Dear Editor,
Socialism is a dirty word in most Western-styled democracies, as it tends to evoke images of individuals living on the economic fat of the state, at taxpayers' expense, while electing not to work or otherwise make themselves productive members of society.
From the early days of the 1970s, most European nations structured a social net whereby the ordinary citizen would be able to access basic healthcare, college level education and access to other common expectations. This worked well when population levels were relatively small and they were culturally cohesive.
With the advent of the European Common Market and relaxation of cross-border travel and migration, huge numbers of foreign nationals moved from one jurisdiction to the other, especially where the economic benefits were more attractive. They settled in and eventually had children and grand children.
Today, in most of these European countries we are now witnessing the bankruptcy of the system and challenges to maintaining the social net in the face of apparent and real resentment from the indigenous people. This is now the case in France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Political parties and individuals who argue for expulsion and the closing of borders are on the rise.
Socialism is now, once again, a dirty word in many of these countries and we are seeing massive immigration round-ups of foreign nationals and their progeny. Closer to home, in the Dominican Republic, we saw where the Constitutional Court of that nation has ruled that people of Haitian descent who were born after 1929 are not, automatically, eligible to Dominican citizenship and all of the benefits that would accrue there from.
In our own country of The Bahamas, the unknown number of illegal nationals, the bulk of whom are of Haitian extraction, is causing angst and societal discomfort. It is commonly accepted that our educational facilities are maxed out due to the large number of children of Haitian parentage who are in the system.
Our healthcare institutions are also challenged due to the massive demands made by foreign-born people. Last year, according to statistics, more than 60 percent of the live births at Princess Margaret Hospital were to Haitian mothers. On any given day, the vast majority of patients at our clinics are of foreign antecedents.
We pride ourselves on being a democracy, and as self-professed Christians we say that we have a social conscience. The status quo, however, has now become almost unbearable. How do we, as an indigenous people, provide the expected social amenities for Bahamians while excluding others who are foreigners? Do we go the route of the Dominican Republic or do we bite the bullet?
Our democracy is being challenged in that during the last electoral cycle it is a known fact that thousands of individuals actually voted even though they were not born in this country. The majority of them were made citizens by paper fiats during the course of the last five or so years.
At one point, the Haitian president visited New Providence and at a very public forum he urged his compatriots to vote for the party which had their best interests at heart. Many believed that he was advocating political support for the PLP. The rest is, of course, history.
Recently that same Haitian president was a guest of honor at the 70th birthday bash for our own home-grown prime minister. During brief remarks, Michel Martelly, urged Perry Christie to create jobs for the millions of economically dispossessed Haitians. Christie did not bat an eye and promised to see what he could do.
Indigenous Bahamians are being relegated to the back of the bus when it comes to employment on the most mundane construction site, especially over at Bimini and down at Baha Mar. Unemployment rose by almost two percent but our politicians say that they are encouraged by the figures which show that more individuals are now actually seeking jobs. Mind you, it does not seem to have dawned on them that there are, in fact, no real jobs out there for them to seek.
We should not be surprised, however, when we consider that one of our erstwhile political figures, who has now, mercifully, been consigned to the dust bin, crowed that 49 percent was equal to 51 percent.
Just recently, the minister of national security boldly declared that $5 million was spent on the failed and badly executed so-called referendum on gambling. A few days later he was correcting that figure by saying that only $1.2 million was spent. Is it any wonder that our national debt and recurrent expenses are not known with any degree of certainty by anyone?
A social democracy is possible in The Bahamas, however. The problem with its implementation is that none of our current crop of politicians has any vision or plan for the same. Their archaic methods of governance and the way they wield power do not lend themselves to socially empowering individuals.
They will all die the death of a thousand cuts before we see the introduction of universal healthcare, economic incentives for ordinary Bahamians and access to a real Freedom of Information Act.
Here it is that we all know that we need to generate more revenue. We have the spectacle of the web shop industry raking in hundreds of millions of dollars, tax free, each year. Instead of the government (anyone of them) simply bringing legislation to Parliament to regulate and tax this industry, it talks stupidity about a value added tax regime.
Most of us are already taxed to the max yet the politicians are going to wring out the last red cent from our pockets or die trying. Why not introduce a sales tax? Why not introduce a flat income tax, across the board, of 10%?
Social Democracy is possible but until then, in all things, to God be the glory.
- Ortland H. Bodie Jr.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian