Letters to the Editor: Who are the PLP trying to fool?

Letters to the Editor: Who are the PLP trying to fool?

Dear Editor,

It is the height of hypocrisy for the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to be crying foul over any harsh criticism they get online or elsewhere. I see the PLP leader complaining about garbage campaigns and suddenly a flurry of well-timed letters to the editor claiming to be from “patriots” and “independent voters”, repeating Davis’ talking points almost word for word.

Since the irony seems to be lost on them, I will spell it out: such letters and other propaganda pieces, trying to paint the FNM (Free National Movement) as a “threat to democracy”, which were clearly placed by the opposition party but pretending to be from ordinary Bahamians, are EXACTLY the kind of underhanded tactic that Davis claims to be offended by. Perhaps it only bothers the PLP when it is aimed at them.

Who are they trying to fool? The truth is that the PLP invented gutter political campaigns in this country. Who could forget the huge billboards highlighting the murder count before the 2012 election, when the PLP said crime was the FNM’s fault, intentionally playing upon the emotions of the bereaved, only to turn around and claim crime isn’t a political issue once they had won, but the killings continued to skyrocket?

And when it comes to anonymous attack websites and personalities online, they have a PhD. I don’t need to name any sites — the PLP has done such a good job at anonymous dirty tricks politics, personal attacks and intimidation tactics that every Bahamian already knows what I’m talking about.

The only difference is that for more than a decade, the PLP’s online dirty tricks machine has spun out heaps of malicious half-truths, character assassinations and downright lies. Both the Russians and Donald Trump could learn a thing or two from them. They invented this game, but now that the chickens are coming home to roost, the PLP is complaining about rough treatment.

But one thing I haven’t heard yet is a denial of the things being said online about the PLP. If the party wants to be taken seriously, maybe they should stop ducking, dodging, pointing the finger, distracting and launching anonymous campaigns to complain about other anonymous campaigns. Maybe they should just face the music and come clean with the Bahamian people about their shady past.

Kind regards,

Laura L