No matter what indices you examine, any objective analysis of the socioeconomic affairs on The Bahamas would indicate that The Commonwealth of The Bahamas as a nation is making significant progress.

This period of prosperity today is reminiscent of the late 1960s and early 1970s when the Pindling administration, in full stride with a very strong Cabinet, created the policies and programs to empower the Bahamian people.  In that period a number of Subdivisions were being created in the southern and eastern portions of New Providence and new enterprises were formed with a wave of entrepreneurs.  Banks began giving mortgages to qualified Bahamians and the educational opportunities were provided for young people to become whatever they wanted to be in a modern Bahamas.

It was time of great optimism.  The infrastructural works to provide electricity, and piped water to homes in the heartland communities were pursued in earnest with a popular government determined to drastically reduce the level of poverty, and in the words of the late Arthur Hanna, “wipe the tears from every eye.”

With the introduction of a Common Entrance Examination, thousands of students were able to get a free education in all the High Schools in New Providence and scholarships were given to hundreds to attend Colleges and Universities abroad.

This is the type feeling elderly Bahamians have with the present Progressive Liberal Party administration headed by Philip Davis.  Bahamians are being empowered, no matter what their political affiliation is.

The level of infrastructural projects in the Family Islands now underway, including many airports, clinics and other government facilities, are impressive even to detractors of the present government.  The people of Long Island are expressing satisfaction, like those in Exuma, Eleuthera, Cat Island and San Salvador.  We no longer hear the term “political victimization” coming from average Bahamians because opportunities abound in the economy for everyone who wants to work.  Indeed, last week the Prime Minister appealed to Bahamians to get involved in the construction industry as there is a shortage of skilled workers.

The Water Tower at Fort Fincastle, one of the wonders in tourism, not only in The Bahamas, but the entire Caribbean, is now being renovated after deteriorating for decades.  Meanwhile, the tourism industry is strong with high visitor arrivals and plans by the two major resorts in Nassau and Paradise Island for expansion.  Bahamians in the orange and blue areas of the economy are very creative and appear to be happy with the establishment of small and medium enterprises and are taking advantage of the largesse being enjoyed.

On the Labour front, the complaint is that there is keen competition between Livery Cab and Taxicab drivers.  This is clearly an issue that could be resolved between the two Unions with the government being a passive mediator.  The call for a shutdown of the economy by members of the Trade Union Congress who are supporting Taxi drivers is woefully misguided.

An examination of the fiscal performance of the economy would clearly show that the government has performed exceptionally well since the COVID Pandemic.

In the circumstances, even though there are some disgruntled voters, the fact of the matter is that there will always be thousands who would never support the PLP no matter how well that party in power is performing.

Even in 1970 when the country was on a positive trajectory economically and socially, eight Members of Parliament left the PLP with the excuse that the then leader Lynden Pindling was a dictator.  However, the PLP was able to win four consecutive general elections afterwards with all of the dissidents being unable to be re-elected to the House of Assembly in the 1972 elections.

A vast number of progressive legislations were produced in the post-Independence era between 1973 and 1992, with even now many supporters of the Free National Movement conceding now that the vital institutions of the country were established during that period which moved the country from what was called “a fishing village” to a “growing metropolis.”   Today, no matter what side of the political divide one is located, they are confidently proud to be Bahamian.

While it is agreed that the FNM in government built on the successes of past PLP administrations, we believe that the first 25 years of Majority Rule in The Bahamas were our best years.

The former Prime Minister, Hubert Ingraham, who was Chairman of the PLP in 1977 and a former Minister of Housing and National Insurance in the Pindling government in 1982, carried the progressive zeal with him to the FNM and replaced Pindling as Prime Minister in 1992.  He advanced a Bahamas in progress for three non-consecutive terms.  He was replaced by Perry Christie, who played a big role in policy creation formulation and execution for two non-consecutive terms.  Many of his supporters were shocked by his defeat in 2017, as the economic engines of the country were performing well.

Given the current political climate, the disunity in the FNM and the level of progress being experienced in the national economy today, we believe that the majority of the electorate is happy with the present administration and wishes for continuity despite any shortcomings.  While the electorate has been impatient and frustrated and voted out administrations in every election over the last two decades, given the level of progress and the leadership of the government at this stage of our development, making a change now would be foolhardy.