FNM Leader Hubert Minnis
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
OPPOSITION leader Dr Hubert Minnis says he would push legislation to the limit as prime minister to a maximum of two terms in office if he were elected to lead the country.
The FNM leader maintained yesterday that his declaration was not a swipe at former Prime Minister and FNM leader Hubert Ingraham who served from 1992 to 2002.
Mr Ingraham was re-elected for a third, non-consecutive term in 2007 and served until the FNM’s defeat to the Progressive Liberal Party in 2012.
Dr Minnis said term limits on a prime minister will ensure that the country evolves with the best interests of Bahamians as a priority.
“It should only be two terms and then out after that,” Dr Minnis said. “This has always been my position simply because everyone reaches a certain level when they would be maxed out, suffer from brain drain and become stagnant.
“If someone remains in office for let’s say 20 years, they can only take you to a particular point. Yes, you might have advisors and persons on your team who know how certain things should be done, but the point is that occupying the office for long periods of time won’t be effective. With that, you also see situations where people think that they own the country and are less inclined to work in the best interest of Bahamians.
“A maximum two terms in office would allow the generation of new ideas, new views and keep this country moving forward.”
Dr Minnis praised Mr Ingraham for his impact on the country, saying that generations to come will benefit from the decisions made under his leadership.
“What Ingraham has done for this country, I don’t think anyone could have done,” Dr Minnis. “His legacy will forever be remembered in history. He will go down in history as one of the best prime ministers. He changed the entire Bahamas. He freed Bahamians.”
As for Prime Minister Perry Christie, Dr Minnis said he was unsure of the legacy the PLP leader will leave behind.
“I am still trying to figure out what his legacy is going to be. (The) only thing he has become known for is lateness and being unable to make hard decisions. I guess he will go down in history as a shuffler to Junkanoo music,” Dr Minnis said.
Mr Christie first served as prime minister from 2002 to 2007. He was re-elected in 2012. Although Mr Christie has suggested he will not run for re-election, it is unclear if this will be his last term in office.
Sir Lynden Pindling was the first black premier of the Bahamas from 1967 to 1969 and was Prime Minister from 1969 to 1992.
Comments
TalRussell 10 years, 6 months ago
Dr Minnis did you just make this up by your lone-self or you had PR consultants? Certainly you deserve to remove any doubt Tribune readers might hold, that you really believe in your heart. that: "Term limits on a Prime Minister will ensure that the country evolves with the best interests of Bahamians as a priority. It should only be two terms and then OUT after that, This has ALWAYS been my position simply because everyone reaches a certain level when they would be maxed out, SUFFER from brain drain and become STAGNANT." Comrade Minnis. I challenge you to produce any credible evidence, that you did in fact voice your strong Term Limits opinions on former PM Hubert? I am sure Tribune readers are prepared to accept confirmation from the easily producible Hansard daily records of the House of Assembly, prior to Hubert runging the 2012 General Elections Bell, any transcript from the proceedings of the House, where you actually stood-up as a member of parliament and red shirts cabinet minister. to let the former PM know your strong feelings, that he should go and go for good after his two terms as PM? OK, maybe you didn't express your feelings publicly in the House but can produce a copy of the minutes from a cabinet meeting where you did in fact tell the PM he should go into retirement, for good. OK, understand cabinet secrecy and all that stuff, so lets see a published press release or anything you feel will put any doubt Tribune readers might still hold? Leader Minnis when Hubert threatened his own red MP's. that if they voted against the sale of BTC, he'd place all their House Seats and paid Chairmanships at risk by calling a snap General Election...did you Minnis at that time tell Hubert, how he was showing signs of being BRAIN DRAIN? Minnis as a medical doctor do you still fell Hubert is too BRAIN DRAIN return back to replace you and lead the Red Shirts to victory come 2017? if so, would you say it publicly?
sheeprunner12 10 years, 6 months ago
Not in the Constitution, sir ............. politicians are rarely that gracious.......... Ask SLOP, HAI, and Perry ........ he is 70+ and still dont want to retire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TalRussell 10 years, 6 months ago
And... it so shall be written but only by the penmanships of the two former law partners, not by a man called Minnis. Comrade the only thing the Constitution has do with this desperate PR stunt by Minnis is the reds own party constitution which supposedly mandates a party convention be called every two years. Can it be this PR stunt results from Minnis hearing voices coming from Hubert's old Fan Club? I seriously doubt it will be left to Minnis to be the one who will write the final chapter on a Hubert leadership return. Convention time will come soon and when it passes, will Minnis still be standing as the red's leader? Even PM Christie, the other part of the leadership puzzle is the only one who can and will write his final leadership chapter. See my dear Comrades, again the reds and the gold shirts are so much alike.
The_Oracle 10 years, 6 months ago
You will sing a different tune if elected, once the omnipotent feeling, the urge to "thumb up or down" mere mortals supplants and corrupts whatever altruistic thought one might have started with. All the while increasingly surrounded by impotence and corruption, the majority stroking your ego while scamming in your name. For Christie, it is the thrill of sirens, the parting of traffic, the cloudy illusion of leadership. For Ingraham, it was the throwing of people under the political bus, rival, friend, stranger, no matter. We shall see Mr. Minnis, we shall see.
BahamianAway 10 years, 6 months ago
Agreed, a prime-minister's term should be limited to two terms, whether consecutive or not (cause we know people will find a way around saying he didn't serve the two terms consecutively).
However let's be honest, unless you are getting new people with new ideas and new views no matter how many terms a prime minister serves it will be the same thing. Just a new bull in the same pen, running the same game, in front of the same crowd. What we need is new people who aren't afraid to voice THEIR opinion and not some party rhetoric they are all indoctrinated to believe. Until that happens we will end up with the same results just a different person carrying it out.
bahamasoapmama 10 years, 6 months ago
This may force parties to have more new people to turn over. I think all government should have term limits. 2 terms for PM. 4 terms for MPs and senators.
Some of these dinosaurs have been around for almost 30 years. Time to get rid of them.
TalRussell 10 years, 6 months ago
Thousands Bahamalanders even to this day when washing they fingers, won't take no chance to untie the piece string they use as a constant reminder, that this same man Minnis, Loretta, Daron and Dr. Duane ain't new faces to mess-up politics. But you have to admire how damn vigorously them reds can argue, how when in power, they put Bahamalanders right to earn paychecks, ahead of the 8100 Chinese labourers, they as the government had agreed to import,
Emac 10 years, 6 months ago
My goodness comrade- Talk about aimless babbling! Trying to reading your posts can make one seasick from all the up and down drabble, gabble. Do you not realize by now that no one will bother reading your post when you write a bunch of gibberish about colours? As soon as I see the word red or yellow in your posts I stop reading. I must say though. These reds really do get your juice flowing boy.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 6 months ago
Tal lives under a rock that crushes one side of its head bad, bad.......
Publius 10 years, 6 months ago
This cannot be done by simple legislation, this would require significant restructuring of the Constitution. Leave it to this gentleman who leads the Opposition not to know that.
jlcandu 10 years, 6 months ago
Oh for God sakes!! All developed countries have term limits for their PM's/Presidents for 2 consecutive terms. Since the bastardized Westminster system this country follows, the part about limiting PM's terms seems to purposely omitted.
Any politician who can't accomplish their goals for the country in ten years is useless anyway and needs to be fired?? When are we finally going to get some intelligent, free-thinking, ethical candidates to represent the people, instead of Party? When hell freezes over, that's when!!!
This citizens of this country need to get off their lazy rumps and band together as people, not as political rivals or pawns. I say a coup the likes of Egypt is in order. What is it going to take for the people of this country to rise up and not accept mediocrity???? Instead of pointing fingers at the politicians, the voters need to blame themselves for voting in the same idiots term after term.
God help us all!!! Because it looks like the people in this country can't seem to help themselves....
TalRussell 10 years, 6 months ago
Comrade Publius the problem with the FNM is they have too many damn red politicians but dwindling paid party memberships.Think Comrade cause Hubert ran his entire 2012 General Campaign with one theme, how he was the best red shirt Papa ever. Fast forward to present,where I have and read Minnis calling FNM's red shirts. Does it mean you also won't read your leader's rambling-on red shirts press releases?
Emac 10 years, 6 months ago
LOL- I cannot speak for the others, but I don't swear to the dogmas of no political party.
birdiestrachan 10 years, 6 months ago
Dr. Minnis has already maxed out and his position as Leader of the FNM party is shaky , and he talks about being PM and what he will do and not do. He is now praising his Papa Ingraham because Dr. Minnis swings with the wind he is hoping this will help him to remain as leader. Well he did say I don't think.. Mr. Ingraham freed Bahamians. I had no idea Bahamians were slaved. And I know of no one who has said Mr. Ingraham freed them.. except Dr. Minnis of course.
hadassah 10 years, 6 months ago
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Stapedius 10 years, 6 months ago
@Oracle. That's so funny and sadly so true. With the ignoramuses we have in our Parliament we can expect anything. LOL, I thought it was only I who loathe hearing and seeing the silly police outriders in the front of the PM's car. I think going to and from the office for the PM is the best part of his day. His office which is less than 2.5 miles from his home I might add. He's like a child with a brand new toy fire truck at Christmas. He just can't get enough of the damn sirens. That is until he drives the adults in the room crazy enough and they damn take out the batteries.
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