A few comments on the FNM and their hypocrisy…
I am so glad that the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister introduced the National Health Insurance Bill in the House of Assembly today, and emphasized the urgency for such a plan to be introduced NOW.  Kudos to the Hon. Melanie Griffin for a compelling and impassioned speech in seconding the Bill and clearly underscoring the reasons why this plan must be introduced and implemented now.  Let the naysayers, the FNM and their lobbyists try once again to stall its introduction and fool some of the Bahamian people by saying that the Bill is being rushed, and that there wasn’t sufficient consultation. Twenty-two years of collective consultation and discussion is not enough time they say. For them no time would be right time for them.

On one hand the PLP is criticized for being indecisive and for consulting too much, now in the same breath they say the same PLP did not consult enough.  You simply cannot win – damned if you do and damned if you don’t.  How much consultation was had on the financial legislation that almost totally wrecked our financial services industry?  Or the treaty William Allen signed on behalf of the Bahamian people with the US?  Or the ill-fated privatization of Batelco?  As long as the FNM does not introduce the bill no time soon will be the right time.  It may not be a perfect Bill, in fact no bill is, but at least it is a start and a step in the right direction.  No bill in any form on National Health Insurance brought to the House by the PLP will be acceptable to the FNM and their ilk.  People are suffering, and dying, while the FNM is playing politics with the health of poor people.

Although the FNM has some grass root members in its party, the FNM is not, never has been and never will be a grass root party.  It is not concerned about the poor or the grass root majority or the challenges facing the poor.  The FNM is not associated with anything in terms of social justice in this country.  If you don’t believe me then look at our political history.

1. In 1957 the taxi drivers had to block the entrance to the airport because they were being shut out by the UBP (now FNM) because the delivery of tourists was being assigned exclusively to the tour companies owned by the Bay Street Boys.  This resulted in the 1958 General Strike.

2. When the vote for women came up in the early 1960’s the UBP (now FNM) was heard to say “over my dead body.”  Women got the vote and they are still around.  I don’t mean to be crude but perhaps a stake through the heart would bring an end to them.

3. In 1965 the UBP gerrymandered the boundaries to ensure that the status quo remained the government of the day.  This resulted in Black Tuesday.  The UBP expressed their concern for the Black people of this country by calling out the riot squad of the police force.  In fact, they were more interested in protecting their Bay Street shops than anything else.

4. When the PLP announced independence by July 10, 1973 it was the FNM who said “not now” it will break the country and be a burden on the Bahamian taxpayers for generations unborn because we would need to finance our own air force, navy, army, overseas embassies and the like.  In fact Nassau was plastered with graffiti and leaflets which said “Independence is slavery.”  Thirty-three years later and The Bahamas is the jewel of the Caribbean.

The FNM tried to scuttle the whole idea of independence and lent gleeful support to the goon squads and the activities of the Abaco Independence Movement.  No one believes that all those PLP business just burned down by themselves. Remember it was the late Sir Kendal Isaacs in delivering his speech at the opening session of the Independence Conference on the 12th December, 1972 in London who said “…the Free National Movement has the support of 40% of the Bahamians who voted in the recent elections, a 40% who feel that independence for our Commonwealth at this time is both unnecessary and unwise.” Needless to say that by and large the FNM boycotted the Independence celebrations.

5. When National Insurance was introduced in the early 1970’s the FNM again said “not now it will break the country”.  The prophets of doom spoke and more than 30 years later we have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean and are ranked third in this hemisphere outside the United States and Canada.

6. In the 1980’s when the government purchased hotels to save jobs for those working in the hospitality business the cry was that the government made a mistake and should not be spending the taxpayer’s money foolishly.  And when they (PLP) began the construction of the Crystal Palace it was labeled a “white elephant” by the then FNM leader.  But now it is the same white elephant the FNM uses to host their conventions.

7. When women were allowed to join the police force the FNM said “not now, the timing is not right.”

8. When the Defence Force was established again the hue and cry was raised “not now” and it was labeled by the FNM as “Pindling’s army”.

9. And when Urban Renewal was introduced was it not one of the FNM’s past chairmen, Carl Bethel, who said at their Convention that Urban Renewal was nothing more than handing out some tins of soup and a bag of rice, or words to that effect.

This dog in the manger attitude persists today in their current leader who said at a recent rally that the anchor projects will not benefit the Bahamian people.

Now the cry on National Health Insurance is “not now” and they are still echoing the words of their late leader.  So what’s new?  The FNM has always been a party of the elite who can afford private health insurance, and would want to maintain the status quo because most of the insurance companies, if not all of them, are owned by the UBP/FNM clique.  Everyone knows that you can be in a private group health plan for 40 years and never claim but the moment you hit 65 you are dropped like a hot potato.  Some carriers do not even give you the opportunity to take out individual plans.  When you need health insurance the most, that is when the insurance companies drop you, and this is after using your money for all those years.  And God help you if you have pre-existing medical conditions – your eligibility is not even considered.  I know what I am talking about because it happened to me.

Think about it.  How many white groups do you see participating in junkanoo?  How many white people do you see supporting cultural events?  How many white people you see in lodges (except the exclusive white Masons on Bay Street and the exclusive Burial Society in Hall’s Lane), Toastmasters or laid out at Fealey Demeritte?  How many white people you see shopping over the hill, or buying a chicken-in-the-bag?  The FNM backbone and behind-the-scenes policy makers and shakers consider themselves the Patricians and simply do not mix with the Plebeians.  Bahamians, do not be fooled by the cries of the wolves in sheep clothing.  They had 10 years in power and did absolutely nothing with health insurance except talk about introducing a catastrophic insurance plan, which like the new labour laws would have favoured the select few and not the masses. When the elections are called next year you know where to place your “X” – the time is NOW; let’s do it again; let’s go all the way and take 40 seats.
George