An infant is special care – file photo.
The Editor
Bahamas Press
22 November 2021
Dear BP,
We know from bitter experience that it was always the primary aim of the FNM and its handpicked minions to frustrate and undermine any progressive policies of the new wave administration and they started early on this quest because they knew they would lose. The crude term bantered around by their corrupt, evil-minded operatives was that the FNM would engage in actions in and out of government which would “strangle the PLP baby in the crib.” Now we know what they meant and that they were serious and single minded in this diabolical scheme and, the effectiveness so far of this wicked, cruel intent is uncontested.
Never in our political history has an administration left such a mess. Many of these failures can be attributed to rank FNM incompetence and their cynical view that the Bahamas is only for their wealthy benefactors, friends, family, and lovers. But also, a direct result of them lashing out in anger and frustration against Bahamians who rejected them at the polls and want nothing to do with them again, ever. Their policy adherents and the remaining sycophants and yes men in the house now seek to claim leadership of a crippled, dysfunctional political party and are portraying themselves as a new generation but, we know better. They are too bitter, twisted and frustrated to see straight.
As the heirs and successors of the UBP we saw this type of behaviour as a clear possibility but the scope of their attempts to destroy our country and scuttle initiatives by the PLP to bring about good effective, public administration is breathtaking. Like children denied a lollipop the FNM, s bad behavior in the House started early. Unwilling or unable to accept the rule that house communications are not debated, they engaged in frivolous interruptions, questioned the Speakers rulings, and otherwise acted as fools.
But we should not be surprised at this foolishness. After all this was the same behaviour their forerunners the UBP engaged in after their stunning defeat in 1967. In 1967 the Hon. Arthur Foulkes (later Sir. Arthur Foulkes, Governor General) remarked “it burns their souls to see us in power” said Foulkes “They would prefer to bring everything down in this country with them.” And, in the same debate the late Hon. Clarence Bain observed “They sit over there day after day cackling and chuckling. Its amazing to see mighty men fall and grasp at little things.”
Indeed, more than fifty years later their FNM acolytes are following the same script showing a blatant disregard for constitutional conventions, parliamentary tradition, the rule of law, and most importantly good governance. In their zeal to see a PLP failure they have undermined long established hiring procedures in the public service across the length and breath of our country.
The incoming PLP administration has been left to sift through hundreds of hires who appear to have no job descriptions or work locations; incompetent and unqualified heads of critical government departments whose contracts was renewed or extended in the run up to the recent general elections now claim that they have “ironclad” contracts and cannot be removed; hundreds of millions of public funds and international donations are still not properly accounted for; and numerous allegations of conflicts of interest, self-dealing and corruption.
It is my view that the recent Auditor General’s report highlights an astounding number of alleged acts of malfeasance in public office by the previous administration which should be investigated by the relevant authorities and resolved. Yet, to date the Auditor Generals department has done nothing and we can expect no less. In the meantime, the persons involved in these allegations proceed on their merry way as if nothing happened; what delusional fools!
But as the saying goes “you may not get it when you deserve it but, eventually everyone gets what they deserve.”
Sincerely,
Michael J. Brown
