Hon Shane Gibson

Bahamas Press » Shane Gibson tells it all on the CORRUPTION of the ...

February 23, 2011

Mr. Party Leader and Mrs. Christie, Mr. Deputy Leader and Mrs. Davis, Party Chairman and Mrs. Roberts, other Party Officers, Stalwart Counsellors, Members of Parliament, Senators, distinguish Candidates, brother and sisters good evening.

A highly respected NBA basketball player and coach once said, “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do”. Tonight I stand on this platform with a renewed vigor and exciting enthusiasm, to tell you, the people of The Bahamas that no Hubert Ingraham can stop the power of the people. The Commonwealth of the Bahamas has, over the many decades been blessed with a hard working and dedicated working class., and from what we’ve seen from 2007, this Government is doing all they could to wipe out the majority of  all which was achieved over the years by workers.

From as far back as the 1930’s the workers of this country have contributed significantly to the growth and development of this nation. Please allow me to reflect on just three historical events in our past where the working people were told no and they took the words of John Wooden and did what they had to do.

In 1942 an oppressive Government told the workers of the Bahamas that they were not entitle to get an agreed increase in wages. The men of this nation united together and said enough is enough and we had the Burma Road Riot. In 1958 again an oppressive government told the workers of this country that they were not entitled to be treated fairly in their own country. The workers responded with on unified voice and said enough was enough and we had the 1958 General Strike. In 1967 after the workers of this country spoke in a general election and an oppressive government made attempts to undermine the will of the people, the workers said enough is enough and we had majority rule.

Today in our country an oppressive, arrogant and worthless government is telling the workers of this country that they are unfit to operate BTC and Bahamians are unworthy of owning 100% of BTC. Tonight, I say, enough is enough. As a member, in good standing of the Bahamas communications & Public Officers Union and a Trade Unionist by heart, I join with the thousands of workers and say to this heartless and dumbfounded government, that we had enough and we will not take it anymore.

Any right thinking, honest person can take a look at this BTC deal and see that “something stinks”. My sister and brothers something is wrong with this and I believe someone is not telling the Bahamian People the whole story.  The fundamental question Bahamians are asking is, If The Prime Minister was negotiating on behalf of C and W and Cable and wireless was negotiating on behalf of their company, then who was negotiating on behalf of Bahamians.  When I heard The Prime Minister  announcing the greatest give away in the history of The Bahamas, I saw members of  his Cabinet hold their head down in shame and one of them came over to me afterwards and said quietly, This is not the Ingraham we elected in 1992 and 1997,  he suggested that there must be some mental imbalance going on with the Prime Minister as he could not be in his right mind to sign a contract like this on behalf of The Bahamian people.

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