by Edward Hutcheson
It is possible to use the pain that people are going through to further a political objective, but political victories have a double-sidedness to them that the winners fail to anticipate in terms of actual reckoning. Some run from it by remaining in “campaign mode”, reminding us, even from church podiums of what they were elected to do.
The Progressive Liberal Party has a particular problem. They have always been elected times when the nation was on an even keel and all they have had to do was step in and keep the ball rolling, but this time is very different. Some perceptual arguments have been constructed to support why they have been elected, but none of those “perceptions” are holding any water, now that the results of May 7th are being scrutinized. There was no “landslide victory”, if the non-PLP votes are added together, and the number also indicates that it was more of a “one sided defeat”. Observers are finding out that disgruntled FNM’s and the Mortgage plan promises may have been the deciding factor. The Party was successful in playing a game that saw a politicizing of the many problems, especially crime, but now that “victory” has been secured that “politicization” has come back to haunt them. Politicization of any issue assumes that a political remedy is readily available, but the ranking leaders of the Party have always chosen constituencies where they were not intellectually challenged. All they have done over the years is show up at funerals. They have lived in one area and represented another, different constituencies that are separated by class and social distinctions. Former DPM Cynthia Pratt, tried to present a new paradigm for leadership, but I do not think it was embraced that the leaders in the “peoples party”.
This time the Party is plunged into a circumstance, where they will not be spending a lot of time in their suits and neckties, and though the intellectual component is present they will have to choose wisdom over being smart. The smart talk has to be thrown out of the window and the ground level exercise of reducing the space between words and deeds must be a constant. The country that they met on May 7th can run by itself, the real job of this government is the tackling of the issues that are endemic to a mind set and expectation that they have coddled and promoted throughout their different tenures. The chickens have come home, the eagle has landed, whoop there it is, whatever you want to call it and it is on schedule if history is to be served. Next year will make 40 years of Independence and the performance of the Party that brought us into 1973, will impact how we celebrate that momentous occasion. The Party will not accomplish all that was promised, but their commitment to the task at hand, must be seen by the voting population; especially that middle to upper-class, self-employed grouping who will bear the brunt of whatever “plan”, the government comes up with.
May 21, 2012
The Progressive Liberal Party was first elected as government of The Bahamas in 1968. That party was relegated to being Her Magesty’s Loyal Opposition in 1992. Since then the Free National Movement has been the governing party for 15 of the last twenty years. Are you suggesting that for this period of time the world’s economy has conspired with the Progressive Liberal Party so that they were able to convince the Bahamian electorate to deem them their choice as their government? HOORAY FOR DEMORACY.
I can’t speak for the author, but that is obviously not the point he was making.
You are letting your political bias get in the way.
However, during the PLP’s 2002 – 2007 term the world economy was growing in leaps and bounds.
“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” John Adams
I’M not too familiar on the actual party in Bahamas could you tell me if the one elected the PLP is more progressive than the one with Ingraham?
Progressive for me mean slow progress toward communism.
So your election didn’t went so well if I understand.
I’m asking because I was waiting the election to see if I would expat to Abaco.
I heard that this party, is not one who will cut in spending but increase taxes. And their was some understanding to change the taxes (VAT, or taxes on income) is this possible ?
Thank you for your time.
Welcome back Liberty.
I think they are more “progressive” than the former goverenment. And that’s progressive in the sense that you know it.
Some of their Cabinet give me pause as well.
Where Mr. Ingraham tolerated no foolishness, Mr. Christie is not considered to be as concerned with these things.
Also, the PLP suggest they are less foreigner friendly.
Time will tell however.
Rick
HI Rick,
Thank you for the answer. But it’s a nonsense to be less foreigner friendly to me , I really don’t understand, But how understand the thinking of those people in gov’t.
Don’t the Bahamas economy reside in big part with foreigner who invest in your country? This will help your economy.
What in your mind will be less foreigner friendly in their mind?
Thanks
Dear Liberty:
In a country so dependent on foreign direct investment, it seems dumb to have a political slogan, Bahamas for Bahamians but that’s what they used.
Hopefully it was all rhetoric and they’ll settle in to business as usual with expats and investors, but who knows.
Time will tell.