Monday, March 8, 2021
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Progressive Liberal Party has pledged to offer free testing to Bahamians concerned they have been exposed to COVID-19 and to reform the government’s food assistance programme if it wins the next general election.
The party’s leaders, Philip “Brave” Davis and Chester Cooper, unveiled their economic plan yesterday.
In addition to free testing, Mr Cooper said the PLP would “eliminate restrictions not based on science”.
“People need food,” Mr Cooper said. “The current government programme does not do enough to help hungry Bahamian families. It is regrettable that the government elected to provide food by using a wasteful bureaucracy, giving $1m per week to an independent organisation. The government still has not disclosed to the public how much of that money went to providing food, and how much went to the organisation.
“Our approach will be different. We plan to use the RISE prepaid debit card. No more standing in the hot sun waiting for vouchers that can only be spent at a particular store or receiving a box of the same cheap provisions every week that someone else has decided you should eat.
“We will increase the amount people receive as well, so that it is reasonable and in line with the high cost of living. As people will be able to buy food from shops all around the country, this will also help the hundreds of small businesses struggling to stay afloat.”
Other plans in the PLP’s economic agenda include a grant system for $5,000 unsecured for legitimate small businesses through the Small Business Development Centre.
“Once repaid in full, (there will be) automatic eligibility for a $10,000 loan,” the plan says.
The party would “immediately invest $50 million to fund entrepreneurial developments and up to $250m over five years.”
Comments
John says...
Are they anticipating the COVID-19 virus will still be around after May 2022 or are they (PLP) still anticipating an early election?
Posted 8 March 2021, 4:17 p.m. Suggest removal
themessenger says...
Where’s will all of the largesse to fund all of this come from now that the money trees down to BAMSI are being harvested by the competent authority and with donor in chief Peter Pan in jail?
Posted 8 March 2021, 5:58 p.m. Suggest removal
Proguing says...
Good, will they also give out free washing machines (I need a new one)?
Posted 8 March 2021, 6:34 p.m. Suggest removal
bogart says...
Here we go again!!!! "If it wins the next general election"
The Opposition members are paid monthly salaries to put up the fierce sensible critical needed arguments to represent the people. If their arguments are well and valid for all to see as Opposition, then they would be more favoured opportunity to win the electorate and become the next government. Having to inform the electorate to wait for their greater scheme food for survival all these coming monnths or year to vote them in, is not a good plan. People need to eat today. Whose brillance is to have electorate, or, 'hungry Bahamian families' be needing food all these coming months and then able to vote for them????
Posted 8 March 2021, 10:27 p.m. Suggest removal
happyfly says...
The candidate that promises to do away with all of these ridiculous Covid restrictions the fastest, gets my vote. People moving around freely in Florida and I got to get a visa to go from Eleuthera to Nassau. You can kiss my A... Dr Minnis. Never ever again will you get my vote
Posted 9 March 2021, 8:07 a.m. Suggest removal
longgone says...
I wonder how many people will believe the PLP's unreal promises this time. Surely they have learned that the promises are just for election purposes and are never kept!
Posted 9 March 2021, 8:27 a.m. Suggest removal
SP says...
What about **"We believe in Bahamians" & "Bahamians first"**?
Posted 9 March 2021, 8:46 a.m. Suggest removal
moncurcool says...
A promise made is a comfort to a fool. I guess the PLP takes the Bahamian electorate for fools.
Like SP said, remember the last Believe in Bahamians promise. And you see what that got us.
Posted 9 March 2021, 10:45 a.m. Suggest removal
shonkai says...
Why not pay for the free tests now, from all that campaign money, instead of using public funds.
Posted 9 March 2021, 10:50 a.m. Suggest removal
tribanon says...
This little twerp's idea of "free" testing is government using our tax dollars to pay health insurers and/or health providers for the costs of giving the "free" testing or any other kind of healthcare freebie to the public. And we all know these types of freebies result in much higher taxes for the public. Just who does Chester the clownish court jester think he's fooling?!
Posted 9 March 2021, 10:59 a.m. Suggest removal
Proguing says...
The PLP needs to do like the Democrats, promise a $1,400 cheque for everyone if elected. That should do the trick.
Posted 9 March 2021, 1:47 p.m. Suggest removal
tribanon says...
Come on, that's small chomp change. Minnis has promised his voters a whole 'Sovereign Wealth fund'! LMAO
Posted 10 March 2021, 8:02 a.m. Suggest removal
MoAnn says...
Same story, same people, different election, different generation. The PLP better learn that.
You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people, all of the time.
A promise is a comfort to a fool!!
Why do they think they can come with these same old ideas and they'll be accepted? WHY??
They really think someone is gonna believe that they will lower VAT (well maybe the fool will)
Where are they getting this money to invest in entrepreneurial developments? How much of said money will actually be used where it's supposed to be used and where are they proposing to get all this money from?
All I read here is history repeating itself....
Both PLP and FNM have nothing new to offer and the same people keep coming back and there is no room for young innovative minds to be given a chance to prove what they have to offer.
All of y'all....stay out my yard!! PLEASE!!!!
Posted 9 March 2021, 2:18 p.m. Suggest removal
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