GRAND BAHAMA – Thus far, we have resisted the temptation to respond to the never-ending, unfounded allegations made by Coalition of Independents Leader Lincoln Bain. A professional do-nothing, Bain often uses colorful rhetoric as a thinly veiled method of obtaining media attention and political relevance.

In a recent attempt, he suggested that the leader of the FNM had a history of substance abuse during an angry rant on Facebook Live. The defamatory comments were widely condemned by many, including his own supporters. He has more recently made allegations that our party is engaged in buying votes, which, of course, we deny.

While all politicians are entitled to their own opinions, none are entitled to their own facts.

In contrast to the FNM’s ‘Focused on You’ campaign, the Coalition of Independents has been focused on smears, fanciful talk, and outright lies. We have no doubt that the majority of Bahamians do not support their brand of gutter politics. Should Mr. Bain’s antics continue, the party will pursue legal action and bring him before the courts, where he already has a losing record.

We encourage all Bahamians to stay focused on the issues of the people of West Grand Bahama and Bimini.

The Central Bank’s latest report has confirmed that we are still in the midst of the inflation crisis, and food prices continue to rise.

“Average domestic consumer price inflation, as measured by the All Bahamas Retail Price Index, increased marginally to 4.8% during the twelve months to July, from 4.7% in the same period of 2022, reflecting the pass-through effects of higher global oil prices and other costlier imports. Specifically, average costs for recreation & culture and for food & non-alcoholic beverages accelerated to 15.5% and 10.4%, respectively, from 3.7% and 8.0% in the previous year.”

Studies have also shown that an effective way to encourage healthy eating is by making healthy food cheaper.

The government continues to ignore one step that would not only help the poor but also encourage healthy eating. The government, unfortunately, believes that they can tax their way to healthy eating, which harms the poor and does nothing to bring relief from the rising costs of food.

1. The government must take a collaborative approach with major food stores and listen to businesses and consumers to come up with a VAT-free list of essential healthy food. This should not be a unilateral decision without consultation.
2. The government should use this opportunity to expand the traditional breadbasket list to include healthier food, such as fruits and vegetables.
3. Use the examples of other countries that have changed their course and removed VAT from essential food. In Portugal, the government has removed VAT from essential food temporarily to bring relief from high food prices. In Spain and Germany, the government has taken similar measures. In addition, the Caribbean country of Trinidad and Tobago has done the same.

The PLP government must be concerned and take action to mitigate the impact of food price increases on all consumers, particularly the vulnerable. We again demand the government cease its stubbornness and mitigate the impact of rising food prices by immediately removing VAT from essential healthy food items, such as fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods.

On October 4th, 2023, Bahamians everywhere had the opportunity to take in the spectacle that is the Opening of Parliament and the Speech from the Throne. The Bahamas is among the oldest continuous Parliaments in the region with its legislative assembly first meeting back in September of 1729. We must not transform the physical infrastructure and strengthen its independence and separation from the Executive branch of Government so that we can be more effective as a country. If ever we needed greater independence from the Executive branch, it is now. We extend our gratitude to our Governor General, Her Excellency the Most Honorable Cynthia Pratt, who as always was dignified and graceful as she read her first Speech from The Throne. We wish God’s continued blessing on her, and her family and we wish her every success as Governor General. Her record of service has been inspirational.

We are here today to provide our commentary and feedback on the content within The Speech from the Throne and on some of the circumstances that have gotten us here.

First, I would like to again acknowledge my appreciation to the people of Marco City for their continued faith in me as their representative and then to the entire Free National Movement family who – almost two years ago – granted me the responsibility of a lifetime – to lead the next chapter in the great history of our Party, some fifty years after its founding. I remain deeply moved, grateful and energized by your trust and support.

Grand Bahama Development

Despite their typical big talk and public relations stunts, the PLP has failed to deliver anything of note for the people of Grand Bahama. After cancelling the agreement, they met in place for the sale of Our Lucaya, the PLP went on to embarrass themselves by claiming to have a sale for the property that never materialized. Two years

in, they have yet to complete infrastructure projects they found under development. They have chosen a public fight with the GBPA instead of engaging in productive dialogue to the benefit of the people of Grand Bahama.

After spending millions and causing millions to be spent in preparation for the development of a world class airport the project has without explanation stopped with no communication with the companies which were gearing up to execute the project.

This administration has failed in Dorian relief. Family Island Development and Enhancement

The Davis-led PLP has been an incredible disappointment to the people of the Family Islands. Not only has there been slow progress in completing the infrastructure projects they met under development by the FNM, there has been little in the way of significant new infrastructure or other public projects. Meanwhile, the roads, docks and public facilities continue to fall into

disrepair. Local government entities and public officials in the Family Islands complain about the delays in getting funds from Central Government. The PLP announced the establishment of a Family Island fund last year and has yet to provide any reporting or accounting for monies in that fund.

Bahamian Natural Resources & National Investment Fund

As is typical, the Davis-led PLP Administration has had a lot to say about Bahamian natural resources and the development of a national investment fund (NIF)to mobilize and utilize Bahamian resources and land to benefit the Bahamian people, the facts are that very little has been done. After the passage of the National Investment Funds Act in 2022, there has been no material action taken to establish the Fund and get it working. Despite endless rhetoric, there are no Bahamian green or

blue carbon credits. There have been no resources put into the Fund. After almost a year, there is no Board, no Management, and no effective plan to make the NIF a reality. It has been just more idle talk from the PLP.

By our count, this PLP government made around 87 specific policy pledges in its first speech from the throne. Being as generous as we could in our assessment, there are still some 60 promises that they haven’t even touched. That leads us to two very clear determinations.

First, with close to 70 percent of their stated commitments still left to carry out, why did the government see the need to refresh its mandate. This underwhelming PLP government clearly had only begun to scratch the surfaces on the things that they promised to do. Instead of all this fanfare, they need to get behind their desks, in our communities, in our healthcare facilities, over the hill, in our family islands, in West Grand Bahama and Bimini, and get to work.

Second, by failing on seven of the ten things they promised to do, the Bahamian people are right when they conclude that all we will see is more of the same. Many of these things are rehashes of old promises going back decades. Lots of talk, lots of spin, lots of traveling and partying and cocktail receptions and media events, lots of weaponizing law enforcement and other organs of the state to investigate, hunt, embarrass and criminalize its

opponents – but insufficient in the way of governance and getting things done to benefit the Bahamian people.

In the last speech from the Throne, this PLP government promised Local Government for New Providence, they promised full enactment of the Freedom of Information Act, they promised more funds for Family Island Councils, they promised anti-corruption legislation, theypromised serious action to get the country’s fiscal house in order.

These and so many more promises have been ignored. They were not serious about these things before, and they will not be serious about their bag of promises this time either. In fact, in many respects we have gone backwards.

We have seen runaway price inflation on even the very basics with this PLP government absolutely refusing to do simple things to make life easier for ordinary Bahamians.

We have seen the Prime Minister make untrue claims regarding $50 million in annual funding to Bahamian small businesses when not even a small fraction of that has been provided to small businesses over the last two years. We have seen this Davis administration take OUT the criminal penalties in their updated Public Finance Management Act. Can you imagine? There were criminal penalties IN the law they met in place for financial malfeasance. They didn’t make the penalties tougher. They took them out altogether! What could possibly explain that?

THE BAHAMAS – This Davis led PLP never fails to underwhelm and underperform. Late into this past Sunday night, the Ministry of Finance released an incomplete procurement report. Even with it being well late, this so called procurement report simply does not provide the requisite information that the Prime Minister is legally required to provide to the Bahamian public.

Even in something so straightforward and basic, this PLP government has failed to follow the law in the presentation of this report in a number of instances. First, we have no information provided on any procurement from September 2021 to August 2022, although the government still has a legal obligation to provide this information consistent with the law in force at that time.

Second, it would seem that none of the contracts awarded by state-owned enterprises such as NIB, the Public Hospitals Authority, Water & Sewerage, or the University of The Bahamas are included in the report. This information is required by the Public Procurement Act 2023 (PPA) in Section 75 (2) (g).

Third, there are clear examples of significant contracts that were awarded during the reporting period that were simply left out in the report. One such example is the award of a multi-million dollar and multi-year contract by the Ministry of Transport for navigational aids to a company that seems to have had no such experience in a project of that size and scale. Is there a reason why the government has hidden this particular contract?

The law is clear. Section 75 (2) (a) says that the government must include ALL procurement contracts in its reports. Why is the government keeping the details of select contracts from the public? What is there to hide?

Finally, by law, the Prime Minister as Minister of Finance is to lay this report in the House of Assembly so as to be accountable in a formal way for its contents. The fact that this half-baked incomplete report has come out in the dead of night via press release is nothing more in my view than a sad but now common attempt by the flailing and failing Davis led administration to side step accountability for its contents.

The opposition rejects this so-called report outright. This is not what the law requires. We demand that the Prime Minister comes to Parliament at the next sitting with a full and proper procurement report showing ALL contracts by government agencies and state owned enterprises for the period of September 1 2021 to June 30, 2023. The government must also begin to follow the law and put all relevant jobs out for competitive bidding and publish the contract winners within 60 days consistent with the legal requirements. It’s long past the time for the PLP to finally start obeying the law!

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Hon. Obediah Wilchcombe, Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini and Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting.

Minister Wilchcombe has dedicated his life to serving our country whether it was through journalism when he joined the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas in 1975 or by serving in various roles politically over the span of 29 years.

We thank Minister Wilchcombe for the contributions he has made to the betterment of our country, especially to the island of Grand Bahama.

On behalf of the executives and members of the Torchbearers Youth Association and Torchbearers Youth Association-Grand Bahama, we extend condolences to the family and friends of Minister Wilchcombe.

May his soul rest in peace.

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It is with deep respect that I reflect on the life and legacy of Minister Obie Wilchcombe, a remarkable individual whose journey I had the privilege of sharing. My first recollection of Minister Wilchcombe was during his tenure as a journalist with ZNS, where he demonstrated dedication to his craft. His passion and commitment shone through, making him the consummate professional.

Obie’s talents placed him in the rare category of journalists privileged to cover the nation’s first prime minister, Sir Lynden Pindling. With these attributes, he transitioned seamlessly into the realm of frontline politics, becoming an enduring fixture in our nation’s political landscape.

One of Minister Wilchcombe’s most notable attributes was his incredible ability to speak extemporaneously on a wide array of subjects. He had an unparalleled skill for placing these topics in a historical context, weaving in his personal connection, and, in the process, touching the hearts of his listeners. Whether on his team or in opposition, you knew you were facing a formidable opponent.

Minister Wilchcombe was a consistent embodiment of professionalism, known for his signature smile. Even amidst the heat of passionate exchanges, he could convey his goodwill through that warm smile or an unmistakable laugh, reassuring everyone that, on his end, all was well. While he was not an active member, his commitment to and love for the craft made him an ardent supporter of The Bahamas Press Club.

I vividly recall the last time we conversed, not in the context of political combat but in the spirit of fellowship within the sanctuary of God’s house. It was during the installation service for Rev. Dr. Philip McPhee – The Bahamas National Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, a setting where Obie and I had often found ourselves sitting not far from each other in various church services and events. We followed the preacher’s instruction to turn to our neighbor and exchange a greeting. Little did I know that this would be our final interaction in a place where divisions are bridged, and the essence of what truly matters becomes crystal clear.

As we bid farewell to Minister Obie Wilchcombe, we remember him, not only as a formidable political force, but as a cherished colleague and friend. His legacy will endure in the hearts and minds of all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Minister Wilchcombe’s family, members of the Progressive Liberal Party, and his loved ones during this difficult time. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

With deepest sympathies,

Michael Pintard

Leader, Free National Movement