Prime Minister Perry Christie
By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Immigration Minister Loftus Roker yesterday said he was disheartened by the idea that “the men we have elected to make it better are slowly destroying the country”.
He added that it was time for Prime Minister Perry Christie, 72, to step aside and “open up the field” for new leaders.
He also suggested that present day politicians have warped the structure of the country’s “true system of governance” in favour of a “party based system that rewards loyalty to nonsense”.
Mr Roker warned that “anarchy and chaos, the likes of which we have never seen” would now play out across the country, as a result of voters now becoming aware of the truth.
He told The Tribune that it was “painfully obvious” that those in authority “only work to improve their standards and their well being” while most Bahamians are left to suffer.
Mr Roker, a Cabinet minister in the Pindling administration, said that being forced to witness the destruction of the Bahamas at the hands of men and women who pledged to uphold the rights of the land has been “tough.”
“Bahamians are destroying The Bahamas, the men we have elected to make it better are slowly destroying the country I love so much,” he told The Tribune. “The questions about who will win the next election are irrelevant at this point – we don’t have a system that our people have confidence in.”
Reminded of the men vying for the post of prime minister heading into the 2017 general election, Mr Roker said he was worried.
He said while he is a proponent for Mr Christie retiring from frontline politics, he doesn’t see anyone that can replace him.
“Nowadays politicians view parties as lodges, groups that they pledge their loyalty to. These guys would do all in their power to save face for their party, I mean the party could be destroying the county and they would not breathe. I mean your loyalty should always be to the Bahamian people, to your country, your constituency. That is what politics was intended to be; persons working to better their society,” said Mr Roker.
He added that something is wrong with the way current politicians interpret the Westminster system. He argued that during his political generation, elected officials were loyal to those that elected them, and would often speak out against the status quo.
“It is strange how well our local politicians know the system when it suits what they are trying to do and when it doesn’t, they play the fool.
“The country at this point is in a serious state. We need to get back to the truth of the Westminster system – this is truly not it.
“We are in very big trouble because we have allowed men to bring down our system of government. The Westminster system of government isn’t what we are seeing here in the Bahamas. We lack leadership on all sides, nothing to do with the PLP or the FNM – we lack leadership at every level in our country now.
“That is why I have advocated for Mr Christie to step down, it is time for that generation to bow out and open up the field for new persons. It has nothing to do with if he could win or not. It is all about the Bahamas being able to take that next step.
“I don’t know what we are going to do, we have to find people capable of running our country. With (Free National Movement Leader Hubert) Minnis, I don’t know any bad things about the man, but does he understand politics? We know that he is smart, we know that he a great doctor but we don’t need a person that just sounds educated because education is one thing – you need wisdom and understanding. With him, we may be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.”
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years ago
Many moons ago Roker blindly and stupidly followed Pindling's wishes and expelled most of the highly qualified foreign teachers from our country when he was Minister of Immigration; he did this in one fell swoop, leaving an enormous vacuum of teaching positions in our public education system to be filled by unqualified Bahamian teachers. Our public education system has never recovered from his stupidity way back then and he now has the audacity to ask where are the well-educated and qualified Bahamians with sufficient political acumen to lead our country today. This man Roker is repugnant to say the least. He has caused our country untold harm for generation after generation of Bahamian students that followed his tenure as Minister of Immigration. This man is one disgusting dinosaur that should have been hanging his head in shame all of these years while witnessing our country spiraling down the proverbial toilet!
Chucky 9 years ago
that move was no accident, no government wants a society of critical thinking citizens.
asiseeit 9 years ago
“Bahamians are destroying The Bahamas, the men we have elected to make it better are slowly destroying the country I love so much,” I totally agree with this statement! Maybe there is hope after all! Birdie will be here soon to call Mr. Roker names and tell us why he is wrong, some people just can't turn that corner.
Honestman 9 years ago
It seems even the PLP diehards are now seeing "Emperor" Christie for what he is. Roker is right, however, when he says "we lack leadership on all sides" at the moment. The FNM should be a certainty to form the next government but they are adopting a risky strategy in persevering with the unpopular Minnis.
TalRussell 9 years ago
Comrade Honourable Loftus was there during the earlier PLP days when the peoples government actually worked hard to put a chicken in the pots every family. - black, white lick-da-brush.
Now they take the peoples paychecks and their damn food out pots too. I only wish that was meant as humour.
But I must ask Loftus, if it's okay to demand the resignation of the sitting PM, unless he has the name of the one ready today from the elected politicians crowed - inclusive both sides isles House -as the serious alternative PM to replace Christie?
Maybe the Tribune reporter can call Loftus back to please explain his alternative prime ministerial man or woman?
Or, maybe Loftus is ready to demand a snap General be called? But called by whom?
banker 9 years ago
You mean all four days until they sold Norman's Cay to the Medellin cartel.
He is in with Brave.
Publius 9 years ago
What he says is true. Now his credibility in saying it is entirely another matter, but the pure content of it is certainly true. The problem is, he used circular arguments in his discourse. He is telling someone to move out of the way, but then says he sees no one to replace him, and then the argument begins another circle. And while he is stating the obvious problems, a man of his stature should be about stating solutions. Saying we are in a mess on all sides is obvious. So, what are the potential fixes Mr. Roker?
TalRussell 9 years ago
Comrade Loftus despite your doom and gloom do rest assured Bahamaland's electoral systems remains stronger than at any time in our nation's long electoral history.
We have come a long way baby and there shall be no turning back to the earlier days when the first House (General) of Assembly had a whooping 24 elected members from but only from five constituencies.
Your only qualifications were, you be at least 21 years of age, white, a male and owned at least one parcel land. Was seat winners bonus if you just happened have resided up on Eastern Road.
Some these same colonial heritage families have resurfaced in that red shirts party.
Believe it when the people hear da 2017 General Bell be rungins - they are still quite capable to make up their minds who they want to elect as their government. Truth is they ain't taking much of a liking to none of today's politicians.
Loftus, it is not the electoral system that is broken but the damn politicians and they goin all get fixed come the 2017 General..
banker 9 years ago
Roker is not a patriot, but another brain-dead, corrupt PLP, but even he has 20:20 vision when he sees the coming, inevitable anarchy coming. And the irony is that he, and the likes of he have sown the seeds of that anarchy.
TalRussell 9 years ago
Comrade Banker do you feel same way about Dr. Andre and Renward or are they also among the disgruntle PLP s p e c i a l s?
sheeprunner12 9 years ago
Will Bradley Roberts and the Cabinet say that this respected former PLP Minister has a sinister agenda as well??????
sheeprunner12 9 years ago
All I want for Christmas ..................... is Perry's resignation letter
SP 9 years ago
...... Why is Loftus Roker ridiculed for having the intestinal fortitude to come clean? ......
Mr. Roker is one of too few individuals with-in the PLP with the backbone and testicular fortitude to stand up and say publicly what his jelly belly, spineless contemporaries are saying behind closed doors!
Regardless of imagined, perceived or unambiguous history, Mr. Roker is STANDING NOW speaking truth to power, and should be highly commended for doing so!
Majority Bahamians couldn't give a damn which party or color shirt runs the country, but are very concerned that obviously the present administration are the biggest group of blatantly incompetent pirates to govern our country, causing irreparable damage to 1000's Bahamians that will never recover.
Many thanks Mr. Loftus Roker for putting country before party!
I pray your braveness emboldens other respected individuals to join you in causing a loud crescendo STANDING LIKE MEN for the sake of country and people, instead of continuing COWERING LIKE MICE!
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