The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham will not be afforded a special sitting in the House of Assembly to bid farewell to his supporters, FNM Chairman Charles Maynard confirmed yesterday.

He said the official end to Mr Ingraham’s career in front line politics, set for Thursday, July 19th, will come with a letter of resignation to House Speaker Kendal Major.

The House does not reconvene until July 25.

Mr Maynard said: “There will only be a presentation of a letter of resignation to the Speaker. The government did not see fit to hold a special sitting of the House on the 19th knowing that he had already set a date to resign. Either they wanted to cause him to change his mind or not go through with it at all.”

This scenario is a stark contrast of former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling’s resignation which came during a House session held for that sole purpose, Chief Clerk Maurice Tynes said.

On Monday, July 7 1997 at 10.22am, before a packed gallery, Sir Lynden stood to resign his seat. At the time he had led the country for 25 years during what he called a critical period in the country’s history.

Referring to the achievement of majority rule in 1967 and the attainment of independence in 1973, he said no two events in the history of the Bahamas was of greater significance. 

Sir Lynden told parliamentarians that he was grateful for the role that the PLP had played in pioneering “the creation of a modern upwardly striving and socially progressive society.”

He also used the address to point out his imperfections as a leader.

“I know that I was less than perfect (and) that along with the successes, there were failures and disappointments.

“When all I did for good is put on the balance against all I did for ill, or failed to do at all, I hope that future generations will not find me sorely wanting.”

Sir Lynden’s resignation took effect at midnight on Wednesday, July 9, marking exactly 41 years as a Member of Parliament.

“I am done now, madam Speaker,” he said. “I have reached the end of my political journey. I have run my course, I have done my best.”

He then stood and declared “long live the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”

On the following day, then Prime Minister Ingraham remembered Sir Lynden as a leader who was intolerable of internal criticisms.

“He crushed all opposition to his leadership,” Mr Ingraham said.

He then recalled that the former leader had purged, as early on as 1965, three members of the seven-member parliamentary team which included Sir Orville Turnquest, Paul Adderley, and Spurgeon Bethel.

“Jealously guarding his position in his party, Sir Lynden imposed a level of discipline not previously known,” Mr Ingraham said.

Sir Lynden led the PLP to a crushing defeat by Mr Ingraham and the FNM in the March 14, 1997 general elections. He resigned as PLP leader a short time later.