Dear Editor,
I read with interest the recent downgrading of the Bahamas credit rating by Standard & Poor's. I am disappointed but not surprised.
Disappointed because all Bahamians are now saddled with this enormous financial burden placed on us by a reckless spending government that has no sense of responsibility when it comes to the management of our fiscal affairs.
I am not surprised because this is the hallmark of the PLP. They have a propensity of being big spenders regardless of the long-term consequences.
The prime minister blamed the resent downgrade on Hurricane Matthew as an act of God, which Matthew was, however what act other than his government's reckless spending and bad decisions caused the previous three? I am hoping the prime minister will tell us.
Having experienced four downgrades during this term, the prime minister needs to make some serious decisions and a few much-needed adjustments, chief amongst them is the reduction in the size of his Cabinet.
The Bahamian public cannot afford and we should not be forced to afford the price tag attached to funding the lifestyle of a group of men and women, many of whom are under-performing or not at all.
A closer look at the performance of a few will give us an insightful perspective of exactly what we are getting based on the price tag we are forced to pay.

National security
This minister has failed the Bahamian people by not being able to keep us safe. After the record shattering and record setting number of murders on his watch he ought to have resigned two years into his term.
It is amazing how some of us pretend as if we are the arbiters of all knowledge and that we have the answers to all questions. Based on his record, he has failed us miserably.
I now see why he sleeps so much in Parliament. My guess is he is so embarrassed of his record in office that he sleeps hoping that when he awakes he will forget what has happened. I am pleased to tell you minister that the Bahamian people are wide awake, and we are here to remind you whenever you are awake from your deep sleep and wildest dreams that you have failed to protect us from crime and the fear of crime and we will not forget.

Minister of labor
The minister needs to stop issuing labor certificates to employers to employ foreigners when thousands of Bahamians are out of work. Without the issuing of this certificate, no work permit can be approved.
Additionally, the minister needs to investigate why some Bahamian workers are still being paid less than the minimum wage. This is unacceptable in the 21st century. And why are so many Bahamians being employed as part-time and temporary workers? The last time I checked the Employment Act there was no such creature as a part-time or temporary worker in it.
Can you imagine, a mother of two being paid the minimum wage of $210 per week. After NIB deductions she is left with about $200? If she has to take the jitney to work, depending on where she has to go, it costs her about $5 per day, which adds up to $25 per week and $100 per month.
The average rent is about $600 per month, and when she goes to the food store she has to pay VAT on everything. Taking all of this into consideration, it is impossible for a single mother to have a reasonable life on $210 per week. Therefore, I am urging the minister to raise the minimum wage to a livable wage not less than $300 per week.
To add to the frustrations Bahamians are facing every day in the workplace, they are being dismissed by their employers and have received no compensation after dismissal.
When they file disputes against their employers, many of them refuse to attend the conciliation hearing because they have no respect for our laws and the Department of Labour refuses to fine them the $5,000 mandated by law. Maybe if the laws are enforced regarding fines, the employers will take the proceedings more seriously and attend the hearings.
Finally on this point, the minister needs to amend the Industrial Relations Act to give the tribunal the power to enforce its awards. For far too long Bahamians have been subjected to unfair treatment by the employer, and when they appear before the tribunal they are being frustrated by unscrupulous employers who make their lives a living hell.
Can you imagine a woman of 50-plus years old, who worked for a company for 30-plus years, sustained injuries on her job, is no longer able to work and after being sick due to the negligence of her employer, she is dismissed under the doctrine of frustration of contract? She has no money, no income, no job, poor health and an advanced age where no-one is willing to employ her.
The irony of it all is she now has to fight her case in court to be properly compensated for her years of service because her employer refused to pay her anything. These are the conditions Bahamians are being subjected to.

Minister of education
I find myself unable to understand how this education minister can accept year after year a D average in the public school system. He ought to be ashamed of himself for this to continue during his tenure as minister.
What the minister needs to consider doing is creating another school like the former Government High where the elite students are placed in an environment where there are minimum distractions for learning, and the teachers can devote more time to those students who are challenged academically.
Furthermore, for those students who are slow learners and who are skilled in other disciplines, they should be placed in a well-equipped, properly funded vocational school where they are taught skills and crafts, and they too can become productive citizens and make a meaningful contribution to society.
Until we get away from the notion that all children must be academically smart, we will never develop The Bahamas we so often talk about; and if this is done foreign employers will have no excuse or complaint that there is not enough skilled labor in the country, and Bahamians will be doing the work foreigners are being employed to do.

Immigration
I am led to understand that foreign employers are colluding with each other to keep Bahamians from holding top positions in their businesses.
It is also my understanding that many foreign workers are using their work permits for work other than what the permit requires. A prime example is there are foreign workers who are front desk managers, reservation managers, maintenance managers, food and beverage managers, housekeeping managers, to name a few.
I have a difficulty accepting that the minister with responsibility for immigration will approve a work permit to a foreigner to be a front desk manager when there are hundreds of Bahamian workers who are skilled and qualified in this particular discipline who are unemployed and cannot find a job. This needs to be investigated forthwith and the culprits deported immediately from this country.
I choose not to mention the names of the institutions who are complicit in this regard, but if this practice continues I will certainly be willing to publish the names of the institutions who are abusing the terms of their work permits.

Minister of transport
There seems to be a systemic problem with the public transportation on this Island, and it seems to me that this minister does not have a clue on what to do notwithstanding the fact that this is her second time around at it.
There are inadequate bus stops, the bus drivers stop anywhere anytime regardless if on a hill or on the corner. They block the streets from vehicular traffic just to keep the competition away. Something needs to be done soon. Also, there ought to be a ban on certain motorbikes. They are a public nuisance with the noise they make and the riders have no regard for other road users. I suggest to the minister not to license certain motorbikes.
In part two of my article I will examine the record of other ministers and their ministries.

- Hilbert. L. Collie

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