If you could say what was the most dramatic moment or most impressive thing that came out of the PLP convention, what would they be? Well most people expected Perry Christie to be re-elected as leader of the party so that did not surprise anyone. And since so many saw this as a mere exercise of putting David up against Goliath the margin of victory impressed only the gullible. Political grandstanding, not only to make Perry Christie the most favored leader of his party but as the only great savior of the Bahamas. And unfortunately with a weak and barely visible opposition, many will buy into it. Most of the speeches were political rhetoric, half truths and grandstanding. While they continue to blame the former government for the bare cupboards and broke condition the country in, they failed to tell you that four years of the FNM's governance was during one of the deepest recessions in the modern history of the world. Yet they managed to hold the country together and get major projects completed and left many others on the drawing board. Like the Sandy Bottom project that outfitted the Defence Force with new ships and dredged harbours, or the replacement of Bahamasair's fleet. Obie Wilchombe's address was purely idol worship to god Perry Christie and Perry Gomez's address was dry as a pack of crackers and equally as boring. But the greatest and most disappointing speech must have come from Bernard Nottage, as Minister of National Security. While he riddled of how many millions the government has spent here and there and while he bragged about how they have increased officer numbers at the defence force, immigration, police and at the prison, everyone wanted to know what plans his government had to stop the carnage of young men (some 550 plus on his watch this term alone). His only utterance was these were a small group of prolific offenders killing each other and he did mention that there are laws on the books to deal with gangs, but it is not being enforced. Another disapointment is his praise and support of the "Shock Treatment" program. This means of 'treating' young offenders by exposing them to prisions and hardened criminals ;has been determined ineffective and has been discontinued in the country that created the program. The shock treatment is determined to be only temporary and after young persons become exposed to prison and prison life, amny go on to become hardened and/or violent criminals. Most psychologists believe that positive enforcement programs and spiritual enrichment are more effective and it is better to keep young people as far away from criminals ans prisons as possible.

Perry Christie not only believes he is the only and only savior for the Bahamas, who deserves one other chance as prime minister of the country, but he is dancing to his own praises of rescuing Bah Mar from bankruptcy and turning it in to one of the most amazing projects on this side of the earth. But while Christie claims people say he created a miracle, the fact is christie and his goon squad, meddled in a private company's affairs. He helped wrestle Bah Mar from its rightful owner and the man whose dream, and hard work, and dedication, and sacrifice it was to make it into the magnificent project Christie admits it is and dump it squarely in the hands of the Chinese, who now seems to be having problems managing and keeping the doors open to other properties in the country. it was sickening to hear this man brag about how much he has done to save this country and to save Bah mar when he has raided the treasury to fix the problem he almost single handed created at Bah Mar. And while most financial institutions in the country are producing healthy returns for their shareholders, BoB continues to bleed uncontrollably after being raped and ravished by the Christie government. If Chrisite is so proud of his performance as prime minister and so sure he is the only right man for the job, he should top blowing his horn and let the Bahamian electorate decide in just a few short months. He claims he takes offence to his PLP party being called crooked and corrupt, yet he takes the stage and feeds the public half truths and misinformation.

Comrades! I am not sure which I have the bigger problem with - uniformed senior policeman's acting as the background photo props for the PM, or an executive of Baha Mar joining the PM on stage.
The PLP cabinet keeps reminding us how crime is on the decline - yet the evidence points squarely at their personal policeman's protection seems to be on the increase?
Totally amazing so much policeman's protection would be required to protect members of the government from such happy convention delegates and attendees?
You have imagine all the cars parked out front the convention hall that are awaiting their exit to safely drive them to their homes through the capital city's crime infested killers. Something the delegates are not afforded - yet tis they the taxpayers that are footing the bills to protect so many government officials. You go figure - hey?

It over now. We ain't got long now to gather our stock, build our boats and hope the wind and currents get us safely to America!

Sir Trump... I comin'!!!!

One of the good things you have to give Perry G. Christie and the PLP for is they acted mature and progressive in their admittance to the offices of government of the Bahamas. They met many good and well thought out plans in progress and on the drawing board when they took power. Rather than stop, review and cancel like the former prime minister did, almost single handedly, they continued with these projects and plans. Not only did it make the PLp look good, but it moved the country forward. it saved the tax payer millions and hopefully after Election 2017, the new government will do likewise. Not be like Donald trump whose first official duty was signing an executive order to dismantle ObamaCare without an alternative plan in place and without thought or consideration to the millions of people his actions will leave without health care. The plans of the FNM made the PLP govenment look good.

This is a sad day for the Bahamas. Country cannot survive four more years of what it has. The FNM made a huge mistake not changing leadership. Doc could Roc when the Big Boppa was clearing the way but the demands of leadership and more than that the political savvy, personal touch and killer instinct required of leadership in Bahamian politics is totally absent in Doc. He lacks personality, communication skills, personal touch, vision and quite frankly leadership qualities more generally. I believe Loretta was right to leave. She isn't the perfect candidate but she is better than Minnis and would have gone further with the party behind her than Minnis can. My two hopes, Dames and D'Aguilar have been silent and Lloyd needs to reign in his arrogance. But FNMs hard headed. How many times have they entered the arena and LOST with good men but bad politicians? Anyone remember Kendal Isaacs? Truly a sad day.

Usually when a major political party is having a well publicized and televised event such as a national convention, opposition parties would hold smaller events or give press releases so that the nation is not polarized by the convention. The DNA's leader managed to grab one or two headlines as well as other members of his party. And while the FNM's chairman did offer opposition views on the convention, the FNM leader was missing in action.

I would like to see real demographics from that convention, the average age was probably 70,
and it would be easy to envision the attendees being die hard sink or drown PLP supporters or contract beneficiaries.
That the whole field was tilted in Christies direction was no surprise, that the die hards ate it up is a sad indictment and depressing.
It really says nothing about the upcoming election, except that if the internal skullduggery at convention is an indicator, the General Election will be dirtier than ever.

Amen!

Tal and John are on target today! I cannot add any more to these comments. Except, that I don't believe that Bahamians will elect the PLP to run this country again. I think this election will surprise many. If this convention was such a raging success as it appears to be to many, then we should see an immediate spike in voters registration. Don't forget during last election rallies, the FNM crowd far out numbered that of the PLP, but the PLP still won the election.

Greentea, let me say that I was a LBT supporter, up to the FNM's last convention. The Official Opposition, as the FNM, was looking good coming out of their last election. However, the only people you can now lay the blame squarely on are Loretta and the seven. As a matter of fact, she should have let the party flow the direction iit was going when she was opposition leader- It is obvious that she and the seven do not have the Bahamian people interests at heart. If they did, they would have thought about the betterment of this country rather than their egos.

Well Hillary's crowd also outnumbered Trump's. And here in the Bahamas many persons attend both sets of rallies, and yes some attended the DNA rallies because they wanted to hear their platforms. and the entertainment and free food... And yes some were looking for those 'special' T-shirts and other goodies too. This election is going to be unique because of the low number of registered voters, the number os smaller parties hoping to contest and the apparent unpopularity of the leader of the FNM. (Minnis is no longer the leader of the official opposition and since Lorretta Butler is running as an independent candidate, technically there is no official opposition party. Social media has become very popular and will play a very important role in the upcoming election, be it for the disemination of information, fact checking or the spreading of rumors and creating political mischief....

For the first time ........ even the PLPs did not sound convincing ........ they know they have 4 months left to cause havoc