Initiative Council with a representative from the Democratic Republic of Germany. He is the face of the next generation of leaders in The Bahamas.   

As I said in Nassau Village, Fox Hill and other constituencies, at the end of the day, only what you would have done to continuously improve the lives of the people you serve in your communities would matter. NHI matters to tens of thousands of Bahamian families, some 200,000 to be more exact. Raising the minimum wage matters to tens of thousands of Bahamian workers and welfare reform with the Conditional Cash Transfer or RISE program again assists thousands of Bahamian families and gives them a fighting chance to rise out of the pits of poverty. Mortgage relief is good for Bahamian families and training our young people for a secure economic future strengthen our country; we are in the business of service to our people through the instrument of public policy.
 
The repair of more than 700 homes by Urban Renewal and greater state support for thousands of families with autistic members – adults and children alike with special needs – will go a long way in improving the quality of the lives of thousands of Bahamian families.

These are just a few of the reasons why you continue to stand with and fight for the PLP.

Together we fight for the common man and woman.

Together we fight for the poor and marginalized.

Together we fight for the Bahamian worker and together we fight for equality for the disabled.

Continue the good fight Southern Shores for yours is a noble battle. Give of your time and talents to return Kenred Dorsett to Parliament. Recruit your friends, colleagues and families to join us in this noble fight for the soul of our country.

Thank you for inviting me, good evening and may God continue to bless you.

PLP…PLP…PLP

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