It is now confirmed that the FNM policies for The Bahamas have been ruinous for the Bahamian people. The Department of Statistics confirms that 2500 people were fired as employees from the public sector last year since the FNM came to power. This is shameful. It has led to a decrease in consumer spending, and less tax money for the Treasury. This should not have come as a surprise to the FNM unless they as we suspect do not understand the connection in our economy between consumer spending and tax revenue.
The figures do not tell half the story because they cover a limited period of time. When the full story is revealed, we believe that it will be more than 2500 but twice that number. We believe that the Government has been cutting back, the private sector is following suit and if we are not careful, we are headed toward a downward spiral of negativity.
The evidence clearly is that they had, nor have a plan for governance; nor have they taken the time since in office to appreciate the foundations that were laid by us which they are reaping on a limited basis in Baha Mar — hence exacting victor’s justice by eliminating those 2500 who they believe to be PLPs.
We say to the FNM stop these cruel policies and reverse course forthwith.
What is quite interesting to us is that they are touting and promoting private sector jobs that have been created. These have been created largely by one project Bahamar which was created and supported by the PLP but vilified and vigorously opposed by the FNM. They now have no shame in embracing the project they once attacked. But for Bahamar, the situation would have been even worse.
We sympathize with the unemployed. We are very concerned that the Government has been targeting PLPs in dismissing people from the service.
We are concerned about the attempt by the Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest to soften the blow and fool the Bahamian public by announcing in advance the fact that unemployment would rise and then releasing the formal statement on a weekend when the FNM believed that few people would read it.
The Bahamian people are not fooled. Unemployment is up because of the FNM coming to power.
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