EDITOR, The Tribune.

The Prime Minister recently appointed the Hon Renward Wells (FNM-South Beach) to serve as Minister of Health. Wells has come a long way since he, Andre Rollins, et al, patched together a rookie political action group some years ago. Wells has proven to be a political chameleon and made of durable material. He and Rollins were elected on the PLP ticket in 2012. They both fell afoul of the then Christie led PLP and the rest is history.

Rollins has been obliged to retire from front line politics and before doing so he was brutally slapped in his face by Madam Loretta Butler-Turner. Wells was obliged to resign as Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Works & Utilities after it was revealed that he signed a Letter of Intent outside of his pay grade.

Now with another general election just around the corner who all may be offering or being offered for either re-election or election? What do we have to say about the way we are governed and the people who profess to love the unwashed Bahamian masses so much that they need to serve either in the House of Assembly or appointed to the Senate?

When Wells was appointed Minister of Health, the PM, said, inter alia, that Wells was a go getter and a doer. Is that quite true? He was once Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. I am sure that he did a good job in that portfolio, but is there any empirical evidence of what he would have done? He never did get to the bottom of the BAMSI fiasco.

Next he was appointed Minister of Transport & Local Government. Nothing of value, in my opinion, was achieved over there. The renting and leasing of Government owned taxi and omnibus plates continue unabated. Long lines continue at the Road Traffic Department and it has been alleged that millions of dollars would have gone missing over the years. If an internal or external forensic audit were ever done, the public has yet to be informed of the same. Yet, the PM says that Wells is a go getter?

Local government for New Providence has been an issue for discussion for decades but it seems as if no administration is or has ever been serious about its implementation. Why? Are the residents of New Providence not capable of making community based decisions for themselves? Are we so infantile and child-like that the adult politicians must make decisions for us?

Wells was also in charge of this BUT he stated publicly that he did not know if the residents of New Providence were ready for local government. Of course, he offered some nonsensical excuses but that is all that they were...nonsensical. Now, he is Minister of Health without an ounce of medical training or background.

Yes, we have had several previous Ministers of Health who were not medical doctors. In the midst of the deadliest pandemic in almost 100 years I contend that a medical personnel should have replaced Minnis or he should have continued to act as Minister of Health. Wells has yet to speak definitively about his newest portfolio as one would have expected. Anyway the jury is out and we will give him the benefit of the doubt.

The advent and continued lingering of the Corona has demonstrated that there is weakness and disunity within the cabinet ranks. No one seems to know who is wagging the tail. Is it the dog or is it the tail? Who is in charge? It is obvious from public statements that the PM does not consult with all cabinet members much less his MPs in their regular parliamentary caucuses. Travis Robinson says one thing. Marvin Dames says another and my favourite FNM minister says yet something else. Minnis meanwhile issues half baked proclamations today and discards them tomorrow.

Our style of governance leaves much to be desired. It is now clear that the administration has and probably never had a plan of action. 99.5% of their time has been spent reacting to issues which if there had been a national plan in place, could have resolved those issues in short order. Things like hurricanes and storms are no brainers even if one is unable to predict with any degree of certainty the course or severity of such natural phenomenons.

The fact that Dorian devastated Abaco and Grand Bahama over a year ago and we are still in a recovery mode does not bode well for this hurricane season. The evolution of governance; accountability and transparency in our nation are problematical. Tens of millions of dollars have been collected and expended under the inscrutable means.

The PM stated with a bold face that one million is being spent weekly by the administration on food alone. Are there invoices and cheques available? Are there audited statements? Who all are getting this massive amount of food and what evidence do we have of the recipients? We need to do better than this.

It is my hope that the next electoral cycle will usher in solid commitments on local government for New Providence; an aggressive and sustainable effort to collect on the tens of millions of dollars owed by many who are able to pay for real estate; business licences fees and NIB contributions.

I would also urge the immediate introduction of an income taxation system for both Bahamians and foreign persons and entities especially in the high income brackets. We need a better way to enforce collections. In short, those who earn more, proportionally should shoulder a larger percentage of the fiscal burdens.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr

Nassau,

August 30, 2020.