The Tribune

Do the FNM rebels have a plan? Will Branville McCartney be the power broker and how? Malcom J Strachan looks at the ramifications of upheaval in the Official Opposition . . .

The deed has been done, and with the stroke of a pen, Dr Hubert Minnis is no longer the leader of the Official Opposition.

Loretta Butler-Turner, the Free National Movement’s (FNM) Member of Parliament for Long Island has been sworn in as the first female leader of the Opposition. A glass ceiling shattered.

Her supporters and well-wishers turned out at Government House yesterday afternoon to witness the occasion in all its finery.

But while champagne glasses were clinking and congratulations shared around, another conversation was being had around the country – what in the world is going on? What will happen next?

To say that this move caught the public by surprise is an understatement.

No one saw it coming; least of all Dr Minnis. The look on his face in Parliament on Wednesday, when the letter of no confidence to the Governor General from seven “rebel” FNM MPs was read out by the Speaker, was one of utter bewilderment and shock.

Many Bahamians around the country, whether they be supporters of Mrs Butler-Turner or not, were equally surprised!

What just happened? What does this mean, they asked? We are still wrapping our heads around it.

One thing we know for sure: while this all makes for high political drama, it cannot and must not distract from the main object of rescuing this country from an out-of-control Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) administration.

LBT v Minnis

Over the coming days and weeks there will be a barrage of meetings and high-level conversations with supporters of both Dr Minnis and Mrs Butler-Turner, all eager to broker deals.

The leader of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), Branville McCartney, will be the singular object of their attention. We understand that a deal has already been struck between Mrs Butler-Turner’s camp and that of the DNA, which will result in Mr McCartney being appointed to the Senate as one of her three constitutionally mandated choices. Mr McCartney will remain as the leader of the DNA while Mrs Butler-Turner will join with his party and become the leader of the DNA in the House of Assembly.

A nice accommodation to say the least!

But, there must be a larger plan.

We can venture a guess. The DNA will likely accede to running as many of the “Rebel Seven” - Mrs Butler-Turner, Neko Grant, Hubert Chipman, Theo Neilly, Edison Key, Richard Lightbourn and Dr Andre Rollins - as they request. After all, due to the actions of the seven, overnight the DNA has gone from a third party force to the Official Opposition - catapulting the FNM to a status they haven’t held in over 40 years. Not a bad move on their part.

But we ask again, what is the end goal?

Sink or swim

The Opposition forces, as they currently stand, must come to an agreement.

Now is not the time for the factions of Butler-Turner, or Minnis, or McCartney to dig their heels in. Yes, feelings are raw right now and emotions are running high. To those who felt betrayed or offended by the actions of Mrs Butler-Turner and her Parliamentary colleagues, we say now is not to time to push for blood. To those who are elated by the move and have preached for it to happen for years now, we say now is not the time to gloat.

To Minnis’ supporters who want to banish the “Rebel Seven”, we warn them against such a move. Now is the time for cool heads and sober minds.

Now is the time for truly putting the country first, and ambitions second. Now is the time to put forward a real, digestible plan that the Bahamian people can accept.

But this plan has to work for all.

If the FNM is seen to be giving up too much, it won’t work. If the DNA is only a minor player in the deal, it can’t be sold to their support base either.

To truly beat the PLP in 2017, there needs to be a unified, well-funded, and disciplined opposition force - not party. A force that is united by a single goal, and with a shared vision.

Cooler heads must prevail

Can such an accommodation take place?

That is yet to be seen, but we hope so. For the betterment of the country, we hope so. The Bahamas can not take another five years of the PLP. The country can not take another five years of mismanagement and corruption.

The country can not afford to be blacklisted, or plunge into a fiscal abyss. The country can not take it. The Bahamian people can not take it.

They deserve to have a real option for which to vote in 2017.

Without a unified opposition, the PLP could sail back into office and complete their objective of selling this country out to their private interests.

We can not allow this travesty to take place.

Loretta Butler-Turner should not allow that to take place. Branville McCartney should not allow that to take place. Dr Hubert Minnis should not allow this to take place.

It will be up to these three, over the next few days and weeks, to determine what type of election we will be facing in 2017.

We hope for the nation’s sake that cool heads will prevail as the real work starts. The country is watching with bated breath to see what takes place next.

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