The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement leadership contenders this morning remained calm and composed as delegates began the process of deciding whether Dr Hubert Minnis and Loretta Butler-Turner should be charged with the party’s fortunes and direction at the Holy Trinity Convention Centre.

Dr Minnis, the incumbent leader, said he and Mrs Butler-Turner’s battle for the post was “good for democracy” within the FNM and the country. “What it shows is that the FNM, we were built on the foundation, our foundation was a democratic one with democratic principles,” Dr Minnis said. “We believe in integrity, honesty and transparency. What you’re seeing is a transparent procedure and a completely democratic process. At elections, conventions, all seats become available. From chaplain up to leadership. Everybody can throw their hat in the ring and challenge any position. We’d like to see more of that in the Bahamas.

“We will come out of this convention even stronger. We will hit the ground running. There are a lot of things we have to do, because we know that once we leave here, we would now continue on our journey door to door, house to house, and we won’t stop until we reach Government House where we’re sworn in as the new government as the commonwealth of the Bahamas.”

Asked if he was worried about the possibility of losing his seat to Mrs Butler-Turner, Dr Minnis replied calmly: “No, I’m not concerned. But in any electoral process you ensure you do all that is necessary, that you do your work and you don’t stop until you pass the finish line.”

The Tribune was first to speak with Mrs Butler-Turner on her arrival.

When asked if the number of advertisements at the centre in favour of Dr Minnis bothered her, Mrs Butler-Turner cooly stated: “Not at all. At the end of the day, the people going into the booth are the ones that are going to make the decision.”

She said: “I feel very encouraged, I feel very confident. More importantly, I feel that we’re going to be unified. My message is that we’ve got to go into this as a united front and come out unified, whatever the results are. The FNM is a great institution, and we represent democracy in this country. We’ve deepened the democracy, and this process that we’re going through today is all about democracy. So once we go into it, do what is the right thing, at the end of the day we’re going to be one united force. Our opponent today, in the overall scheme of things, is the PLP, not ourselves.”

When questioned about the “tensions” that had reportedly been brewing between herself and Dr Minnis recently, Mrs Butler-Turner said: “I think we all come into this very resolute that the FNM needs to be together. Whatever is in the past is in the past. We’ve come here today to show a united force, and when we leave here today we’re going to be even stronger. I’m not talking about the past, we’re moving forward. This is about the future.”

The Tribune also spoke to two of the candidates vying for the Deputy Leader position, current deputy chairman Dr Duane Sands and East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest.

Dr Sands said while he was “respectful of the competition”, he was also “very confident”.

“With God’s help and the support of the delegates I should be successful,” he said. “That is my hope, that is my wish, and we’ll just see if it’s going to happen. When the dust settles and the various groups who have a particular person that they want to win, we’re going to come together as a party and we’re going to move forward, focus on the main objective, and that is to regain the government in 2017 or sooner.”

Mr Turnquest said this week that his status as a MP gave him an advantage heading into the convention. This morning he stood by that claim, although acknowledging that his opponents are “very worthy candidates, and certainly very qualified and ready to lead this party if given the opportunity”.

“But as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “I am in parliament, which I think gives me an advantage. My experience and the ideas that I have will stand well for the party as well as for the country. I’ve pleased by the response that I’ve gotten so far and I’m looking forward to a victory.”