by Rick Lowe
The country is running huge deficits each year with unprecedented debt levels over the past 20 years and in the deepest recession since the 1980's and the former government orders a vehicle worth more than $100,000 (initial reports were $185,000) for the Prime Minister to be chauffeured around in. Read more here… and here…
It seems unconscionable. It also seems out of character for the former Prime Minister, but he has confirmed signing off on the order.
The government (present and former) complain about the lack of revenue and the need to change the tax system and never mention the fact that they need to slow up on spending. And now this?
These are tough times for most businesses and Bahamians have been laid off or have had to take salary or benefit cuts and this seems like a kick in the gut for the taxpayer. Oh my people, while you have it tough, I'll live in the lap of luxury.
Surely the Government should be setting an example and there is no better place to start than the Prime Minister.
When things pick up and the government is running surpluses instead of massive deficits then sure order a car for more than $100,000.
But now?
While we quibble over whether the new PM will drive it or not, the country's debt clock keeps ticking.
Or worse, the former P.M. ordered it for its “snake pit” value to the new P.M. if he did not win.
I don’t rate their intelligence or ethics very highly, but their skulduggery and mischief know no bounds.
So, if Christie won’t use it are we gonna sell it at a loss to a party faithful crony?
Betcha!!
I’m with you Rick only I don’t think it is ever an appropriate time for a prime minister to be driven around in an vehicle with that kind of value.All that does is elevate his ego & God knows neither one of them needs that.Bahamians have a tendency to put politicians & preachers on a pedestal as it is & this will not help any.None of them deserve to use our hard earned tax dollars this way,especially while they are gouging us to death with taxes.As far as the bet Not Amused,that is one I would not take knowing how they go.
Nothing like the head of a bankrupt nation driving around town in a Mercedes Benz.. What a national disgrace, where is the outcry from the Bahamian people; guess again, they just don’t really care.. We all should be hanging our empty heads in utter shame.. Time to see if the Prime Minister will do the right thing even if I believe he will not..
Oh and by the way Rick, what makes you think we shall ever have a surplus again?? It’s not in the Bahamian dictionary anymore.. The British after Independence took it home along with the Monetary Board and the principles of prudent public finance..
Rick we all know in a matter of weeks or days PC will be driven in his new shinny Benz, he just can’t resist living in a life way beyond his pay scale.
This is amazing – this morning, I had a discussion with my Italian colleague on the state of play in Italian regional politics, where its 20 regions are experiencing increasing resentment from the populace due to public excessess in Puglia, Lombardy and Lazio, near Roma. In an earlier Blog, I hinted at the parallels between Italia and The Bahamas but few took notice: http://www.weblogbahamas.com/blog_bahamas/2012/04/corporate-structures-in-the-bahamas-and-italy-eerie-parrallels.html
S3S, yes some took notice of the similarities and as you say the eerie similarities between what today is quickly becoming two failing states strangled by their massive, self-imposed deficits which will never be paid back.. This disgraceful Mercedes Benz incident is right out of the “let them eat cake” mentality that ushered in the French Revolution.. Such “in your face” attitudes by our public officials will someday come home to roost and rouse the Bahamian public’s resentment.. That lesson Marie Antoinette learned only after it was to late..
Might as well let him have it – if the car is here, as least it won’t be as flashy as so many of these so called preachers who are nothing but charlatans running tax free benefits for themselves off the hard earned money of their duped congregation – at least that is not far off from the duped voting public which accedes to mindleess political sway rather than analytical logic.