My Fellow Bahamians…
The last several years in the history of our great country
have proven difficult. We have faced many challenges. Record unemployment, a
stagnant economy, a widening national debt, increased instances of violent
crime; skyrocketing electricity costs, and an illegal immigration problem that
threatens the very foundation of our sovereignty as a nation. Perhaps even more
troubling than all these issues though, is the lack of leadership and good governance
that we now face.
During the last general election, the Progressive
Liberal Party, then in opposition claimed to the have the answers to the things
that ailed us all. They promised ten thousand new jobs, mortgage relief for
struggling Bahamian homeowners and a vibrant economy. They promised to
effectively manage the country’s resources and address the growing criminal
element. This PLP administration promised to encourage developments on the
family islands with Mr. Christie promising to secure anchor projects for every
single island in the country. While on the campaign trail this PLP government
claimed they were ready to govern on Day 1, promising improved leadership and
good governance. Most importantly, they promised to put you FIRST! Bahamians
across the length and breadth of the country took the PLP at its word. You
believed them when they promised to Believe in Bahamians. Unfortunately, those
promises have become nothing more than a hollow, empty campaign slogan.
In place of the good governance and economic
prosperity we were promised, Bahamians have endured even MORE economic hardship
under this Christie led administration. The anchor projects which he promised
would provide jobs, and economic stability have yet to be seen, in fact
development outside of New Providence has slowed to a near complete stop. In
their Charter for Governance the PLP promised that on day one and within its
first 100 days of governance, they would work to expand the economy, create
jobs, and encourage entrepreneurial endeavors. That however, has not happened.
After nearly three years of PLP governance, the country’s economy continues to
struggle and Bahamians have instead been forced to witness the decimation of
the country’s middle class; while government officials continue to spend tax
payer funds wastefully on extravagant trips, poorly planned and poorly executed
initiatives.
Under this Government, the country’s national debt has
exploded placing even further strain on the country’s economic growth prospects
and widespread job cuts in several major sectors of our economy including banking
are just some of the hallmarks of this administration’s term in office thus
far.
Now, in the face of such lackluster economic
performance coupled with only marginal improvements in the country’s
unemployment statistics, the government is preparing to increase the tax burden
on struggling families. In less than 30 days, Value Added Tax will completely
alter the country’s current tax system; a move which will immediately impact
the local economy. Still, hundreds of Bahamian Business owners and citizens
remain unclear about the finer details.
In less than 30 days, the price point on key goods and
services including the already high cost of electricity will go up. While the cost of
fuel on the global market continues to drop, reaching its lowest point since
2008, BEC customers have paid significantly more money on their electricity
bills due to a rise in fuel surcharges; a reality which will only be further
exacerbated by the implementation of VAT. These increases come sadly, on the
heels of promises by government officials that customers in New Providence and
around the country would see decreases in their power bills. It has become
clear however, that this government is not the least bit concerned about saving
Bahamians money on their electricity costs. Instead, public comments from
government officials suggest that this administration is interested ONLY in how
much MORE money they can make on the backs of struggling Bahamian families.
Promises to introduce
greener energy solutions have also ended in failure, as plans to introduce
solar energy or other less fuel dependent energy sources have apparently been
shelved by this government. In fact the corporation’s officials in October of
this year dismissed any suggestions of providing concessions to residents who
wish to invest in alternative energy.
While hundreds of
families struggle to keep the lights on in their respective homes, thousands more
continue to lose their homes to foreclosure. The government’s efforts at
Mortgage Relief proved to be a dismal failure and in the months following the collapse
of their initial plan, this administration has yet to present another working
option leaving Bahamian families with little hope for the future.
Even as the country presses toward VAT’s January 1
deadline, questions remain. After years of failing to adequately collect the
country’s current taxes, can this government be trusted to collect VAT and how
will that money be spent? We have yet to be told. How will the average Bahamian
fare?
With less than 30 days to go before VAT
implementation, this government has done a poor job of ensuring that the
general population is ready and that the poorest and most vulnerable among us
will not be further disenfranchised. At a time when many Bahamians are
accustomed to celebrating the birth of Christ with merriment, parties and
fanfare, mothers and fathers hoping to give their young children a Merry
Christmas will find it even more difficult to provide meals much less purchase
gifts.
The impending challenge to our nation’s economy is
only one of several pressing issues now facing us. As we wait for lawmakers to
find ways to encourage economic development, we also continue to grapple with
the issue of crime. The Bahamas, with a small population of just fewer than 400
thousand people, has experienced crime at the levels of countries 3 times its
size. The fear of crime continues to be of major concern for Bahamians especially
here in New Providence. In recent weeks, newspaper headlines, television and
radio reports have detailed the horrific instances of violent crime; from fatal
home invasions, shootings in traffic and even the sexual assault and brutal killings
of visitors to our shores and the killing of a police officer. With just weeks
left in this year, the country’s murder count has already hit triple digits and
is showing no sign of slowing down.
Indeed, the criminal element has affected most, if not
all families around the country, my own included. This government, which
campaigned and won the election by convincing Bahamians that they were prepared
to govern on day one, has failed at every turn to bring any real solutions to
country’s crime problem. The criminal element has become even more emboldened
by the government’s inaction, targeting Bahamians of every socio-economic
status including the daring home invasion at the residence of the Deputy Prime
Minister and even the murder of the PM’s Press Secretary. The apparent
inability of this administration to make the necessary changes to its
legislative agenda on crime has also fueled undue speculation and criticisms of
the commitment of the executive arm of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and has
even called into question the country’s crime statistics. Meanwhile, the
Ministers responsible for the country’s National Security have waffled between
a position of combativeness and defensiveness to one of outright dismissiveness
and insensitivity when questioned about their obvious failures in the fight
against crime. The fight against crime in this country should involve more than
just the purchase of new vehicles or short-term strategies. Until the
government of the Bahamas moves to defend the rights of its people rather than
enable the criminals among us, we will continue to live in paradise but be
paralyzed by fear.
Add to the current criminal element, legislators and
lawmakers who themselves fail to follow the law and what you have, is a nation
on the verge of collapse. The past two and a half years have been filled with
countless instances of unlawful behavior on the part of our political leaders.
To date, scores of parliamentarians have failed to adhere to the laws on public
disclosure.
Several more government officials have found
themselves at heart of conflicts of interest and instances of blatant corruption;
yet, none have been brought to justice. After unlawfully signing a
multi-million dollar letter of intent on behalf of the government, justice came
slowly for former Parliamentary Secretary Renward Wells who initially refused
to resign even though he admitted to signing the document. Meanwhile, it has
been more than a year since the government wrapped an investigation into
alleged impropriety at the National Insurance Board, and while evidence of wrongdoing
was found, no criminal charges have been filed. Most recently, the media
revelation about missing pharmaceuticals at the Princess Margaret Hospital has
resulted in no arrests or prosecutions to date; this despite the millions of
dollars the alleged operation cost the public treasury.
As the country continues to wrestle with crime, the
equally vexing problem of illegal immigration continues to be a boil on the
heel of this nation’s move toward progress. In recent weeks, the issue was
thrust back into the spotlight following the comments of a Bahamian national of
Haitian decent. His comments exposed the feelings of frustration, anger,
mistrust, and prejudice which have festered in both Bahamian and Haitian
communities in this country for years; feelings which, if left unchecked, could
spell catastrophe for our country.
For far too long,
successive governments have played a major role in allowing this issue to
grow and intensify. We can no longer pretend that systemic corruption within
the department of immigration which has manifested in the sale of passports and
travel documents, the bribery of immigration officers, the over-charging of
applicants and the general exploitation of the current system, has directly contributed to the critical situation
which now exists.
The issue of
illegal immigration has for years placed a burden on the country’s already
waning public resources creating additional problems within the public school
system as well as the department of social services which in recent years has
become overwhelmed by the number of persons needing government assistance.
Issues with
illegal migration have also placed a significant strain on the country’s already
deficient healthcare system. In the face of those deficiencies, the government
has proposed upgrades to the country’s healthcare and the implementation of a
National Health Insurance Plan. Unfortunately, as with so many other of its
promised initiatives, this government has already failed to ensure that any
such plans are properly planned, cost effective, and have been fully and
comprehensively explained to Bahamians. So far, the government has been unable
to offer a definitive cost analysis, despite the hundreds of thousands of
dollars spent on foreign consultants to ascertain that information. In a time
when the government continues to bemoan the state of the country’s finances,
how can they proceed with a plan that could cost the government millions which
it does not have? In recent months, officials within this Christie government
have conceded that the plan in its current form cannot and will not see full
implementation by the 2016 launch date. Such behavior is indicative of the way
this administration has handled the country’s affairs since coming to office
and inspires NO CONFIDENCE in the ability of this government to successfully
carry out its mandate.
Yes my brothers and sisters the past several years have been
difficult. This vessel of nationhood on which we are all passengers has seen
its share of rough seas. Thankfully though, a lighthouse, a beacon of hope is
visible in the distance and in a short time, Bahamians everywhere will be able
to seek shelter in it. Unlike the governments of the past the Democratic
National Alliance understands that Bahamians now, more than ever, require more
than just political rhetoric. We offer no empty promises, just a commitment to
Freedom of Information, transparency and good governance with a view to
propelling this country into finer nationhood.
A DNA Government would move first to lower the national debt
through a series of strategies which include the elimination of government
waste and the reigning in of government spending. We further pledge to
implement mechanisms which limit opportunities for governmental corruption –
including giving authority, independence and power to the auditor general –
while collecting outstanding government revenue in a way that is both efficient
and cost effective there by limiting the need for the implementation of new and
burdensome taxes. While the issue of tax reform is indeed an important one,
such monumental changes to the current system cannot and must not take place in
a vacuum. Instead, any such plans under a DNA administration, would seek the
input of the private sector with a view to creating the best possible model for
THIS country rather than adopting an ad hoc version of plans executed elsewhere
in the world.
The diversification of the country’s economy will be
critical to ensuring economic development in the future. Unlike previous administrations
that have focused primarily on the foreign direct investments to sustain the
economy, the DNA proposes a strategy that will empower domestic investors and
make Bahamians owners of industry in their own country. The time has come for a
government that will offer Bahamian investors the same level of concessions as
is provided to foreign investors. Doing so will encourage such investments,
create jobs, and strengthen the overall economic picture.
The creation of a stable economy under the DNA would also
mean an in depth assessment of the country’s natural resources and the role
they play in creating a sustainable economy. For far too long, such natural
treasures, many of which are unique only to the Bahamas, have been mismanaged,
sold off or destroyed. These resources however, hold great entrepreneurial
potential for citizens of this country. Our geographic location and its archipelagic makeup give the
Bahamas a unique advantage over many other countries in the region, with each island
offering diverse and unique environmental experiences. Rather than simply
selling off these natural treasures to the highest bidder, a responsible
government – A DNA GOVERNMENT – would work not only to protect the delicate
ecosystems which exist, but also enable Bahamians to become owners in an
economy driven by a culture of environmental responsibility.
That level of
environmental responsibility would also oversee the introduction of alternative
energy sources as means of lowering the overall cost of energy. In a modern day
Bahamas and under a DNA government, Bahamians will have access to energy
sources ranging from solar and wind to waste energy and bio-diesel. Such a move
will lessen the burden on both business and residential customers and contribute
to a decrease in the cost of living while bringing the country more in line
with international standards on energy production and conservation.
My Fellow Bahamians…
Providing a
sustainable economic development plan is important. Equally important however,
is the protection of our people and our borders. As I have said before, it is
the responsibility of a good government to ensure the protection and safety of
its citizens. A DNA Government will work to do just that. Our current system of
justice, which has consistently churned out more and more career criminals,
MUST be OVERHAULED to address the shortfalls in the existing mechanisms of
judiciary.
It should be noted,
that crime is an issue that should NOT be politicized. It is not an issue that can
be solved overnight. However, with a focused and sustained effort on the part
of the legislative and judicial arms of government, its various agencies of law
enforcement, and each individual citizen it CAN BE DONE!
The war on crime
must start with the process of holding each individual citizen and residents,
regardless of their financial, social or political status ACCOUNTABLE TO THE
LAW! This crime strategy will also include the execution of criminals who
warrant it and rehabilitation of those who require it, while simultaneously
working to close up loopholes within the law that are often easily exploited. In
order for us to get a handle on the criminal element, we must PUNISH CRIMINALS!
Our society cannot function properly if those who break the law continue to go
unpunished. Under a DNA government one’s political or economic connections will
NOT be a hall pass for wrongdoing.
Similarly, on the
issue of Illegal Migration to our shores, a DNA government is committed to
ensuring that the laws of this country are enforced. As a former
Minister of Immigration, I understand all too well the challenges associated
with policing our porous borders. For too long the issue of illegal immigration
has been politicized and emotionalized. The DNA proposes the creation of clear
immigration policies moving forward to ensure that the dignities of our fellow
men are not destroyed. The DNA recognizes the delicate and sensitive nature of
this issue and pledges that in the process of upholding the laws of our
sovereign nation, we will work to protect the country’s international
reputation while sending a strong message to all wishing to live among us, to
avail themselves of the LEGAL channels.
My Fellow Bahamians…
Over the last forty years, our country has grown leaps
and bounds yes, but we have also had our share of growing pains as well. Both
major political parties have in the past, been given an opportunity to Lead.
You have trusted them time and time again with the future of our nation and
future of generations of Bahamians yet unborn. Sadly, they have squandered the opportunity
that we, the people have given them; an opportunity to bring about an era of
change, and prosperity for our people and an opportunity to unite our chain of
islands.
Yes, this ship the SS Bahama-land has seen its share
of rough seas, but we are a strong and resilient people. We are a people who
serve a God that continues to keep us even in the most trying of times, we are a
nation of survivors. As we continue to chart our course to the future, the time
has come for all us to look to the Lighthouse; a beacon of hope in the dark,
guiding us safely to shore.
The Democratic National Alliance is that lighthouse. As
this year draws to a close, we must prepare to enter the New Year with a
renewed sense of commitment, a firm resolve and a comprehensive plan to propel
our nation forward.
As we enter the yuletide season, I understand that the
impending challenges may hinder many Bahamian families from enjoying the many
Christmas traditions that have long been a part of our customary celebrations.
Despite these challenges though, it is important that we as a people remember
the reason for the season and use this as an opportunity to foster new feelings
of unity, togetherness, and Christian love for one another.
Now, more than ever we must become our brother’s
keeper. Now more than ever we must become the protectors of our culture, and
our values. Now more than ever we must seek to uplift and encourage the
downtrodden among us. We must all take on leadership roles where they become
available. Then and only then can we be sure that the future of the Bahamas
becomes bright again.
I encourage all of you, my fellow Bahamians to join
with us as we set sail for 2017 and beyond. Until then, from my family to
yours, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year for us
all. May God bless you and God Bless The Bahamas.
Branville McCartney
DNA Leader