The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Since his election as FNM Leader last year, Dr Hubert Minnis, over the course of 2015, has further destroyed his credibility and harmed the good name, identity and credibility of the FNM. After over three years as Leader he has demonstrated little capacity to improve and seems averse to taking good advice.

Minnis has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is incapable of handling the job of prime minister and would be a disaster in that office.

He has shown himself to be autocratic, bordering on dictatorial, undemocratic and non-collegial. In debate in the House of Assembly, he is clearly out of his depth and constantly mocked.

He lost the support of most of his caucus in the House, including those who once supported him. He is reported to be much less than forthright and upfront with his colleagues.

He has failed to rally the FNM base, to lessen the appeal of the DNA and to attract independent voters. Many of the party faithful are frightened at the party’s direction and future.

Deep divisions remain, with some fearing a split because of Minnis’ non-inclusive and secretive leadership style. Minnis is turning the FNM into a PLP-styled party, with the FNM daily losing its soul and its mission. Just about a year out from a general election, the FNM is more deeply divided and dysfunctional than in 2012 because of Minnis’ poor leadership. The party remains in debt and very little funding is coming in. Hubert Minnis has had many blunders and disasters from the beginning of his tenure. Below are five of the top 10 for 2015 only. Five more will be submitted in a subsequent letter.

1. In blatant disrespect of the FNM and his colleagues, Minnis leaves early a conclave he called to hear the views of party officials. Instead of listening to the party faithful, he heads to Junior Junkanoo in Eleuthera, claiming there was a scheduling conflict, a conflict of his own making as he knew well in advance the date of the conclave.

2. Minnis leads a march on the Bank of the Bahamas that turns into a disaster when few people show up for the march. The march backfires spectacularly when Prime Minister Christie attacks Minnis on the march in the House of Assembly and the Leader of the Opposition sits quietly, unable to defend his actions and the FNM. The FNM is embarrassed and remains a laughing stock.
   

3. Dr Minnis removes the well-respected Senator Heather Hunt from her Senate post, giving as the lame excuse his desire to rotate senators. He disingenuously leaves in place Senator Kwasi Thompson, who had served in the Senate for the same length of time as Hunt.

4. In a selfish act of self-preservation and in blatant disregard of the good name and integrity of the FNM, Minnis acts in secret and with no warning to his parliamentary caucus to bring into the party Fort Charlotte MP Andre Rollins, an unpredictable personality, and Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells, who remains under a cloud of suspicion with the Letter of Intent scandal and who on his own has already announced that he will be the FNM candidate for Bamboo Town. Minnis immediately gives them two of the most important shadow ministries. The move to bring in the two former PLPs with scarce consultation makes the FNM seem increasingly like the PLP.

5. In another significant event harming the identity and unity of the FNM, Minnis says nothing as Maurice Moore belligerently rails against fellow FNMs. Moore threatens to have them expelled from the FNM. The event horrifies many FNM Freedom Fighters and is reminiscent of how the PLP treated the Dissident Eight and others. The event is yet another attack on the legacy and traditions of the FNM.

WAL

Nassau,

November 25, 2015.