The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

It was an amusing scenario a few months ago when Prime Minister Christie got visibly upset because the Leader of the Opposition “changed his mind” and that of most of the Free National Movement members as to where they stood on the Referendum issue.

What was Mr Christie expecting? Mr Christie did the same thing in 2002; but he had given his support within the hallowed chambers of Parliament for the 2002 Referendum and then stepped outside of its door to do differently. That move has been compared to stepping out of Church and into a bar.

However, in one brilliant move the Opposition leader has thrown a wrench into plans of the PLP and his deputy leader. It seems as if the leadership of the PLP is hell-bent on having the FNM go down Referendum Road with them, so that if it fails the blame can be shared; this administration senses that to lose another Referendum is a precursor to an election loss.

The deputy leader has gone quiet because she cannot do anything until she secures the “female vote” via her support for the items in the Referendum that will be beneficial for Bahamian women.

She may be gambling on the fact that the women in the Bahamas have forgotten the dastardly deed done by Mr Christie in 2002. She may have to include a “forgive and forget” aspect into her campaigning, she has a difficult road ahead.

The FNM may be able to secure a victory in 2017, based on what the Party does in the next couple months; and if they can be seen as a cohesive unit it will force some changes in the leadership of the present administration.

With all of the smoke coming out of politics, you would expect the view to be foggy, but it is clear that the Progressive Liberal Party is in a place that no political party wants to be in.

The impasse created by Mr Christie’s and his party’s inability to reach a decision on Rollins and Wells, the indefinite postponing of the Referendum, the ever-extending time line for VAT implementation and the FNM’s new found impetus which is predicated on Mr Minnis’s patience, which up to now has been seen as negative by those who oppose his leadership.

The PLP has to make some hard decisions that it did not have to make in the past and it looks like they may have to hold that convention after all; whereas the Prime Minister seems more concerned about finishing his term, the younger members are running out of patience and they see a change in leadership as giving themselves a fighting chance against the FNM juggernaut that is on the move again.

EDWARD HUTCHESON

Nassau,

October 7, 2014.