The Tribune

THE AGE of Hubert Ingraham is over. Or is it?

Regardless of what is being said today history will be kind to our second prime minister, a strong and politically wise administrator, who arrived at the right time in our nation’s history. His fearless decisiveness saved this country from certain doom.

The late Sir Lynden Pindling — this nation’s first prime minister— established his place in history with majority rule. However, during his 25-year administration most of today’s social ills were born and bred — drugs, corruption, crime and scandals. It ended with Bahamians crying out for jobs.

The Commission of Inquiry into the transshipment of drugs, which reported in 1984, left Sir Lynden with a dark cloud over his head. Internationally the Bahamas was known as “A Nation for Sale” — it was a pariah among nations, and off the map for tourists.

And so when the history of these islands is written Sir Lynden will be recorded as “the father of the nation for Majority Rule, but…” and it is after that “but” that a blemished record will be detailed.

In August, 1992 Sir Lynden’s PLP was defeated by Hubert Ingraham, once the great man’s protégé, now his successor called to right the wrongs of the Pindling administration and pull the country back from the abyss.

Mr Ingraham was a stickler for correct procedure. Sir Lynden was so shocked by his government being rejected by the people that for a time Bahamians were nervous that he might create a constitutional crisis by refusing to step down.

Mr Ingraham had to call Legal Affairs to suggest that Sir Clifford Darling be instructed in his duties of swearing-in the new prime minister. He also called the Secretary to Government House to give Sir Clifford a gentle nudge. Nothing happened. Then one day a letter arrived from Government House appointing Mr Ingraham prime minister. Although Mr Ingraham knew that this was not the correct way of inducting a prime minister, he went along with the unconventional procedure and got on with the job of governing a bankrupt country.

Mr Ingraham accomplished much and history will have much to record to his credit. Once more the country was respected internationally, and the economy was doing well. Although a shocked Sir Lynden predicted that the Ingraham government would not last a term, it in fact completed two terms in office.

On May 2, 2002, Mr Perry Christie — Mr Ingraham’s former law partner — who had succeeded Sir Lynden as PLP leader defeated the FNM at the polls and was now the government. At the time Mr Tommy Turnquest was the party leader with Mr Ingraham the prime minister. As soon as the polls closed and Mr Ingraham realised that his party had been defeated, he called Mr Christie to congratulate him. He also informed him that FNM leader Turnquest would be calling him to concede defeat on behalf his government and that he had notified Governor-General Dame Ivy Dumont and she would swear Mr Christie in the following day.

Of course, we shall not go into the shambles that followed the defeat of the Christie government in 2007. Apparently they were so shocked at their defeat that Mr Ingraham’s swearing-in was again delayed.

Again Mr Ingraham excelled at the helm of state, but the collapse of the world’s economy crept up on cat’s paws, taking everyone by surprise. By the actions of the present Christie government, which became the government at the beginning of this year, we do not think that many of them even today have grasped the problem.

Even in Mr Ingraham’s own party there are those who are trying to pin the blame of defeat on him, declaring that the “age of Ingraham is over.” The age of Ingraham, as far as history is concerned, will never be over. He will be given his just due and his rightful place in the book of records.

It is rumoured that there are some in Mr Ingraham’s own party who would relegate him to the cupboard, but there are also rumours among the PLP that they are trying to send Prime Minister Christie on vacation, because, they claim, little is being accomplished with him around.

It is claimed — we must admit by an unreliable PLP mouthpiece — that PLP chairman Bradley Roberts told a group of PLPs at a banquet Friday night to join him in “encouraging PM Christie to take his wife out of town for a much needed rest and vacation following two challenging campaigns.”

This group claims that PM Christie is afraid to go on vacation for fear of losing control.

“Could you imagine,” the PLP scribe wrote, “a country without both Christie and Ingraham? Boy, the Bahamas would really be on course for a new direction.”

With both political parties in disarray, the Treasury broke and unwelcome signs of economic meltdown looming, we suggest that Mr Ingraham get a well-earned rest and prepare for the day — when like General Charles de Gaulle during the Algerian crisis in the fifties — he is recalled from retirement to right the ship of state.