Remarks Free National Movement Rally Grand Bahama Sunrise Shopping Centre Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham Party Leader 24 April 2012

Grand Bahama; Young People; F-N-Ms:

The PLP Carnival of smoke-and-mirrors, make-believe and magic tricks is now on full display for all to see. When you pull back all the gimmicks and the show-and-tell it is the same Do-Nothing, Never-Ready, scandal-ridden party you kicked out of office after a single term.

They have jingles, slogans and plenty of money to make you believe that they are what they are not – different from what they were the last time. Applying lipstick to the same old thing doesn’t make it something new. If it walks, quacks and sounds like the last PLP Government, that’s exactly what it is.

They are now a bigger spectacle than the Christmas Carnival. But all who decide to buy that ticket to go on that roller coaster and merry-go-round for five years will pay dearly.

That ride will empty the country’s coffers and fill those of PLP special interest, the country will be run into the ground, and some of them will be laughing and dancing all the way to the bank.

They are the same old scandal-ridden cast of characters who failed the country before and dragged our good name through the mud of sleaze and scandal. They did this in the 1980s; they repeated it between 2002 and 2007. They cannot and will not change.

You cannot teach the old¬, ¬new habits. Even now another major PLP scandal is getting ready to explode.

Their fresh wind in 2002 quickly turned stale. They left with the stench of corruption still clinging to them. In 2012 they want to bring back some of the same bagmen and henchmen to raid the Public Treasury which they see as their personal cookie jar.

You can sense them a mile off. You know their names. You know their scandals:

The Korean Boat Scandal; The Visa Scandal; The money in the closet; The scandals at housing The various celebrity scandals, after all, there were more than one – Anna Nicole, John Travolta.

With them, a scandal a day, keeps good government away.

Grand Bahama:

Their promises are like words which disappear into thin air...never to be seen again until they need your vote again. You will notice that at their Rallies they only rally against me; they are not rallying in support of you. I stand in their way; they can’t have their way when our FNM team is in the way protecting your interests from their scheming.

With half of the election campaign over, the party of Late-Again, Never-Ready and Delivery Failed finally decided to give you the courtesy of releasing their election platform.

Well their platform is really their failed leader’s Dream Book. You can be assured that little of what is in that book will ever come true. It will all stay in their Leader’s dreams; in his mind. I told you before that BJ Nottage told him long ago to stop holding his head and start using it more.

The only sad thing is that now BJ ain’t using his head either. And he is losing his cool. Did you see that picture of him on the front page of the paper - shaking his fist – like a bully in the school yard? A picture truly does paint a thousand words or in this case just these three words: They dead scared! Bains Town and Grants Town is slipping from their grip.

FNMs, Grand Bahama, Bahamians everywhere:

We have now heard the biggest joke of the campaign. The Late-Again, Never-Ready Perry Christie wants us to believe that he’ll turn into Hubert Ingraham after the election. The same man who took a week to name an Attorney General; almost ten days to finish naming his cabinet; almost a year to finish appointing government boards; four years to name a Defence Force Commodore, forever to release a manifesto; and never delivered National Health Insurance, a Sports Stadium, a Straw Market, a new LPIA -- now wants us to believe that he will be different and deliver in 100 days what he didn’t deliver in 1,825 days!

Their entire campaign has been a prime example of Never-Ready and Late-Again from a very late platform to the buss-up meeting at the hotel that never took place. Christie couldn’t even spend his constituency allowance to benefit his Constituency on time. If they are late-again and Never-Ready in Opposition, they’ll be even worse in Government! Over a year ago I announced there would be a referendum on the question of a lottery and internet gambling. The PLP has now made up its mind on this after following the FNM’s lead.

They promise to provide details for a referendum on National Lottery and gambling in The Bahamas within the first 100 days of a new PLP Government…“details”, not a referendum in 100 days, mind you. Well let’s check what they said in their 2002 platform. Back then it turns out they promised that the entire process for their proposed referendum on various constitutional questions could be achieved within a year, “from start to finish.” Of course that never happened. Well, what they started they never finished because in five whole years they failed to deliver a referendum, much less changes to the constitution. Now they want us to believe that they are somehow different.

During their last term in government, they promised transparency and committed to abide by a code of ethics which prohibited the use of government “insider information” to benefit themselves and their families. Yet, the public discovered in horror and surprise that one of their serving Ministers received nearly a $1 million as a bonus success fee for her law firm from the LNG company.

And, while some of them are busy breaking Customs laws in Opposition, they’ll be a thousand times worse in Government.

They may be Never-Ready with your business, but they’ll be ever-ready to wheel and deal and connive and jive as they reach for that cookie jar of yours.

Keep them out so they don’t sell you out!

Grand Bahama, Bahamians everywhere:

We have been pained by the number of persons who fell on hard times and who were unable to continue to make mortgage payments on their homes

We caused the Central Bank to hold discussions with the Clearing House Banks with a view to arriving at an agreed position as to how best to protect the equity of Bahamians in their homes. We were especially interested in finding the means to bring relief to homeowners who but for unemployment, reduced income or illness, had always maintained good credit histories with their banks and lenders.

We proposed consideration of the introduction of a grace period of up to 2 years on the repayment of the principal of a home mortgage; an agreement of a contribution by The Government of 50% of the arrears in interest payments to be made directly to the lending institution up to a predetermined maximum and an agreement by lending institutions to forgive other portions of the outstanding or unpaid interest owed.

Those others got wind of what was underway and hurriedly announced what they call their Mortgage Relief Plan – an unaffordable dream plan; reckless and threatening to the home mortgage sector.

I assure you tonight that the FNM will put in place arrangements to provide assistance to homeowners threatened with foreclosure on their homes who but for unemployment, loss of income or illness, had always maintained good credit histories with their banks and lenders.

We will seek to do so with the full agreement of the Clearing House Banks and Insurance Companies. Failure to arrive at an agreement will result in the Government doing the necessary to achieve the objective of saving as many Bahamian homes as possible. That’s a commitment you can depend on because the FNM always delivers on its commitments.

Grand Bahama Bahamians everywhere:

Just in case anybody has even the most remote thought of taking anything in their election Dream Book seriously, let me remind them what the PLP promised when they were last in office:

• A National Health Insurance. Delivery Failed. • A new Straw Market in Nassau. Delivery Failed. • To turn Grand Bahama into a Las Vegas. And the choir says...Delivery Failed. • That Ginn was going to be the next best thing since sliced bread...Delivery Failed.

• A new day for Royal Oasis...Delivery Failed. • A Marshall Plan for Grand Bahama...Delivery Failed. • Honest and clean government; - what a joke...Delivery had to Fail! My Fellow Bahamians; Grand Bahama:

Tonight, I have very important national and local issues that I must discuss with you. All of these issues affect your future. This includes our plans for the economic growth and development of Grand Bahama.

The urgent national issues I will discuss, concern the critical matters of national defence and national security. I must also discuss with you and every Bahamian, the very integrity of government at the highest level. I ask you to listen very carefully to what I have to say.

The Leader of the Opposition, a former Prime Minister, who is seeking to once again hold that high office, has publicly stated that he is a paid consultant for a foreign oil company. This company is seeking to explore for and drill for oil in Bahamian territorial waters.

In Friday’s Nassau Guardian, The Leader of the Opposition said the following about his involvement with this foreign oil company:

“I consult on work the firm deems I am qualified by the office I’ve had, with the knowledge that I have in terms of government.” This foreign oil company is seeking Government approval to drill an oil well in Bahamian waters by next year. Mr. Christie’s Deputy Leader’s law firm is also involved with the very same foreign oil company.

Mr. Jerome Gomez, the PLP candidate for Killarney in the general election was this foreign oil company’s resident country manager before it set up its own office in The Bahamas.

My Fellow Bahamians: The approval of drilling for oil in the pristine waters of The Bahamas is among the most momentous decisions that any Government of The Bahamas will ever have to make. This decision by your Government should never be influenced by any financial relationship that exists between the company seeking the permit and its paid consultants and attorneys.

It is a decision with wide ramifications that will affect the very nature and essence of who we are as a country. When Mr. Christie agreed to become a consultant for the company it would have been with the full knowledge and intention of using his position, past and present, and his access to government agencies, whether as Government or as former Government, to influence a decision by The Bahamian Government with respect to any application by that company.

As the country prepares for a general election, the leaders of both major parties have an obligation to be transparent and upfront with the Bahamian people on this critical issue. The Leader of the Opposition must answer some critical questions. The Bahamian people deserve and demand to know how long he has been a consultant for the oil company?

These are his words. Listen very carefully: “If there is an issue they need advice on, whether or not they need someone to speak to the issue of environmental impact [studies], the issue of whether or not in my judgment a matter is worthy for the government to approve, whether or not an application is ready, whether or not they should employ and who go on the board of directors, whatever views they ask of the firm regards it as necessary, they would consult me on it. Those are the services I provide.”

What the Leader of the Opposition says sounds like he’s involved in operational matters on behalf of the company. In many jurisdictions, the services he described would be called lobbying --- in plain English: influence peddling. Was he hired for his legal expertise or because he was a potential prime minister? Is it a mere coincidence that a foreign oil company decided to hire as consultants and pay handsomely, the two most senior leaders of the Official Opposition, and potentially two senior leaders of the Executive branch in the country in which they are seeking to drill for oil?

Fellow Bahamians: You must decide before the election, whether you find acceptable or unacceptable such an extraordinary and potentially blatant conflict of interest by our opponents on one of the most momentous decisions this country will ever make. There must be no question or appearance of the possibility of a grave conflict of interest or the potential for secret deals which can compromise the individual who serves as your prime minister.

You should have no doubt where I stand on this issue as we prepare for Election Day. I have said before, in the media and in the House of Assembly - a Government led by me will not agree to any drilling for oil in The Bahamas until all necessary and appropriate regulations are in place and until we are fully and competently in a position to regulate such activity so as to protect our environment and that of the world’s ocean beyond from harmful and risky activity in our country and in our waters.

I am not unmindful of what happened in the Gulf off the coast of Louisiana just two years ago. And certainly we do not have the resources, human or financial, nor the billet, to respond as the United States Government responded. We are not now in a position to so regulate and oversee drilling operations in our waters. My greatest obligation is to do what I think is the right thing to do at any given time to protect the best interests of you, the Bahamian people, and that of future generations.

I will not take any deliberate action to cause harm to our country regardless of the promised financial reward for a select few consultants and legal representatives. We in the FNM do not go that way. We accept that we are different, distinctly different from them.

For me, Putting Bahamians First is a solemn duty. It is not a slogan I throw around in order to win votes. Putting Bahamians First is a duty I have sworn to uphold each time I placed my hand on the Bible and promised to abide by the constitution and protect the interests of Commonwealth of The Bahamas. If Perry Christie really wanted to put you and every other Bahamian first, he would not have agreed to become a paid consultant for a foreign oil company. This has cast doubt on where his true allegiance will be when it’s decision time. I have no such conflict of interest. My only interest will be your interest. My only interest will be to put every Bahamian man, woman and child first. Fellow Bahamians:

I now wish to speak to you on the matter of national defence, of better securing our country from the threats of drug- and gun-trafficking, mass illegal migration, and poaching.

Now that our Manifesto has been on the web for the past 2 weeks, the PLP are seemingly finally in a position to begin to reveal their election platform. In fields such as education and publishing, there are various penalties for being copycats and plagiarizing other people’s hard work. On May 7th the Bahamian people should apply some of these penalties to the Never-Ready Party.

The Leader of the PLP followed us to North Eleuthera to advise on his plan for the Defence Force. His cut-and-paste plan is basically to copycat what appears in our Manifesto. Then to hide what he was doing he juggled the numbers a bit to try and fool people into believing that they actually have a plan.

He has spent this campaign playing follow the Leader. So, he’s followed me up and down the country. I guess it’s true: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” I announced a Rally in Freeport; he follows, on the same night. Same city; ditto Rock Sound, Eleuthera. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays are established FNM Rally nights; we book in advance radio and TV time for them.

He is just like them children who like to copy other people homework and answers on the test. He should stop trying to look over my shoulders and tief my work. That’s why he continues to get a failing grade “F” for leadership. The FNM’s decision to transform the Royal Bahamas Defence Force was done with great deliberation and plenty hard thinking. It will be the largest, boldest, and most wide-scale boost of the Force in its history.

At the outset, my Government undertook extensive studies on the organization and strength of the Defence Force. We received expert advice from naval experts. We appointed a group of eight former and serving Defence Force Commanders and Captains to advise on what was required in terms of vessels and manpower. This group also reviewed previous recommendations and reports. The group of Bahamian experts was chaired by Captain Steven Russell, now the Director of NEMA. It also included: Sr. Commander Albert Armbrister; Commander Patrick McNeil - current Director of the Port of Nassau; Captain Harvey Sweeting, retired and now in the private sector; Commander Adrian Chriswell; Lt.

Commander Warren Bail; and Commander Samuel Bain Several of these officers are marine engineers. All had experience in patrols and were very well acquainted with needs of the Force in terms of patrol and surveillance. This Group was appointed in 2010 and produced recommendation to the Government in 2011.

The Group provided advice on the correct number of vessels and the manpower levels required for the Force to adequately fulfil its mandate to patrol our waters and to enforce our laws with respect to fisheries, illegal entry and trade. This includes preventing the poaching of marine resources and guarding against drug, human and fire arm smuggling.

They looked at the fleet and made recommendations for the acquisition of additional vessels. They also looked at the present size of the Force. They made recommendation with regard to the optimal number of enlisted men for the adequate manning of vessels and the provision of administrative support. These numbers were arrived at taking into account retirements, resignations and deaths and the need to replace those numbers.

As we replace marines who leave the Force, the engagement of new marines may exceed the number of “new” marines joining the force as indicated in our manifesto. But, it will not alter the total number of marines on the Force. Today’s Force strength is 1164. We want to take it to 1,400 men. This will require that we recruit more than 235 additional personnel in order to achieve and maintain a Force strength of 1,400.

We looked at cost implications to determine what expenditure was necessary in each Budget year in terms of capital and recurrent expenditure. In this way, we determined how we could achieve our goals over a number of years incrementally increasing both vessels and manpower and incrementally improving pay and terms of conditions of service for Defence Force officers and indeed, for Police Officers. This professional, reasoned advice helped us to form and make our determinations on recruitment and on the future acquisition of vessels. It also informed our decision to create a Defence Force Reserve.

We then went to international bid to three reputable ship builders: Austral (Australia) Emgeprom (Brazil) and Damen (the Netherlands). Proposals from each were carefully considered and a determination was made to proceed with Damen. Now, the Leader of the Opposition and his Never-Ready Party who only bought a single aircraft, completely unsuitable for patrol exercises, and not a single vessel during their five years in office now comes along and says he will buy one more ship than the FNM. Mind you he never bought a single vessel in 5 years in office. He also now says that he will engage some 100 more marines to what we propose. Really? On what basis? In any event, can anyone believe him? The Defence Force is not a toy for toy soldiers. It is a serious military outfit that requires real leadership.

The Governor General holds the title of Commander-in-Chief of the RBDF. But the Force, it’s Commodore, and senior commanders report to the Executive in the person of the Prime Minister and the Security Council which the Prime Minister chairs. The Defence Force needs a prime minister who is prepared to lead, and not a waffler, who is at best a Follower-in-Chief or a Copycat-in-Chief. There is no way that any serious person believes that the same Perry Christie who left the post of Commodore of the RBDF vacant for four years now has serious plans for the very same Force.

Weakness and waffling won’t cut it when the tough decisions on national security have to be made at any hour of the day, seven days a week, and every day of the year. Furthermore, based on the abysmal organizational skills displayed in the scheduling of that buss-up Town Meeting on Wednesday past, that Never-Ready party couldn’t even organize a Defence Force Christmas party. It would be Easter before they got the invitations out and Independence Day before Santa Claus made a guest appearance. Grand Bahama:

You have always been special to me. I was born here. You also help learn and born me as a leader during the Marco City by-election in 1990.

From the earliest time in my public life I have held a keen interest in creating a physical presence of the Government in Freeport. That is why, 25 years ago as a young Minister I caused the first government administrative complex – the NIB Building – to be constructed here in Freeport.

Similarly, that was why following the election of the first FNM Government in 1992 we constructed the former Batelco Administrative Complex which today houses the Office of the Prime Minister, the Justice Complex housing Magistrate and Supreme Courts, five schools, a Police Headquarters for the Northern Bahamas and Police Accommodations.

Just last week we opened what will be one of the largest Government Administrative complexes in the entire Bahamas. In our next term we will move two Government Departments to Grand Bahama- the Department of Maritime Affairs and the Department of Local Government. This will have a significant economic impact here.

I said at the dedication of the new C.A. Smith Administrative Centre, that the $20 million dollar state-of-the-art complex is a statement of a vision and a statement of intent. We are sending a clear message that Grand Bahama is on its way back. We share the vision of residents and businesses in Grand Bahama for a new day for this island.

Towards this end, our strategic planning, marketing and promotion plans, in partnership with domestic and foreign investors, is for Grand Bahama to serve as a major regional and international service centre.

We want Grand Bahama to be a major service hub in The Bahamas for marine and maritime services, industrial development, international logistics, light manufacturing, various creative industries and other commercial enterprises, and for it to serve as a major employment centre.

You would have seen in the media discussions about a major logistics venture that is being viewed for Grand Bahama. This holds extraordinary potential for this island. So do plans being reviewed by the Grand Bahama Port Authority.

Grand Bahama will feature prominently on the economic and trade mission I intend to lead to Brazil and Latin America early in the first year of a new term.

Our vision for Grand Bahama requires a full-range of on-island government services, improved public infrastructure outside of Freeport, in East and West Grand Bahama, expanded access to quality health care, and greater education and training opportunities. It requires also effective public safety and enhanced recreational amenities.

I am not one given to overstatement. That’s the business those others are in -- grandiose plans that never move from talk to reality.

But, it is my considered view that there are a variety of truly promising opportunities on the horizon for Freeport and Grand Bahama which will generate jobs, business opportunities and serve as a magnate to attract more Bahamian and Foreign Direct Investment to this island. Grand Bahama, your interests will be better served with us than with them!

Fellow Bahamians;

In recent days, terrified at the traction being achieved by Colour Red, those who oppose us have begun grasping at straws to distract attention from the lack of leadership in their quarters. Their most recent effort is a feeble attempt to question the nomination for the nomination of the only Gomez who will become a member of the House of Assembly following General Elections on May 7th – that is Monique Gomez, our candidate for the great constituency of South Beach.

Pay no attention to the noise; ain’t nothing to it. Form is one thing; substance another. All issues relating to the election may only be determined by an Election Court after NOT before an election. Losers pay – except if you are a PLP; they never pay. The FNM does.

Young People, Grand Bahamians, Bahamians everywhere:

In transforming our country we cannot go with the smallness of vision and the weakness of leadership of the PLP. Not only will they take the country backwards; they lack the vision and the quality of leadership needed to move The Bahamas forward.

The FNM is the Party of Opportunity. You can believe what I pledge to do on your behalf. You can believe the FNM. We are the Party that delivers. We are the Party of Proven Leadership. We are Ever-Ready to work for you.

Tomorrow we’re back in Andros in Mangrove Cay and then in The Bluff. The two “B’s: that will sting the PLP in Andros will be Bannister in the North and Bosfield in South Andros and Mangrove Cay. That same night we are in Rock Sound. Eleuthera gonna born twins on May 7th; they sending 2 FNMs to the House. Come Thursday we will be at Clifford Park. We’re calling and inviting all. We plan to cover the Park just like we covered Montagu Park at Red Splash. FNMs:

This is not a fight any of us can go alone, we must band together. So tonight, sign up to be a volunteer, take a poster, tell your friends to go FNM and when you go to our website tonight, we’d be grateful if you would click the donate button and help us keep printing posters and making t-shirts and holding rallies. I ask all voters to pick up their cards as soon as possible and have information corrected on it if this is necessary. As we depart tonight FNMs, I ask you, come go with me and the FNM. Let us together, build a better Bahamas. Thank you, God bless The Bahamas, and good night.