Peter Turnquest speaks at the FNM Convention.
POST-CONVENTION fallout continued for the Free National Movement yesterday as Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest clashed with former chairman Darron Cash over the latter’s claims that leader Dr Hubert Minnis ran a racially-divisive campaign.
Mr Cash made the claim as a guest on radio talk show Let’s Talk Live with Carlton Smith.
“We heard it in the advertisements,” Mr Cash said, “we heard it in the platform speeches, we heard it from Dr Minnis’ surrogates. This idea that the white people supporting Loretta [Butler-Turner] is something that is so grotesquely a violation of the core principle of the FNM that I think it is going to do damage to Dr Minnis and his reputation and potentially even the FNM.”
He continued: “This not so subtle campaign against the haves and the have nots was clearly racially charged and directed at dividing FNMs against the white Bahamians who were perceived as supporting Loretta Butler-Turner.”
Firing back as a caller to the show, Mr Turnquest challenged that it was Mr Cash’s camp – by extension Mrs Butler-Turner’s campaign – that have been race baiting in the lead up to last Friday’s convention.
“I think that the course that he is on at the moment,” Mr Turnquest said, “and the course that this campaign leading up to this convention has been on, is a very, very dangerous thing because they have been race baiting all along it is very very irresponsible of someone of his stature.
“Never. Never has the FNM or its leaders said or done anything to encourage or to support anybody’s view that there are two separate classes of people in this country. I challenge him to prove it he cannot say at anytime that Dr Minnis or the FNM has had anything to say about race.”
Mr Cash referred to The Nassau Guardian’s National Review editorial, which he said highlighted the various times that the issue of race had been “injected” into the campaign.
However, Mr Turnquest interjected: “You must be careful now, you must be careful, you must make sure that you attribute any comments with respect to race to where you have tried to attribute it.”
Mr Cash also accused Mr Turnquest of inciting the crowd to shout Mrs Butler-Turner off the stage with a chant of “Roc Wit Doc” when she over-ran her time on the convention’s second night, a claim that Mr Turnquest outright rejected.
Comments
licks2 8 years, 4 months ago
Mr. Cash. . .what is the matter with you Sir. . .you are beginning to sound like the child that nobody in the school yard will play with and goes about "talking bad" about all the other children that would not play with him/her! Nobody needed to interject "race" into the last convention race. . .yinna had just about all the white people in the party on one side behind LBT and a sea of blacks on the other side behind Doc. . .all the six in the house are high yellow! The matter of race automatically interjected itself in the mind of the people from the appearance of their public appearances! !
Greentea 8 years, 4 months ago
The Bahamas is far more divided along class lines than race these days and black upper class persons like Minnis still use the designation of white=money vs. black=no money to perpetuate a false dichotomy for political points with the poor and working class voters. How does Minnis account for himself? He is a long way from the Grove.
Franklyn 8 years, 4 months ago
...and why is Cash still a member of the party?
Greentea 8 years, 4 months ago
Its a democracy. not everyone has to agree.
Franklyn 8 years, 4 months ago
Mr Cash do not sound like someone I would want around my team ...what was democracy was the waste of time and money trying to outs the elected leader of the party (like him or not) he is the elected leader.
Mr. Cash constantly attack the leadership of the party, he may not like the man, but respect the position. If he has personal differences with Mr. Minnis Mr Cash should address his differences with Mr. Minnis and not pull the party down in public.
Dislike of Mr Minnis as party leader should take a back seat, now! to the importance as ridding the country of the PLP government. Last election was lost to the same in-frighting - party supporters had enough!
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 4 months ago
Like Lightbourn, Minnis is a racist. Lightbourn has disdain for most black Bahamians whereas Minnis has a deeply rooted dislike of just about all White Bahamians. Anyone who knows both of these men well knows exactly what I'm talking about here. And these two Leopards will never be able to change their spots....they are both too old in the tooth!
Reality_Check 8 years, 4 months ago
Lightbourn's political career has certainly been nothing to write home about and for all intents and purposes has now come to an end. It remains to be seen whether Richard "Tie The Tubes" Lightbourn will now do the right thing - not run for re-election or, better still, resign now!
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 4 months ago
Cash aint lying. That whole elite bull was racist as hell. We all know elite was code for white...
killemwitdakno 8 years, 4 months ago
The whole accusing her of thinking she's better just because she speaks proper preyed on the envy and fear of light skin, green eyes, and good hair. It was the same reason they constantly criticized her looks whilst Griffin could be as big as ever. It was saying who she tink she is and she mussy tink she entitled cause she light / 'merican (code for foreign white that we should be afraid of) and they desired to revel in a whipping for that 'attitude'. It was pull the pageant queen down just like that malicious lawsuit over the little girl in little miss Bahamas. Yes they tried to make it seem that she was favored by whites and only because of her having been away. Very dangerous to say so n so is not like me , not Bahamian enough, because of a different mold or the diverse groups they can appeal to. Well guess what FNMs , recall that's what PLP always said about you nerds , aligning the perception of your nerdiness with a racist agenda, that you were Uncle Toms, and because secret UBP will always follow the most progressive because they have no where else to go. His side was the dinosaurs who can't accept anyone going against their stubborn view.
killemwitdakno 8 years, 4 months ago
It's the same reason beauty queens always been boring and ugly ( except Celeste and the Haitian girls) , model Bahamians aren't allowed to turn up! You're not allowed to show when you know you gin win because of the professional level you've attained, that would be unfair. We're supportive until you've got too much of all the right it, til ya a bring a league others can't compete with. Most voters will never vie for leader so what was the purpose of exercising such jealousy? She was a 5 star chick. It was gang up on the honors student for some ex boyfriend being with her. Watching too much Love n Hip Hop. Disliking for no reason because not a single person had ever come out disapproving of what she's said as a mp, not a single story against her character, the whole campaign was about forcing a ass kissing when in fact it was the PEOPLE who wanted to compare their options, and they were deprived of and ridiculed for that. With or without an LBT , FNMs wanted a fair choice because the 90’s is past.
Had Charles Maynard been alive , he'd be a candidate should the people have pushed him to do so, with high approval I'm sure. Then would Minnis camp say he was with UBP?
Greentea 8 years, 4 months ago
this some serious "ish" you talking - doesn't bode well for the country because it tears down what is good because of petty jealousy and if you are right- gross mediocrity. damn.
killemwitdakno 8 years, 4 months ago
The divide was between those who want to restore FNM ideals and defeat the PLP, and those who want to act like them. >insert scoff smiley here<
Greentea 8 years, 4 months ago
Or his mascot- Miller.
TalRussell 8 years, 4 months ago
Comrades! Think about it. If Minnis becomes prime minister, he will make local political history to hold the distinction of being the first and only non-PLP to hold the office of Bahamaland's First Crown Minister.
SP 8 years, 4 months ago
.................................... FNM Needs Totally Renewed Image ......................................
Hubert Ingraham's bullheaded one man band stupidity, BTC fiasco and cold 2012 departure, Brent Symonette's blind trusts, granting Haitians citizenship car back trunk fiasco, Frank Watson's direct links to BEC bribery scandal and Lynn Holowesko's mysterious rise to Senate president funneling business to family and friends are responsible for destroying the FNM!
These people reprsent the FNM oligarchy, and are BLT's main benefactors and puppet masters.
They propped up and were banking on BLT's big mouth, elephant in a china shop attitude to replicate Ingraham unseating the more gentleman-like Dr. Minnis, grossly underestimating Bahamians intelligence and distaste for bull headed individuals.
Darron Cash is simply an unhinged, wannabe silver tongued idiot, now collateral damage of a failed coup, as are the rest of the dissident 6 chosen to do the puppet masters bidding while the puppet masters hide in the shadows lying in wait to control BLT and the country from behind the scenes.
Dr. Minnis skillfully, strategically out maneuvered the whole corrupt lot. Now they are left grasping at straws, chasing ghosts and pointing fingers in all directions attempting to find solid ground that simply isn't there!
Dr. Minnis needs to focus on a new direction if he wants the masses to follow him. And should start by publicly cutting ties and exposing the entrenched corrupt FNM oligarchy and dissident 6, as public perception is they will never cease attempts at undermining him.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 4 months ago
He should stop calling in to talk shows.
licks2 8 years, 4 months ago
By the way. . .where was he when BLT needed "all-hands-on-deck" at the convention?
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