By Bradley B Roberts
National Chairman
Progressive Liberal Party
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15th August 2017
While the Labour Minister Foulkes lists a number of programs to cause for further jobs creation in a press release dated the 14th August, his exercise was nothing more than a wholesale adoption of the pro-growth policies of the Christie (PLP) administration where the heavy lifting established a firm and solid foundation of progress on which to build. The PLP has made this point over and repeatedly and finds it necessary to remind Bahamians of the same once again.
THE FNM LABOUR MINISTER FURTHER VINDICATES THE PLP GOVERNMENT! AFTER ALL OF THE CAMPAIGN BLUSTER ABOUT HOW THE PLP WAS A FAILURE AND BOLD PROMISES OF CHANGE – NOT ONE NEW OR ORIGINAL POLICY OR PROGRAM WAS ADVANCED! WHAT A SHAME!
The use of the National Training Agency (NTA) to respond to the training needs of young Bahamians is a PLP policy. Thousands of young Bahamians were trained with job ready skills between 2012 and 2017.
The apprenticeship program for young Bahamians is in full swing and the Grand Bahama Shipyard apprenticeship model is one to emulate regionally, thanks to the PLP government.
The opening of additional hotels at the Baha Mar Resort in the winter of 2018 was negotiated by the Christie administration in August of 2016, but the FNM is just now coming to their senses on Baha Mar after literally years of self-denial and blatant lies which they arrogantly refuse to apologize for now that the truth has seen the light of day.
The negotiations with the Steve Wynn investment group of Canada for the reopening of the Lucaya hotel complex were in the advance stages with a Heads of Terms already prepared. Quite frankly the FNM government should have closed that deal by now if they were focused on governance.
The Citizens Security and Justice Program was another landmark program that the Christie government developed in partnership with the IDB to address youth truancy and meet the job skills training needs of our young people. This was the last major program spearheaded by our dearly departed colleague and brother, the late Dr. Bernard J. Nottage, Minister of National Security.
These PLP inspired programs are in fact “bold and innovative policies” that are “designed to provide permanent and sustainable employment for our citizens” as the Labour Minister rightly pointed out, vindicating the PLP government yet again. The caveat for success rests with the FNM government’s ability to execute these programs without dropping the ball and botching these programs as the Opposition Leader Davis pointed out to House members during the budget debate.
It is unfortunate that the FNM has started its tenure of governance on a losing wicket by sabotaging the national economy through among other decisions, talking down the economy, massive tax concessions to the rich, unnecessary and excessive borrowing and conducting mass firings while blaming all of their ill-advised actions on the PLP.
The FNM still suffers from a credibility problem.
As they adopt wholesale and ride on the bold and innovative policies of the PLP, we simply say, “THANK GOD FOR THE PLP.”
