The Tribune

ATTORNEY General Allyson Maynard-Gibson, with the Bahamas’ sovereignty tucked under her arm, has flown to Beijing, China, with a delegation of nine to negotiate with the Chinese government on the fate of Baha Mar. The future of the Bahamas’ tourist industry hangs on their decision.

The two-day meetings, which all recognise as urgent, open in Beijing today.

Venue for the meeting became a problem when Prime Minister Christie realised that the Chinese government would not have sufficient time “in the immediate future to satisfy the People’s Republic of China’s protocol requirements for receiving Heads of State”.

This ruled Mr Christie out, because, although he is not a “Head of State”, he is head of the Bahamas government. Mr Christie was also “informed that representatives from China State Construction and EXIM Bank were not in a position to travel outside of China at this time”.

“Given this information,” said the government‘s press release, “the Prime Minister has decided that this meeting is too important to delay. To ensure negotiations happen as soon as possible, the Prime Minister is sending a delegation from the Government of The Bahamas, led by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Allyson Maynard-Gibson QC, to China to attend the meetings.”

So, as the Mountain could not come to Mohammed, little Mohammed is flying to the mountain.

And as no delegation would be complete without the Prime Minister’s senior policy adviser in tow, Sir Baltron Bethel will be flying in too.

All of this fanfare over a venue for a meeting between two heads of government resurrected the question of sovereignty. Sovereignty was first raised by the Attorney General when she condemned Mr Izmirlian for taking his case to Delaware’s Bankruptcy Court, where he succeeded in getting protection for Baha Mar, its staff, and creditors under the Delaware court’s chapter 11. This would give him time to reorganise his company, complete the hotel and see it successfully opened. No such protection is offered by Bahamian courts.

Mrs Maynard-Gibson had reservations about this claiming it had “serious and far-reaching implications” for the Bahamas’ sovereignty. She overlooked the fact that Delaware would be cooperating with the Bahamas Supreme Court. Those court hearings for that cooperation is now being delayed by that pesky little word “sovereignty”.

However, we maintain that if a Bahamian delegation has to fly 12,646 km to Beijing to settle a Bahamian matter, why can’t a Delaware court collaborate with a Bahamian court in The Bahamas to settle the same Bahamian controversy just across the Gulf Stream? Our logic is very simple – as the old song goes – “You can’t have one without the other!” In our opinion after the venue of China has already been accepted, if the Delaware court is rejected it will confirm what many of us already firmly believe — the Christie government is in China’s camp.

Which is a worrying thought that turns our view nearer home. We do not know how this country will survive almost two more years of this “promising”, but bungling government. However, the possibility of another five years beyond that is a nightmare that does not bear considering. But it is a realistic possibility that we have to face, and more than face — do something about, and now.

We must remember that although the PLP government got the electoral seats in the House of Assembly in the 2012 election, it did not win the popular vote. It was the emergence of a third party — DNA that took away FNM voters and pushed the PLP to an undeserved victory. The FNM’s 42 per cent win added to the DNA’s 8.4 per cent, together as an opposition took 50.4 per cent of the votes to the PLP’s 48.6 per cent. It was a close call, but it was not a popular win for the PLP.

This being a final year in which party leaders can be decided to go into an election, it is disconcerting to hear that FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis has ruled out a party convention this year, and is not only determined to lead the party into the 2017 election, but is convinced of victory.

It is true that the FNM’s constitution requires a convention every two years. The FNM having had a one-day convention in November last year is not required to have another convention before next year — if next year’s convention were to be held again in November, a 2017 election in May would be only six months away.

The PLP and DNA will hold conventions this year — the FNM is the only party that plans to stay mute with Dr Minnis its leader.

From what we hear and read, we believe that the majority of Bahamians realise that to continue with the PLP for another term would be a disaster. Prime Minister Christie’s position to continue as leader is under question with Deputy Leader Philip “Brave” Davis and Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe expressing an interest in the post should Mr Christie step down. Fred Mitchell, whose life’s ambition has always been to be prime minister, is playing coy with reporters as usual. However, although he won’t comment, he appears to be the only one who is already campaigning. On Independence Day he was in Exuma looking very official on a tiny platform taking the salute and reviewing the guard. And so, although he gives that sly sideways look, he’s the man to watch — his mind is made up and he meant what he said when he proclaimed not too long ago that he will never again sit on the back bench.

In this election, Bahamians have to have one objective in mind — regardless of friendships, loyalties, religion, skin colour or gender, whether friend or foe – the candidate has to be one who has experience and can win an election.

We agree with all who say that Dr Minnis is a very fine man, an excellent doctor, and a good businessman. From his releases as MP for Killarney, we know that he is well organised, efficient and takes care of his district. God has been very good to Dr Minnis — he has given him many fine attributes, but he didn’t give him qualities of the kind of leadership that would inspire an audience or attract a crowd. He is not one who when he enters a room would cause heads to turn, nor is he agile with repartee when on his feet in debate.

We know he has many friends who are blindly loyal to him. But in this election, no one should be out to elect a friend, they must elect someone who has the experience and the ability to win an election and govern a country. In 2017, country must come first with all of us.

Dr Minnis has worked very hard as leader and strains at being an impressive speaker. He should thank God for his gifts that have so far made him successful. However, he should also have the humility to realise that this country is far more important than his personal ambitions.

He can probably be compared to the late Sir Kendal Isaacs, a brilliant lawyer, a brilliant speaker, and one who would have been a brilliant prime minister, but there was just one important obstacle in his way – he did not have the personality to win an election.

If someone could have won the election for him, and then enthroned him, we would have had a sound and honest government — but with all his brilliance he just did not have what it took to win a government. He had the humility to recognise it, and he stepped aside.

We recommend the same to Dr Minnis, although we believe that he can play an important part in an FNM government, we honestly and regretfully believe that the FNM will never be the government with Dr Minnis at its helm.

The object for 2017 is to see the PLP out. The Opposition now has to make up its mind who that experienced and politically agile person— man or woman, black or white — will be. All our prejudices have to be left at the door when next we decide the future of this country.

It is now for Dr Minnis and his party to give the future of this country serious thought – go to convention this year and select a candidate who can, not only win an election, but govern a country.