Peter Turnquest Fighting Own Shadow

I watched Peter Turnquest tonight struggle to deliver a speech mostly on health infrastructure that Dr. Minnis probably wrote for him.

In doing so, Peter Turnquest and the FNM must not re-write history because of that organization's failure to generate messaging to capture the attention of the Bahamian people. They should instead apologize to the Bahamian people for the dismal state they left this country in, not just in 2012 but also in 2002.

This is the same wrecking crew who opposed national youth service and who two decades later canceled Urban Renewal as a testament to their crime fighting legacy.

This is the same crew who butchered the original plans for Baha Mar, spitefully scared away investors, putting the country in the dilemma of faulty deals on the eve of the worst recession since the great depression because they lacked a coherent investment policy. The result was a disaster with record debt, record unemployment and an economy in a "wheelchair" where the misery index was off the charts.

They deceitfully return with variations of PLP policies. It is the PLP under the leadership of Perry Christie, who stopped the patch work efforts of a former government, which allowed cabinet ministers and their cronies to be enriched while infrastructural work, from roads to roofs, yes even at the RAND hospital, was subpar.

This Progressive Liberal Party government has had an unmatched legislative agenda. It has made difficult decisions to rescue our economy, and has laid the framework for a secure future. This country will have its University of The Bahamas, to complement BAMSI, where we are finally addressing food security while expanding key industries. Instead of a wing here and a wing there, the entire health system throughout our country is being modernized in preparation for National Health Insurance, complete with a brand new hospital in Freeport. And Baha Mar, along with other boutique type properties throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, will open, and provide much needed jobs, and economic injection all over this land.

Freeport and Grand Bahama by extension are poised to become the crown jewels of this administration's work. We do not need the FNM talking about bringing the magic back - they can keep their voo-doo! Restoration is on the way, following another bold decision to properly address the expired concessions of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement. Oddly, it will be the constituency of the now Deputy Leader of the FNM, which will benefit in the most dynamic way. But we will keep the details for now. Thanks to the vision and political will of Prime Minister Christie and the hard work of his Minister for Grand Bahama, Hon, Michael Darville and his team - Grand Bahama - once considered FNM country, will realize its full potential from the impact of multiple investments in various stages of development.

Employment and training programs for residents of that Island and a robust economy will continue to be the hallmark of a committed PLP Government because we believe in The Bahamas.

We are undeterred by our detractors, spewing forth lies, half truths and bluster as we work to realize real progress for our people.

Bradley B. Roberts
National Chairman
Progressive Liberal Party

Source: OnBahamas