Chamber Of Commerce Misguided 

It is absolutely amazing how all these civic organizations come off as front organizations for FNM rants and screeds.  The latest example is a report given in the response by the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce issued last week in which it responded to the latest developments from Moody’s where depending on whose story you believe, The Bahamas dodged a bullet and was not downgraded.  Only thing is despite the fact that the investment grade was not lowered, the outlook on the economy was moved from stable to negative. So when is a downgrade, a downgrade.  Anyway, what struck us is the adoption of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce in their statement of the FNM narrative that the PLP wrongly cancelled the insurance for hurricane relief known as CREF.  The insurance was paid every year and when The Bahamas tried to claim on the insurance after Hurricane Joaquin it was turned down because despite the widespread damage, it was considered a flooding event and not a wind event and the insurance did not cover it.  The Financial advisors then said that the insurance had to be negotiated to change the terms and conditions but they also advised that the country ought to self-insure and that is what was done.  The FNM claims that this was a big mistake by the PLP without reading and understanding the reasons for the decision.   Now the Chamber of Commerce comes along in its response and adopts the same point the FNM said and in effect attacked the PLP.  OF course when you speak to them, they say oh not that is not what we meant.  We can’t read plain and ordinary English of course.