Despite mounting criticism from opposition voices, Prime Minister Perry Christie told political pundits to “check the numbers,” saying his government has generated over 30,000 jobs over the past five years.
The comments came as Mr. Christie was giving remarks at the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) Prayer Breakfast held yesterday at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort.
“No matter what persons say about the Progressive Liberal Party, let the statistics put out by the Statistics Department speak for us show we have created since we came into power not withstanding a tough economy over 31,000 jobs, near 32,000 and counting.
“Not counting the 1,500 that will be hired between this month and February right here in this complex and by the summer this number should be up to 3,000.
“The country has every indication that we are well on the path to recovery as a country and not withstanding Hurricanes Joaquin and Matthew, by the grace of God begin our recovery from the devastation of those two hurricanes,” Mr. Christie said.
In regards to the 1,500 additional jobs, Mr. Christie was referring to the ongoing hiring process from Baha Mar which officially began taking online applications last week.
Last week, Mr. Christie also revealed that construction had begun on the multi-million dollar Ocean Cay Project, billed as the biggest island development by any cruise company in the Caribbean, the 95-acre island will be located 32km south of Bimini and 104.5km east of Miami in Florida.
It will reflect the culture and natural landscape of The Bahamas by offering indigenous Caribbean plants and trees; a traditional Bahamian village; restaurants and bars offering local specialties; shops; and an arrival centre with island-themed music gazebo.
The Bahamian economy has suffered several blows this year from an international standpoint.
In August of last year, Moody’s Credit Agency announced that it had downgraded The Bahamas’ credit rating by one notch mainly because of the country’s “low medium-term growth” prospects and limited fiscal space compared to similar countries.
Moody’s previously opened the door to the possibility of downgrading the country’s sovereign credit worthiness by “one or more notches,” with a two-notch slash taking the country’s rating to ‘junk’ status.
Subsequently in December of last year, New York-based Standard and Poor’s Financial Services lowered the credit rating for The Bahamas by one notch to BB+/B, which has pulled the archipelago nation’s score into non-investment grade or “junk” territory alongside the likes of Costa Rica and Guatemala.
Mr. Christie’s comments came as he is set to faceoff with the party’s candidate for Ft. Charlotte Alfred Sears in contentious leadership battle beginning tomorrow at the party’s national convention.
