The Tribune

By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement (FNM) Chairman Sidney Collie said Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner “can do whatever she wants” because the party is not concerned about “career politicians and back room deals.”

Mr Collie told The Tribune on Friday the FNM is focused on the 2017 general election and will not be distracted. A day earlier, Mrs Butler-Turner had said there is no need for her to appear before the FNM’s disciplinary tribunal because the party’s “trumped up” accusations against her are bogus.

Last Wednesday, the FNM appointed a three-person tribunal to decide the fate of Mrs Butler-Turner and the six other members of Parliament who ousted FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis as leader of the Official Opposition in the House of Assembly earlier this month.

The party accused the group of MPs of bringing the party into “disrepute, division, rancour and dishonour” as well as signing, delivering and causing to be read a letter to withdraw support for Dr Minnis. They were given seven days to write to the Executive Committee of the FNM to attempt to exculpate themselves.

However, Mrs Butler-Turner said she has no reason to appear before the “kangaroo court” and if the party took their “charges” to a real court, they would not have a “leg to stand on”.

“She can do whatever she wants,” Mr Collie said. “The FNM is focused on the 2017 general election. We are concerned about getting candidates ready ratified and rolled out and getting our message out. We are not concerned about career politicians back room deals. I am not following her around, she can do what she wants.”

Mr Collie said the party will ratify another set of candidates in the first week of January. Last Wednesday, young candidates Adrian Gibson, 32, and James Albury, 23, were ratified for Long Island and Central and South Abaco respectively.

Last Thursday, FNM MICAL candidate Walt Saunders withdrew his candidacy for the 2017 general election amid health concerns, according to Mr Collie. He is the third ratified FNM candidate to withdraw from the race.

However, Mr Collie said last week that at least five persons have already applied for the MICAL constituency.