By Leandra Rolle 

lrolle@tribunemedia.net 

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to stop income inequality and to create more job opportunities for Bahamians in the country.

This, according to Dr Minnis, is a part of the government’s New Year resolution for 2020.

“…I have seven more years (left in office)… What I’m concentrating now is to close the gap of inequality to allow more of the poor and the indigent to share in the wealth,” he told reporters during yesterday’s junkanoo parade.

Dr Minnis made these statements when asked about his campaign reform plans, given the fact he only has two years left in office.

However, while noting his plans to focus on the poor, the Killarney MP suggested to reporters that he would be re-elected by the Bahamian people for another term.

“(I want) to close the gap in income inequality and to create more job opportunities for the poor and indigent and to uplift the inner city,” he said.

These areas of focus, the prime minister said, were part of his administration’s New Year resolutions. However, Dr Minnis is not the only member in Free National Movement who has set ambitious goals for this year.

Also outlining the government’s goals this year was Deputy Prime Minister Mr Peter Turnquest.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Mr Turnquest noted one of the government’s goals for the year include helping those displaced by Hurricane Dorian return to a life of normalcy.

“We’ve gone through a tremendous traumatic event that has long term consequences to the country and its going to be a long road to recovery,” he said.

“… And the first order is going to put back those institutions that will facilitate residents coming back and being able to access the services that they need.

“(Those include) the police, the healthcare, the financial institutions and the government services to make sure all those things that provide for an orderly society are in place. Then we will assist residents as best we can to get back into their homes.”

Meanwhile, Education Minister Mr Jefferey Lloyd added: “This year, ( we want) greater efficiency, greater response. We got to be more responsive for the Bahamian people. We’ve got to cut down on the timelines.

“We’ve got to get people results to them, whatever that is, whether you have to be paid or make a request of the ministry that (you) want (your) grades or diploma or transcripts or so on. So instead of having to wait two weeks, we want to cut it down to one week.”

He continued: “Instead of having to wait one week, we want to cut it down to two and three days because the Bahamian people deserve it and…. So that’s why in this year we’re going to be having in the ministry a 100 day challenge and every department is going to establish those goals and in that 100 day, we are going to exceed those goals.”

Speaking on his ministry’s resolutions for 2020, Social Service Minister Frankie Campbell said he hopes to finalise several important matters.

“There are some welfare and working conditions within the ministry that I want to address…. We are (also) looking to introduce legislation. We are in the final stages of the older persons protection bill as a matter of fact, we’ve sent it back to the attorney general’s office, hoping that they will put the final touches on it.

“We’ve also presented to the attorney general office the amendments for the persons with the disabilities act because we thought in order to bring the right regulations, we needed to make some amendments....I’m optimistic that we’re going to have a good year.”