PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL PARTY COUNCIL
Grand Bahama
11th May 2005
It is always a pleasure to be in Grand Bahama and to meet with my comrades in political arms here on this island. I thank you all for coming out and I hope that some of the questions that you may have about what is a topical issue the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) are answered tonight.
By way of background, however I wish to start with some context to what is happening in the public domain and why there is in my view so much noise in and around this issue. The Prime Minister has said it several times. It is getting to be political season. There is less than two years left before a general election, and the Free National Movement, our primary opponents are marshalling their forces. Pretty soon, people will have to line up on one side or the other. The persistence of independence will vanish. One sure sign of that is the fact that John Delaney has now manifested his true political beliefs by embracing openly FNMism and becoming a senator. The other sure sign is their rally last night in Nassau.
The Free National Movement and the Progressive Liberal Party have exactly the same positions on the CSME. I have received private assurances in my consultations with their Leader that provided the reservations that we say we can negotiate are obtained; there is no difference between the PLP and the FNM on this issue.
So when you see the arguments being advanced by their former Ministers, that suggest that they are worried and they are concerned about this or that about CSME, their party’s official position does not line up with any worries. In fact, one of their former Ministers has written a book in which he says The Bahamas cannot opt out of CSME. We say The Bahamas cannot opt out of Caricom, which is a slightly different matter. We say that we should remain a part of the Caricom regime but reserve our positions on the economic matters. What our opponents are seeking to do is to prey on the fear and prejudices of people to try to make the PLP pay a political price.
But they forget that Perry Christie is not Hubert Ingraham. There is no “do this or else” approach. Ours is the careful and considered approach of consultation and public education.
This bi partisan issue is now being turned into a political issue by the FNM. I was most disappointed at their rally talk last night. Here we have a serious issue and instead they respond by clowning in public. The public must be asked to judge whether these are serious times or whether this is a time for clowning and rally talk. The PLP takes the sober approach to this.
What should PLPs then do in response to all of this, what I call smokescreen politics? First, we must understand what the real goal of our party is still to improve the lives of the Bahamian people. Sometimes that requires tough decisions. It also requires being armed with the facts, not with misinformation and the facts are there for all to see. We do not decide policy by prejudice and fear. The Ministry has a website: www.mfabahamas.org and there is the Caricom website www.Caricom.org. We have the booklets that are available with all the facts.
It also requires discipline and not speaking out of turn. This applies to all members of the party. A lack of discipline imperils the party. This business of a referendum is not something that we support, neither is it necessary. There are no constitutional implications for this matter. What we are talking about is an agreement that governs less than one half percent of the total volume of our trade. It has no constitutional implications and no implications for sovereignty whatsoever. The constitution only requires a referendum for those issues that are constitutional in nature.
What is a single market and economy? The Bahamas is a single market and economy. The Bahamas has a number of islands and you can produce a good in Grand Bahama and without paying any customs duties you can sell that good in Exuma or in Inagua, anywhere in The Bahamas without duty. That is a single market. The idea then is to extend that concept to the entire Caribbean from Bermuda in the north to Suriname in the south, so that you can produce a good here and sell it elsewhere in the region without attracting a tax for simply crossing the border.
The Bahamas is also a single economy with one fiscal policy. That is a single market, and the idea is to have that kind of economic co-operation amongst the 15 countries of the region.
However, I need to say that The Bahamas is part of Caricom mainly for geopolitical reasons. We co-ordinate our foreign policy decisions. We are all part of a Caribbean wide disaster relief management scheme. We follow common policies on security, in fisheries, in transportation, health, sports and culture. We all use and pay for the University of the West Indies and the Council of Legal Education, and the Medical Accreditation Council, and the Caribbean Development Bank.
In order to preserve the relationships, we should sign the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. Sir Lynden Pindling signed the first treaty in 1983, which contained two sets of documents, one agreeing to the political aspects, but not the economic. Now there is one document, which has both provisions in the one document. We are signing to remain in Caricom, and then reserving our position on the economic matters until such time as the transition in the economy can take place.
In that regard, The Bahamas will not sign on to the following: the free movement of people, the common currency, the Caribbean Court of Justice on its appellate side, and the Common External Tariff.
However, we ought to remember that we are seeking to join the World Trade Organization or WTO that is the rules based organization that governs most world trade. Getting into CSME will allow us to prepare for that entry, a decision that was already made back in 1995.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister spoke to all of his colleagues in the Cabinet room during our meeting. It was the first time that he spoke to us as a group since he fell ill. He is resting at home and recovering. It was an emotional and unusual event. We are used to his voice and his presence. It looms large over the Government and he was the architect of the team that took us to victory in 2002. Yet today, he spoke to us from his home. He reminded us of his vision and of the need to stay focused and to stick together. He reminded us of God’s providence for him, for us and for all of you. I convey that message to you as our local leaders. At the Cabinet level, we have 15 rugged individuals who now have the privilege to govern The Bahamas and we cannot afford to be distracted. Now more than ever we need to stick together.
CSME is something with which our primary opponents agree. Their strategy then is simply to use the opportunity of the fact that our Leader is convalescing to distract us from the main job of governing the country. They must think again. That will not happen. Contrary to what one of their members said last night, the Government is alive and well. I was shocked myself at the depths of the language reported at the FNM rally. This is a party that is so desperate it appears that it will even hit a sick man when he is down.
I assure the country, certainly, there will be no distraction over CSME. It cannot happen over CSME. The fact is there is no difference between us. Let us therefore as PLPs remember that and let us move together toward the future. Forward ever! Backward never!
Thank you very much indeed.