The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

NEWLY re-elected Free National Movement (FNM) leader Dr Hubert Minnis was ushered into the Holy Trinity Activity Centre last night to boisterous applause after defeating Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner in the leadership contest.

While the figurehead of the party remains the same, there is a new-look executive. Despite only launching his campaign this week, East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest defeated Darron Cash and Dr Duane Sands to become the party’s deputy leader, replacing Mrs Butler-Turner.

Senator Michael Pintard defeated former State Minister for the Environment Phenton Neymour to become the party’s chairman, replacing Mr Cash.

“The victory train has left the station; I tell Christie Government House, here we come,” Dr Minnis declared in his hour of victory.

He sought to portray his party as one that is now stronger, ready to refocus its attention on holding the Progressive Liberal Party administration accountable now that it has dealt with the issue of leadership in a year where rumours of a rift between himself and Mrs Butler-Turner have attracted headlines.

Ten minutes into his speech, Dr Minnis acknowledged Mrs Butler-Turner, who then made her entrance to rousing applause of party faithfuls and the song “I’m Every Woman.”

“You are formidable and like your grandfather, fearless,” said Dr Minnis, who also highlighted her “tenacity and commitment.”

“Loretta, you have made me stronger,” he said. “There’s a place in the FNM for you. I need you. The people of this country need you.”

“These are serious times. We have many challenges to overcome,” Dr Minnis told the packed crowd. “I am grateful to every delegate who placed their support in me. To those who did not support me, I may not have gotten your support but I have listened to your voices. I will double my efforts to gain your support going forth.”

In interviews with The Big T, delegates expressed concern about tension in the party, saying that the perception of a leadership struggle influenced their vote. Some said they felt a need to send a strong message about who is the rightful leader of the party.

Delegates also said they viewed Dr Minnis, Mr Turnquest and Mr Pintard as a team.

This came after social media posts linking the three surfaced online this week, although Mr Turnquest denied in an interview with The Big T that the three were working together.

“As a delegate, God has been very inspirational in this process,” said one delegate, Alex Hanna. “I’m certainly pleased. I thought there ought to be a situation where the leader and the deputy are members in Parliament. Even though we’ve lost one in this race, she’s still a part of us, but the deputy that has replaced her is one in Parliament and that’s important to me.”

He said: “What weighed on our minds is, the opposition to us has said that there is division. That should never be. You never air your dirty clothes to the public. We have allowed that to happen and tonight there is closure.”

Asked to assess Dr Minnis’ ability to lead his party into the next general election, he said: “Look at his constituency. The people in his constituency love him and if you look at the results of the last convention, overwhelmingly has he won. His time as leader, first time as a leader, it’s not easy; if you choose him as a leader for the first time he will stumble as a baby.

“A baby comes and he creeps and the process begins. The process tonight will begin with Dr Minnis. You will find out that just like Sir Lyndon and others, he has learned and he will grow in leaps and bounds. He will grow maybe even bigger than they are because he is not just a lawyer, he is one who cares, a doctor that cares of a human.”

Another delegate, Mary Dames, said: “The factor I would go with, with persons just speaking out out of turn, was a factor in the leader winning. We want to be united. We want to be on one accord. Unity is strength and we have to come together.

“I think to stop the bickering, the people made the best choice, the right choice in choosing Dr Minnis. He was the right leader. Peter Turnquest who is the deputy, was quiet. You know what the Bible says, a humble child takes the grace of God and I think the three of them, the chairman, the deputy leader and the leader will work good together.”

St Annes MP Hubert Chipman said the enthusiasm of people yesterday had been unseen in recent party events.

“I think what I saw in there tonight, as far as the FNM is concerned, I haven’t seen this in a while,” he said. “Even the last election, I cannot say I saw this enthusiasm that I saw today. We will roll from here.”

Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant added: “The people have spoken. We had an excellent turnout today and the FNMs have elected those persons they feel are capable of leading us to victory in 2017.”

I think (the issue of infighting) was just a perception,” he said. “You would appreciate that in any office there would be a difference of opinion. The convention provided an opportunity for those differences of opinion to be aired and dealt with and the people have made their decision; they’ve spoken.”

Brensil Rolle and Francis Sawyer were made deputy chairmen of the party.