Shadow Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for East Grand Bahama, Hon. J. Kwasi Thompson, is calling out the Davis Administration for stalling economic growth through excessive bureaucracy and inaction. Thompson urges the government to stop spinning feel-good headlines and start delivering real results for the Bahamian people, many of whom are feeling the effects of a sluggish economy and rising cost of living. Pointing to data from the Central Bank’s latest report, Thompson argues that the government’s failure to remove red tape is blocking investment, slowing development, and keeping Bahamians locked out of opportunity.
“Let’s stop pretending things are fine. Bahamians are feeling the squeeze at the grocery store, at the gas pump, and in their businesses. Our economy isn’t just slowing down; it’s being strangled by red tape and government inaction.”
“The latest report from the Central Bank confirms what we already know: growth is stalling. The numbers may look polished, but they can’t cover the real story. Growth in the first half of this year was weaker than last year. Foreign exchange activity tied to tourism and investment has barely moved. And compared to our regional neighbors, we’re falling behind fast. The Dominican Republic is projected to grow at 5% this year. We’re sitting at 1.8%.”
“Behind those statistics are real people, including families scraping to get by, small businesses buried under bureaucracy, and young people losing hope. Inflation is sky-high, and wages aren’t moving. And what’s this government doing? Spinning press releases while Bahamians suffer.”
“Let’s call this what it is: the Davis Administration has become the biggest obstacle to economic opportunity in this country. Every delay, every bottleneck, every approval that sits in someone’s inbox is a lost job, a missed investment, a stalled project. We cannot afford this anymore.”
“That’s why the FNM is ready to act with a real plan to cut through the nonsense and unlock growth. Under a Red Tape to Results agenda, we will establish clear processing deadlines for business, building, and investment approvals from application to shovel in the ground. We will digitize government services to speed things up and make them more accessible and transparent. We will launch a One-Stop Investment Gateway so investors, Bahamian and international alike, can stop being bounced from office to office. We will fast-track key developments and simplify the approval process for Family Island and Grand Bahama Economic Zones. And we will launch a Red Tape Reduction Task Force to root out the outdated, burdensome regulations that continue to choke progress.”
“The message is simple: enough talk, let’s get this economy moving.”
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