Elizabeth, hold on…your PLP is coming!  PLP…  PLP…  PLP…  We ready now!

My Leader Perry Gladstone Christie, Party Chairman Bradley B. Roberts, the Great People of the Elizabeth Constituency, PLPs   and Bahamians far and wide Good Night!

I have come to tonight to let you know that enough is enough!

It is time to put an end to the political games!  It is time to end the charades – the smoke and mirrors!

This is not a joke!  This is our country! And what a wonderful country it is!

These are serious times!  Just look at the high levels of crime, rising unemployment, other social concerns, declining tourism numbers and downgrading of our economy! How can any real leader choose a time like this to pursue selfish agendas and engage in political mischief?

While Hubert Ingraham and the Free National Movement are laughing like hyenas to themselves- the people of this beloved country are suffering!  Thousands are catching hell daily.    They are not laughing at the PLP- No!  No Sir!  They are laughing at the people of the Elizabeth Constituency and the people of the Bahamas!  They think you all are fool!

They think you are blind! They think that you cannot see what they are doing!  They think you cannot see the games!

They want you to believe that this is all about MY leader Perry Gladstone Christie and our great party!   The departure of Malcolm Adderley from the ranks of the PLP is about Hubert Ingraham wanting you to forget the misery you are experiencing daily.  It is about them wanting you to ignore the fiery pits of hell that so many are feeling even on a cold night like this.   And still in the midst of it all, they want you to vote for the torch and catch more hell!

Some want to talk about being disrespected!  But my God- where is the respect for the people of Elizabeth!  Mr. Ingraham where is the respect for the people of The Bahamas?

Elizabeth as I have said enough is enough!  It is time for you to take a stance and say NO!   Say No to the mismanagement of the FNM!  Say no to the ship without a rudder!  Say no to the petty games!  Say no to Hubert Alexander Ingraham!

We must send a strong message to them all!  If they want to play - buy some toys!  But don’t play with the people of Elizabeth!  Don’t play with our country and for heaven’s sake stop playing with our JUDICIARY!

Hubert Ingraham just this week spoke about new crime fighting initiatives.  We need a new direction.  Yet the man talking one thing and doing another!  In order for the fight against crime to be effective there must be a well oiled, functioning and Independent judiciary!  Since returning to power Hubert Ingraham has engaged in the most blatant politicization of the Judiciary!   In the last 12 months he seen to it that at least three judges appointed to sit on the Bench of the Supreme Court came directly out of the belly of the FNM.  At the same time he has done all in his power to rid the courts of any judge who he even dreams may have voted PLP at least once before!

We have judge after judge after judge who due to political affiliation has to excuse themselves from hearing certain cases.  How does this address the back log in our courts?  It doesn’t!  How does this ensure that our courts remain independent?  It doesn’t!  At this rate- we will soon be referring to the Supreme Court of Hubert Alexander Ingraham!

Do you know that Malcolm Adderley was not able to apply to the Judicial and Legal Services Commission prior to his resignation from Parliament? In fact Malcolm Adderley never said directly that he was going to be a judge!  Yet the whole country seems to know that he will be appointed a Supreme Court judge.  Yes, the whole country also knows that his tenure will be extended to sit on the Bench for an additional 2 years when he turns 65 later this year!

Tonight democracy is under attack!  There is supposed to be separation between the Government and the Judiciary!  But we now have a clear case where we know that is not so!  We have a   Prime Minister who is obviously dictating appointments and recommendations to the Judicial and Legal Services Commission.  He is making all sorts of promises that are not his to make!  And what are we left with?- a broken judiciary and another judge who must sing for his supper.   Hubert Ingraham and the FNM are laughing at us!  The good people of this country are the ones left to suffer!  They think governance is a game!

Those fellas really believe the Bahamian people are fools!  They say that there is no money to pay for insurance for nurses!  They say there is no money for back pay owed to hundred of teachers!  They say there is no money for proper repairs to school!  They say there is no money for scholarships to educate our children!  Yet lo and behold Hubert Ingraham can find money for a by-election in Elizabeth!
 

People are hungry! Lights are off! Some of our schools are like war zones!  People are in pain!  And yet this Government can only find money when it is time to play political games and pursue selfish agendas!

The S&P recently downgraded the Bahamian economy to a B+ from an A rating which we have enjoyed for so long!  This is not the word of the PLP!  I am talking about Standard and Poors – a truly independent international rating agency!  If you don’t want to trust my words then trust theirs!  They have advised us to limit government spending!  Yet in the face of sound advice the Prime Minister has orchestrated a by-election!  He has found it fit to heap added expense on the backs of poor people in this country at such a time!  His focus is on political mischief and not our drowning economy and international reputation!  Hubert Ingraham’s politics is more important than the welfare of this country!

There is a time and a place for politics!  This is not that time!  Too much is going wrong in this country!  The focus needs to be good governance and progress!  This is not a time for politics to divide us!  We need a new kind of politics!  It ought to be less about childish games and playing tag!  We ought to be discussing ideas and new policies!  We ought to be about securing the future for our children and grandchildren! We need a return to good visionary leadership now!

Elizabeth, it is soon time to bid good riddance to the Hubert Ingraham and the FNM!  I am asking you tonight to stand strong!  Throw the first blow!  Send the message loud and clear that enough is enough!  Let them know that you are not happy with the direction of this country!  Let them know that you are not pleased with their leadership! Let them know that you will not stand for Mr. Ingraham’s interference with the judiciary!  Let them know that you are not easily fooled.

Be brave and stand against this uncaring government and their shenanigans!  Let them know that we need national health insurance.  Let them know that we need a return of police officers to our schools!  Let them know that we need urban renewal in our communities!

Stand strong and brave with the Progressive Liberal Party!

Send the message loud and clear that is enough is enough!