Ingraham responds to PLP 'Hysteria and Hypocrisy' from South Africa at the World Cup

FNMs rally at the 2009 Convention. [File Photo]

PRESS STATEMENT: The level and examples of PLP hysteria and hypocrisy are growing on a weekly basis. This week’s example concerns the appointment of a new Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

A non-Bahamian was appointed as President of the College of the Bahamas on their watch and a non-Bahamian was appointed as Director of Works by them. Once again, the PLP’s tune is, “Do as we say, not as we do!”

The PLP claims that it may seek to legally challenge the appointment of the new DPP. Leaving no occasion for hypocrisy aside, the PLP is seeking advice on this matter from “external talents.” So, the PLP is using external talent to criticize the hiring of external talent! The PLP’s hysteria is blinding it to its own hypocrisy.

We also remind the PLP, that it was the FNM which created the post of DPP during the 1990s. The FNM has previously appointed a Bahamian to the post. It is not lost on the Bahamian people, that the post of Director of Legal Affairs (DLA) was perennially held by a foreigner under the PLP. It was the FNM that appointed the first Bahamian DLA during the 1990s.

We note that the same hypocritical PLP which speaks endlessly about Caribbean cooperation and promotes the entry of The Bahamas into the Caribbean Single Market Economy is now criticizing the appointment of a Caribbean national to help lead the country and the region’s fight against serious and violent crime.

The hypocrisy of their Shadow Foreign Minister, who has appointed himself as a Caribbean leader, comes as no surprise. He is prepared to say one thing when he is travelling the region. He then says something entirely different when he flies back into the Bahamas after one of his frequent jaunts overseas.

That the new DPP has an outstanding track record in criminal prosecutions is of no concern to the PLP. They prefer to play politics rather than help the country to marshal all available resources necessary to fight crime.

The FNM will not allow a hysterical and hypocritical PLP to lecture it on its track record of making real our Bahamianization policy in numerous areas of national life.

Bahamians generally understand that in a small country such as ours, there will be instances when a non-Bahamian may be engaged for a period. Still, in the interest of the ongoing preparation of Bahamians for various posts, two Bahamians were appointed as Deputy Directors of Public Prosecution, at the same time that the new DPP was appointed. Of course, the PLP has hypocritically failed to mention this fact.

The PLP have also chosen to ignore the fact that two Bahamians, including the individual for whom they feign so much concern, were also at the same time appointed to the post of Deputy Law Reform Commissioner by the JLSC.

This post is slightly higher than that of the Deputy DPP. It should be noted that the post of Law Commissioner has always been held by non-Bahamians. The appointment of two Bahamians to the post of Deputy suggests that in the future, Bahamians will be appointed to this post that has always been filled by non-Bahamians.

We wish to recall that this entire matter was not brought into the public domain by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister was responding to the politicization of this matter by the Opposition, as well as to the PLP’s hypocrisy and hysteria.

Moreover, the most recent statements on the matter by the Opposition, and specifically by the Leader of the Opposition, were brought to the attention of the Prime Minister who is travelling abroad. Commenting on the timing of the Leader of the Opposition’s statement, the Prime Minister noted: “I am not surprised that Mr. Christie chose to attack me behind my back while I am out of the country.”

The FNM awaits the next example of PLP hypocrisy. If the past few weeks is any judge, that should be any day now.