DISAGREE WITH THE IMF

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has told the government in its latest assessment that The Bahamas needs to find another 240 million dollars of savings if it is to meet its spending targets and get spending under control.   That of course means that the cuts will be borne by those least able to bear it, the lower class and entry level workers.  Look to see the government continue to lay off staff from the public service.  The Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest denied that they would be forced by the IMF to do any such thing but Mr. Turnquest has a credibility problem.  He is the man who got up on his high horse in Parliament and started to lecture the country on why it is in the positon that it’s in with regard to debt and spending.  He said that was because the Government (read PLP) had tried to provide everything for everyone and it was simply not possible.  The smarty pants Brent Symonette with his 156 million dollars in the Bank chimed in: “Yeah wipe every tear from every eye.” The Chairman of the PLP Fred Mitchell speaking at the National General Council Meeting of the party on Thursday 17 May said that this was the defining line in the sand between the PLP and the FNM.  We support that view.  The PLP believes that Government is there to help people.  Debt and borrowing is to be managed but people must be helped. One day, we hope that the people of The Bahamas will wake up and understand who is ruling them. We disagree with the IMF and urge the government not to lay off people who cannot take care of themselves.