The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

In the end, Cool and Steady won the race.

Stabbed in the back by his parliamentary colleagues and ridiculed by a biased and gullible media, Dr. Hubert Minnis remained focused during a vicious and relentless campaign, shoulders squared, inching his way forward.

Neither the jeers of the ruling PLP nor the deceit from within his own parliamentary caucus, nor the cruel jibes deterred him.

What so many people mistook for weakness turned out to be strength.

With the cool and steady hand of a skilled surgeon, Dr. Minnis worked tenaciously behind the scenes, building a strong support base and defying the political pundits.

Today is Dr. Minnis’ day. It is the FNM’s day. Today is the People’s Day.

It’s a well-earned victory for the man, his party and the people.

In the coming days, we will learn the true extent of the damage that has been inflicted upon our country in the last five years. Many campaign promises will remain simply promises for now as the country struggles to regain its footing.

The road ahead won’t be easy.

Working to get a handle on the staggering growth in the public debt, economic development and job creation, crime and the attendant social and educational ills must take centre stage.

But the people have found their voice through organisations like We March and hopefully will never again allow their rights to be trampled, their voices to be quelled or their tax dollars to be squandered.

The people must no longer tolerate secret deals and corruption.

They must hold the new government to the highest standard of accountability.

But above all, they must give Dr. Minnis and his government a chance to move our country forward, together.

ATHENA DAMIANOS

Nassau,

May 10, 2017.