Dear Editor,

As a trained lawyer, albeit a defrocked one, I was sad and shocked to read remarks attributed to Bradley Roberts, the shell-shocked and delusional national chairman of the defunct PLP, urging supporters of that entity to 'take to the streets' and to 'resist' the supposed witch hunts of the FNM! The PLP, as a party with many individuals over the years who supported it, has long been known to be prone to incitement and actual violence. This is not to label the entire organization, but don't forget remarks attributed to Errington "Minky" Isaacs, chairman emeritus of the PLP, wherein he threatened to 'strike PM Minnis in his mouth'.
The Lewis Yard and Perpall Tract matters back in the day were mind-blowing and left permanent emotional and political scars on the body politic. Now we have the resurrection of the same, with the stupid and dangerous call by a spent Bradley Roberts to take to the barricades in defense of what he et al see as a political assault on the very being of the PLP. The PLP dug its own grave back in 2014. That was the year, I submit, when allegations of corruption and malfeasance started to expose their ugly heads. I continued to believe in the then leadership, even though I could not stand Christie and, perhaps vice versa.
The Bahamas is a wonderful country, but under each of the Christie-led administrations, we have gone backward on all counts. They rolled out value-added tax (VAT), which turned out to be a good idea, until it was revealed that while collecting over $1 billion in a year, on top of borrowing another billion, at the end of its ignoble dismissal from office, the PLP could not show how it "pissed" away that money. Now they say that Minnis is directing the police as to who to investigate. What a gross insult to the intelligence and integrity of the high command of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and its hard working rank and file officers!
We have a literal paradise here in our nation. We have challenges, across the board, but we will make it once we have political leaders like Dr. Minnis, who appears to be serious about bringing about a transformative change in how crooks and the political allies do business in The Bahamas. Our paradise was lost under the rudderless direction of the defunct PLP over the past hard and long five years. The FNM must recapture the vision plan of our real-deal leaders, back when they were more focused on the people's business than on lining their own pockets.
Minnis needs to send out the urgent message to local and foreign potential investors that The Bahamas is reopened for business. The industrial park through Fire Trail West is a disgrace. There is plenty of available space out there that could be used as a small to medium-size economic/business incubator. You should visit it, dear reader; you'd be amazed at the number of derelict vehicles and trash that's in the back there. Most of the steel buildings are closed up and in a bad state of repair. There are no more important national issues than the economy, employment and, of course, good and sustainable healthcare.
Paradise was lost under the defunct PLP, and it now falls on Minnis and crew to regain it. I do believe that they will succeed, as they must. The fake resistance by the rump PLP is just that - 'fake' resistance and bogus talk of witch hunts.
I remain a PLP supporter, for now, but what is wrong with right-thinking Bahamians declaring themselves 'PLPs for Minnis'?
To God, then, in all things, be the glory.

- Ortland H. Bodie, Jr.

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