The Free National Movement (FNM) and Democratic National Alliance (DNA) released their manifestos yesterday. The DNA's plan is called Vision 2012 and Beyond and the FNM's is Manifesto 2012.
The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has not yet released its manifesto.
"It was the DNA's intent from its inception to ensure that important issues facing our nation were brought forth to the Bahamian people and for the collective intelligence of Bahamian people to be given the opportunity to participate in the solutions to our many issues," said DNA Leader Branville McCartney last night at a party town hall meeting at British Colonial Hilton Hotel.
The party said it would amend the constitution to limit the powers of the prime minister; enact legislation to limit the length of service of the prime minister to two terms and enact legislation to create a fixed date for elections.
The DNA also pledges to enact legislation to cause the recall of Members of Parliament if a majority of their constituents are dissatisfied with their performance, and establishing fixed constituencies which can only be changed according to defined criteria.
Additionally, the DNA said it would create and enforce a code of conduct for public officials and establish an office of ombudsman to serve as the watchdog of the government for the people.
On the issue of crime, the DNA pledges to carry out capital punishment and to ensure that bail is not granted to accused murderers. As it relates to the country's fiscal affairs, the party pledged to balance the national budget within five years.
The DNA hopes that its ideas and it being an alternative to the established parties will be enough to convince voters to come to its side.
In front of thousands of FNMs at R.M. Bailey Park, Prime Minister and FNM Leader Hubert Ingraham proudly directed Bahamians to his party's website to examine their manifesto.
"Just as we delivered the greatest overhaul in decades of our criminal justice system, and of our national infrastructure and social security systems, we will deliver more during our next term," he said.
An initial look at the manifesto indicates that, on the crime front, the FNM pledges to increase the strength of the Royal Bahamas Police Force by an additional 250 officers; require the police to spend as much time at nighttime on the streets as they do in the daytime; and to significantly expand Closed Circuit TV coverage as a tool of crime fighting.
The party also said it would continue to expedite the naturalization and/or registration of children born abroad to Bahamian women married to non-Bahamians; continue the regularization of the status of long-term residents and of persons born and raised in The Bahamas to non-Bahamian parents; and to ensure that work permits are issued only to fill posts that cannot be genuinely filled by suitably qualified Bahamians.
It also pledges to accelerate tax reforms to reduce dependence on border taxes and to broaden the tax base; to establish a Consumer Protection Agency; to continue to make Crown land available to Bahamians at concessionary rates; and to maximize opportunities for Bahamians to become shareholders in profitable businesses, particularly those resulting from the privatization of previously wholly government-owned enterprises.
These are only excerpts from the plans of the DNA and FNM. There is much more being proposed. While rallies and motorcades are fun, we all should familiarize ourselves with what the parties propose to do if elected over the next five years. With these documents being available via the Internet, Bahamians across the country have easy access to their thinking.
The PLP now has to catch up with the FNM and DNA. It does not look good for the official opposition to be last in this effort. The PLP has a large number of supporters and there are many swing voters who are curious about its plan for the next five years. We hope to see it soon.

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