The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Chairman Michael Pintard said party Leader Dr Hubert Minnis is gaining traction as a “suitable alternative” to the “inconsistent and unfocused” Christie-Davis administration.

Mr Pintard said attempts to label Dr Minnis as a “flip flopper” is an old and familiar political tactic from the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) playbook.

Last week, PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts branded Dr Minnis a “flip-flopper extraordinaire” for pledging to form a commission to look at repealing certain categories of value added tax (VAT) and questioned his capability to lead the country.

“For him to tag a label on the leader of the FNM... for having changed his mind, I want to first say we understand that playbook, that they are seeking to undermine the credibility of Dr Minnis because they recognise that he is gaining traction; that he represents a suitable alternative to the Christie-Davis regime,” Mr Pintard said.

Mr Pintard said that when it comes to inconsistencies, Prime Minister Perry Christie is the “poster child for changing his mind”.

He noted that a prime example was the handling of the 2013 referendum on gambling.

“The prime minister said he would abide by the results of the referendum, and once the people had spoken, summarily changed his mind,” he said.

Mr Pintard said Mr Christie had told Bahamians that the FNM needed to be voted out of office because it was bankrupt of ideas and had failed plans and policies in the pipeline.

However, he said soon after coming to office he adopted much of what the FNM had in place.

“Things that technical staff of various ministries was just considering as options, his (Mr Christie’s) justification for bringing them forward was that Mr Ingraham was considering doing (them).”

Mr Pintard added that the PLP government is unfocused.

He said that the government placed a deadline on a number of things that have still not come to fruition. Mr Pintard said the PLP should not seek to pin a label on Dr Minnis which is more appropriate for Mr Christie, given his track record in government.

“Mr Christie changes his mind on a regular basis – National Health Insurance, the Mortgage Relief Programme, and even the implementation of VAT, which he acknowledges will raise the misery index; there have been multiple dates set for the implementation and it was not implemented on that timetable.”

He said Dr Minnis has indicated that he would launch one of the most comprehensive inner city revitalisation and transformation programmes in the history of the Bahamas.

“Dr Minnis has indicated that he intends to provide tax concessions, as well as incentives for private citizens, businesses, and other organisations that are minded to assist in the transformation of inner city areas,” he said.