Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis last night declared “it’s still the people”s time despite the “noise in the market”.
At the party’s celebration of its first year in power, Dr. Minnis reinforced that the Free National Movement’s (FNM) spent its first year laying its foundation and insisted that next year, the government will be “out of the ground”.
The prime minister said The Bahamas is “better off and less corrupt ” under his administration.
“We have a tremendous opportunity to create a more vibrant and developed country,” Dr. Minnis said.
“Let us use the time we have been given to renew, transform and modernize our Bahamas.
“It is still the People’s Time. Despite the naysayers, we have achieved much in the last year. I will announce in short order an ongoing program and initiative to better communicate on a regular and sustained basis what we have done and what we intend to do.
“Despite the noise from some quarters, we have achieved a great deal. And we are laying the groundwork for significant change.
While admitting that he has made mistakes during his first year in office, Dr. Minnis told his audience that he is working to correct them and “learning from the missteps”.
“Before we came to office, the country was on the verge of collapse. We were at a low point,” Dr. Minnis said.
“We were on the brink of another downgrade and the treasury was broke. But now we are sustaining the economy and addressing corruption. We are seeing healthy economic growth, but we still have long way to go. Over the next five years we will bring reform, change and transformation.
“Of course we know that there is also room for improvement and that we have faltered on occasion. Our country is much cleaner than we met it. We must remain humble and open to legitimate criticism. We must endeavor to learn from our mistakes.
“Those who seek to divide us, do so out of their own selfish and narrow interests. They are more loyal to their cause than they are to needs of the Bahamian people. Those who say we have accomplished little have purposefully closed their eyes and ears because it is in their interest to sow discord.”
Dr. Minnis said the country as a whole can achieve historic reform and revitalization if we all learn to work together.
“We are stronger together,” he said.
