Roberts: THE BETRAYAL OF TRUST

Hon Bradley B. Roberts
National Chairman
Progressive Liberal Party
Rally Address
Elizabeth Constituency
January 19, 2010

Subject: THE BETRAYAL OF TRUST

Elizabeth, it is an honor for me to be here tonight, chiefly in support of our Candidate for the upcoming Bye-Election, Mr. Ryan Pinder. Ladies and Gentlemen, Ryan Pinder is young man age 35. The record shows that the less than 40 age category is currently insufficiently represented in Parliament, if fact there is only one. Ryan’s generation is the future of the Bahamas and brings a different perspective to the challenge our Bahamas faces. Ryan Pinder represents a breath of fresh air and new vision and focus.

Elizabeth, Ryan is no stranger to this constituency as he got to know the district when his dad former Cabinet Minister and MP for Malcolm Creek Marvin Pinder represented much of the area that now comprises Elizabeth.  Ryan therefore has a long-time association with the district from a young boy who campaigned with his dad.

Elizabeth, Ryan is a humble, highly qualified academically and is deeply committed to fight crime, which, together with unemployment are your main concerns. Ryan’s strong economic background provides him with the unique skills in attracting investors to the Bahamas thereby creating good paying jobs which are one of the keys to fighting crime.

Since my last public address, some sections of the media have attempted to cast me in a negative light over my comments on the resignation of your former Member of Parliament, Malcolm Adderley. I have already defended my position, and I can assure you that throughout the highways and by-ways of our Country, the common man is in agreement with me, that there was no better way to describe the likes of Malcolm Adderley than with the language I chose to use. To affirm the descript words I used; Hubert Ingraham reconfirmed them when he declared that Malcolm “cashed in” on the Elizabeth seat. All of us would be shocked if the Tribune Editor would chastise the Prime Minister for what he said. I am satisfied that she believes that Hubert is some kind of Demi-God.

With that, I leave Mr. Malcolm Adderley alone. Based on rumors circulating I hear he has enough to worry about. What he left you for Elizabeth, he may not get. As I understand that the judge-ship ain’ looking’ too promising. You know what they say about a promise, it is a comfort to a fool.

But he played his part in what is nothing but a fiasco to use you, Elizabeth to take our minds off of a failing economy, and a society wrought by crime and violence.

Another issue Prime Minister Ingraham and the FNM will try to use to distract us is the Earthquake in Haiti. Given the sensitive nature of the issue, our Leader and our shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs will comment publicly on the matter and the position of the Hubert Ingraham’s FNM Government on the matter. Hence, I wish to extend profound words of sympathy and support to Haiti and the Haitian community here in The Bahamas and around the world, and to assure you that the Progressive Liberal Party is committed to doing its part to contribute to the relief efforts in our neighboring Country.

Let me warn the Government, in particular, the Prime Minister that behind the scenes however, I am assessing whether or not he is seeking to use the tragedy in Haiti to gain political mileage here in Elizabeth. I am being asked around town if there was any inference to be made during his first press briefing when he allowed Dr. Duane Sands to sit next to him as he pledged our Country’s support to Haiti and announced the release of the Haitian Nationals in our detention facility.

Was he sending any signals as Papa sat next to Doc? Is he wooing any support in Elizabeth as Papa walks about the Haitian communities with Doc? With even the Punch alluding now to his dictatorial style on the handling of this Haitian crisis, is there any connection between the imagery of Papa and Doc, Papa-Doc? I am watching and I know you are watching too.

Again, our Party is taking a deliberate approach to the public commentary on the matter. We are friends of the Haitian Bahamian community who assure us that they will not be duped again by the FNM Government, who has done nothing but betray their trust since being voted into office in May 2007.

I hear there aren’t many voters in Elizabeth who want to be fooled by the FNM Government and their trust agenda anymore. On the ground, no matter the promises being made and no matter the money and gifts being distributed, the constituents of Elizabeth I understand, want to send a strong message to Hubert Ingraham and the FNM that as far as they are concerned, that there has been a MASSAIVE BETRAYAL OF TRUST.

Many residents of Elizabeth say since voting the FNM into office, they have lost their jobs unable to take care of critical family obligations. They blame Hubert and the FNM for a serious betrayal of trust.

Many say since May 2007, they have had to take their children out of private school. They blame Hubert and the FNM for a heavy betrayal of trust.

Many Families are vexed that the doors to College/University education was slammed in their faces with the last minute cancelation of the Scholarship Loan Program. They blame Hubert and the FNM for a betrayal of trust.

Others say they have lost their homes and many are behind in their mortgage and car payment and on a daily basis having to decide between gas and food. They blame Hubert Ingraham and the FNM for a betrayal of trust.

Worst of all, there are some right here in Elizabeth who must live without electricity. They too blame the FNM for a betrayal of trust.

In spite of all of this, after putting this Country in the worst imaginable economic condition of modern times, the FNM thinks that it can convince you, the residents of Elizabeth to continue to believe in a TRUST agenda. I wonder what they take you for.

Let me give them a reality check. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Free National Movement has been a colossal failure in their management of our economic affairs. Hubert Ingraham told the Bahamian people in 2002 that he had taken the Bahamas as far as he could . True words were never spoken by Hubert Ingraham. Indeed Hubert since his return in 2007 has presided over the largest economic decline in our history. Yet the FNM is promoting him as a man the Bahamian People should trust as an effective Leader. The truth is Hubert has been a destructive Leader.

This government has failed to effectively manage our tourism product and protect the jobs of thousands of workers in this most vital sector. Under this FNM government’s stewardship, the record shows that stopover arrivals have declined, occupancy levels have declined, tourism expenditure has declined, the budget for tourism was reduced, and mass displacement of hotel workers has become the order of the day. The record will show that in this region, our neighbours and competitors have enjoyed measurable growth in their tourism sector in the face of the same global economic challenges faced by the Bahamas. The Bahamas is no longer the leader in tourism in our area.

For no sensible reason, the government has displaced thousands of workers in the public sector, Customs Officers, Immigration Officers, Police Officers and on and on directly contributing to the increase in unemployment.

The government has not been unable to attract any new and meaningful capital injection into our ailing economy to facilitate an economic stimulus that will create jobs, create spin off industries and improve the revenue performance of the government.

This government is on record as imposing the single largest tax increase on the Bahamian people through increases in custom duties and excise taxes.

This government’s stop, review, and cancel policy and infamous delay tactics have not only caused the Bahamian economy to stall, but has frightened many investors and would-be investors away who could very well be hesitant about investing in the Bahamas and understandably so. The treatment of the principals of the Bahamar project is just one example.

The PLP submits that the baneful actions of the government, and in some cases their inaction, have together significantly contributed to the current levels of unemployment. We point out that this high level of unemployment is redundant and it did not have to be this way. The government simply failed to demonstrate the vision, the requisite political maturity and political will required to focus on the wellbeing of the Bahamian people and the future security of our country. It opted for petty partisan politics and political tribalism.
The government has borrowed some $877 million to date, tripling the foreign currency component of the national debt to more than $1.0 billion, placing the value of the Bahamian dollar at risk. We can thank Hubert Ingraham for facilitating two downgrades of our sovereign credit rating in two years as he assisted in the deterioration of government revenue performance, failed to expand the revenue base, and failed to curtail unsustainable borrowing.
This is the economic state of our not so fair commonwealth after two and one half years of failed governance: TRIED AND TESTED LEADERSHIP MY FOOT. ELIZABETH, YOU NEED HUBERT INGRAHAM AND THE FNM LIKE YOU NEED THE SWINE FLU. AS A MATTER OF FACT, HIS RETURN IS TANTAMOUNT TO THE BLACK PLAGUE OF EUROPE SOME CENTURIES AGO.
So Elizabeth we know what we can Trust Hubert Ingraham and the FNM to continue doing. The best advice I have for you is to send them a message that enough is enough. Be the first to clearly tell them to start packing. Be the first to demonstrate that this Country must return to the PLP.

The record of stewardship under the PLP administration is clear; the record is stubborn and no attempt to rewrite history can change the facts. The record clearly shows that under the Christie administration, some $5.0 billion worth of wealth was created in the Bahamas, with $2.5 billion being created through our local financial market.

Further, with the pension funds of over 15,000 Bahamians invested in BISX, many thousands of Bahamians enjoyed measurable expansion in their personal wealth and net worth of their estates; this was buttressed by the creation of over 20,000 jobs, more than $4.5 billion in net foreign direct investment, and an increase in household income from $39,000 in 2002 to over $42,000 in 2006, the last full year in office of the PLP.

During this period, our fair commonwealth experienced record tourist arrivals, record tourism revenues (in excess of $2.0 billion), and record government revenues (in excess of $1.5 billion) and the Country was headed towards full employment.

Throughout this campaign you will hear more on just how the PLP outperformed the FNM and why we are the best option to govern the affairs of this Country.

Until next time then I ask you to stay tuned. I ask you to throw your support behind Ryan Pinder and the PLP. And I ask you to unlike some, do not be bought. Do what is best for your Country in this bye-election.

Vote PLP … All The Way.

PLP … All The Way.

PLP … All The Way.