It has now been some five (5) weeks since the PLP party have won the 2012 general elections. They secured a mandate from the Bahamian people on the back of a series of promises which were rather explicitly stated by party officials, candidates and the Right Honorable Prime Minister at every rally and function the party organised. Yet the people of Grand Bahama, have once again, seemingly been ignored after the dust has settled and the victory parties have ended.

The people on this island still face the very same problems on a day-to-day basis that they suffered from for five years under the FMN administration. We still suffer from massive levels of unemployment, rising costs for living, food and basic utilities and a fundamental lack of economic opportunity for our people. This PLP administration has promised various initiatives to the people of Grand Bahama and to the wider population of the Bahamas, which were to be commenced within the first 100 days of the new administration. As we approach the half-way mark of this suggested time period, there is very little indication that anything of what has been promised will actually be delivered and we wait, and hope and pray that this government will remain true to its word.

To speak factually it is unfortunate but true that the Right Honorable Prime Minister has yet to visit Grand Bahama once since this island elected three of his candidates to Parliament, two of whom are members of his cabinet. This is despite a grand series of public pledges to the people to lower the cost of energy, improve the business conditions of the island and improve the lives of the people. How much longer will we in Grand Bahama wait until we see the Prime Minister that we elected to office? When will his promises to our people be fulfilled and when will we be able to see some progress in our fortunes? These are all very important questions which I feel the PLP government has to address if they want to convince the Bahamian people that they will be true to their word and fulfil on the many assurances they have given to us.

Osman R.C. Johnson

DNA Grand Bahama