GUEST COMMENTARY: BY SENATOR FRED MITCHELL
(EDITOR’S NOTE: We decided to share this statement by Senator Fred Mitchell, Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), with readers of BAHAMAS ONICLE as a Guest Commentary because it specifically addresses issues related to Grand Bahama, where BAHAMAS CHRONICLE has a huge following.)
NASSAU, Bahamas, March 27, 2021 — The AG, Carl Bethel, was loud, but not at all convincing in the Senate on Thursday, March 25, 2021. He boasted about this FNM government now acting in the best interest of Grand Bahama. Nothing can be further from the truth. The people of Grand Bahama gave the FNM all five seats during the 2017 General Elections and four years later, the FNM has failed them miserably.
To date, Grand Bahama remains without an airport, no hospital, no hotel, and no real or believable plan being presented by this uncaring and inept FNM government to revive Grand Bahama’s economy and get people back to work. In desperation to win an election, the FNM has relieved Hutchison Whampoa and the Grand Bahama Port Authority of their ownership responsibilities related to maintaining the Grand Bahama International Airport and the Bahamian people are now left to shoulder a $50 million price tag to construct a new facility with no firm timeline in place by this government.
By the FNM’s own admission, there is no strategic plan to attract any significant amount of guests to the Grand Lucayan Hotel, but yet more millions of the Bahamian tax payers’ dollars are being spent for an opening to create nothing more than campaign hype.
While the PLP welcomes the few jobs being made available at the Grand Lucayan, we cry shame on Prime Minister Minnis and the FNM for continuing to sell false hope without a sustainable plan. Four years later under this lousy FNM, the people of Grand Bahama find themselves living in far worse conditions.
Things are bad from west to east Grand Bahama and the AG and the FNM have the nerve to try to deflect an outright disastrous term in office by suggesting the PLP does not have a heart for Grand Bahama. Truth be told, this Dr. Minnis led FNM continues to demonstrate it has no heart at all when it comes to the plight of hungry, the jobless, and hopelessness among Bahamians.
Grand Bahama will long remember the fake Oban dream sold by the AG Carl Bethel, Dr. Minnis, and the elected FNM members of parliament for Grand Bahama who do nothing more than play musical chairs in different Cabinet ministries. No last minute promises from Dr. Minnis or misleading and disingenuous antics by the AG will fool or swing the people of Grand Bahama this time.
The FNM must go.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Click on the link below to view a video of the clash between Senator Fred Mitchell and Attorney General Carl Bethel in the Senate: https://www.facebook.com/iamkandice/videos/10100512826369968
