7.15pm: Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis says “today represents a new day for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas”. He pays tribute to the election system saying “our demoracy is the envy of many countries around the world.”
He adds “we commit ourselves to the common good of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas”.
7.10pm: Dr Hubert Minnis has been sworn in as the Prime Minister of the Bahamas in Government House.
5.40pm: Unofficial results:
Carmichael: FNM 2,965, PLP 1,584.
Fox Hill: FNM 2,192, PLP 1,978.
Golden Gates: FNM 2,373 PLP 1,816.
Golden Isles: FNM 3,371 PLP 2,057.
Pinewood: FNM 2,283 PLP 1,654.
Fox Hill: FNM 2,192 PLP 1,978.
Freetown: FNM 2,390 PLP 1,379.
Killarney: FNM 4,163 PLP 1,087.
Nassau Village: FNM 2,554 PLP 1,602.
Cat Island: FNM 546 PLP 844.
Long Island: FNM 882 PLP 528.
South Beach: FNM 2,893 PLP 1,284.
St Barnabas: FNM 1,834 PLP 1,273.
Southern Shores: FNM 2,589 PLP 1,728.
Central and South Eleuthera: FNM 1,742 PLP 1,679.
East Grand Bahama: FNM 3,672 PLP 1,626.
Marco City: FNM 3,451 PLP 1,773.
Yamacraw: FNM 2,581 PLP 1,700.
Central Grand Bahama: FNM 3,652 PLP 1,749.
Pineridge: FNM 2,495 PLP 2,028.
West End: FNM 2,619 PLP 2,370.
Englerston: FNM 1,666 PLP 1,800.
4.45pm: More official results have come in and plenty of unofficial ones. Travis Robinson of the FNM has officially won Bain & Grants Town and Brensil Rolle is the official winner of Garden Hills.
4.00pm: The FNM's Dr Duane Sands has been confirmed as the winner of the Elizabeth seat.
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Deputy Chief Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
AFTER leading his party to a stunning landslide victory and dealing a paralysing blow to the Progressive Liberal Party last night, incoming Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis declared that those who have abused positions of trust “have something to fear”.
Speaking to thousands of jubilant supporters at the Q E Sports Centre last night, the Free National Movement leader also announced that he will be sworn in as the Bahamas’ fourth prime minister at 5pm at Government House today.
Dr Minnis pledged that his administration will give Auditor General Terrance Bastian the resources it needs to probe how taxpayers’ dollars were spent under the Christie administration. He said if there is evidence of “criminality”, the new government will allow the law to take its course.
Moments after his maiden speech as the nation’s next leader, Dr Minnis promised that under his watch, Bahamians will have nothing to fear from the government, pointing to victimisation, which he said is “unconstitutional” “immoral” and “wrong”.
According to unofficial results, the FNM was able to pull off a stunning defeat of the PLP, securing a massive 34 of 39 constituencies.
The Parliamentary Registration Department did not release full election results last night, with the last numbers coming in from the government agency around 11pm. However from the unofficial numbers, it appeared that the PLP only captured four seats: Englerston; Cat Island and San Salvador; South Andros as well as Exuma and the Ragged Islands.
An additional seat, Fox Hill, was still being recounted up to press time. This marked the worst defeat for a governing party in recent history.
The FNM’s victory came despite a rocky five years that included two challenges to Dr Minnis’ leadership, continued reports of a fractured party and ultimately his removal from the post of leader of the Official Opposition in the House of Assembly.
“This was a long fought battle, but the victory is not mine - the victory is yours,” Dr Minnis told thousands of FNMs packed on the carnival grounds.
“This is the people’s time and I am your servant and I will listen to you and I will take your orders.”
“After all, this is your time,” he said.
“At 9 o’clock, the Prime Minister (Perry Christie) called me and he conceded and congratulated me and the people on their victory. He said to me that if any advice or assistance is needed, he would give it.
“I got a call from Her Excellency the Governor General (Dame Marguerite Pindling) and she congratulated me and invited me to be sworn in tomorrow at 5 o’clock as the new prime minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
“I want you to always remember this is a great victory for you. Never ever allow the politicians to be in charge again. This is your victory and you will always remain in charge. The people have spoken.
“My colleagues and I in the Free National Movement have been given the solemn responsibility to form the next government of the Bahamas. We have been given a mandate for change.”
‘Awesome mandate’
Dr Minnis told his supporters that he did not take his role lightly, saying his administration was given an “awesome mandate”.
He said: “As we go about the business of governing, we ask for God’s help: that He protect us from the sins of arrogance and greed; that He keeps us ever mindful that this new day is not about us, but about the people we have the honour to serve.
“It’s the people’s time. I thank all Bahamians who did their duty as citizens and voted in this election, including those who did not vote for us. It is the people who give validity and vitality to our parliamentary democracy. It is the people who give life and meaning to the words of our Constitution and our laws.
“I promise you, we promise you, that we will govern for all Bahamians: those who voted for us, those who did not vote for us, and especially those who were unable to vote. I speak of the thousands of young Bahamians who are still in school or still at home.
“I want to assure those Bahamians who supported a party other than the FNM that they will have nothing to fear from us. Our founding fathers did not believe in political victimisation and neither do we. Victimisation is unconstitutional; it is immoral; it is simply wrong.
“Bahamians have a right to vote for the party or candidate of their choice without fear of victimisation. All Bahamians deserve to be treated fairly by their government regardless of which party is in power. So we will not deny any Bahamian equal access to opportunities based on partisan politics.”
“I want to state clearly, however, that those who have abused positions of trust may have something to fear. We will give the auditor general the resources and tools he needs to find out how the people’s money was spent.
“If there is evidence of criminality we will let the law take its course,” Dr Minnis continued.
Dr Minnis said the FNM has much work to do in order to bring order to the affairs of the Bahamian people. He added that the party would work tirelessly to chart a new course of progress and prosperity for the country.
“We have much work to do putting the financial and economic affairs of our country in order. We have much work to do to combat crime and violence. We have much work to do bringing social improvement and saving our young people who are at risk.
“We have much work to do carrying out our plans for infrastructural development in New Providence and the Family Islands. But I am ready. My colleagues are ready. And I know the Bahamian people are ready for this new day. We go now to begin the work of mounting a new government and governing in the best interest of the people,” Dr Minnis said.
Comments
Islandboy242242 7 years, 7 months ago
Nice job, tomorrow starts the cleanup, plenty of work to do and time sensitive hurdles like the Bahamar agreement in relation to fixing the Dump & BPL. Looking forward to progress & change.
bahamiangoddedd 7 years, 7 months ago
I can't wait for the revelations to begin, BAMSI, BAHAMAR, VAT, CARNIVAL and the list goes on. I am sure we will hear some shocking stuff!
ohdrap4 7 years, 7 months ago
marathon remembered!!1
banker 7 years, 7 months ago
I think that his first steps, true to his dogged, stolid nature, will be governance. First you have the right the ship, and then after you are safe, punish those who steered it onto the reef.
Finally, this will be the seminal event to correct the revisionist history of the Bahamas, and the PLP, and prove that from their very inception, they were a criminal racket.
This is a good first step. Many many more are needed.
MassExodus 7 years, 7 months ago
Not to worry the independent auditor general will get all the resources he needs.
The FNM will not be investigating they will be governing...
hj 7 years, 7 months ago
" God can't stop you now"? arrogant sob
Emac 7 years, 7 months ago
You can fool some of the people all the time. You can fool all of the people some of the time. But you cannot fool all of the people all of the time!!! Abraham Lincoln
John 7 years, 7 months ago
Well the PUNCH, the TRIBUNE, The Bahama Journal, The Nassau Guardian and The many Radio Stations made the most money as they ever made in any election in the Bahamas. probably the most money they made for any event in the Bahamas. Especially since special interest groups sponsored so many ads. Too bad for those who did work or ran ads on credit or promises to pay! Poor, broke ZNS.
Reality_Check 7 years, 7 months ago
Don't you worry....Minnis will soon enough be taking from you and me in one form or another to give to ZNS by way of subsidies so that it can pay its bills. You have a small mind @John, one that's not predisposed to seeing the big picture!
DDK 7 years, 7 months ago
Expulsis Piratis/Restituta Commercia. We did it Bahamas!
Reality_Check 7 years, 7 months ago
Glad to see you're still the most blissful person on our planet.
Honestman 7 years, 7 months ago
Mudda / Reality : you are really hurting this morning. We have had your boring monologues for too long now. Let the people celebrate today. Go take a holiday and leave us in peace!
birdiestrachan 7 years, 7 months ago
Grand Bahama has given five seats to the FNM they should be able to turn around the economy of Grand Bahama. Grand Bahama need investors. The Bahamian people appear to be against Chinese Investors. Pintard has lots of money it is my hope he continues to spend. as he has . been doing.
MassExodus 7 years, 7 months ago
Birdie you still alive?! KML Go back to sleep.
realfreethinker 7 years, 7 months ago
birdie you are one bitter soul What does Mr Pintard money has to do with the government's Shut your asshole up you are irrelevant.
Reality_Check 7 years, 7 months ago
Not a single one of the big PLP fish who abused their position of trust has anything to fear now that Minnis has effectively announced there will be no Royal Commission of Enquiry. The big wig PLP crooks now know that they will be protected by Minnis. None of them will be prosecuted and all of them are breathing a huge sigh of relief that they will get away with the millions and millions of dollars they have stolen from the Bahamian people over the past five years. Muddy_sic called it right: Minnis would never commit to the holding of a Royal Commission of Enquiry to investigate (a) the fraudulent Baha Mar deals including outrageous concessions granted to crooked Chinese enterprises, (b) the millions and millions of dollars effectively stolen from BoB by corrupt politicians and their cronies, (c) the quid pro quo arrangements behind the 'legalization' of the racketeering activities of the gaming web shop owners, (d) the Crown Land giveaways, (e) the shenanigans involving BEC/BPL, BTC and Cable Bahamas, (f) the many fraudulent giveaways of our VAT dollars in the year leading up to the general election just held causing an enormous spike upwards in our annual deficit and national debt (now well over $7 billion), and so on. Only just elected and our Prime Minister-elect has already let us all down in a big way. Why is he so prepared to walk away from clawing back for us the mega-millions of dollars stolen from us over the last five years?! Is it perhaps because he is so overwhelmed and knows he has great difficulty walking and chewing gum at the same time?!! Christie, Maynard-Gibson, Fitzgerald, Baltron Bethel, Shane Gibson, Davis and others like them are all laughing at us as they now sit back and enjoy the untold wealth they have illegally gained.......leaving honest, hardworking and struggling taxpayers to foot the bill! Yes indeed, the Bahamian people are getting royally "torched" by Minnis from day one!!!
MassExodus 7 years, 7 months ago
He said in this same article that the auditor general will have all necessary resources...
What are you talking about???
Reality_Check 7 years, 7 months ago
And I've got some mosquito infested swamp land in Andros that I would like to sell to you along with the rights to the vast oil reserves on which it sits. I will even provide you with 50% of the financing you may need to get this deal closed at the earliest possible time. Please have your people call my people asap before you miss out on this incredible once in a lifetime opportunity!
banker 7 years, 7 months ago
You een fooling no one mudda.
realfreethinker 7 years, 7 months ago
mudda and reality are frauds,probably the same person I still it is Bran McCartney
licks2 7 years, 7 months ago
NO WONDER HIS THOUGHT PATTERN IS JUST LIKE A "PARROT". . .contrived and "packaged" for regurgitation and not mental reflection. . .the main focus is pure hate. . .or negativism. . .I guess birdie and tally is/are BBB too aye?
licks2 7 years, 7 months ago
Don't mind him/her. . .doc just proved to be the most effective party-taker-ova since LOP. . .he proved the best "get-cut-azz" and stayed mr. cool public servant we ever had. . .he put the biggest cut-azz the PLP has ever seen in all its history. . .and he has shown that mudder and reality are full er hooey! However, they may come in handy when doc need some immediate "cut-azz" if he do fool. . .them two will be "quicker" to put "question to he mar" while he will have to do some really dumb crap before we kick his hip for him. . .we like the man ya see. . .them just hate him. . .LOL!
alfalfa 7 years, 7 months ago
What makes a "Royal Commission of Enquiry" the be all, and end all, in some peoples minds. Being investigated and exposed by the Auditor General, and prosecuted should it be warranted, is just as, if not more than, effective. Our last Commission of Enquiry exposed all sorts of corruption, but Pindling and Co. kept right on going, with no consequence. Just as much will be exposed in this manner, with a greater chance of retribution. Our government is one half day old, the P/M has not been sworn in, nor the cabinet selected, and we are already getting royally "torched" by Minnis. Have a "reality check" and show some patriotism. The "torching" will happen to those who deserve it in a timely manner. The masses have voted in a new Government, democratically, and have faith in their promises and ability to perform better, and certainly more honestly, than the ball of corruption that just got rolled out. Perry and the boys ran rampant for five years, and Minnis should fix it on day one? He is protecting the PLP? Unreal. Minnis will surprise a lot of people, particularly those on the wrong side of the law, and embroiled in corruption. Go get em Doc.
DDK 7 years, 7 months ago
Thank you, alfafa!
Honestman 7 years, 7 months ago
Well said! I am guessing Mudda / Reality is one of those folks who lives with a huge chip on his shoulder and is never happy unless he has something to complain about. Must be a joy to live with! Let's give the new government a chance. Dr. Minnis has some good people to choose from, people who will get things done. Although there is a long rocky road ahead I am hopeful we are going to make a recovery. The PLP didn't manage to kill us off but they gave it their best shot.
Reality_Check 7 years, 7 months ago
The findings of widespread corruption by the Commission of Enquiry held in the mid to late 1980s were not acted on because Pindling was PM at the time and remained as such until 1992. He was also instrumental in picking three commissioners and keeping them on a short leash financially and otherwise. Assuming the auditor-general could refer matters involving criminal conduct to the attorney general's office, it is doubtful Minnis would allow a single former PLP government official to be prosecuted. Just wait and see.
OMG 7 years, 7 months ago
I agree that outright discrimination is wrong but there are wrongs that need to be righted such as unqualified persons assuming top positions above senior experienced staff in the same dept. Look at the staffing at National Insurance in Governors Harbour as a great example.
The_Oracle 7 years, 7 months ago
Stolen funds should be returned to its rightful owner, the treasury, and prosecution of the common thieves as convicted (man that has a nice ring to it) is essential for all politicians of any strip to be reminded that the responsibility of elected or appointed office is not a scot free grab bag or personal windfall! There is more work to be done than any 36, or even 360 people can do. It will require every decent right thinking Bahamian and yes, even foreigners to correct all that is broken. The civil service must be put back to the written rules regarding approvals, permits, inspections, etc. They have no right to deny or defer, only to receive the required documentation, and rubber stamp asap. Ministerial perusal of and tinkering with projects etc must stop. (save foreign direct investment which also needs cleaning up)
proudloudandfnm 7 years, 7 months ago
Birdie I hope you know this election was 100% about the PLP. The country did not vote in the FNM, they voted out the PLP. I hope you PLPs learn the right lessons. Hubert Minnis, the most failed, inept leader the FNM has ever had is now PM because of your party dear....
banker 7 years, 7 months ago
Aww Peter, you are so wrong.
licks2 7 years, 7 months ago
Now this is "branisque". . .this here is definitely DNA. . . quite dude. .. try hard use that energy to build ya party into the giant it could be. . thats if the next dude takes ova. . .Bran can't make it. . .too hungry for power, lie too much and just een gat the "right-stuff" to be a focused and determined leader. . .like doc! Lol!
birdiestrachan 7 years, 7 months ago
Now that the PLP is gone who will those who love to curse , curse.The Editorial pages and the columnist who will they criticize ? When the Chinese Investors go who will come? Be careful, very careful.
banker 7 years, 7 months ago
Don't worry, there will be lots more to curse once the lid is lifted off Baha Mar. And once we find out where all of the VAT money went. All PLP's should now be waiting for the police to knock at their door.
DonAnthony 7 years, 7 months ago
Dear birdie, I intend to curse no one but I intend to relentlessly criticize the FNM when they engage in corruption, graft, and poor governance, all of which was rampant under the PLP and all of which with your blinders you refused to criticize. This is where partisans like you have failed our country, we will never become the greatest little nation that we could and should be until we put party affiliation aside and speak the truth to leaders who have failed us. Not party first but Bahamian first.
Honestman 7 years, 7 months ago
Well said!
licks2 7 years, 7 months ago
Relax there birdie. . .we ger have plenty work "runnin-down" yinna dirt. . .by the time we focused back on doc "bad-talkin" he would have done learn ha ta talk good long time. . .don't fret there dear friend. . .the PLP left plenty work to do lookin for they teifed things them!
jackflash 7 years, 7 months ago
Any word on Fox Hill?
Has the re count been done?
If Foreign Fred gone so we can call him Forgotten Fred!!?
banker 7 years, 7 months ago
I am urging all of my FNM contacts, now MPs to retract the legislation and make web shops inllegal, and in its place, install a national lottery where all of the profits go into the treasury.
Bahamians are going to play the numbers, so their money might as well be used for the good of the country instead of enriching the webshop bosses.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 7 months ago
I guess in a way it's only fitting that you would not know Minnis and the FNM received considerable financial backing from the web shop bosses in the run up to yesterday's general election. Besides, the time to get politicians to commit to do the kind of heavy lifting you're talking about is well before a general election, not immediately after one - especially one won by an overwhelming landslide!
banker 7 years, 7 months ago
Sigh .... making shiite up again. I have been very close to the FNM campaign and have a good idea from where the money came. Please honour yourself by posting only the truth.
realfreethinker 7 years, 7 months ago
He cant handle the truth
Reality_Check 7 years, 7 months ago
I believe you. The corrupt racketeering web shop owners are well known for hedging their bets. But Minnis and the FNM really should have refused to take their money offered for campaign purposes. Sidney Collie is the problem here - he would take money from anyone, including Lucifer himself! Minnis must watch Collie very carefully until he can be sidelined.
DonAnthony 7 years, 7 months ago
Either that or tax them to within an inch of their life. A max profit margin of only 10% like the port. They are destroying family island communities, at least tax them to pay for all the social ills they create. FNM we are watching and expecting action on these number houses!
alfalfa 7 years, 7 months ago
My question still stands, "WELL MUDDA". Who would you like to see run the country? Is any one or any party up to your stringent standards?
The_Oracle 7 years, 7 months ago
Like DonAnthony, I will be quick to criticize This FNM admin, if caught doing wrong, As I did the last, if only because I expect better from them. I expect more Sensibility, Honesty, Public inclusion and consultation that results in action. Kind of pointless to criticize a PLP Government who had no shame nor care in the world that we all knew what they were doing, and they did it anyway. Scandal after scandal, breach of trust as a modus operandi. Seems the majority of Bahamians do not like arrogance.
alfalfa 7 years, 7 months ago
I assume we are all Bahamian voters, and as such have had our opportunity to decide the Government whom we wish to guide us for the next five years. We should all do our part to make their term a success, as this translates to a better country for all Bahamians. This does not mean we turn a blind eye to any indiscretions on their part. We should hold their feet to the fire to ensure they perform their duties to the benefit of all Bahamians. But most importantly, we need to give them a chance to do what they say they are going to, and thank them for ridding us of the Most corrupt government in our history.The Bay Street boys are kindergarten crooks in comparison to this group, and Frankie and Brads "sunshine boys". Remember them? Pinewood still flooding, and they could care less.
BaronInvest 7 years, 7 months ago
Looks like there is hope for the Bahamas.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 7 months ago
Minnis has to commit himself to: 1. Not taking a Cabinet post ......... 2. Appointing no more than 12 Cabinet Ministers ......... 3. Place effective business-oriented persons in charge of the public corporations ............. 4. Establish a timeline to privatize Bahamasair, BPL, W&SC, and BOB ...... Get rid of double government entities (BAMSI/BAIC, BTVI/NTA, BOB/BMC, UR2.0/DOSS, SURE/STAR etc) ............ 5. Do a public service HR audit and trim 20% of the civil service ...... 6. Close webshop gambling and create a national lottery .......... 7. Clean up the tax loopholes ..... 8. Let the Auditor-General present the facts on the Christie-led government department budgets (and lock up the crooks) ........ 9. Get rid of the hidden unaccounted government expenditure ........... 10. Get back to a calendar year National Budget system wef. January 1, 2018
DonAnthony 7 years, 7 months ago
I agree wholeheartedly with your points, no more bloated cabinets that we can not afford, this civil service needs to be reduced, as many loss making govt corps privatized, and I might add Zns budget cut at least in half. No need for a redundant northern service. We need govt as small as possible while still providing the necessary services we require. We are broke as country, no more living beyond our means, no more paying for essential services with a credit card. Minnis also must produce a balance budget within 3 years, and pass legislation binding our govt to a balanced budget until our deficit is reduced to at least 50 % of GDP.
mangogirl01 7 years, 7 months ago
I agree! Please direct message this to Prime Minister Minnis.
DaGoobs 7 years, 7 months ago
Congratulations for Dr Minnis for staying the course despite the slings and arrows, the bad mouthing, the smears that have been thrown at you by people within your party who portrayed themselves as your friends and your foes in the PLP. You can take comfort from the fact that despite all of this crap that you have had to endure that firstly the people within your party on more than one occasion and now an overwhelming majority of the voters in the Bahamas have demonstrated their faith and belief in you that you are the best person to lead them and this country at this time. Yes, this might be a long distance race run in tranches of 5 years at a time but you have won the first leg of the race of wanting to govern and now start the second leg of actually having to govern. The people of the Bahamas are like a weakening giant and will hold you to your word that you are a servant of the people and that this is the people's time. I wish you the best as you begin this emotional and political roller coaster ride.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 7 months ago
Where are the results for the MICAL constituency???????????
bahamiangoddedd 7 years, 7 months ago
We don't need them, just knowing that V. Alfred Gray is gone is sufficient!
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 7 months ago
Re-post: Glad to see some of you are doing some homework on what powers a Commission of Enquiry (or 'Inquiry' if you) could in fact have. Everyone knows that in a Commonwealth country the sitting U.K. Monarch (represented in the Bahamas by the Governor-General) is nothing more than the titular Head of State. This means little if anything can ever be done at our State level without the involvement of our PM and, by extension, our Parliament. All of that aside, there are no significant statutory restraints on a Commission of Enquiry. Its powers would effectively flow from whatever mandate is crafted by our PM (working with his Cabinet members and Attorney-General) for presentation to (and rubber stamping by) our Governor-General. Under our statute laws, the powers of the auditor-general are much more restricted when it comes to what he or she can or cannot do in the conduct of extensive and intensive investigations, and how the findings may be used. Such restrictions would not apply to a properly constituted Commission of Enquiry with a well defined mandate and given broad powers to accomplish its intended mission. There is really only one reason that I can think of for Minnis being so reluctant to go the route of a Commission; he is fearful that the Commissioners as opposed to himself would be in the driving seat when it comes to saying who should face criminal charges at the end of the day. The last thing we need is a new government all too willing to scratch its predecessor's back for whatever reason(s). I for one am certainly not inclined to have our new PM let bygones be bygones when it comes to the mega-millions swindled from the Bahamian people by the previous corrupt Christie-led PLP government.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 7 months ago
Agreed ........ If it is "the people's time", then the people need to see the TRUTH revealed as to what really went down with Perry's mismanagement
lazybor 7 years, 7 months ago
arrogant
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