Many things still are, the people, the beaches but such wastage .The hurtful thing is that much of the debt having to be repaid is for equipment, schemes, projects , seminars, consultants that have long ceased to exist or fallen into disrepair.

Loretta, you have emerged from the darkness. Jumped on the bandwagon but do you have any solutions.

You have to laugh with these sin taxes. Alcohol signs everywhere "duty free" but cheaper in the USA. Kalik home grown beer cheaper in The USA and almost cheaper to put rum on your cornflakes than milk. Add to that the duty waiver on building materials. So many wealthy foreigners bringing in building materials duty free and well able to afford duty. Oh how about the Cuban teachers bringing in boxes of Cohiba cigars -selling to local bars-no duty paid ??They sell them for $150 a box and the bar sell each one for $15-$20. Cubans and bar owners $$$ 2-government revenue $0.

Yes but did Christie have the balls to fire anyone---Fitzgerald for starters.?

Does anybody really think that the school supplies , bags, books and free chicken that these Web shop operators give out are done for any other reason than to improve the public perception of their operation when in fact many families are going into debt to make flowers and his cronies rich.

Not excusing the deplorable conditions that these staff work in but has this been a problem say 30 years ago? The postal service here is slower than wells Fargo horse and carriage of the last century not to mention the missing post, the periodicals and newspapers that are stolen at the post Office, Many years ago I had a subscription to Mechanics illustrated and an airmail newspaper. I got one copy of the newspaper and no Mechanics Illustrated. The newspaper company was able to confirm that my paper had been delivered to the post office, Most employees are honest but a few are definitely not.

Your deluded Birdie, the PLP created a financial mess and as always kept the facts hidden from everybody. They to would have had to raise VAT.

Whether you agree or disagree with this protest, its funny how quickly these protesters forget that the PLP introduced VAT, totally lied about its purpose and squandered every cent, how the previous Minister of Education present was proven to be lining his own pockets and on and on.
The PLP took this country to the brink of disaster and should they be re-elected by the ignorant masses that think there is some magical money tree then devaluation and Jamaica style economy will make todays cost of living a joke,

Remember how well your party hid all the debts, no bid contracts, wasteful projects like the hospital in central Eleuthera so no wonder unpleasant action has to be taken. I also believe that hhad your bunch of incompetent representatives been re-elected then you would have had two choices,firstly continue like before and run abroad with your assets or bring in VAT at 15%. If I as a Bahamian ran my financial affairs like you all did with our money then I would have been in court a long time ago.Please explain Mr Cooper why all the 7.5% VAT money was just wasted nd not used for its intended purpose Yes 12% VAT is a bitter pill to swallow along with all the other increases but the alternative is devaluation, downgrading and IMF intervention.

The answer to these financial problems that have accrued over years is one that cannot be solved by tax rises by themselves but what would make me feel better is some of the persons be they Ministers or Permanent secretaries going to jail. There has to be a paper trail where large wasteful projects have failed like the 7 million + pile of hospital curry in Palmetto Point.