Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.
By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT
tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net
BEFORE a meeting of Free National Movement executives to map the way forward for the party, a high-ranking council member is blaming Cabinet ministers for not “challenging” former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on positions he took.
There will be an FNM executive meeting held today and a council meeting tomorrow where, according to one council member, party leader Dr Minnis and another FNM member of Parliament-elect will be asked to resign.
The Tribune was told a decision will be made on who succeeds Dr Minnis as party leader and a list made of the best candidates to run in a possible by-election.
“We lost because we fell out of touch with the Bahamian people,” the council member said. “What is worse is that the Cabinet sat there week after week in front of Dr Minnis and refused to tell him how unpopular his positions were in terms of governance, that he was falling out of touch with the people and that they were generally unhappy with his leadership. They just sat there, thinking of themselves and not putting him in check.”
The council member asked to remain anonymous in order to speak candidly about internal party matters.
“Worst of all is that we neglected our real party supporters. We did not address outstanding matters with them and we pushed them to the side like we did not need them. They repaid the favour by not going to the polls.”
The FNM insider also wants Long Island MP-elect Adrian Gibson to resign his seat.
Mr Gibson was ensnared in a controversy ahead of the general election involving contracts issued by the Water and Sewerage Corporation during his time as executive chairman. Mr Gibson has denied any wrongdoing and was one of seven FNM candidates who won their races last week.
After conceding the party’s defeat on Thursday, Dr Minnis announced his intent to stay on as leader of the party and the official opposition. The FNM council member said he does not think the Killarney MP-elect has wide support.
“Dr Minnis has been calling around since election night asking for support to stay on as leader,” the council member continued. “Many people have told us that he has called and made promises of Senate seats and the likes. I don’t think he is going to get the support he needs. He has to face us and he has to resign. Feelings may be hurt, but the place must be gutted out.
“We are not going to allow Dr Minnis or anyone else who has upset our supporters or the wider public, to continue on with affiliation to this party to cause more upset. In the FNM we stand for certain things and we have obviously let our supporters down. We have allowed this party to take on a different look and personality that is foreign to us and we must now seek to move away from that image and regain what we were.”
The party insider said the FNM has moved away from its core ideals and now has supporters who have migrated from the Progressive Liberal Party “hungry for contracts.”
“With the influx of this new breed of PLP/FNMs comes the withdrawal of our real party supporters,” the source said. “FNMs who always supported the party have stayed away so as not to be associated with the new breed who seem to be running the party with the doctor’s blessings. This has to stop and now.”
FNM chairman Carl Culmer declined to comment when contacted about the reported issues yesterday.
Meanwhile, the council member said the FNM hopes to accomplish a great deal of “healing” within the party and establish a new regime before the opening of Parliament on October 6.
Comments
bahamianson 2 years, 7 months ago
I don't think there is a right answer or a wrong answer. However, if Dr. Minnis lost touch with voters , why did he win his seat with more that 600 votes? If the FNM lost touch with the voters, why did Cartwright defeat Halkitis in a grassroot constituency? Why did thompson win in Grand Bahama? Could it be that Thompson and cartwright worked and were in their constituencies the whole time?It would have been impossible for cartwright to win against Halkitis with Halkitis beating the ground everyday. That means, cartwright was visible in his constituency. So, maybe the other candidates needed to be more visible in their constituencies, they needed to work the ground , more. That's all, no more, no less. Brave arose from the old guard and became Prime Minister. He was there in the" apparent" corrupt government a few years ago when they were swept. People said he should not be leader, and here we are today. There is no magic, just work you constituency and mingle with the people. Stop being arrogant , roll up your selves and become " one of them".
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 7 months ago
He win his seat because certain constituencies lean FNM and some lean PLP. Typically rich communities lean FNM while poor communities lean PLP. Thats not classist, its just the way the parties have branded themselves historically. The PLP just stop playing Roots yesterday and the FNM is the investor friendly/UBP i.e. I see rich people party. You can tell how far he fell out of favour in that even in that constituency he only got 51% of the vote
mandela 2 years, 7 months ago
The FNMs or the PLPs can't succeed alone, Every party wins with swing voters, so instead of talking about my FNMs or my PLPs try thinking of serving ALL.
carltonr61 2 years, 7 months ago
The FNMs that did not vote then caused the great defeat of 2021 are not considered swing voters but Bahamian Nationalists who love country above tribalism.
DonAnthony 2 years, 7 months ago
Wow. I finally agree with you on something.
licks2 2 years, 7 months ago
If you do the "math" with the election stats you will see that "swing voters" basically "sat-this-one-out"with possible some FNM and PLPs! For example, 123,348 votes were cast out of, all things being equal, 190+ registered voters. This results approximatly 64.920% roughly estimated. . .since we are not given the precise data by the parlimentary record office. . .meaning approximatly 25% registred voters did not vote!!
The PLP won with its base!! This assessment can change when other information is presented to the public.
SP 2 years, 7 months ago
This man is totally delusional. Nothing has changed. The Minnis Cabinet sat back quietly with their tails between their legs and lined their pockets exactly the same as Christie, Ingraham, and Pindlings Cabinet did!
Cabinet ministers have no history of advocating for the country of constituents. This is the reason Minnis, Christie, Ingraham, and Pindling all became ruthless dictators.
Can anyone recall a Cabinet Minister ever going on record criticizing a Prime Minister or resigning on matters of conscious?
Every Prime Minister so far has gone full-stupid-drunk with power and every Cabinet crashed and burned along with them.
Godson 2 years, 7 months ago
Yes. Hubert Ingraham and Perry Christie.
carltonr61 2 years, 7 months ago
Minnis goal was to destroy the DNA in order to preserve the old guard heritage. Seems Brave is starting off very brave indeed in restoring public convidence, sanity and faith in government.
ohdrap4 2 years, 7 months ago
Back in 1992, I heard an old woman say "Bahamians are not king makers" when Pindling's daughter lost the election. They also refused to elect Tommt Turnquest prime minister.
Minnis made himself king. Knowing his seat was safe, people held the spineless responsible.
What are we missing now? Can a worse minister of education than Jeffrey Lloyd be chosen? A worse minister of health than Renward Wells? A more sonambulant minister than Romauld Ferreira.
And Duane Sands fell because he was going to talk show talking about lockdowns.
Economist 2 years, 7 months ago
Minnis was so busy scoring victories over people he held a grudge against (like Dr. Sands and Peter Turnquest) that he forgot about running the country.
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 7 months ago
Weird. Where was this council member for the last 5 years. I hope they were in the minority group calling for a convention. Because that ship was teetering from June 2017. Anybody who holds an office who advised on the election date or propped Minnis up as some great leader needs to offer their resignation, including Carl Culmer and Maurice Moore. They would also have to be out of touch.
They also have to manage the resignations to ensure that the people want the candidate coming in to replace the resigning officer. Drop my cheque by the big tree in harbour Bay.
Put one a dem bat signals on the tribune banner so I know when to pick it up
ohdrap4 2 years, 7 months ago
The council member still speaks anonymously.
We even here undercthe cover of nom de plummes gave better advice.
DonAnthony 2 years, 7 months ago
I live in Long Island and my entire family did not vote because of this Gibson scandal. Gibson has to go!!!
sheeprunner12 2 years, 7 months ago
You are gullible to PLP antics. Wise up
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 7 months ago
Gibson has refused to answer any of the very shady allegations against him. Has any over enthusiastic person ever deposited money in your bank account without your knowledge
JokeyJack 2 years, 7 months ago
Maybe next time instead of staying home, you can come out and vote for a good person to put in the House to represent you. Now you have nobody, and can lick dirt another 5 years.
DonAnthony 2 years, 7 months ago
I see your favorite party COI won a lot of seats. Let me know when you get your 150k from Lincoln Bain😂
TalRussell 2 years, 7 months ago
Can you believe, even the Guardian's Talkie Show Host, Comrade Juan, has performed extreme gymnastics flip on his most idolized Jeffery Lloyd? — The Guardian's — on-air personalities — are tripping over their voices in a raised chorus of high praises of Comrade Philip, Edward "Brave" Davis.
— But for privileged chance to kiss the ring of the Colony's newly sworn-in Premier, — Minnis, would still be the Guardian Talkies, most — officially on-air scripted admired. — Could it be the on-air talkies got an urgent memo from the station's owner how the station doesn't — again — wish fall victim to the hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost red government's advertising revenue, — Somethin' which even Comrade Juan, had reflected on during the closing days 2021 election, — Yes?
tribanon 2 years, 7 months ago
I suspect you know, as many of us do, that whenever the political landscape changes the likes of Candia and Juan have little choice but to swing in whatever political direction best suits the business interests of their Greek master. LOL
TalRussell 2 years, 7 months ago
Got a quick peek at the harshly-worded internal memo, directly from — The Desks of one of the two — 60% Principle Owners of the Guardian's shares. — And with the 2021 election's hidden — Colony's JunkBond news only now surfacing, understandably so, — no corporation's workers, — Can expect the Owners to — repeat — the unnecessarily sufferin' — What should've been a given, to have — avoidable losses, amounting upwards the hundreds of thousands of dollars in on-air advertising revenues, — Yes?
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 7 months ago
Not true of either.
tribanon 2 years, 7 months ago
Tal knows exactly what I'm talking about here.
carltonr61 2 years, 7 months ago
The Bahamas honors Juan and Candia for bravely taking on the Minnis juaganaut as they fearlessly strive to look under the rocks of deception to surprise and totally shock the public. Sometimes the truths the Guardian spoke to power was heartbreaking. We are in a better place because they fought, kicked and bit, took brushes, but they still stand tall. The same cannot be said of Minnis who was floored.
truetruebahamian 2 years, 7 months ago
Hubert Minnis, go with God - but Go! (Before you do any more damage.)
tribanon 2 years, 7 months ago
Amen!
sheeprunner12 2 years, 7 months ago
The biggest FNM albatross is HAI. Now he sowing seeds of division HAM vs Duane. HAI gatta go
tribanon 2 years, 7 months ago
Ingraham opened our country's door to Red China in 1992 and we have been paying a very dear price for that fatal mistake ever since then.
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 7 months ago
Clearly you dont know Minnis. Noone needs to sew any seeds of divisiveness. Where Loretta letter?
TalRussell 2 years, 7 months ago
A family member has done spotted — 3 government cars, — scootin' abouts Nassau Town — occupied by Reds. Figuring, Out Islander appointed Reds. would've been issued with like — minium — two government fleet vehicles,— Yes?
jackbnimble 2 years, 7 months ago
It’s a little too late to point fingers now. The horse is out of the gate. When he stood up after being appointed leader and Declared that the ‘Ingraham days were over’ then proceeded to gut the party by getting rid of anyone who supported Ingraham and opposed him, they should have realized the party was in trouble. Yet everyone sat by and let him run it amuck. I guess they were too busy singing for their supper and sucking up to get in with him. This man was a problem from the start. Pity it took losing an election for the party to realize it.
I have never been so happy to see someone out of power.
Worse Prime Minister ever!!!
tribanon 2 years, 7 months ago
Couldn't agree with you more.
SP 2 years, 7 months ago
I hear you people calling Minnis the worst prime minister ever, however, It is hard to imagine anything worse than Hubert Ingraham telling Bahamians his solution to the Haitian invasion was for Bahamians to learn Creol, or Chinese sell-out, dancing-jackass Christie telling us "he was one of them too" and he wanted to see a Haitian prime minister in the Bahamas.
Minnis and his Cabinet were unquestionably totally out of touch with the electorate and had a habit of talking down to the populace like we were all D average citizens beneath them.
Commandant Jeff Llyod was one who definitely had a hair up his ass. Renward Wells quickly became aloof as Minnis henchman and followed Minnis hook line and sinker to his political demise.
TalRussell 2 years, 7 months ago
I predict there will be an — influential Creole-speaking Leader,— championing the role which — All rightful Bahamalanders, — should play in the colony's development and affairs. — Yes?
SP 2 years, 7 months ago
Another major "FUBAR" Minnis made was to shut down liquor stores in the beginning of the pandemic. That was an inhumane totally insensitive thing to do in a country known to have a majority drinking population!
This huge lack of empathy along with the banning of N95 masks were among the first signs that Minnis was incapable of caring for peoples needs.
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