Over and Over, Prime Minister Davis insists on breaking his word and on breaking the law.
Seemingly taking over from his Deputy Prime Minister who could not close the deal, the Prime Minister three weeks ago assured the Bahamian people that the Grand Lucayan Hotel would finally, this time for sure, be sold within two weeks. That pledge followed more than two years of similar idle promises from this rudderless PLP regime.
Yet to the surprise of no-one, his earnest deadline has come and gone and still the people of Grand Bahama are left disappointed once again. The Grand Lucayan remains unsold. We recall sadly that this is a hotel that DPM Chester Cooper proclaimed was sold all the way back in May 2022 for an eye popping $100M. More than two years later, the PLP flam continues.
The people of Grand Bahama – and indeed the entire Bahamas – also recall the many promises and pledges and commitments to begin work in earnest on the new Grand Bahama airport. Yet besides some demolition of the interior of the international terminal, nothing is happening. More PLP film and flam. As is standard for the PLP they talk a big game but cannot deliver.
Countless Grand Bahamians continue to be affected by the failed promises and untruths. There are those who aspire to be hired directly by the hotel, others like taxi drivers, musicians, straw vendors and other entrepreneurs who stand ready to give the best in services and products. However, the government continues to tell them one story or another
Worse, this Davis led PLP administration continues to violate the law. After again promising to constitute the Fiscal Responsibility Council, this administration remains in open breach of its own Public Finance Management Act. There remains no functioning Fiscal Responsibility Council. There are thus no legally mandated independent reports on the government’s financial and budgetary performance. By now, we can only conclude that this is deliberate. The PLP do not want the oversight any more than it wants the public to examine its decisions and acts in office under a functioning FOIA.
As Minister of Finance, Prime Minister Davis has not released any monthly budget reports for the current fiscal year beginning July 1st. He is now a full two months behind on these critical public reports. What are they hiding?
As has become practice, the current administration remains in full breech of the accountability and transparency provisions of its own Public Procurement Act. Sizeable contracts are being awarded without competitive bids contrary to the law.
The Government refuses to disclose the details of winning bids for central government and public corporation contracts. They have no excuse because they continue to break the law. The fact that the PLP government does not want its affairs to be subject to public scrutiny tells Bahamians that this administration must have something to hide.
When returned to office, an FNM administration under my leadership will immediately begin to enforce all existing laws related to accountability and transparency and enact new laws, with teeth to ensure that no future government will be able to follow the PLP’s current practice of squandering tax dollars under cover of darkness and silence of the public service.
Hon. Michael C. Pintard, M.P.
Leader
Free National Movement