WELCOME ADDRESS BY BRADLEY B. ROBERTS AT PLP PRAYER BREAKFAST
WELCOME REMARKS
BY
BRADLEY B. ROBERTS
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
AT
PRAYER BREAKFAST
53RD NATIONAL GENERAL CONVENTION
PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL PARTY
MELIA NASSAU RESORT
NASSAU, BAHAMAS
22ND OCTOBER 2017
Party leader the Hon. Philip Brave Davis and Mrs. Davis;
Parliamentarians;
Stalwart Councilors;
Party Officers, members, invited guests in particular our visitors from Bermuda and friends – a pleasant good morning.
I extend a hearty welcome to all of you to our 53rd National General Convention.
The Progressive Liberal Party – the oldest and most stable political organization in the history of The Bahamas – is in leadership transition for only the third time in its sixty-four-year history. This tells me that PLP delegates take the awesome task and responsibility of choosing their leaders very seriously. We understand that our election decisions have implications not only for the future of our party, but the policy direction of our country so delegates, this is indeed a sacred duty. I ask you to choose wisely as you exercise your unalienable and democratic rights under our constitution.
As you campaign for and debate the merits of the various candidates of your choice, I beseech you to do so in a spirit of mutual respect. Please be tolerant of opposing views and voices of dissent as these expressions are part and parcel of the democratic process and fully protected by the party’s constitution.
It has been five months and thirteen days since the FNM assumed the reins of government of this country and the ground swell of discontent is already evident. Crime and unemployment have increased and the consensus is that the FNM has no plan for this country. Grand Bahama’s economy is in a wheel chair will all tires flat.
Their rather thin legislative agenda has resulted in less rights for Bahamians and a consolidation of power in the hands of a few politicians and the consolidation of wealth in the hands of a few rich families and party donors. This cannot be right as we are clearly moving in wrong direction as a country and it is the responsibility of the Progressive Liberal Party to be the moral conscience of this country.
We must make this case to the Bahamian people with alternative informed public policy proposals that appeal to the most basic sensibilities of the Bahamian people – those of respect, inclusion, fairness and empowerment.
As we seek divine guidance from Almighty God and thank Him for all of His many blessings, let us ask His divine intervention in our vigorous debates and deliberations, our robust exchange of ideas and our innovative policy proposals during the course of this convention all for the betterment of our fair Commonwealth and improved quality of life for our people.
When we emerge from this convention fellow delegates, I am confident that we will be stronger and more united as a body politic, re-energized for the singular task ahead which is to return the great Progressive Liberal Party to the governance of this country as we fight for the soul of this great Commonwealth.
PLP’s we are resilient, we will rebuild! We will move forward! We will present a New Perspective! Once again, welcome to one and all and may Almighty God bless the Progressive Liberal Party and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.