Moss: Why I quit

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

MARCO City MP Greg Moss yesterday shot down speculation that he is joining the Free National Movement as he insisted on a definite political run in the 2017 general election as an independent candidate.

Mr Moss said not only did he have the full support of his constituents, he was confident that he could still offer effective representation free of party affiliation.

In a candid discussion with The Tribune the day after announcing he was severing ties with the Progressive Liberal Party, Mr Moss branded the governing party as an “elitist” group not concerned with the plight of the average Bahamian.

He said the party had long abandoned the intended principles of its founder, former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling. While he admitted discontent with the party for some time, the outspoken MP said “the straw that broke the camel’s back” was the 2015/2016 budget now being debated in the House of Assembly.

He spoke to this newspaper the day after announcing he was resigning from the PLP. His resignation letter was sent to Prime Minister Perry Christie, House Speaker Dr Kendal Major and party Chairman Bradley Roberts yesterday.

Mr Christie was not in the House of Assembly when Mr Moss made his announcement.

However, in an interview from Brussels, Belgium with a ZNS reporter yesterday, he did not appear surprised over the departure.

“I truly believed that Greg Moss was on a course that would take him outside of the PLP. I’ve been around long enough to see that,” the prime minister said.

“What the Bahamian people must know is that young men have their own aspirations, their own ambitions and sometimes it takes them outside of the mainstream of a political organisation where there is a series of compromises you have to make for the general good of the organisation. It’s called teamwork. I think the Progressive Liberal Party has done a remarkable job in using the resources available to us, I think it’s a damnable lie or misstatement to say that philosophically we are not acting in the best interests of the people of this country.”

The prime minister added that the party has dealt with defectors before and warned others who might be considering leaving the fold that the PLP will run candidates against them to win their seats.

“Whatever happens in our organisation, our organisation has to deal with it,” Mr Christie told ZNS. “There’s no ill will, it’s just a matter of this happened. You would want people to be a part of the team, you would want them to understand, you would want them to compromise, you’d want them to really play ball so to speak. But if they feel that they must move on, then the party will accommodate that and when the time comes, the party will make decisions as to who will run against them and the party will work assiduously to cause the person that they nominate to win the seat.”

Disappointment

Meanwhile, Mr Moss contends that his beliefs are still theoretically aligned with the PLP.

“But the problem is the party is no longer the party that it purports to be,” the Marco City MP added. “So I have been progressively attempting over the past three years to put forward positions of what our mandate really is supposed to be and more and more it became evident that that was being resisted. In this final budget it became clear to me that would never be embraced.”

“This is the final budget outside of a fully declared election cycle. Next time we have a budget in this House it will be 2016 and we will be in the middle of campaigning clearly. So this was the final opportunity for anything that could approach a bi-partisan budget. I mean that not in the sense of a budget representing two political parties but representing the two diverse constituencies in the country and it certainly isn’t that.”

Asked to recall his biggest disappointment as a member of the PLP, Mr Moss said that the party promised to enhance the lives of Bahamians, a promise so far unfulfilled by the government. He said value added tax (VAT) was the best example of a government that did not care for its people. Mr Moss voted against implementing the tax last year.

“There is a summary of the philosophical position of the PLP (or) what it should be (at least) and that summary has always been to wipe every tear from every eye.

“We are not in the business of wiping tears away from the eyes of the most exposed and the most vulnerable. It has actually been inflicting pain and more tears on those very people that it purports to represent. That is something that has been the gravest disappointment and has become untenable to me.”

In his resignation letter, Mr Moss continued to voice his displeasure with the PLP. He said when he first began to campaign in 2010, he set out with a goal to restore the vision of the PLP as a party to uplift all Bahamians.

“Since being elected as member of Parliament for the Marco City constituency,” the two and half page letter read in part, “I have repeatedly attempted to advance those goals through my firm opposition to any and every form of political corruption and my consistent call for the enactment of legislation to advance the interest of our people.

“After three years of championing and attempting to effect such reforms as a member of the Progressive Liberal Party, the fourth budget communication by the prime minister, which is presently being debated in the House, has confirmed to me that those goals are not shared by the present leadership of the Progressive Liberal Party as a government or as a party.”

Mr Moss’ resignation letter dated June 9, 2015, took immediate effect.

Comments

realfreethinker says...

This plp government will wipe every tear from your eyes with it's left hand,while the right hand in your pocket picking you clean. They can attack the messenger,the message is real and people feel it. They can disregard Moss at their peril.

Posted 10 June 2015, 1:59 p.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Comrade Greg knew his time was up as a PLP when the party told him they'd send a messenger collect his letter of resignation cuz he might change he mind or be lost in da mail.
Dr. Andre's replacement as da newest Poster boy of the red and green shirts parties and the Comrades upstairs over at Shirley & Deveaux.

Posted 10 June 2015, 1:59 p.m. Suggest removal

duppyVAT says...

It is our hope that all 38 MPs be independent .......... in thought, word, and deed. If we have a caucus of 10 independent Mps in the Parliament, we will have a far superior system of governance.

Posted 10 June 2015, 3:23 p.m. Suggest removal

Regardless says...

Sir Lynden was not the founder of the Progressive Liberal Party.

Posted 10 June 2015, 3:27 p.m. Suggest removal

TheMadHatter says...

Seems this would be a fitting time for ME also to offer my resignation from politics. The arrest of a protester in Freeport yesterday during a peaceful protest, and the declaration and validation by the Court that we as citizens need PERMISSION to protest says all that needs to be said about our state of affairs.

Our comments on here and on Facebook and wherever else are actually a form of protest - in a way. If protesting is illegal, then it might not be long before these online activities also lead to arrest. The sad thing is that in most countries where people are not free, the economies usually suck because people have no incentive to "rise above" and perform. I hope that situation will not befall our beloved nation.

In truth, all of our comments on here are really a waste of time anyway - because the only time our "voice" means anything (perhaps) is during one day every five years.

Best of luck and best wishes to all.

**TheMadHatter**

Posted 10 June 2015, 7:17 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

**Strong**Is the SS. PLP. Now a **S**inking **S**hip

Posted 11 June 2015, 12:18 a.m. Suggest removal

birdiestrachan says...

The Truth is Moss is a quitter. Selfish and only cares about himself. I doubt that Moss has ever had a meeting to discuss anything with the people who voted for him. Only people he can fool are those who are fools already, and the FNM;s who are happy that this has may appear to hurt the PLP.

Posted 11 June 2015, 8:25 a.m. Suggest removal

SP says...

**............................................... Finally A Glimmer Of Hope ........................................**

Hopefully Hon. Greg Moss's departure from the PLP marks the beginning of a domino effect leading to **a core of independents forming a coalition** focused on exposing and combatting corruption.

The only solution to saving our country is firstly get rid of the PLP and FNM to even begin unraveling systemic corruption in ALL the highest of places that has rendered our country nearly totally dysfunctional.

Posted 11 June 2015, 10:07 a.m. Suggest removal

242 says...

Independent coalition?

Posted 11 June 2015, 10:26 a.m. Suggest removal

proudloudandfnm says...

What the hell is Perry doing in Belgium?

Posted 11 June 2015, 12:26 p.m. Suggest removal

ohdrap4 says...

Learning, he is learning:

Income tax in Belgium is 25% to 50%.

then: source - wikipedia

> Employment income is also subject to
> social security contributions.
> Employee contributions are 13.07% and
> are deducted by the employer. In
> addition, the employer contributes
> about 35% of employees wage.[4] No
> ceiling for contributions apply on
> contributions for either employee and
> employer.[5]
>
> Value-Added Tax (VAT) applies to most
> sales of goods and services. The
> standard rate of value-added tax is
> 21%.[6] A lower rate of 12% applies to
> social housing, meals and margarine.
> Another reduced rate of 6% applies to
> foods, drinks, hotels and medicine.
> Certain goods and services are
> exempted from VAT by law, this
> includes exports, and financial
> services. The Belgian VAT is part of
> the European Union value added tax
> system. Smaller businesses with a
> turnover lower than €5,580 are exempt.
>
> Corporate tax applies at a standard
> rate of 33.99%.

Ah one could only imagine your salary deduction at 25%+13%= 38% plus pay 21% VAT, and you have to eat margarine to enjoy a tax break.

For the employers: 33% corporate tax plus 33% payroll tax to NIB. When you walk into a bank, there will little package of margarine at christimas time.

Posted 11 June 2015, 1:30 p.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Comrade Proudloudandfnm, being we PM Christie is da essence of da “W” word, what better place for the master at governance waffling to travel abroad to, than da home of da Belgian waffle.

Posted 11 June 2015, 1:31 p.m. Suggest removal

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