Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis yesterday cited comments from Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell to lash the government for what he called an "election year budget" which "offers the same costly goodies that won't answer the cries of people".
Mitchell was a guest on Guardian Talk Radio's "Q&A: The Political Week In Review" with hosts Quincy Parker and Adrian Francis, and was discussing the Progressive Liberal Party's (PLP) chances in the 2017 general election.
According to a statement issued by Minnis yesterday, "Minister Fred Mitchell recently publicly admitted the government's growing failures, telling us in a moment of candor that he 'think(s) you may find fault in execution and timeliness and all those issues'.
"We agree with his assessment; now it's time to come up with concrete plans to turn our country around. The people deserve nothing less. Unfortunately, this government's election year budget offers more of the same costly goodies that won't answer the cries of people. This week offers them another chance to reset the discussion; let's hope they take it," Minnis said.
Mitchell was, however, responding to the question of what the PLP would say to the electorate to show the party deserves another five years in power.
What he said was, "I think the members of Parliament in the Progressive Liberal Party have been, by and large, good members of Parliament. And the ideas which have come out of the Progressive Liberal Party in this term have been good ideas.
"I think you may find fault with execution, timeliness and all those issues, but the question is where is the heart? And the question is what is the vision for the future of the country? And I think that reposes and resides in the Progressive Liberal Party, and that's the best thing that we sell for the country."
Still, Minnis' statement yesterday said the budget process offers the Christie administration an opportunity to "finally start delivering on all of their broken promises and empty rhetoric", but, he said, this year's proposal from the PLP is "more of the same platitudes and promises that will do nothing for Bahamian, other than run up our growing debt".
"Beginning on Wednesday, members of Parliament will have the opportunity to debate and discuss real policies that will finally turn our country around. Our people are calling for real action from their government," Minnis said.
"In 2012, the PLP leadership made many promises in order to get elected, but once in office they've shown that they never had any concrete plans to turn their campaign rhetoric into action for the people. We ask again: Where is a serious, transparent plan to finally get Baha Mar open, and deliver the 5,000 jobs they promised it would bring?
"Where is the plan to get our Department of Labour functioning as it should, so that it can help those who are looking for work get jobs they so desperately need?"
Debate on the Christie administration's 2016/2017 budget is due to begin on Wednesday. It is to be noted that the budget must be debated, passed and accepted before the end of the fiscal year - that is, before June 31, 2016. There are 38 members of Parliament, and each is likely to address the debate. Nearly two dozen of them are Cabinet ministers with two hour time slots each for debate.
In addition to reporting on the progress in Baha Mar negotiations, Prime Minister Perry Christie unveiled a $20 million version of mortgage relief and a $22 million jobs program. He also further advanced of his medium fiscal consolidation plan; and State Minister for Finance Michael Halkitis announced $99 million in borrowing.
Christie said relatively little about urban renewal, BAMSI or universal healthcare, which could be considered signature initiatives.
K. Quincy Parker, Guardian Business Editor
Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian
