The Tribune

The FNM may be celebrating the new-look leadership team but there are doubts it has a strong enough voice to win the next general election. Taneka Thompson reports.

While Free National Movement (FNM) delegates celebrated the party’s new executive team at its convention on Friday, the mood of observers and users of social media was decidedly different.

As newly re-elected FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis declared that he and his team are “battle ready” to oust the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) from office, some doubted that the new team is strong enough to overthrow the Christie administration in the next general election.

However Dr Minnis must be congratulated for his landslide victory. Since assuming his post as FNM leader in 2012, the doctor has been dogged with criticism over his lack of eloquence, his sometimes apathetic demeanour in House of Assembly debates and apparent “flip-flopping” on national issues like gambling and Value Added Tax (VAT).

Many observers saw his former deputy, Loretta Butler-Turner, as a more viable leader and surmised that she would easily be able to wrest power from him whenever the party held a convention.

However Dr Minnis has proved he is a more shrewd politician than many gave him credit for and was able to shore up a considerable amount of support at Friday’s snap convention to secure his position. He was able to decimate those in his party that can overshadow him. His obvious internal opponents Dr Duane Sands, Darron Cash and Mrs Butler-Turner all lost miserably lost their respective bids for party positions and were instead replaced by surprising alternatives.

Instead of choosing Dr Sands or Mr Cash for deputy leader, party delegates overwhelmingly voted for East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest.

Mr Turnquest, although well spoken and intelligent, has heretofore not come across as a formidable force in the opposition. He was a late entry into the race, having only announced his intent to run via an email to party supporters last Tuesday and a public announcement the next day.

Mr Pintard, the party’s new chairman, has been in politics for some time, but the senator was not able to win a seat in the last general election and has not made much of an impact on the political stage.

FNM insiders told Insight that the team of Mr Turnquest and Mr Pintard is seen as “yes men” to Dr Minnis, who will tell him what he wants to hear and will not overshadow him like Dr Sands, Mrs Butler-Turner and Mr Cash have in the past.

The convention results were a “pure, out and out ostracisation of anyone with a voice,” as one FNM put it.

“Yes men” or not, whether this team will be a viable alternative to the PLP remains to be seen.

What now for Loretta

Butler-Turner?

Now that the convention is over and the party has settled its contentious leadership issues for the time being, many are wondering what is next for Mrs Butler-Turner, who lost her bid to become the party’s first female leader.

Gracious in defeat, Mrs Butler-Turner arrived the convention hall after the unofficial results came in and marched inside, flanked by supporters, as Dr Minnis was giving his victory speech.

She later joined Dr Minnis on stage, after he thanked her for being a strong opponent, and put on a smile as the two held hands. Their show of unity in spite of their contentious rivalry over the past few weeks may be a sign that the two can put their differences behind them and work together for the good of the party.

If the FNM is serious about winning the next general election, it must utilise its best and brightest members to energise the electorate and enamour swing and young voters. It must also stop the hemorrhaging of its supporters to fringe party, the Democratic National Alliance.

Undoubtedly, Mrs Butler-Turner is one of the best the FNM has to offer at this stage. She should not be cast aside as a loser or bad candidate simply because of the convention results and her leadership aspirations.

Instead, the party’s leadership must embrace her back into the fold and use her charisma and tenacity to win in 2017.

Appearing visibly weary on Friday night, Mrs Butler-Turner told reporters that she can withstand defeat and remains committed to her party.

“I think I ran a really good campaign, a very disciplined campaign,” she said. “Obviously the delegates had a choice, they made their choice. At the end of the day my message has also been that we come out of this unified. The most important thing is that we be a unified party.

“I’m prepared to still continue the fight that I’ve always carried for the Bahamian people, that’s the position I have. Hopefully we can move forward and go after our real opponent, which is the PLP.”

She told reporters that she would rebound from the landslide loss. “I made the transition from being in government to losing and I think that one of the things you have to understand, I’m a person that is able to adjust to whatever the circumstances are. We lost after we were in governance and in opposition I haven’t lost my enthusiasm. So you have a very clear picture of how I react to negative situations.”

Former Deputy Prime Minister and FNM stalwart councillor, Frank Watson, suspects Mrs Butler-Turner lost her bid because Dr Minnis had the advantage as the incumbent leader.

He added that she did not get the support many thought she would have from female delegates. “I think that when you are an incumbent it does give you some advantage, I think that’s partially the reason. I don’t think she got as much as the women’s support as we anticipated she would,” Mr Watson said. “It’s hard to tell (why more women did not support her). I can’t put my finger on it.”

In spite of her loss, Mrs Butler-Turner still has a seat in the House of Assembly. Considering her quick wit during parliamentary debates – and the fact that she is one of three FNM MPs that were members of the Ingraham Cabinet – FNM supporters will be counting on her to remain an integral part of the party.

Mr Watson believes that if the party wins the next election, the Long Island MP should be rewarded with a senior Cabinet post. “If they win the (next) election she will be a senior MP and be entitled to one of the top positions in the new government,” Mr Watson said. “I expect to see him (Dr Minnis) using her skills going forward.”

While some are speculating if the loss will drive the Long Island MP away from her party, Mr Watson said that would not be a wise political move.

“You don’t leave your party because you lose an election. Democracy requires an election for positions ... you don’t move from party to party (after a loss). When you join a party you subscribe to their beliefs, framework and position, it’s almost like a lodge. You come there and say I agree with the philosophy of this party, I am committed.”

• What do you think? Send comments to tmthompson@tribunemedia.net