Loretta Butler-Turner, leader of Opposition in the House of Assembly. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
By SANCHESKA DORSETT
Tribune Staff Reporter
sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
LONG ISLAND MP Loretta Butler-Turner said yesterday that while she understands “elections are won at the polls and cannot be predicted” she believes Long Islanders “have faith” in her “and she “believes in them”.
In an interview with The Tribune at her home, Mrs Butler-Turner said she will not engage in a “back and forth speculation” over who will win the Long Island seat but as it stands she said she has a “great relationship with her constituents.”
Her comments came one day after the Free National Movement’s council ratified Adrian Gibson, an attorney and Tribune columnist, for the Long Island seat.
FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said he is “more than confident” that the political newcomer will unseat Mrs Butler-Turner.
Last week, Dr Minnis confirmed that the FNM had started to search for a new Long Island candidate to represent the party in the 2017 general election.
The seat is currently held by Mrs Butler-Turner, who is one of seven FNM MPs who ousted the Killarney MP as leader of the Official Opposition in the House of Assembly earlier this month.
Mrs Butler-Turner, who was already ratified to run on the party’s ticket in 2017, was also chosen to replace Dr Minnis in the lower chamber.
“We had a tremendous party in Long Island (recently) and we also had the opportunity to visit our people and I can tell you, how elections turn out is only proven on the day of elections,” Mrs Butler-Turner said.
“If I were to use an indication of the response I received from my people I would tell you that at this point they believe in me as I believe in them. Elections are won on Election Day; I will not get into a back and forth on speculation. I deal in facts. The fact is as it stands today, I have a wonderful relationship with my constituency, should that change they will determine as to what my fate will be.”
In an interview with The Tribune following his ratification, Mr Gibson said he did not want to seem “disrespectful” but he described Mrs Butler-Turner’s performance in Long Island as “lacklustre”.
“I know the constituents are not happy with her representation and we are putting that behind us and moving forward,” he said.
“I am 100 per cent confident I can beat her in Long Island. I am the man for the job.”
Last week, in an open letter to Dr Minnis, the Long Island Constituency Association accused him of dishonesty and untrustworthiness over the revoking of Mrs Butler-Turner’s candidacy for the next general election.
In a letter signed by the entire executive arm of the association, Dr Minnis is accused of falsely representing the views of the association in allegedly telling the party’s General Council that it had voted to withdraw the nomination from Mrs Butler-Turner, the island’s MP.
The association also claimed that Dr Minnis had “done nothing but sow seeds of division, discord and distrust” since becoming party leader and that he is “desperate to the point of telling larger and bolder untruths”.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 10 months ago
Adrian Gibson should be running as an independent and not as a candidate associated with the grossly inept Minnis and the very dysfunctional and likely now defunct, party that Minnis hijacked to satisfy his own personal power-hungry ambitions and greedy interests, to the exclusion of the interests of all others, especially those who will vote in the next general election. Any Long Islander who votes for LBT in the next general election will simply be exercising their constitutional right to squander their vote for someone who is obviously fond of loonie-tune billy-goats like Rodney Moncur.
TalRussell 7 years, 10 months ago
Comrades! I would think Loretta struck a non compete deal with Bran not to run a green party candidate for Long Island come the 2017 General....while I seriously doubt Loretta will stick around Long Island, long enough to run in 2017.
goodbyebahamas 7 years, 10 months ago
Maybe she wants to fix the whole pie and not just one piece, the Bahamas is made up of so many islands you know, but the one that runs the rest is Nassau. Long Island and every other island will befit if she's in Nassau full time. At least that's my F-ing opinion. How the F can she run $hit if she's in long island all the F-ing time; cuz I like rum and coke too, but not in the F-ing morning.
goodbyebahamas 7 years, 10 months ago
Four more MF-ing days....thank you Lord!
Regardless 7 years, 10 months ago
There is still a third candidate to emerge.
TalRussell 7 years, 10 months ago
Comrades! Tis poppycock colonial that The Queen's Governor General Dame Marguerite, abused the royal instruments Her Majesty to repossess Minnis's offical car, police driver and license plates to hand over Loretta...knowing damn well that not one Seven-MP rebels is capable of being elected in any constituency come the 2017 General. Wait for all hell breaks loose from behind walls Buckingham Palace, once The Queen reads about how her royal instruments got Rodney and Bran, elevated to the Upper Red Chamber.
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2016…
Rhetoric 7 years, 10 months ago
She is so gone It is as if she does not know that Long Island Residents And Nassau residents from Long Island do not cast their votes in the same place.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 10 months ago
LBT will lose to Adrian Gibson (FNM) even if the DNA and the PLP abstain from nominating candidates .......... her political currency has been seriously downgraded following her antics starting with her pro-gender referendum stance, then her failed HOA mutiny early this year, plus the failed convention bid in July, then the "fake cake rally", and finally the December coup .......... that is more downgrades than Perry's government since 2012 ................ Adios LBT
licks2 7 years, 10 months ago
Somebody around here please tell me. . .why the opposition in the country did not do any better since Dr. "get swing" in the HOA? All I still hear from the seven is "chap Doc with rocs". . .don't they know that they are opposition to the PLP. . .not the FNM or rocin doc. . .Lol! They are "hell bent" on opposing da FNM and doc not the crap them PLP them doing. . .now we hearing that LBT "talking" with the PLP to save she seat in LI? Say it een so LBT. . . better still. . .don't say it een so. . .you may just lie to us again. . .say yoon talking with PLP then later come out and tell us you been talking with them for years! Lol!.
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