Our neighbours to the north are being greeted with silence…a lack of transparency or accountability and CORRUPTION by The Minnis Regime!!!!
The Editor
Bahamas Press 3rd April 2021.
Another United States government report has arrived on the nations doorstep like an unwanted visitor. As yet there has been no official response to the contents of the report which encompasses prison overcrowding, the treatment of immigrants and stateless persons and the eight-ton gorilla in the room, lack of transparency in campaign financing and corruption.
By now Bahamians are wise to the double standards exercised by the media which is blind to the possibility of corruption in its favourite political party the FNM. Except for the Tribune of course which in an editorial tried as usual to smear the PLP. It had this to say: “How about efforts to tackle corruption?
The US criticises the political campaign finance system and the lack of safeguards. They say it creates “a vulnerability to corruption and foreign influence”. Indeed, what is to stop the next Peter Nygard from wielding influence as allegations of bad behaviour build up and go unheeded?
Given the allegations of corruption against Nygard as well as a number of other malodorous allegations involving him which the FNM has tried to connect to the PLP the editorials intent was clear. In its deluded, warped, confused, and biased world the media is attempting to make the report about the PLP and not FNM malfeasance and incompetence and alleged rampant corruption.
The editor also chooses rather conveniently not to mention an earlier US report which places corruption in government procurement practices firmly at the feet of the FNM nor the numerous complaints lodged by US businessmen about such practices. These poison pen practitioners cannot and will not be allowed to have it both ways.
The PLP is not the government ; an out-of-control government, the darling of the oligarchs is in power and if half of the allegations of corruption, nepotism and cronyism are true, many of its officials are for the high jump. Nygard is a convenient straw man to use when trying to smear the PLP and perpetuate the long running lie that it is corrupt. Innocent pictures taken at parties and other Nygard events which PLP politicians attended are coupled with lies, unfounded rumours and memes spread by FNM operatives designed to reinforce the lies.
But what about the other pictures? You know what I mean; pictures of FNM politicians dating back as far as the FNM/Ingraham administration enjoying Nygard’s hospitality?
No one seems to attach anything sinister or untoward to these pictures but then that would undermine their narrative and diabolical lies about the PLP. Let us face it the FNM appears to be up to its armpits in corruption and the fawning, servile, supine silence of the media hacks and trolls speaks volumes about their lack of integrity and inherent bias.
Pretend journalists wait outside the cabinet office like waifs hoping to be thrown a bone they can write on and twist to serve their political masters. Even when allegations of continued FNM corruption, nepotism, cronyism and no bid contracts to the boys and girls is in plain sight these are ignored or spun by media in an attempt to smear the PLP and deflect from the numerous questionable acts of the FNM.
Bahamians are not surprised by the leading role the Tribune has assumed in trying to prop up and save the FNM from the disastrous consequences of its maladministration, financial profligacy, and incompetence. After all, it tried to save the UBP by trying to fool Bahamians that monies paid to it legislators were not corrupt payments but rather were “consultancy fees”.
The members of the commission of inquiry of 1967 were not fooled and treated that particular assertion with the derision it deserved. “ The commission found “a complex system of continuing payoffs to almost the entire Bahamian elite (known universally as the “Bay Street Boys”).Bahamians also resoundingly rejected that outrageous lie by voting the UBP out! The FNM as successors of the UBP appear to have the same problems with the truth.
The “holier than thou” stance of the media, highly paid government propagandists and their fellow travellers reveals the real fears of their masters the oligarchs. The return of a government which will do all in its powers to elevate Bahamians and deal once and for all with the excesses of the previous FNM administration; and ensure that nepotism, cronyism is done away with.
A caring, empathetic, competent government which will ensure that the Bahamas Government procurement process is transparent, fair, and equitable. All aims which is diametrically opposite to that of the FNM and its wealthy, influential patrons and the carpetbaggers who benefit shamelessly from their maladministration and disregard of the rules.
Incidentally, if the media is really interested in fighting corruption at their first chance they should look into the following:
• Secret meetings by desperate senior government politicians to raise campaign funds from foreigners to bring home the funding bacon.
• Allegations that a senior FNM political operative has been given the exclusive contract to import and distribute Covid-19 test strips which are sold on to testing centres and may have affected the availability and price of the tests to Bahamians, especially the indigent.
• Allegations of the use of police to intimidate and harass potential witnesses in corruption and domestic violence cases against FNM politicians and others.
• Allegations of abuses of power in refusing to comply with the directions of statutory government boards to terminate employment contracts.
• Why another Bimini resident stricken with covid-19 was allowed to die alone waiting for medical airlift to the capital, which was eventually refused,
• What is the nature and extent of the air ambulance contract entered into by the FNM intended to avoid such occurrences and who is negligently liable.
That should do it for now and get them pointed in a positive direction before our democracy is brought to its knees by this despotic, incompetent, and clueless government.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Brown
