Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Philip Davis accused Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis of bashing The Bahamas during the signing of the letter of agreement on Narcotics Law enforcement with the United States of America back on August 8.
In a statement released on Monday, the opposition leader stated that “regrettably, the prime minister once again used a public forum to bash The Bahamas and its citizens”.
“In his world, every single person in The Bahamas except him is corrupt,” Davis wrote.
Davis labeled Dr. Minnis as having a “condescending and self-promoting style” claiming that the prime minister opened the integrity of all Bahamians to question and suspicion.
He blamed Dr. Minnis for not acknowledging that there are many Bahamians, in private and public life, who have never been suspicious of any “untoward behaviour” in their public or private lives.
“For this slur on the reputations of hard working Bahamians, and persons of unsurpassed integrity, he should be condemned,” he said.
“What the prime minister neglects to acknowledge is that the PLP has an unsurpassed record of ridding the PLP of corrupt individuals and this includes many of the founding fathers of the Free National Movement(FNM).
“For a prime minister, he should choose his words carefully and read the political history of The Bahamas.
“If he reads and understands it, then he would be better placed and more credible when he makes such statements.
“The prime minister continually portrays the PLP as the poster party for corrupt practices. In this regard, he shows his ignorance, lack of education and The Bahamas’ political history.”
According to Davis, the assertion is often advanced that political corruption began with the PLP and that the FNM is a political party devoid of standing in stark contrast to corrupt practices by persons who are engaged in public life or hold public office.
“This myth has been persistently perpetuated by persons who have espoused a perspective that the PLP is steeped in political corruption,” the statement read.
“In Minnis’ world, corruption is centred on persons who receive bribes and other inducements to perform their duties or to give someone an unfair advantage.”
Davis labeled Dr. Minnis as petty, spiteful and ignorant, and has ignored the universal fact that a persons does not have to receive cash or an inducement to be corrupt.
That is why he conveniently ignores more insidious and pernicious forms of corruption i.e., nepotism and cronyism, according to the opposition leader.
Moreover, Davis said, “this gross, corrupt nepotism has placed individuals in sensitive areas for which they, in many cases, have had no training or experience.
“This has caused great disruption in these departments and de-motivated honest, qualified public officers who have been superseded for no reason other than that the FNM wanted to place their supporters in the positions.
The result of these actions is that officers are now frustrated and angry and distracted from their tasks.”
Cronyism is also a corrupt practice prime minister, he said.
“My advice to you prime minster … clean up your own ministries before you proceed to besmirch the names of innocent, blameless Bahamians.”
