By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
A POSSIBLE bid for leadership of the Progressive Liberal Party by former Chairman Raynard Rigby has attracted the support of Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins.
Dr Rollins praised Mr Rigby in an interview with The Tribune yesterday while criticising PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts’ recent statements, which suggested that Mr Rigby is not qualified for the job.
“Mr Raynard Rigby is somebody whose integrity, intellect and love of this country I greatly admire and I support him in his desire to be a change agent in this country,” Dr Rollins said when contacted for comment.
“I think he has a tremendous amount to offer, tremendous potential in this country as far as political leadership is concerned and I’m hopeful that young men and women in the PLP would throw their support around Mr Rigby as far as encouraging him to pursue the leadership if he is so minded.”
Mr Rigby represented Dr Rollins as his attorney last year as members of the PLP’s council deliberated whether to discipline him for the highly critical statements he made about Prime Minister Perry Christie in the House of Assembly.
Dr Rollins resigned from the PLP in June after a heated session in the House of Assembly and months of critique levelled at the governing party.
While appearing on a Star FM radio show last week, Mr Rigby said Bahamians want “new, fresh leadership so I’m putting my name on the list.”
The next day, Mr Roberts said Mr Rigby “can’t be serious” about potentially running for party leadership and laughed off the lawyer’s ambitions.
Reacting to this yesterday, Dr Rollins said: “Nothing that the likes of Mr Bradley Roberts has said to disparage Mr Rigby professionally receives any legitimacy from me because I know that Mr Roberts’ sole purpose is to discredit the young within that organisation. As far as he is concerned, ‘the new generation’ is nothing but an empty political phrase that means absolutely nothing. Ironically, he isn’t prepared to demonstrate confidence in someone who was once voted chairman of the party. I hope the public realises we cannot build our country if we allow persons like Mr Roberts to discredit the youth of the country. It would be a tremendous disservice to the young generation to belittle and sell them short.”
The PLP’s convention is scheduled for the first week of November. It is unclear if Mr Christie, the party’s incumbent leader, will offer himself for re-election.
Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe and Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis have both expressed leadership aspirations, but indicated they would not challenge Mr Christie if he chose to run again.
Comments
birdiestrachan 9 years, 3 months ago
Mr: Rigby wants to run for the leader ship of the PLP, there is nothing wrong with that we live in a free Country. as far as these counsels as the news papers love to say that Mr: Christie has elected and they will vote for Mr: Christie that is not so he does not elect, those people all by himself. there is a process.
Baha10 9 years, 3 months ago
What continues to make me laugh is referring to Rigby as Youthful. Pindling was Youthful, unfortunately not Rigby, which makes those that are even older ouright Jurassic!
sheeprunner12 9 years, 3 months ago
If you are U50 in politics ......... you are YOUTHFUL in this country!!!!!!!!!!
The PLP is a party controlled by the 60+ year olds who worshipped SLOP
pablojay 9 years, 3 months ago
Should Rigby seriously decide to go against Perry, i would like to remind him that it was Perry himself who got up in the House of Assembly and said in the presence of a wounded Sir Lynden ," I would rather he go now,sooner, than later ,so that i can establish my brand of leadership upon the PLP. He in effect told Sir Lynden to carry his old ,tired ass. Sir Lynden died at 70, two years less than Perry is now.
sheeprunner12 9 years, 3 months ago
Misery loves company ............. Doc Rollins and Rigby need to join the coalition
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