by Rick Lowe
The reality is there are many government ministries, departments, agencies that are already responsible for all the tasks now assigned to Urban Renewal 2.0.
Touting the benefits of the revised government programme, now called Urban Renewal 2.0, in Saturday's Tribune, Mr. Philip "Brave" Davis (PLP), Deputy Prime Minister, reminded everyone they had to "protect the gains" of the programme at an event Thursday night for the "official launch of the Urban Renewal Advisory Committees"
Realising that the political class must always over emphasise the importance of a new government programme that was put in place to do the job assigned to a previous government programme, it's no less perplexing.
The two main problems with all this is the over politicisation of the whole thing and the fact that the other programmes that had responsibility remain in place and require funding etc.
Of course, failure of those agencies that were responsible can never be admitted. Only that the new programme is working wonders.
All this continues to reinforce Dr. Milton Friedman's point that "Most of the energy of political work is devoted to correcting the effects of mismanagement of government."
Could it be that government is simply trying to do too much?
Ever been to the Prime Minister’s neighborhood?? No, not fashionable West Bay Street, but the Centerville slums that he has represented for as long as I can remember.. I drive through that slum often on the way home from work and I have not seen any effort ever to try to clean up the neighborhood over the past twenty years from either its residents or the government.. So sad, such a disgrace even scandalous when you really think about it.. It is even bad enough to inspire shame in those that are responsible.. Perhaps a little so-called Urban Renewal might go a long way to assisting these long neglected Bahamians..