“Rebuilding trust and the ‘old ways of doing things must change’ is what Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) needs to do in order regain the confidence of the Bahamian people,” says
Member of Parliament for Mangrove Cay and South Andros, Picewell Forbes. He told the party’s 53rd convention last night that politicians work for the people and not vice versa.
“One of the tasks we clearly have is to rebuild trust. Yes, we must make sure the people are in control, and that we remain cognizant of the fact that the politicians are always their servant and never their masters,” Mr. Forbes said.
Mr. Forbes told a packed convention room at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort that the old way of doing business must change and that the party must return to core values.
“There are some people who have been in the forefront of this party politically, civically, religiously, and otherwise – whose time has come.
“If we are going to rebuild, change cannot only appear to happen, but the discerning Bahamian electorate demands real, evidential and tangible change in the PLP.
“Respect for people, Respect for time, Respect for law and order, Respect for family values, Respect for those who have given much, and their children can’t be a candidate or senator,” Mr. Forbes said.
“The core values of the original PLP, that formed our foundation, must be returned to,” he told the delegates.
During his address, Mr. Forbes also told the crowd that change and rebuilding only comes through unity.
“Real change and rebuilding will only come when we, every one of us, pulls together, comes together, works together, where we all exercise our responsibilities to ourselves, our families, our communities and to our fellow Bahamians,” he said.
He further stated that one of the changes that need to happen is that a sense of entitlement must be done away with.
“The PLP must move away from Bahamians feeling a sense of entitlement without hard work, but we must renew in our people a new sense of national responsibility.
“The days of being a PLP, and one thinking that you have a right to a contract, high paying job and all its accoutrements, without being accountable and responsible are gone—-Yes Sir —-they are gone,” Mr. Forbes said.
“We must rebuild this party and this country through the values of freedom, values of fairness, and values of responsibility,” he said.
