The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

It was with some amazement that we read and listened to the Prime Minister’s bold and vigorous assertion last week that the Opposition’s ability to ask questions of the government is not an entitlement! This from someone who never misses an opportunity to trumpet his commitment to openness and transparency.

To be clear, he is technically correct. The rules promulgated by a supposedly progressive group of politicians headed by none other than the Hon. Minister of Works, Alfred Sears, actually leaves the future of democracy at the mercy of the government of the day! Amazing! Time to change the rules prime minister!

Actually, it would be a stretch to call that House Rules Committee progressive: Alfred Sears, Fred Mitchell, the late Tennyson Wells, Brent Symonette, Neko Grant, Frank Smith and Pleasant Bridgewater!

It would be fair to say that this iteration of the PLP provides another inflection point in the life of The Bahamas, which demands that the analog leadership of Sir Lynden and those who followed him give way to today’s digital reality.

As time and human activity seem to speed up, so apparently has the incidence of these crossroads moments.

The last such moment was in 2017.

Recognising it as such, the Bahamian people reached out for a transformative, inspirational leader, but were sorely disappointed by a someone who did not recognise the circumstances in which he found himself and as a consequence could not and did not properly exploit it.

As the saying goes, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them!”

The era of Sir Lynden Pindling began in 1967 but did not end with his defeat in 1995. It included the tenure of his two acolytes Hubert Ingraham and Perry Christie and ended we thought, when Mr Christie lost his government for the final time in 2017.

The welcome respite was short lived though in every respect and 4½ years later, the final piece in Sir Lynden’s analog legacy is now on full display with Prime Minister Philip Davis, the 3rd partner in the triumvirate, Christie, Ingraham, Davis & Co.

The transformational leadership required to move The Bahamas fully into the 21st century has not been evinced so far in the actions of Mr Davis as prime minister. Note his responses to Opposition leader, the indefatigable and relentless Michael Pintard with respect to opposition day and his refusal to let PS Luther Smith or any other Permanent Secretary, appear before the Public Accounts Committee. That is undoubtedly regressive behaviour steeped in the stranglehold of 20th century politics.

It was heartening to see Mr Pintard in his uncompromising way, stand his ground and refuse to accept the word of the government on question time in parliament and other matters. When placed in an historical perspective, given the recent revelations of untruths uttered by the prime minister and minister of works, especially as it relates to BPL, it would be fair to say that only a fool would believe them. We believe that Mr Pintard’s unceasing steadfastness and commitment to democracy and standing strong in the interest of the Bahamian people is most exemplary as he seeks to change systems that do not serve us well.

Mr Davis has spent a good portion of his time in office travelling the world. When at home, his behaviour harkens back to his tenure as Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for BEC and BAMSI, when he could not be relied upon to provide credible information on either institution. That has not changed! He still is not able to provide credible and reliable information on either!.

To be fair again, it can also be argued that the 21st century mindset was not so evident in the actions of the previous prime minister either.

One sign of a transformational leader is a willingness to actually try something different to get different results. To dismiss the status quo and heed the admonition that doing the same thing over and over is the definition of insanity! In its definition, transformational leadership is a leadership approach that causes change in individuals and social systems!

In his weekly Consider This column on Monday, Philip Galanis opined that one of the reasons for our inability to solve problems is “the proliferation of political polarisation that has enveloped our national discourse.” This according to Galanis, from a political directorate, “which is ensconced in the perpetual campaign of one-upmanship,” with politics that has become a zero-sum activity, where both major political parties have adopted an attitude that “for me to win, you must lose.”

This zero-sum scenario creates atmosphere of antagonism, he says, that frequently obfuscates the approach to finding acceptably workable solutions for all parties or what could be seen to be a consensus.”

I reference Mr Galanis, because what he is advocating is transformational leadership! Something Michael Pintard attempted during his tenure as a minister in the last administration, as he called for putting the politics aside until election was called, in order to bring the most talent to national problems. That cost him political capital and the enmity of many of his colleagues.

And I submit that the people of Marco City must recognise something transformational about Mr Pintard, who they re-elected in 2021, a first for that constituency since David Thompson was elected in the 1990 bye-election and in the 1992 and 1997 general elections. Five election cycles!

This man who had his share of political misfortunes and setbacks and who saw his life upset and nearly destroyed by Hurricane Dorian, when given the opportunity set about being the change, he wanted to see using Marco City as his template. He believed that there was no better place to show and hone your ability to effect national change than in your constituency. Something none of the other prime ministers, except for Mr Ingraham, was able to do.

While pulling the FNM back from the brink of total disintegration, he set about rebuilding his constituency, introducing programmes that challenged the intellect and will of his people, including a back yard farming initiative, a tech hub that not only provides access to computers, but the opportunity to learn broadcasting among other things. His tenacity brings to mind another Michael, who refused to let any obstacles stand in his way. The world called him Iron Mike!

GEORGE KNIGHT

Nassau,

March 1, 2023