Progressive Liberal Party National Chairman Bradley Roberts has denounced Speech from the Throne and said the government is standing on a foundation of broken promises and electoral deceit.
In a statement released yesterday, Mr. Roberts said the new administration has deceived the public seeming to renege on key campaign promises, which is “fake news” to the Bahamian electorate.
“Dr. Minnis is beginning his term in office on a losing wicket because he deceived the Bahamian people when he campaigned on promises to ‘repeal’ (value-added tax) VAT on electricity, health care services and breadbasket items only to back-peddle and move away from those campaign promises in the Speech from the Throne after duping tens of thousands of Bahamian voters into supporting the FNM (Free National Movement). He stands on a shaky foundation of broken promises and electoral deceit,” Mr. Roberts said.
“These broken promises represent electoral fraud of the worst kind. Minnis’ message to the Bahamian electorate was fake news all along.”
Mr. Roberts then highlighted the apparent re-emergence of original Baha Mar developer Sarkis Izmirlian who has been present at several key FNM events since the party attained governance.
“His very public and ill-conceived alignment with disgruntled foreign investor Sarkis Izmirlian, who has inserted himself into the politics of The Bahamas with aid and comfort from Minnis and the FNM, raises questions about the FNM’s spurious slogan, ‘the people’s time.’ We ask again, ‘which people?’”
“Further, as significant as Baha Mar is to the economy of The Bahamas and was to the Minnis election campaign message, an FNM policy on Baha Mar was noticeably absent from the Speech from the Throne. Why was that? Did Minnis still not want to offend one foreigner after receiving an overwhelming electoral mandate from tens of thousands of Bahamians? Why is that?” Mr. Roberts said.
Mr. Roberts then claimed that there seemed to be to a lack of substantive initiatives for the island of Grand Bahama.
“Other noticeable policy absentees from the Speech from the Throne were energy reform, food security, and the very important plans for the economic recovery of Grand Bahama. What is the policy of the FNM on the sale of the three hotels in Lucaya, a new casino operator, duty free concessions for businesses in east and west Grand Bahama and the cruise port for East Grand Bahama? The PLP government left a strong foundation of progress for Grand Bahama’s future with several projects in the advanced stages of development.
“The people of Grand Bahama gave the FNM all five seats, but the Minnis government has offered only a promise to repeal investment incentives, returning Grand Bahama to the status quo that stood at the root of that island’s economic stagnation for far too long. If the FNM has a plan for the future growth and development of Grand Bahama, the people must hear it from Minnis. To date, the FNM appears not to have a plan for Grand Bahama. That is sad! That is unfortunate! A mandate to govern, but no plan,” Mr. Roberts said.
Last week Progressive Liberal Party Interim Leader Phillip ‘Brave’ Davis claimed that the plans and foundations discussed in the Speech from the Throne were already laid out by the PLP government.
