MP for Bain and Grants Town Travis Robinson.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
BAIN & Grants Town MP Travis Robinson wants to make a special address to Parliament at the start of the next House of Assembly sitting, but senior officials in the Free National Movement have no idea what he will say.
Of the four FNM MPs who voted against an increase in value added tax to 12 percent this week, he is the only one requesting consideration to make a special communication.
One source in the party has told The Tribune Mr Robinson is expected to announce his intention to become an independent parliamentarian, though this has been shot down by others in the FNM.
Asked yesterday if he is going independent, Mr Robinson said “no comment.”
The 23-year-old had planned to run in Bain & Grants Town as an independent candidate before joining the FNM’s ticket in late 2016.
“I have no idea what he will say,” FNM Chairman Carl Culmer told The Tribune yesterday. “I’m not worried. I think Travis is a good gentlemen and I think he will do the right thing. I think he supports the party and I think it will stay that way.”
Yesterday, House Speaker Halson Moultrie said he has not received Mr Robinson’s letter.
Asked about this, Mr Robinson told The Tribune he signed off on the letter and, though he sent for it to be delivered by a staff member, “the letter never made it.”
“(Mr Moultrie) will be in possession of the letter by start of day Monday morning,” Mr Robinson said.
Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis fired him as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Tourism this week for voting against VAT’s increase, a breach of Westminster protocols. It was a stunning development for someone who symbolised the party’s youth outreach efforts on the campaign trail last year.
His VAT vote drew criticism from the FNM’s Bain and Grants Town Constituency Association and spurred anger throughout the party. Residents of the community, however, appear to overwhelmingly support his action, some telling The Tribune he is “for the people.”
Speaker Moultrie said he must be given at least a day’s notice of an MP’s request to make a special communication to Parliament. Mr Robinson’s letter must contain the “contents of what he will present,” he said, adding: “The contents will then be reviewed and if there isn’t anything inflammatory or controversial in it, it will be approved. If there is something controversial, recommendations will be made to him and once he complies with the recommendations there will be no difficulty allowing him to speak.”
Comments
BahamaRed 5 years, 10 months ago
And so what if what he wants to say is controversial... this country like it wants a bunch of sheep as leaders. And anyone who doesn't follow will be dragged. Smt...
We really need to reevaluate our whole political system. Smh...
licks2 5 years, 10 months ago
No not the political system. . .but our "bent" on doing whatever the hell we like and don't want anybody tell us a damn thing otherwise!! Yall want everything moved that will not allow me to do what I feel like! Changes are necessary for democracy to flourish. . .but to change things every time anybody can't do what he/she feels like. . ."things gatta change around here"! Mr. Robinson has become a "loose cannon" a leading citizen in Bain's town told me. . . he was knocking heads with the CA for a while. . .
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 10 months ago
I believe you're incorrect. He's probably dong nothing today that he wasn't doing when the FNM went courting him. The problem your party had is with their expectations. What you expected was for him to be a loyal tin soldier and that's not in his DNA.
Greentea 5 years, 10 months ago
Licks2 is a political ass kisser. Always spouting pure partisan tripe. They used to say the PLP had hired people to debunk sane statements - mostly about them- on sites like this before they were thrown out and apparently the FNM has done the same with Licks 2. Disregard him or her.
bogart 5 years, 10 months ago
@BahamaRed....fully agree that a different system is needed....for governamce of the people....by the people ..and for the people.....!!!!!!....
DDK 5 years, 10 months ago
Just allow the man to speak his mind. PM already fired him for doing that. PM spoke for four long hours attempting to placate public on draconian VAT increase.
bogart 5 years, 10 months ago
Roc wid Doc was on to someting wid being the CEO ...first time...of nation ...and no minister portfolio...to be in charge....an settin up offices in Family Islands...to be right wid the people...some of them most needing him.....an den everybody jumps right in dere.fer dere 15 minutes an kerpunkle tings right up...
sheeprunner12 5 years, 10 months ago
Travis was the shining star of the 2017 election for millennials .......... now 50% of the country has been given a hard lesson in the "rules of adulthood" .......... and sadly, the mature adults are not helping the youth to appreciate this political "teachable moment" .......... Travis must be careful not to follow the PLP red herrings (because the PLP do not care about the youth).
licks2 5 years, 10 months ago
He need to watch his buddies them. . .they will stay with the FNM. . .Travis will probably take their bait. NOW IS THE TIME TO SEE IF HE IS REALLY FOR THE PEOPLE AND HAS A HIGH MORAL FIBER!! Remember the FNM fund his election bid. . .all of it. . .there are mostly FNMs who put him in HOA the because he represented their party! That's their seat. . .the right thing to do is resign as their representative, allow for a bi-election, renominate as an independent, find his own funds and run as his own man!! He will lose by a long shot. . .he knows that. If he give the people back their seat (the FNM Bain Towners worked hard and won that). . .so if he is really for the best interests of the people let him give them FNMs their things and go look for his own.
He must remember that if he declare as an independent the FNMs will stay with their party. . .the PLP will support him. . .possibly fund him. . . the swing voters will not support him. . .he is dead meat politically. . .
TheMadHatter 5 years, 10 months ago
"...adding: “The contents will then be reviewed and if there isn’t anything inflammatory or controversial in it, it will be approved."
He should not send in the letter. Tell the press he is "reviewing it to ensure it contains nothing inflammatory" and just say those same exact words every time the subject comes up...for yeah and evermore.
licks2 5 years, 10 months ago
So do we change that hundred years old rule to suite this one man? If he is acting his conscience why not send the letter in? Whats with yinna people. . .ya mean everything we must "wan sneg unda da fence" and can't act like we got some moral balls. . .if he is in the right who care what is in the letter. . .as long as is it what he wants to say!! That rule een ger change just for you, him or me. . . get yanna stuff in one pile. . .stop the childish nonsense and act like we know how to behave in big people company!!
bogart 5 years, 10 months ago
Yes..........money campaign funds.....no laws...??..no regulations..??..and many doners simply give secretly to different sides...foreign???local??how much???...rxamples of countries being swayed to vote internationally...multi national corpotations getting involved....drug dealers???.....crooks???...persons going into politics pore an .....?? Campaign finance .....this is an issue that needs to be addressed
sheeprunner12 5 years, 10 months ago
Mark my words ........ If Travis stand up in the House to address his dismissal ........ he will be BOOED
licks2 5 years, 10 months ago
He is already booed in his community. . .many people in that area thought he is "doin fool". Andrea Rollins and LBT, Bran and Rodney Moncur thought that they too were the darlings of the people. . . then the people abandoned for what they thought was "best for the country". . . like doc Rollins, this young man may become seen as a "snake". . .and nobody will want him around!!
TheMadHatter 5 years, 10 months ago
Licks2 says "...get yanna stuff in one pile. . .stop the childish nonsense and act like we know how to behave in big people company!!"
Licks, i don't know how much more "big people" someone can get than to be a Member of Parliament representing over 8,000 people. Sounds pretty big to me. Yet, he must ask the Speaker for permission to speak? Raise his hand like he is in 3rd grade?
This, in effect, means all of his constituents are like 3rd graders and they have no representation except thru the graces of the House Speaker.
Licks - if this is what you call democracy? The govt is surely happy that you accept it.
licks2 5 years, 10 months ago
Just like I always telling yinna around here. . .LEARN TO READ IN CONTEXT AND STICK WITH THE ERIS TOPIC. . .you all over the place like you are in the "lil chirrins dem class". Will somebody please tell this poster that he/she talking way off from what I post. . .if I post it he/she will automatically go into "duh" mode and lose the ability to read and understand anything beyond their politics! As usual it seems. . .
Greentea 5 years, 10 months ago
If the following statement is true- this is not a democracy and more than that we have a bunch of idiots and sheep in government. No surprise we are in the position we are. Who gets to decide what is "inflammatory or controversial" and in relation to what? "Speaker Moultrie said he must be given at least a day’s notice of an MP’s request to make a special communication to Parliament. Mr Robinson’s letter must contain the “contents of what he will present,” he said, adding: “The contents will then be reviewed and if there isn’t anything inflammatory or controversial in it, it will be approved. If there is something controversial, recommendations will be made to him and once he complies with the recommendations there will be no difficulty allowing him to speak.”
TheMadHatter 5 years, 10 months ago
LOL. Isn't this forum cool - esp. when you have notifications turned on? You can see when someone else posts by getting an email notice. :-)
bogart 5 years, 10 months ago
...the Westminister system has to work both ways....order and decorum ....etc Notice though ...those who jump right up to support the party on the Westminister system .....aint jump up as yet to .....cite chapter verse to support this ...members rights under the very same Westminister System.....
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 10 months ago
It's funny, Minnis likes to say he supports young people. Well this is what young people do, they buck the establishment, they take greater risks than an older experienced person would take. And sometimes those risks result in good, no one really knows up front, it's a risk...anyway, play with puppy, puppy lick yuh mouth
Socrates 5 years, 10 months ago
it makes no difference.. if he goes, he goes. if he stays, he stays. wtf? the sun will rise tomorrow. Some thought the world would come to an end when Pindling was voted out too. nothing will change because you have a few disgruntled personalities. Rollins, Loretta, Greg, all of them thought the world would stop turning on its axis based on their actions too. Give me a break... this life is bigger than any one individual.. has to be like that to ensure survival of the species.
sheeprunner12 5 years, 10 months ago
ThisisOurs & Socrates ......... both of you raise some pertinent points ........ However, it is a slippery slope when you raise taxes and then punish the political face of the majority of the population .... in 2022, this voting group will remember what happened to Travis ........ and Doc and his old inner circle will have to answer some hard questions ........ Just saying
CatIslandBoy 5 years, 10 months ago
In 2022 Travis will simply be a footnote in Bahamian political history. No one in the Bahamas, except for a few voters in Bain's Town, will even remember him, or even what he stood for. Loretta Butler-Turner and the Rebel Seven, Bran McCartney, Doc Rollins et al can all attest too this.
gbgal 5 years, 10 months ago
He has to learn to take his licks! He made his decision and his leader made his. Travis doesn't have to justify anything. Suck it up and accept the consequences. Maybe in the future, someone will recall there was an opposing view. It won't change the price of rice in China. Welcome to the real world, my boy. Your job is to represent your constituents and no excuses!
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