Rick Lowe
There are many in the political class that can spin a good yarn about what they will do if only they had control of the government.
The sky is the limit when it comes to spending other peoples money.
We're told in this Letter to the Editor of the Nassau Guardian that:
"The conclave was mainly a local or regional affair but the Young Liberals Chair listed nine things in his address that the PLP can adopt and implement. Keenan Johnson said the following:
1. 10,000 publicly supported jobs for young Bahamians, both in the
public and private sector;
2. specific set-asides in every project for youth workers;
3. more advanced training at BTVI;
4. restart the loan scholarship program that the outgoing
government saw fit to cancel;
5. provide FREE COB and UWI tuition for ALL Bahamian students;
6. ensure that COB is given University Status in a timely manner;
7. double the amount invested in Education in real terms over a five
year term;
8. implement National Health Insurance; and
9. re-implement Urban Renewal."
Now this is being sold as a wish list so to speak. Issues that "The party agreed to consider and advance these proposals in its platform considerations."
Whatever the case, the party leader himself supported the idea of doubling spending on education in press reports, so shouldn't they have to detail where the tax dollars will come from to pay for these wish lists?
Shouldn't they have to be informed enough to say in order to pay for this, we'll have to do without that?
Instead we continue to make Bahamians believe there is an inexhaustible supply of money that is available at the wave of a yellow, green or red magic wand.
We must demand more from political parties.
Rick it is very interesting to watch the debt ceiling debate going on in the states. I really want to see how this will unfold. But I do agree that we need to press our politicans as to how they will pay for anything that they propose to us. Is it by cutting funding somewhere, is it by increasing taxes, or by racking up debt? One thing I do like about journalis/talk show host, they do not ask the tough questions such as how will you fund this proposal.
Since the debacle of the US housing market and the CDO market, rating agencies are now issuing warnings and down graading soverign debt like never before. I wonder how many individuals in the Bahamas understands the value of a high credit rating? Maybe when the Credit Bureau comes online we will learn how to balance a cheque book.
So well put Bay Street.. But we must be concerned about the absolute foolishness of the Young Liberals wish list.. I guess they forgot their last wish No. 10 that every Bahamian is entitled to a free, sugarless candy cane..
This wish list is the collective thinking of idealistic and clueless individuals that would spend the Bahamas into financial insolvency and resulting in more than likely forced financial austerity by the IMF.. Perhaps this is a reflection of our failed education system where analytical thinking is almost nonexistent.. Perhaps this is where idealism becomes stupidity as rational and realistic thinking gives way to naive and impractical pronouncements.. Take your choice to what is the cause of such unrealistic irrationally.. Your guess is as good as mine..
As you said Bay Street there is much to be learned from the United States about trying to be all things to all people in both times of peace and war without the financial resources to pay for its national objectives.. Debt, deficits and dollar decline have brought this once great nation to the brink of financial bankruptcy.. Today if nothing else, the United States is being forces to live up to its financial obligations and to cut dramatically its out of control spending not only at the Federal level but at the State and Municipal levels as well.. The government of the Bahamas also must be careful as someday its out of control spending may result in its credit card being cut up just like the United State is experiencing.. It is time that financial prudence becomes the order of the day.. Idealism is find and even constructive, but only within the framework of economic realism and financial prudence..