EDITORIAL: Better to lose an election, than a country

Monday, June 11, 2018

BAHAMIANS have raised their voices against Government’s decision to raise the VAT tax from seven to 12 per cent. On the other hand, there are those who see no alternative but to raise taxes to stave off the looming financial crisis.

Health Minister Dr Duane Sands, made it clear that in his opinion VAT is a regressive tax that disproportionately affects the poor. On the other hand, in his opinion, the present situation is so grave that VAT is the only palatable alternative “in the face of the fiscal circumstances of life or death” – such as the potential bankruptcy at the National Insurance Board. Dr Sands did not mention his own Ministry, which is equally threatened by poor political decisions, questionable contracts, and lack of the essentials for the operation of even a basically equipped hospital – all inherited from the PLP government.

“The first step to generating more revenue without raising taxes is to improve the tax collection system, eliminate fraud and waste in the public Treasury and tackle corruption,” suggested a regular writer to The Tribune’s letters column, who signs himself “The Graduate”.

All of this is true — it is political fraud, waste and corruption that has got us to where we are today. It is so bad that its evil head has to be crushed immediately if there is to be a future for this country. However, when told that the increase in VAT to generate sufficient revenue to rescue the sinking ship would see the FNM out of office at the next election, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis told a Cabinet Minister that it would be “better to lose an election than to lose a country”.

Yes, fellow Bahamians, that is how serious the situation is.

Free medical care

For example, when the PLP were promising Bahamians that they would no longer have to organise the traditional cook-outs to raise sufficient funds for their medical care – which in future would be free – the politicians were so busy wasting the people’s money that the basic necessities of the Princess Margaret Hospital could not even be maintained. Their election-gimmick of free medical care was just that - an election gimmick. For example, the Princess Margaret Hospital did not have funds to repair its roof after a hurricane, yet it could spend $234m in the lead up to the 2017 election. The Christie government spent over $90m in medical related contracts – one of them for the cleaning of an Abaco clinic that had yet to be opened. Contracts were executed despite a $416m shortfall that prevented the Public Hospital’s Authority from purchasing much-needed medication, vaccines and completing critical renovations at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

In the Budget debate in the House, Dr Sands described efforts to address the “long-standing challenges in the recording, coding and analysis on clinic information for both statistical and medical billing purposes”. We understand that with only one staff member remaining in this department, the Princess Margaret Hospital’s billing is at least six year’s behind schedule. No wonder there’s no money in the till. Most of this potential revenue is probably no longer collectable.

We also understand that more than $54m worth of construction purchases that were approved by the PLP Cabinet were based on either faulty information or went ahead without Cabinet approval. Remember this is all being done with the people’s money.

Civil service trimming

The civil service must be drastically trimmed. It is most unfair on the many persons unqualified for the positions in which they were posted before the election to secure their vote, who will now have to be dismissed.

When making these decisions politicians have to remind themselves that they are custodians of the people’s money — not their own — but the decisions made should be made as if it were their own. For example, what politician would put an unqualified person on his own payroll? None, unless, of course, he were foolish. Therefore, why hire an unqualified person on the People’s payroll, knowing that after the election that person will have to be dismissed. This is now what is happening. There is no money left. The ship is sinking and the new government must make hard, and unpleasant decisions to save the country. The PLP got away with its mismanagement, because the people were not vigilant. They put their politics first and listened to the “sweet talk” of their MP before their own security. Now VAT is the price that has to be paid to survive.

It is a bit late now to complain about the past. An aware people will have to be alert to make certain that the mistakes of the past are not repeated, and that financial reports on every Ministry is not only up to date, but laid on the table of the House at the end of every financial year.

The future is now in the hands of the Bahamian people. As for the FNM — tread carefully, work diligently and keep the best interests of the Bahamian people at the forefront of all of your decisions. As for Bahamians, belt tightening might be required for a period because of your failure to demand that your politicians be accountable.

We agree with the prime minister — it would be better to lose an election than to lose a country.

Comments

birdiestrachan says...

No surprise the Editorial page of this paper and the other agrees with the PM. What about
all the lies they tell. Do you agree with those also?.

Note BAH MAR. VAT, The Spy bill. just one lie after the other. and all in plain sight.

Posted 11 June 2018, 7:31 p.m. Suggest removal

DaGoobs says...

Both PLP and FNM want to offer free medical care. The former didn't and don't care how it is paid for so long as people get it at some level. The latter want people to have it at some level but either want to tax us to cover the cost or want us to pay for the cost. The former want to give us a free lunch and they will worry later about what it costs. The latter want to wean us off the freebies as they realise that there is no such thing as a really free lunch as everything comes at a cost to someone.

On the civil service bit, the government has to decide what is the service's role and purpose in the administration of government services. Under the PLP the evolved into an employment agency for the party faithful whether they had any academic credentials or not (can you say National Insurance Board as a bloated example). The FNM was guilty of the same thing at times but eventually realised that they needed credentialed people if the service was to progress and improve. There is a popular but erroneous notion that the civil service is bloated and overstaffed. In my opinion that's not true. What it has is many uncredentialled or undercredentialled persons who are in it predpminantly for the salary and the pension but are not interested or incapable of getting qualifications or additional qualifications that are required for today's modern business environment. Do you keep them on or send them packing? Because every Bahamian who wants a job needs a job but not everyone has the skills for the job they want or have.

Oh and by the way Editor, I see your back page ad about too many radio stations. You need to give it a rest as it comes over as elitist and monopolist. The purpose of freeing up the airwaves was so that, as long as spectrum is available in the FM band, then anyone who wanted an FM radio station licence and could afford the licence fees and had the money to get into the business could start up their own radio station. It's called competition and that's the difference between 1993 and now. One could say that all of these radio stations have the right to succeed or fail. You were quick to buy up one of the failing stations. Everyone has the right to dream of being a radio or media mogul. Whether they succeed or fail, it's their dollar that they are spending to get into business, not yours. Also there are about 22 FM radio stations in New Providence and possibly 47 in the whole country. Don't people in other islands have a right to try their hand at starting a broadcasting business or should we get it all from one source but on Shirley Street instead of Collins Avenue hill?

Posted 11 June 2018, 9:43 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

How can the FNM lose in 2022 after what Perry, Brave and the PLP put us through since 2007??????? ......... The PLP has forfeited its right to govern for at least the next 20 years ........ Every PLP over 60 years of age should die off before we even entertain them governing this country again .......... Further, the core of the FNM leadership has room to grow and become even more effective in the next 5-10 years.

Posted 17 June 2018, 10:39 a.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

**How? Do more if what they've been doing for the past year**. Losing isn't hard, remember that even with the groundswell support they only won with 57% of the vote. The PLP as horrible as they were got over 40% of the vote. Can you imagine? If you put disenchanted FNM supporters and reenergized PLP supporters in the mix, anything is possible.

Also did you hear what Dr Minnis said this week? I couldn't believe my ears, he said he's going to work for the 65% of Bahamians between 18-35. For a strong supporter, I hope you're under 35 or you out too.

Can you imagine a leader of any country, besides Trump (who will lose next election), saying, I don't care about 35% of the country? And doing so on an age basis? Dr Minnis is simply out of his depth. I suspect that some advisor analyzed election returns and put forward a strategy of target marketing that 18-35 age group, but you don't make a statement that you're only concerned about "them" as if everyone else doesn't matter. I really wish he'd mentioned this before the election.

I've never even heard Trump say something as politically obtuse as *I'm focusing on white poor uneducated people in the mid west*. It's just politically stupid. Dr Minnis just doesn't have it. He leads from second to second and his backup is KP who's trying to create a legacy off an insane strategy of breaking the country to say HE balanced the budget.

Can they lose in 2022? Yes.

Posted 17 June 2018, 10:20 p.m. Suggest removal

BONEFISH says...

The government from 2007 to 2012 was an FNM government.

Posted 17 June 2018, 12:01 p.m. Suggest removal

OK ......... let me be specific ....... 2002 to 2007 and 2012 to 2017 Perry, Brave and the PLP cartel nearly destroyed our society and economy

Posted 17 June 2018, 12:29 p.m. Suggest removal

Sheep runner it is my hope that you really do not believe what you have written.

Posted 17 June 2018, 3:09 p.m. Suggest removal

Darn right ......... I believe every word I wrote ........ and the majority of Bahamians as well - based on the 2017 election results ... 12%VAT will not affect the 2022 election, as KPT would have balanced the budget and reverted to the old VAT/ tax regime to make it leaner and more efficient ..... So that wont be a big deal and a propaganda tool ........ Brave might as well retire.

Leave the PLP to Chester and Perswell to figure how to resurrect ......... or abandon altogether

Posted 17 June 2018, 4:14 p.m. Suggest removal

The FNM won with 57% of the vote. The road to failure isn't that far

Posted 17 June 2018, 10:21 p.m. Suggest removal

Does doc Sands have clean hands?? HELL NO...

Posted 17 June 2018, 3:27 p.m. Suggest removal

bogart says...

What is the job of a Bahamian politician???????

Is it to obtain a salary ?? Perks, benefits of the position, to obtain the most freeness for themselves families, others....and support fellow politicians to do the same, creating ways gerrymandering, victimization to keep and retain power....?????

Is it to serve the people who elected them???

Posted 17 June 2018, 3:48 p.m. Suggest removal

MPs are elected to shape the laws of the country to produce happy citizens

Posted 17 June 2018, 4:15 p.m. Suggest removal