Clifton A Nest Egg of Economic Empowerment, Says Ritchie:
By Vanessa C. Rolle -
Nassau, Bahamas:

Confident that he will be elected as the first parliamentary representative for the newly created Clifton Constituency, businessman Jackson Ritchie said last night the controversial Clifton property holds many economic opportunities for Bahamians.

At a PLP rally held at the carnival site of the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre, Mr. Ritchie told thousands of supporters of the intrinsic wealth of the Clifton property and how the FNM administration was prepared to sell this prized historical property for the construction of a gated community.

Once inhabited by the Lucayan Indians, and later, slaves, the Clifton plantation will be transformed into the first national theme park and managed by the Clifton Heritage Authority, he said.

"Everywhere you turn in Clifton you can see our heritage, but more importantly, you can also see the dynamic future that has been put in place by this Christie government that will blossom, bringing Clifton’s people great economic benefit and security," Mr. Ritchie told the crowd.

He said that the FNM government would have sold the land to foreigners "to make a golf course on our ancestor’s graves," but the PLP administration’s plan for the area would directly and positively impact the development of the Clifton community by bringing employment, spin-off businesses and prosperity.

"Tourists and Bahamians alike will flock to his theme park every day of the year and will enrich the Clifton constituency with many kinds of employment and educational opportunities," he said.

Yet, apart from the developments at Clifton, Mr. Ritchie urged Bahamians to take a look at the transformation of the entire Bahamas.

Under the Christie administration, he said, The Bahamas’ present economic state is rewarding and there is a dynamic future ahead as the prime minister employs his visionary concept of anchor properties owned by both Bahamian and foreign investors.

"These anchor properties, which are investments not only in The Bahamas but in the future of The Bahamas, represent a steady income stream for many Bahamians in today’s Bahamas, and also a steady source of employment in the future as these properties grow and expand to meet the demands in the years to come," Mr. Ritchie continued.

At the heart of the PLP’s governance has been the welfare of the Bahamian people as evidenced also in its successful urban renewal programmes in the inner cities of Grand Bahama and New Providence, and the establishment of the "cradle-to-the-grave" health system called National Health Insurance, he added.

On the Family Islands, the quality of life of many families has also vastly improved with major infrastructural developments, he said.’

"Everywhere, Bahamians are being touched by the caring and compassion of the Christie government, a government that is truly concerned about everyone, not just the privileged few that are trying to bring back the bad old days when Hubert Ingraham’s FNM took very good care of that very small bunch," Mr. Ritchie said.

Bahamians are standing at the threshold of an economic development boom where everyone will benefit from such a time of opportunity and empowerment, Mr. Ritchie said.

He said that he is committed to use his business skills and knowledge to help make the constituency of Clifton a well-run community where everyone has access to information on jobs, opportunities and matters of national interest.

"I want to see the people of Clifton truly benefit from the wealth that is all around them from the natural and historic treasures and from the economic growth that is on its way to western New Providence," Mr. Ritchie said.

"I will make sure that the people of Clifton are positioned to take advantage of the vibrant economic growth that the Christie government has created and will continue to maintain for the foreseeable future. The people of Clifton will not turn back now."

18 April 2007