Remarks Rally – Freeport, Grand Bahama – day March 18th, 2011 – PLP Headquarters
Ohhhhhhh look at the People!!!
Grand Bahama We ARE READY NOW!!!
Mr. Party Leader, Rt. Hon. Perry Christie and Mrs. Christie…Parliamentary Colleagues and Bahamians all across the country and around the world…Goodnight!
Grand Bahama! Tonight I must confess that I stand here with a heavy heart!
I am burdened by the suffering that you have been facing! My mind is consumed with your concerns…your pains…your strife!
Since I was here last, 200 more Grand Bahamians lost their jobs. These Bahamians were more than likely the sole breadwinners of their homes. They provided the means by which their entire family ate. Now their jobs are gone. The pain and suffering has gone up higher!
In the face of the economic challenges that Grand Bahama is experiencing I would expect a good Bahamian government to do ALL in its power to ease the suffering of its people!
I would expect a good Bahamian government to redirect the tax revenues that it collects from Grand Bahama to the people of Grand Bahama!
I would expect a good Bahamian government to partner with the GBPA; not to antagonize them!
I would expect a good Bahamian government to sit down with the business community and work with them to find ways to preserve jobs and lower the cost to consumers!
I would expect a good Bahamian government to assist laid-off workers to use this time to re-tool and re-train!
This corrupt government that cares more about greasing the palms of its rich supporters has done absolutely nothing!
They have collected hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue from Grand Bahama and have given nothing back! Where are the social outreach programs? Where are the disbursements for housing, utility and food allowances? Where is the hand that will help you to stand on your own feet? Where is the plan to bring relief to Grand Bahama? When I was here last I told you about the windfall the government is set to receive in taxes from the BORCO sale. How much of that will make it back to Grand Bahamians? Didn’t Papa say, “WE GAT THE MONEY?”
On top of that, during the FNM government’s term they have done little to work with the Grand Bahama Port Authority. At one point, Papa even got into a war of words with Sir Jack! Did this war help or hurt Grand Bahamians?
Grand Bahama these are serious times and serious times call for serious leaders!
This is no time to be playing politics! This is no time to hold grudges. This is no time to allow your personal feelings to get in the way of the survival of our people! This is no time to lose your head. This is certainly no time to be reckless!
You can’t bad mouth a business person Wednesday afternoon, saying that, “He is not good for the Bahamas”, claiming that they should not have been allowed to have a business and then THAT SAME NIGHT, Customs raids that business and expect people not to think that it was planned! That is stupid! It is the action of a man that is clearly drunk with power! He should be thrown out of the door! Put outside the house and sent away packing; Grand Bahama…VOTE THEM OUT!
We need serious leaders; leaders who care more about people than they do themselves! Leaders who are more loyal to their country than they are to their Party! Leaders who believe in the people!
The FNM asked the voters of the Bahamas to trust them. They campaigned on trust – A Matter of Trust. It appears that the voters did trust them. Trust however works both ways. How can you trust someone who doesn’t trust you? They do not trust you to:
1. Run BTC
2. Head URCA
3. Head HR at URCA
4. To Be the Director of Works
5. To be President of COB
6. To Head the Department of Public Prosecutions or
7. Build roads
A matter of trust they say? TRUST MY FOOT! Auntie in Cat Island Always use to tell us, Boy, ya can’t TRUST a LIAR!
Grand Bahama…VOTE THEM OUT!
People now often like to say there is no difference between us in the PLP and them fellas in the FNM. They like to say that we have more in common than apart. There is a difference though and a mighty strong one at that!
– The PLP believes in the Bahamian people! – The PLP believes in people over things! We believe in education over roads and in Bahamianization over garage sales! This you can count on! This you can take to the Bank! This you can set your clock to: Perry G. Christie and the PLP care about you! Our Party always puts ordinary Bahamians first! We will always listen when you speak!
All this foolishness that the government has done would have never happened on our watch! Not a day like it!
A PLP government would NOT have fired ZNS workers and civil servants during a recession!
We would not be about the business of shutting off the electricity of thousands; so school children cannot do their homework.
A PLP government would NOT cut funding to the Loan Scholarship Scheme yet spend over $200 Million dollars on roads!
A PLP government would NOT have raised taxes on the poor and then give concessions to the rich!
A PLP government would NOT hurt farmers and slash the grants like the FNM did to farmers all over the country!
A PLP government would never kill the middle class and ignore the cries and the pleas of the people!
A PLP government would NOT have done these things because of its central belief: A GOVERNMENT MUST SUPPORT THE PEOPLE!
A government is supposed to help you when you getting mash up! It ain’t supposed to mash you up more! A government is supposed to give its people first opportunity; not deny them in favour of foreigners!
This is what separates us from them! We are for Bahamians! Bahamians first!
Grand Bahama…I SAY VOTE THEM OUT!
As I close tonight, I want to say one last thing to you. Grand Bahama…listen carefully. There are moments in the life of a country that go on to define it for years to come. There are single moments in time that forever shape the future. Our moment is NOW! We are facing what is perhaps the most important fight since Majority Rule and Independence! We are fighting to maintain control of this country and economy for Bahamians!
This is our moment Grand Bahama! This is our time to act! We need you to save our Bahamas for the next generation of Bahamians! This is a movement Grand Bahama that is beyond PLP vs. FNM, race colour or creed. This is a battle as Sir Lynden once said, “For the soul of our Nation!
Join us! Come with us!
Go to out and register to VOTE!
BE BRAVE GRAND BAHAMA!
Show them this is now PLP COUNTRY!!!!
Vote for your future!
Vote for your country!
Vote for your children!
Vote PLP!
PLP! PLP! PLP! God Bless and Goodnight!
@ Phillippa Lady Russell & tired
Lady Russell I take your point about Brave Davis.
The PLP really needs to get beyond Christie because he is the proverbial “stumbling block” in the minds of so many voters who (but for the fact of being under Christie’s leadership again) would undoubtedly support that party in replacement to what many describe as a nightmare under the FNM.
I do not know anyone who did not support the FNM in 2007 but plans to do so in 2012. I know many who supported both the PLP and FNM in 2007 but who will not support either of them in 2012. This upcoming election outcome is skewed in favor of the PLP (it is theirs to lose) but this deafening silence and reactionary campaigning style has got to stop.
Christie needs to cause those executives at C&W to shake in their shoes by announcing that “my government is prepared to go as far as re-nationalizing BTC because we are satisfied that evidence of conflict of interest and gross misrepresentations dominated this sale process.” That will cause all concerned to stop in their tracts because if they know that such (conflicts) exist as facts, then the money spent will all be lost. Why can’t we get this level of decisiveness from the PLP?
@ STORM
I have known Perry Gladstone Christie for the better part of my life and must confess that I do not know him to be vindictive, petty nor mean spirited like a Hubert Ingraham. Therefore, public servants whose loyalty to the FNM resulted in the return of Ingraham to leadership of their organization, need not fear dismissal from their posts, should Christie be returned as Prime Minister.
Christie’s current failure to achieve mass appeal as a leader is a direct result of a character flaw which causes him to doubt his own conclusions, while seeking the council of sabotaging, ego-messaging dimwits like Obie Wilchcombe and others. This clearly apparent disability to evaluate data and arrive at his own conclusions, which Christie calls “consultation” is the sole reason that many party supporters have come to appreciate the decisive character and nature of the man Philip “Brave” Davis.
Bahamians have come to realize that bright-skinned, pompous oratory and fancy dance steps matter little to the business of governance. If these outward characteristics factored as prerequisites, then Hubert Ingraham would never have become Prime Minister of The Bahamas.
Since the Progressive Liberal Party is not owned by any of the members, the simple proposition which they must debate and resolve at convention, sooner rather than later, is the answer to the age-old question: “Who is best suited to lead?”
Must run off to edit my show, The Redemption Forum which airs this evening at 6PM on Love 97 FM. Will return shortly to check my fishing lines.
Read the speech. Didnt see any mention of Haiti tho. It does mention Japan.
Anyway a relatively fair speech. It highlights the achievements (social projects, infrastructure, starting the LPIA project, facilitating other deals like the stadium etc) and does a good job selling the need to liberalize communications and get the govt out of the business of running a phone company. One can not deny that thanks to them one can own a piece of Comm Brewery, the Port and Soon BTC all in one year as it did for Cable and BOB. (btw I hope everyone who cries about lack of ownership opportunities jump on those upcoming IPOs).
However he was quite silent on failures like crime, worsening the deficits (yes by continuing to spend and spend and spend), lack of any active means to attract new investments, stagnating education etc. It was them who bashed the PLP on crime and education back on the trail in 06/07.
@tired
I meant to write the word “addressed” not “aggressed”, perhaps a nap will help.
@ tired
YAAAAA HOOOOOO! BRAVO!
GIVE THE READERS HELL WITH THE TRUTH. KEEP IT UP. YOU ARE A MAN/WOMAN AFTER MY OWN HEART.
IT IS LONG PAST THE TIME WHEN WE (BAHAMIANS) SHOULD CONCERN OURSELVES WITH THE FACTS AND GET PAST THIS RED OR YELLOW NONSENSE. I OFTEN WONDER HOW WE MANAGE TO PRODUCE A JURY IN THIS COUNTRY (BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLING TO EVALUATE ANY THING OBJECTIVELY).
YOUR POST IS REFRESHING TO READ. KEEP IT UP.
@ STORM
I too, like that poster. But must differ with his/her appraisal of Mr Philip “Brave” Davis’ continued contribution to our democracy. As I shared before on this site, Mr Davis’ representation of Bluewater comes as no surprise to me since any “Bluechip” company seeking to do business in The Bahamas firstly seeks out the best legal representation.
Since the days of Christie, Ingraham & Co, everyone knew that it was the unnamed partner, Mr Philip “Brave” Davis who had the legal savvy to bring in the profitable clients and deliver the results.
When “Brave” Davis addressed Grand Bahamians last evening, we (speaking as a Grand Bahamian living in Nassau)knew that given an opportunity, he would make a tremendous difference to the way the business of government is conducted in Freeport and indeed, The Bahamas.
While I do not seek to convince the jaded Poster of my TRUTH, I simply wish to suggest that a second look at this unassuming man, may reveal new insights and renewed hope.
Thanks Storm and Lady Russell. But perhaps Brave is different, but if he is then unfortunately he isnt showing it by playing the attack-everything-the-govt-does and score-points-whenever-we-can-no-matter-what-our-record-say cards.
In fact as I mentioned some of his suggestions. It was him who suggested cuts for MPs salaries that Z. Laing blasted then adopted the year later.
Perhaps he as leader if he gets the post one day would bring a new perspective and philisophy and appraoch. But for now it seems like its the same ole.
My thing is with all of what the PLP is saying with regards to URCA, the Road Project, the Airport Highway etc what will they do if they won power.
After all said about URCA, they have to work withthem. Would they fire Sadaat?
They have to work with the investors of BTC..or wuld they really cancel the CW deal.
Remember they talked bout the govts SRC policy.
They talk about the FNM firing either PLPs or foreigners for no good reason.
@ tired
I hear you loud and clear! I have many questions too!
Did you hear the special shout out to the Haitian community by Prime Minister Ingraham? Wow! BP’s news story about the speedy Bahamian passports to illegals is gaining real traction!
Why would a Bahamian Prime Minister find it necessary to mention the Haitian peoples business at a political Rally to discuss the Bahamian people’s business?
Also, I distinctly heard Ingraham during his speech say in reference to the “proposed” Sale of BTC” – “I need the money!” Is he manic? or was this faus pas a freudian slip, revealing a deeper truth?
Finally, when Ingraham admitted that Marcia Lewis being hired was an anomaly which he has asked the Immigration Dept. to address, I wondered if he was suggesting that she was being fired? Since, if Ms. Lewis’ employment is nullified, then her appointment of Usman Sadaat to the post of URCA’s CEO is also a nullity!
What do you say?
@Lady Russell,
If i thought your prior posts were bad, this one truely takes the cake. What shout out was that, i listened to him in his entirely and i find you misinformation the height of either sheer stupidity or a blatant attent to distract people from the content of the speech.
While our PM did say he needs the money, he specifically said we need the money first, then the comment you are trying to mislead others on.
Additionally, the PM indicates that the hirings by URCA are independent of the government, but that his government did not like the way in which Mrs. Lewis was hired. This is the same sentiment he shared before, when he indicated that the hiring by URCA should still follow the government’s rule on hiring. He also indicated that the governement, on both sides have hired foreigners to fill public positions as the need for specialized services could not be found in the Bahamas.
Why aren’t you mentioning some of the issues he discussed about the PLP. (ie. the conflict of interest by Brave Davis in reference to Blue water, and the issue he raised with reference to M. Maynard-Gibson).
It is true, some people only want to hear, what they want to hear.
What did he say exactly? Cuz I dont bother going to or watching any of these rallies.
But on URCA, in any event, I doutbt they gonna nullify anything as the board of the org (or perhaps even the govt iself I dunno) is the ones who actually would sign off on the hire, even tho the HR lady gave the recommendation.
@ Tired
May I suggest that you get a copy of The FNM’s Rally and hear for yourself PM Ingraham say out of his own mouth: “I NEED THE MONEY!”
Additionally, Ingraham’s comments regarding Ms. Marcia Lewis were meant to placate his female support to whom Dr Elwood Donaldson had aggressed the question: “Since Ms. Lewis is collecting $139,000 per annum for her female skills, was there no deserving FNM female HR Directors deserving of the available job, which was never posted in our newspapers, as mandated by law?”
I would answer the annoying poster who butted into our conversation, but I make every attempt to avoid the dull and the ignorant, since learning that “Causing Greivous Harm” still carries a mandatory jail sentence!
I’ve enjoyed sharing with you but I’ve got to get back to making placards. I’ll keep a lookout for your posts however, as I have experienced many of the feeling you have expressed.
I leave you with the following thought:
While we may not be able to correct any of the past national mistakes of our leaders, each of us can take responsibility for the present and can decide to address and proceed with unsure hands, the task of shaping a brighter future, based on the standards of God rather than atheistic politicians suffering from a narcissistic personality disorder.
the government is the majority in the HOA. the opposition can debate on issues. at the end of the day the government does all the signing. what the plp did while they were in office has nothing to do with whats happening today.
You seemed to miss my point.
I am responding directly to points raised by Mr. Davis.
He is essentially showing his and his party’s lack of credibility on these issues.
If for example he is attacking the government for having a non-Bahamian COB president and claiming that they don’t trust Bahamians then at the same time, so does his party. Ms. Hodder was picked by Franklyn Wilson while the PLP was at the helm.
In fact, Brave while in opposition has been an advocate of his client completing the deal to buy BTC. Last I check, the known backers of Bluewater arent Bahamian.
He is talking about the road proejct and them spending 200m or whatever on roads. Well check the reocrd his party WHILE IN OPPOSITION has voted for most of the funding that went for the road project.
Rarely did he in opposition show on record that they arent funding many of the govt’s proposals. They have been rubber stamping most of the govts borrowings and projects until the past few months.
So he wants me to vote them out. But replace them with his party who has either perpetrated most much of what he is blasting as an opposiiton or have done the same while in govt.
Classic pot and kettle scenario.
And the FNM does the same as I explained in my earlier post. So as I said…I dont trust any of them.
another case of someone who,s mixedup like conch salad. i mean its this government who,s in power now..why da hell they want to involve the plp..they all are not alike! the FNM is not in opposition! red dont look like yellow
Well the PLP is not in Power so you need not to worry about Trusting them, The FNM invoked the message of Trust. The question is, CAN YOU TRUST THE FNM?
BP
Let me repost what i said in my first sentence “I cant trust any of these bums. PLP/FNM they all do the same things.”
Of course I need to worry about trusting the PLP. They want to be in power. Mr. Davis is shouting, “vote them out”. As if they’ll do better. They coming to my door asking me for support.
So in judging if we should give them back the power, thier record needs to be examined as well. This includes what they did in power and how they vote in opposition. Co-signing on most of the gov’t spending doesnt help your argument when you are opposing that same spending! I applauded that they finally had some backbone and put their money where thier mouth was in terms of voting.
But for the most part politicians are great double talkers. The PM blasted NHI back in opposition and voted for it. Tore down Bahamar in the press and approved it. His Jr. Finance Mnister laughed off cuting MP slaries and implemented it a year later.
But at the same time, the PLP talking bout the FNM hiring non-Bahamian COB presidents lol. Last I check, Hodder still hasnt gotten her citizenship and Vancouver Airport Services still manage the gateway to our country.
So none of them with the exception of a handful worth jack squat and parading on TV as if they do only makes me sicker and sicker.
I cant trust any of these bums. PLP/FNM they all do the same things.
Under the PLP a non-Bahamian was COB president. How can anyone forget the uproar? (not that the governing party directly even hires the president of COB to begin with but this is the card they want to play).
Where was the uproar back when Mr. Ingraham announced a non-Bahamian would lead URCA’s Policy and Regulations? Where was it when it was clearly states that dude was a former CW CEO? Where was it when he was promoted to CEO?
Under the PLP the airport mgmt was given to Canadians.
The PLP planned to hand the reigns of 49% of BTC to a company led by a foreigner.
Talk about Bahamianization, they wanted to give them 5 years exclusivity to cell phones (blocking ANY competition that is needed) and a 4 year exclusivity to landlines). So any Bahamian wanting to compete would be left out. Any Bahamian having the services would be subject to the same ole same ole.
I can recall Grand Bahamians hurting under the PLP before the FNM came in.
Also, how could the PLP claim they would NOT spend the 200m on roads and all dat stuff when in fact, the ONLY funding they did not approve was the recent budget and airport highway project.
They voted for every FNM led budget and borrowing until that point. Which includes any increased funding that went to the NPRIP.
Another classic case of politicians trying to score points. Dont trust any of them.
Comments are closed.