As Bahamians begin to think of general elections which must be held by October next year, and as political parties seek out suitable candidates, the demands grow in the various constituencies for government services.  In addition, there are requests which abound for personal political  favours.  So a tremendous amount of pressure comes to bear on incumbent Members of Parliament who struggle to satisfy an electorate with high expectations.
   Any objective and  dispassionate Bahamian must admit that the standard of living and even the quality of life in The Bahamas are very high.  We live in one of the best small island states of the world; the envy of many developing countries.  However, successive administrations in government in The Bahamas have been hard-pressed to produce more revenue, provide better infrastructure like paved roads, modern airports, docks, better schools, more well appointed healthcare facilities, more affordable housing and the list goes on.
 With so many islands in the archipelago requiring the same level of infrastructural development as New Providence and Freeport, Grand Bahama, the expectation is that every Bahamian should have equal opportunities and equal treatment.
  Beyond all of this, the proximity of The Bahamas to the United States of America  and the travels of tens of thousands of our citizens to North America have created misconceptions and aspirations  that are unrealistic.  We are not a first world country with resources like oil, gold or diamonds.
  Bahamians must understand that there are limitations on what any government can do or provide in a five year span.  It should be clear by now that at least two consecutive terms in government are necessary for a progressive administration to put policies in place and to have them properly executed .
  The  rate of growth and development of The Bahamas has been phenomenal.  Most of it began post Majority Rule when the Pindling administration prioritized education and infrastructural development.  That regime borrowed the funds when necessary, which the United Bahamian Party government was not prepared to do for the social development of the masses.  That government believed that money should be kept in the Treasury even though the over-the-hill areas in New Providence did not have electricity or a good supply of running water to homes.  Most of the residents in those areas went to street faucets for potable water.
  For many years the economy of The Bahamas has been transformed by the expansion of the tourism industry and the growth of the middle class.  We now boast some 12 million visitors in the last year. 
  This  created a high level of consumerism. Today, the American way of life has distorted the Bahamian culture.
   The good news is that conservative administrations over the years were able to position the country in good stead to access borrowed funds when necessary.
  Just this week, Prime Minister Philip Davis, speaking on the Banks abd Trust Companies Regulation Amendment Bill said:  “When we look at The Bahamas today, whether we’re talking about our standing in the international community, the health of our economy, or the resilience of our financial services sector, we can see how far we’ve  come in a relatively short amount of time.
  “We have a lot of work left ahead — we won’t be satisfied until we have an economy that is more inclusive, one that offers more opportunities to more Bahamians. We won’t be satisfied until we can drive the cost of living down, and make sure a life of dignity and security is something all Bahamians can attain.”
  While this goal resonates with all Bahamians, we believe the electorate must exercise some patience and forbearance as the government seeks to meet these expectations