EDITOR, The Tribune.

IF I might use this medium to invite Bro’ Obie Ferguson to take a fully paid (by me) City & Country Tour of New Providence with one of our struggling Tour Companies, he would see first-hand that threats, such as he is making, are no more than a biblical “sounding Brass or clanging cymbal”. Such threats would have a little more weight, in a buoyant economy, which is not to be found anywhere in the Bahamas today, except the web shops. The PLP government has beat you to the punch, ma bey!  The country is already “SHUT DOWN”! Yes, Sandals is “SHUT DOWN”,  more than likely through labour union stupidity. Baha Mar is “SHUT DOWN”, mainly through government stupidity and meddling in the private sector. I guess the next big target for you would be Atlantis, as they are only struggling with reduced occupancy and falling room rates. So you could “SHUT THAT DOWN”  and put those poor folks out of work for a while too.

Next, the Tour could take you to the head offices of all of the Mortgage Lending institutions, which periodically publish a “short book” of distressed properties for sale. Distressed, because the homeowner is now unemployed, or severely underemployed, because the overall economy has “SHUT DOWN” . After that, a drive through downtown might be in order, to see first-hand, all of the former Bay Street businesses, that have long been “SHUT DOWN”. Including those of your close friends on the south side of Bay Street, between Parliament and Charlotte Streets. Don’t forget to go east of East Street and see how many of these former thriving businesses are also “SHUT DOWN” .  

Just for fun, maybe the Tour could take you to some of the Real Estate offices, to speak with the agents and brokers who sit, day in and day out, hoping for the phone to ring, or an e-mail to come through. Yes, the PLP government has already “SHUT DOWN”  this once thriving business too. And don’t forget our manufacturing businesses, also “SHUT DOWN”  through government stupidity and carelessness. The Albury family’s Champion brand tomato products, and the Sawyer’s Bahamian Agricultural canned products. Both “SHUT DOWN” because of government stupidity and inaction.

Yes, Bro’ Ferguson, you gotta get up real early in the morning to beat the PLP at “SHUTTING DOWN”  anything. And what  they’re talking about doing now, to appease you and your unions, has very likely caused a lot of people already to think about “SHUTTING DOWN” before they are put in jail just for going bankrupt.

BRUCE G RAINE

Nassau,

September 7, 2016.