NASSAU, BAHAMAS — FNM Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright yesterday called the prime minister’s recent Mid-Year Budget Communication “uninspiring, off the mark, and void of any meaningful projections” as he underscored the plight of thousands of struggling Bahamian families.
In a statement, the St Barnabas MP said the Davis administration has failed to prioritize the poor and vulnerable in society.
“The government has not prioritized nor brought adequate relief to the poor and marginalized who continue to struggle in this inflationary and tax-heavy environment the government has created,” he said.
“On coming to the office, this administration promised a war on poverty, signaling that it would champion the cause for the poor and vulnerable Bahamians. Despite this announcement, the government put a burdensome tax on breadbasket items, making those items less accessible to the poor and the marginalized. In addition, the government cut the Department of Social Services budget by more than $32 million.”
Cartwright said: “The government also promised the launch and relaunch of additional social assistance programs over a year ago. To date, those programs are nowhere to be found as the economy tightens its grip on the pockets of the poor and Bahamians at large.
“The government’s recent tax announcement on healthcare services will disproportionately affect the poor and economically vulnerable who have already had to face issues of affordability and accessibility as it relates to healthcare. Couple this with the government’s ill-advised taxes on medication and prescription drugs, and the most susceptible Bahamians have been made more exposed economically.”
For his part, Cartwright said the government has failed to strengthen the previous administration’s pioneering program The Over-the-Hill Initiative, which sought to revitalize the economies of Over-the-Hill communities through strategic economic, social, and environmental projects.
“We call upon the government to stop the tax and spend policy and prioritize the needs of the poor and most vulnerable Bahamians,” he added.
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