The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday insisted that in courting Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins and Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells to join the party, no incentives were offered.

Asked whether he believed that Dr Minnis was a strong leader, Dr Rollins several times side-stepped the question, but ultimately responded that the FNM leader should not be compared to his predecessor, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.

He also said Dr Minnis has many strengths and talents that were evident in his re-election as party leader during the last FNM convention.

The party held a press conference at the House of Assembly following the morning session where both MPs officially crossed the floor to join the FNM. Party insiders have told The Tribune that the move has angered some FNMs. While Dr Minnis admitted that his parliamentary team was not informed that both MPs were joining the party before yesterday morning, he said a meeting was held before the House session where they were told of the move.

However, when contacted yesterday, Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner said she was not made aware before the men switched sides. She, with Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, did not attend the FNM’s press conference, although both were present for yesterday’s parliamentary session.

Dr Minnis said: “I promised nothing (Cabinet positions or nomination). I am not like (Prime Minister Perry) Christie. We have an organisation and there are policies and procedures and just like everyone else we go through our policies and procedures.

“I think these men, just like the Bahamian people, have seen what has been occurring in the governance of this country. They have joined today and the Bahamian populace will join tomorrow when they vote out the PLP.

“The only promises that have been made is like all the young men around me they (will) form the future of the country.”

Dr Minnis also denied that the MPs were asked to join the party in an attempt to thwart reported efforts on the part of certain members of his parliamentary team to have him ousted as opposition leader.

In response to questions fielded by The Tribune about Dr Rollins’ and Mrs Butler-Turner’s relationship, Dr Minnis said he was not concerned as both MPs were more concerned with country over self-interests.

In 2013, Mrs Butler-Turner slapped Dr Rollins in the House of Assembly, claiming that he said “nasty things to her”. Since the incident the two have also several times engaged in heated arguments during parliamentary proceedings.

Before joining the PLP ahead of the 2012 general election, Mr Wells and Dr Rollins were both members of the now dismantled National Development Party (NDP).

Dr Rollins quit the PLP in June this year saying it was clear that he was no longer wanted in the party after other PLP members made attempts to block his contribution to the budget debate. At the time, he said that while he had no prior intention of resigning from the party, he “would be a fool” to call himself a PLP after the way he was treated.

While this has led critics to label him as an opportunist, Dr Rollins said he welcomed the criticism because the country was suffering from a lack of opportunity.

He said: “Like many Bahamians, looking at the developments of our country since the last general election I am eager to take advantage of any opportunity to rid our country of this disastrous government. If people see this as a move of political expediency or opportunism I welcome that because quite frankly what we are suffering from in this country at the moment on any number of levels is a lack of opportunity.

“I am extremely pleased to join forces with the men and women of the Free National Movement and I pledge to do all that I can to assist the organisation to ensure that it becomes the next government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”

He told reporters that despite his previous declaration earlier in the year that he would not join the FNM or even meet with the party to discuss a move, he said “time” had changed his mind.

“The fact is that time is short, we really are facing notwithstanding the appearances of an extremely weak government, we are facing a daunting task of corralling all of the opposition forces in the country to ensure the defeat of this government at the next election. There is no time for Mr Wells or myself and others who may be contemplating such a move to hope that we are offered something grand in return for us agreeing to be apart of this change.

“The promise that Dr Minnis made to Mr Wells and myself is that during the course of this next campaign, he is not going to be irresponsible in making promises that he does not keep once we become the next government.

“The reason why many of us young, new generation politicians in the Progressive Liberal Party are suffering today is because we have reverted back to the ‘all for me baby’ kind of politics, the old guard.

“Those who have retired and simply because of their loyalty to the PLP have come back for a second bite of the cherry when we have many young Bahamians who have yet to find their first job to get the first bite out of that cherry,” Dr Rollins said.

“So if we are serious about developing this country we have to ensure that young Bahamians who form the majority of this country and this electorate are given an opportunity to take advantage of what this country has to offer,” Dr Rollins said.