Dear BP
The Coalition of Independents (COI) Vision 2030 says a lot about the mental processes of its leaders and followers. Despite the rantings of its outrage merchants on TikTok, newscasters, and bloggers who, for various reasons, spread this fantasy. Vision 2030 is, in my opinion, not only an alarming flight of fantasy but perhaps the most dangerous document since Mein Kampf.
You would think that no serious person would believe it. But you would be wrong, and this is what makes it dangerous, because there is always a subculture of people consumed by disappointment, envy and resentment, who actually believe it. Vision 2030 is another chance for the scammers, grifters, and outright criminals to get something for nothing. Vision 2030 is a slick, ambiguous document that many suspect was prepared in part by disgruntled UoB staff members.
Where this document plunges off the deep end and into the land of fantasy and delusion is the idea that if victorious, the COI will grant adult Bahamians the princely sum of $100,000. On its face, this is absolute nonsense, yet some people are drawn to the COI because of this policy. After all, who will refuse money without any effort and responsibility, only the alleged opportunity to spend, spend, spend. But like most shiny articles, especially those intended to lure the unwary and greedy into poor decisions, it appeals to some people.
And recently, the FNM has also embraced this fantasy, which is unsurprising, as their modus operandi has always been to deceive the Bahamian people and to make them ignore the massive nationwide progress the PLP has ushered in on all fronts—the multitude of projects and jobs, and the tangible improvement in our lives after the FNM nightmare.
So, you may ask what effect the COI proposal would have on each Bahamian to give each Bahamian $100,000 if elected? Here are the numbers. I am using a population of 400,000 because it makes it easier to expose the folly of the COI plan. Of course, some will say that those entitled to this largesse are lower. That’s fine; however, let me point out that the COI has not clearly articulated who will get it. Indeed, many people currently engaged in feeding their outrage and propaganda machines may not even qualify, especially those with criminal records. Here is the analysis.
- Population: about (0.40) million (400,000 people)
- GDP: about ($15–16) billion (current US dollars)
- Government revenue: roughly ($2.5–3) billion per year (from taxes, fees, etc.)
Target policy
- Annual dividend per Bahamian: ($100,000)
- Total annual cost,400,000 times 100,000 = $40billion per year
Comparison to National Finances
- The Bahamas’ entire annual national budget is typically in the range of $3–4 billion.
- The country’s GDP is roughly $12–13 billion.
- A $40 billion COI payout would be:
- 10 times the national budget
- 3 times the entire GDP
No credible fiscal mechanism—taxation, borrowing, or asset liquidation—could generate funding on this scale without destabilising the economy.
Economists warn that injecting tens of billions of dollars into a small economy would:
- Trigger hyperinflation, rapidly eroding the value of the payout itself.
- Threaten the Bahamian dollar’s peg to the U.S. dollar.
- Increase the cost of imports, which make up the majority of Bahamian consumption.
Risk to Financial Reputation as The Bahamas relies heavily on:
- Tourism and
- International financial services
A sudden, unfunded $40 billion program would raise concerns among:
- Credit rating agencies
- International lenders
- Foreign investors
This could lead to downgrades, higher borrowing costs, and reduced investor confidence. And there are other knock-on effects which the COI and its blind adherents have not considered. For example: Even if such funds existed, allocation of funds to one‑time cash transfers would divert resources from the foundational programs underpinning our society such as:
- Education
- Healthcare
- Climate resilience
- Infrastructure
- Economic diversification
Economists and analysts widely agree that a promise to give every Bahamian $100,000 is not only financially or economically feasible, but the scale of funding required exceeds the country’s fiscal capacity, threatens macroeconomic stability, and lacks any credible implementation pathway.
And there it is. The COI proposes to take the Bahamian people on the most treacherous journey since the wreck of the Hesperus, cavalierly destroying the real, sustainable and predictable economic progress we have all enjoyed all these years.
This is an obscene, cynical COI scheme to pander to voters that no right-minded Bahamian should fall for. Especially as they won’t tell you that for it to have a snowball’s chance in hell, they may impose Income Taxes.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Brown
