Deputy Leader of the Democratic National Alliance Chris Mortimer said Minister of Labour and National Insurance Shane Gibson was “dead wrong” when he said job creation in The Bahamas is headed in the right direction.

“If it wasn’t so terrible, it would almost be funny,” he said. “The scene is playing out throughout this country. In every island in our archipelago and what this proves, is that those same members of parliament who sit in the House of Assembly are clueless.

“They are truly living in their own world because they are not living in the world that Bahamians have to live in because if that was the case, there would be no way that he would be able to say something like that.”

Last week the Labour Force and Household income statistics revealed that the labour force increased by 1.4 percent since its last survey conducted in November 2014. The results which were obtained over a period of six months showed that the labour force now totals 208,895 persons compared to 206,050 in 2014.

Director of Statistics Kelsie Dorsett said the Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival held in May also had a possible impact on the numbers

“Carnival would have therefore captured preparatory work and additional employment related to the event in both New Providence and Grand Bahama,” said Mrs. Dorsett.

Those statistics showed that between November 2014 and May of this year there was an influx in employment numbers, causing unemployment to decline to 12 percent from 16 percent.

But Mortimer said that it would be inaccurate to attribute the numbers to Junkanoo Carnival because it was merely a three-day event

“I think the same day I heard that, I heard the collective laugh of an entire country,” he said. “They think we’re ignorant. They think we’re stupid.”

He noted that behind what statistics revealed, more and more businesses are closing their doors, making it increasingly difficult for Bahamians to make ends meet.

The DNA deputy leader said if successful in the 2017 general elections, his party plans to focus on promoting other elements of The Bahamas in addition to Junkanoo Carnival.

“We are focused on what it takes to truly move our country forward,” he said. “We are focused on putting our money on our people, our culture, not someone else’s culture. We are going to grow us.”