Member of Parliament for Central and South Eleuthera, and Minister of State for Legal Affairs was one of several speakers at the mini PLP convention held in Tarpum Bay on Saturday June 21, 2014. In his address to the audience the MP outlined what he termed to be several achievements he has made since being elected.

His speech read:

Mr Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader, Cabinet Colleagues,
Mr Party Chairman, Madam Secretary General, Party Officers, PLPS, GOOD MORNING!

We won an election in which we promised to wage an unrelenting war on crime, unemployment, and the unavailability of universal healthcare and educational opportunities. I thank you for reposing your confidence in me and for affording me the opportunity to serve not only you but the wider Bahamian community.


Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Perry Christie, Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave’ Davis, Minister of Tourism Obediah Wilchcombe  and Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government, V. Alfed Gray were among those in attendance.

We gather in Tarpum Bay to review what we have done in Eleuthera and to indicate what we intend to do before the next general election.

  1.  Jobs created at:-
      (a) The construction of The Cove Hotel;
      (b) The operation of the hotel;
      (c) The construction at French Leave,        phase 1 on the Bay and phase 2 on Spanish Main;
      (d) The golf course landscaping and creation at Seashells;
      (e) The landscaping at the Cotton Bay Club.
  2. Increase of tourism arrivals to Eleuthera.
  3. Rebounding of the Eleuthera economy. See Customs receipts increased in last two years. Also National Insurance Board contributions increased over the last 2 years.
  4. Sponsorship of music program at Central Eleuthera High School which won acclaim in the marching bands tournament 2014 in New Providence placing first in two categories and second in the third category.
  5. Sponsorship of the reborn Eleuthera Softball Association, including the sponsorship of a team in 2014 to softball tournament in Freeport and Exuma.
  6. Sponsorship of Eleuthera junior baseball tournament in 2014 organised by Mr John Butler.
  7. Sponsorship of junior and senior junkanoo parades at Xmas and New Year’s day in Governors Harbour and Rock Sound respectively for 2013. These parades were organised by two committees the membership of which I publicly thank for their civic mindedness. I intend to continue partnerships with such groups to develop and deepen our cultural expression and community enhancement.
  8.  We underwrote the holding of a community meeting in Wemyss Bight for public education in preparation for the operations of the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute on Eleuthera through its associate farms program. (Inclusive of providing transportation, food and refreshments). Mr Godfrey Eneas has agreed to a follow up visit and public meetings to further the work of BAMSI on Eleuthera.
  9. We sponsored a community meeting in Rock Sound for public education on the implementation of Value Added Tax in 2015. (Inclusive of providing transportation, food and refreshments).
  10. We held and paid for the Green Castle community meeting for public education on implentation of Urban Renewal in Eleuthera. (Inclusive of providing transportation and food and refreshments). Representatives of Urban Renewal are scheduled to make their belated visit to Eleuthera after the national local government elections in June. We have identified a site for its headquarters and anticipate the speedy establishment of this institution and the implementation of its much needed programs and initiatives including small home repairs. I have agreed with the Deputy Leader and the Minister of Grand Bahama to the immediate launch of Urban Renewal and suggested persons who I believe are best able to achieve the goals and objectives of Eleuthera Uban Renewal 2.0.
  11. Reestablishment of the availability at Administrator’s Office of birth and death certificates. My Ministry reestablished this facility on Eleuthera in each local government district within 1 year of our being elected. Eleuthera became the second family island to have this reestablished service from my ministry.
  12.  I publicly thank the Governors Harbour Development Association for all of the community work that they undertake and accomplish. We partnered with the Passport Office to effect  the visitation of the Passport office staff to Governors Harbour and Rock Sound in June 2014. Over 411 persons were served in three days of marathon like effort on the part of the passport office staff and local government employees. Eleutherans saved approximately $150,000.00 by avoiding the cost of travelling to Nassau. Thank you Minister Mitchell for your steadfast cooperation in this effort and in Immigration matters.
  13.  We have deliberately focused on deepening the education experience by funding library facilities out of my constituency allowance, sponsoring the refurbishment of South Palmetto Point library and contributing to purchase of books and hiring an additional staff member. $40,000.00 in 2012/2013.
  14. I have deliberately participated in the advertisement of Eleuthera as a tourist destination through sponsorship of the Bahamas International Film Festival Eleuthera activities in 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. This festival showcases Eleuthera to a group of influential foreigners with the potential for film making and other forms of investment.
  15.  Promoting the construction of a hospital in Palmetto Point, pushing the compulsory acquisition of approximately 14 acres for the site of the hospital and lobbying to ensure that the National Insurance Board maintained the priority listing of the hospital for construction. It is anticipated that construction of the hospital will commence imminently.
  16.  Promoting the investment of the Water and Sewerage Corporation in the maintenance and refurbishment of its plant and equipment in Central and South Eleuthera. The Corporation is in the process of increasing its storage capacity to 2 million Imperial gallons by this work. At present storage capacity in Central Eleuthera is as low as 350,000 Imperial gallons.
  17.  Last year, a number of artisans were engaged to effect small home repairs and school repairs from Governors Harbour to Wemyss Bight. In addition, where circumstances permitted, persons were hired in various government departments and government owned corporations. Provision of materials was also made to persons who could not afford to purchase materials.
  18. Over the last 2 years a number of Eleutheran residents were hired in New Providence to assist in the modernisation of the Intellectual Property Registry in the Registrar General’s Department. 12 in total. RGD has reduced the backlog of unattended files from 17,000 to 800. This was accomplished by the assistance of these persons.
  19. At the Office of the Attorney General we have succeeded in introducing levels of efficiency in criminal prosecutions which has positioned the Government to prosecute serious criminal matters within 12 months. The restoration of law and order is an essential to our restoration of the Bahamian economy including that of Central and South Eleuthera.
  20.  We have substantially completed the Supreme Courts at the Ansbacher Building and at the old Magistrates Court complex in Bank Lane which represents a signal achievement. This summer we will have the physical capacity to operate simultaneously 20 supreme courts. This is unprecedented. It marks the Administration’s commitment to law and order and the Rule of Law.
  21. We have ensured that the poor in our community have recieved proper burial rites even when their financial circumstances did not permit this basic religious rite.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our country and Central and South Eleuthera. Circumstances have been very difficult. Our economy has been severely tested. We are beginning to see signs of improvement. Both public and private spending throughout the remainder of the term should bolster prospects for increased employment and business opportunities. I thank you for your patience and urge your further cooperation and support as we seek to ensure our sustainable prosperity.

To that end, I meet with investors and encourage them to consider the many qualities which Eleuthera has to offer. There are a number of private sector projects being developed with environmental impact studies being undertaken in preparation for their applications to the Bahamas Investment Authority. In time announcements will be made should the applications be successful.

I am an imperfect person and admit to my fallibility. I owe much to my wife and children whose sacrifice has enabled me to serve. I owe advisors a great debt! Persons like Mr Robert Deal, Mr Haldor Russell, Mr Hilbert Richards, Mr John Butler, Mrs Paula Saunders and Stephanie Bethel, Willamae Sweeting, Reverend Earnest Sweeting, John Gibson, Marcellette Patram, Barbara Taylor, Elder Francis Carey, Butch Johnson, Andy Deal, and many others. They have stuck with us in the heat of battle when the weather was at its worst. Their confidence, Our confidence will be vindicated. We will move forward, upward and onward together!

In our success our fellow countrymen will join our mantra: PLP! PLP! PLP!