Dr Hubert Minnis
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
ATTORNEY Michael Scott yesterday said Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis has been unsuccessful in gaining the financial support of white Bahamians because that demographic has little confidence in his ability to lead the organisation or the country.
Mr Scott, who several times insisted that he was not racist, added that in his opinion the FNM has also failed to become a successful opposition party under the Killarney MP’s leadership, who he said is not suited to become prime minister.
Although Mr Scott said he was not speaking in any way for Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, the attorney sought to compare the MP to Dr Minnis, saying the FNM needs someone of her calibre to lead it to a victory in the next general election.
His comments came while he was a guest on the 96.9 FM radio talk show The Revolution with host Juan McCartney.
Mr Scott added that it was no secret that he supported the former deputy leader and if she were leader, the question would be a matter of how many seats the organisation would win by. As it stands now, he said it is “touch and go” if the FNM can win the next election.
Mr Scott, who has served as a legal advisor to the FNM among other positions, also called Dr Minnis’ plan to implement tax-free zones in inner city communities “a joke” and “nonsense”, saying it had not been well planned out or well conceived.
“He doesn’t project the confidence,” Mr Scott said while clarifying comments he previously made on another radio talk show.
“In my opinion he doesn’t have what it takes to be a successful leader of the FNM. He has not been a successful leader in the opposition and in my view will not be a successful prime minister and therefore he is not a catalyst for money and has not been successful in raising funds from the white Bahamian population. That is the gist of what I had to say and I got painted as a racist for that and that’s stupid. That’s what it comes down to.”
He added: “I don’t support Minnis. I don’t think Minnis can take us into the promise land because the whole point of having political parties is so they can become the government. I think as we are structured at the moment we are poised to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. If we had someone of Loretta’s calibre, it should be a matter of how many seats we’re going to win by. As it is now, it’s touch and go (if we) can win.
“I think with Minnis as leader, I don’t see that we are going to win. I am really saddened by that because I do not think this country can take another five years of (Prime Minister Perry) Christie but it’s my judgment on that.”
He also came to the defence of Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn who previously told The Tribune that he was accused of being “racist” during an FNM policy meeting after he criticised Dr Minnis’ tax plans for the Over-the-Hill community.
The accusation was also later thrown at Mr Lightbourn by former FNM Cabinet member Tennyson Wells.
“Because he raised questions about this Over-the-Hill tax initiative programme, which as far as I am concerned is a joke. Because as conceived by Dr Minnis and as I understand it, really is nonsense.
“You cannot have that kind of programme,” Mr Scott said. “It cannot work. First of all we have not had in recent years a demographic study of who actually lives in Bain Town and Grants Town. We don’t know how many Bahamians are there because it’s been this sort of diaspora population shift from the suburbs to the southern part of New Providence. So we don’t know who lives there.
“As I understand it there are a lot of expatriates particularly of Haitian and Jamaican extraction. There are a lot of drug populations. There is a significant drug population anyway.”
He continued: “There is a rental population over there too, so you have got that now. If you do that you are encouraging slum landlords. You are encouraging people to come in there and buy up these cheap properties. You are encouraging gentrification.
“So in other words no thought has gone into this. It’s an actual joke.”
Comments
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
This Michael Scott needs to stop it with pretending to speak for white Bahamians in this country. Why is he, as a white man, bringing race into the picture while at the same time condemning supposed supporters of Minnis for doing the same thing? Why is he singling out white Bahamians when Bahamians across the board, regardless of race, do not support Minnis?
jackbnimble 8 years, 8 months ago
He's 'singling' out the white people because everyone knows the white knights have been supporting the FNM for years and Hubbigity was their "boy".
They cannot physically run the country any more (aka no more UBP) so they run governments with their "money". The FNM is their party of choice and with Minnis at the helm, their control is diminished or ends
Believe it not, there is power in money. You do not have to be in the chair of power but you fund a party that is running for an election, and if they win, then that puts you in a position of power. You can pick up the phone and call in any favour and they cannot deny you. Case in point - the Numbers boys and the PLP - which legalized gambling despite the "no" vote.
With no more HAI, the white knights need another puppet - in the person of Butler-Turner.
To his credit, Minnis will not be controlled by them, so they don't like him. Loretta has agreed to be their willing servant after being in secret meetings with HAI and others for the last few years.
As "racist" as his comments appear to be, Mr. Scott is on the money.
Minnis (lackluster as he is) represents change. A change of an old old guard,
It's an end of the secret UBP era and they are simply not taking it well.
jackbnimble 8 years, 8 months ago
Minnis cannot be controlled. For the FNM and the old UBP that is CHANGE.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
While I do not agree that Minnis represents change (unless you simply mean he is another human being), gold star for jackbnimble otherwise. Talk about a few ugly truths. This is exactly why I opined that Scott is opening up a can of worms he cannot contain and he is not helping his camp any.
jackbnimble 8 years, 8 months ago
I think Scott is being honest. Just brutally so. You do know they (the White Knights) hate him for this, right?
SP 8 years, 8 months ago
Totally agree 100%. Couldn't be explained any more clearly!
Minnis won't suck up and sell out like Hubert Ingraham did so now Holowesko group of UBP puppet masters have a serious dilemma.
SP 8 years, 8 months ago
Yeah, right?
TruePeople 8 years, 8 months ago
Minnis ein have the support of people in he own party, what yall talking about white Bahamians again for?! Why Black and White Bahamians always have to be an issue?
QUOTE - he is not a catalyst for money and has not been successful in raising funds from the white Bahamian population. That is the gist of what I had to say and I got painted as a racist for that and that’s stupid. That’s what it comes down to.
So i guess he is get nuff money from (rich) black Bahamians right? That's why you choose the word 'white' over 'rich' or 'affluent'...
Further to that, if i don't assume rich = white and disenfranchised = black then i'm 'stupid' huh. Scottie Boy you betta watch ya mouth! You is racist and stupid yaself
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Right. This is not the first time this Scott fellow has gone out publicly as stating white Bahamians do not support Minnis. Just what is he trying to prove here? He is now arrogating unto himself a priviledge he does not believe belongs to black political spokespersons. When Tennyson Wells brought up the issue of race, he was condemned as being a trite bigot. Scott keeps stating that white people such as himself do not support a black political leader - but somehow he believes he is entitled to do this without also being called a bigot. He is exemplifying what is referred to as white privilege and in any event, he needs to leave race out of this. The point he seems to be suggesting here is that white people in this country have a higher and more correct standard by which they judge politicians, hence their reluctance to put their money behind the current FNM leader. Their reluctance to support him is not about race, it is about not believing he can win and hence not seeing how they would score on any financial investment they might pump into him. It is the reason wealthy black Bahamians are not financially supporting Minnis either - they do not see what might be in it for them and their enterprises either existent or planned.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Exactly. The thesis of his argument screams bigotry. So white Bahamians would support Butler Turner? Why? Because she is of a lighter hue and speaks "better" than Minnis does? Why? Because she is actually taking advice from a white Bahamian (Scott) and Minnis is not? I'm sick of this intellectually dishonest and bigoted raising of race in this flaccid political race. So if we follow his these to its logical conclusion - white Bahamians do not support Minnis but black Bahamians presumably do? Then what statement is he also making about the difference between white Bahamians and black Bahamians in terms of the root of voter efficacy between the two groups?
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Why doesn't this Scott fellow speak the truth about what he and other FNMs are really doing behind the scenes? Why doesn't he admit that he is not truly a supporter of Butler Turner in her own right, but is actually working with those who want Hubert Ingraham to return, and who, as a feigned desire, claim that they are doing so with the objective of creating a shared power structure between Ingraham and Butler Turner - a structure that those who are working with Scott know would not truly exist if Ingraham were to return. Instead of running on about white Bahamians, run on about that. Do the mulatto (half black and half white) publishers of the Tribune support Scott's rants about race and political support?
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
What does what you state have to do with race? Scott's argument is race based.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
And what cultural mindset or mentality, is that? Leave China out of this discussion as it has nothing at all to do with what Scott is talking about, especially since Scott claims to support a black person for leader. If he was openly supporting a white person, your insertion of Chinese bigotry could be rationalized.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
You are more ignorant than not in your retorts, and seemingly incapable of processing information. Readers here meantime are fully capable of seeing what you truly believe, notwithstanding what you claim to stand for.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Up votes? Are you a teenager or a social media fiend? ha!
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
What is African style governance in this context? Which country or countries in Africa are you referring to? And who are the educated Bahamians you are referring to?
HarryWyckoff 8 years, 8 months ago
I think it refers to dictatorships, which are rife in Africa, and where the PLP are attempting to head.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
He wasn't referring to dictatorships, which ofcourse do not have their genesis in Africa though they exist in some African countries today. He explained in another post what he meant.
Honestman 8 years, 8 months ago
ikalikl - I can't disagree with a single word you say.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
I don't think we should bring intelligence into this discussion. I ask again, what does Chinese bigotry have to do with what Scott is talking about? Stop using China as a red herring (and even in that use you are not doing so properly or logically). Scott is talking about white Bahamians.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Your commentary today is indeed the Theatre of Non Sequitur. Continue to evade the actual subject matter here if you think that advances something worthy of advancement.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Corruption that has plagued Africa for decades? Indeed it has. If you believe that black-led countries have the monopoly on corruption (even while daring to speak about China as just one example) then you are a politically incorrect bigot, and I don't think that is what you are.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Face reality? Have you read the EU's most recent report on endemic and widespread corruption in European countries, corruption credited with the weakening of our global economy in addition to the economies of those individual countries? You keep throwing terms like intelligence and idiocy, yet you seem very racially jaundiced in your world view. As for China, which you are stuck on today, do you know that the nation's entire political and economic structure is built and sustained substantively on corruption? Do you know that global agencies state that China's corruption eclipses that of even the most rogue of African nations?
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
And still, for all your illogical ranting, you have yet to address the actual issue here, which is the argument put forward by Scott. And look who is catching feelings here. All you have done is hurl insults since you began ranting. You are an angry white person in a majority black country. Just admit it. Truth is good for the soul. No need to seek to justify it by bringing in illogically fallacious arguments. Some of us are simply not as angry as you seem to be, and hence, if it is within us, can view subjects more rationally.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Does someone need to agree with your positions to not support the PLP? At what point have you ever seen me give any support whatsoever to the bottom of the barrel PLP? Meanwhile, you are asking me to "do what it takes", yet you do not plan to support a Minnis-led ticket at the polls. Well, how about some coffee for you - if Bahamians do not vote FNM, the PLP will not be going anywhere. So perhaps you need to re-consider what idiocy means as you continue to hurl the term like a child with a brand new Frisbee. I loathed the day the FNM chose Minnis, and the sad reality is, he will almost certainly be taking the FNM into the next general election.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Ah mi dios! My disagreement is in bringing race into this issue at all and separating out and differentiating Bahamians based on race. Bahamians of all colors do not support the man. There is no need for us to single out any race as though that race holds a view other races do not.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Are you sick? So you think black Bahamians support Minnis as opposed to whites? What Bahamas are you living in? No wonder you are so vociferously supporting the spokesman for white Bahamians. lol. Black voters think the man is a zero just as white voters do.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 8 months ago
Is this a veiled threat of the special interest group (aka Bay Street Boys)???????? .............. where there is smoke there is fire
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
It seems that the truth is not in him, otherwise he would have been truly honest about which "white Bahamians" he is actually referring to, such that he has to keep on making the public reference. Had he said the traditional big-money backers of the FNM are not supporting Minnis, that would not have had the same import or effect as saying "white Bahamians" - which is a group far larger than the white knights.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Are we going to get another statement from the aspiring Mr. Symonette, once again calling for the race card to be done away with in Bahamian politics?
Meanwhile, it is interesting to me to see the outrage that was sparked - justifiably so - about the race card being used by Tennyson Wells. Now that a white Bahamian is using the race card - where is the outrage?
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Ah, the subjectivity of "reality". Tennyson also spoke about white Bahamians and their financial behavior in the FNM. But he was slammed for doing this. Now Scott has done the same thing, yet now he is only stating "reality".
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Yes, they did. You may not have, but that has nothing to do with anyone else.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
When we all angrily reacted to Tennyson's tactics, we all agreed that race should not be used to further a political argument in this country. Almost no right-thinking person supports Hubert Minnis. So what is the need to insert "white" into this? How does that productively advance any argument Minnis detractors are putting forward? I don't support Hubert Minnis. Never have and never will, and skin color has absolutely nothing to do with it. Whenever race is disingenuously brought into the discussion, it demeans us all no matter what "color" we are. Stick to the issues affecting this nation and its citizens and stop inserting race where it ought not be inserted.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Thank you for finally getting to the argument. Now, what does a person's skin color have to do with political support in this context? Why differentiate Bahamians by their skin color? Do white Bahamians hold a view of Minnis that black Bahamians do not? The answer is no. When I referred to your skin color, you quickly sought to rebuff me by stating emphatically that you are Bahamian, suggesting that I should leave your skin color out of it. Wonderful. You are a white Bahamian though, correct? So my calling you a white Bahamian was simply stating "reality", right? Yet you took umbridge with my seeking to form any argument whatsoever based on your race. I am taking the same umbridge with Scott, but you are rushing to Scott's defence. It suggests to me that you do not have a problem with racial arguments at all as you claimed to have during the Tennyson debate - you simply have a problem with negative racial arguments targeting the race to which you belong.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
And what do you want Bahamians of all races to do to please and "address" white Bahamians who do not support Hubert Minnis? This I've just got to hear.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
At this point, the FNM will snatch that defeat even if Minnis is not the leader if you really know what is going on with and in the FNM.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Agreed
birdiestrachan 8 years, 8 months ago
Race does matter. All this talk about the Chinese you all Papa brought them here in the first place. They have investments big investments in the USA and England. Why as a people you all seem to dishonor The negro race. To bad and to sad. Because I do believe that I am black but good looking . And the God of variety assured me that I can do all things thru Christ who makes me strong.
Mr: Scott a true FNM just like most of you has only spoken the TRUTH. You all will just have to deal with it
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
I never agree with anything you say Birdie, but on this point you are absolutely correct. The Baha Mar fiasco may never have happened had these Chinese crooks not been brought into the deal in the first place. That is not on Christie, that is on the FNM. All they needed was to be given the type of agreement they got, and that was the foothold they needed to do what they ultimately did. They sweetened us with free things and what turned out to be bugged electronic equipment for our government officials and offices just as they did other Caribbean countries - and we bought it wholesale, acting as if China was our new best friend.
dahasamo 8 years, 8 months ago
Fred Mitchell went to China and came back with the stadium. We are still paying for that Trojan horse.
asiseeit 8 years, 8 months ago
I do not know why people are worried about the white vote that accounts for maybe 5% of ALL votes. The white boogyman is going to come from under your bed and steal and election? Also I will bet that there are far more Bahamian black millionairs than Bahamian white millionairs in this day and age. I will also bet that anyone under 40 black or white really does not care about race, we care about more important things like our FUTURE, JOBS, SAFETY, and OUR COUNTRY! Leave the race bullshit with the half dead gray hairs that can't get over the past!
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Okay. Now what does that reality truly mean for this country - that the vast minority of the citizenry controls what will happen to the vast majority? Since this is the reality, Tennyson Wells (as repugnant as he is) was right in his commentary on this very issue. What do you want the vast majority to do then, to genuflect to this reality? You keep saying you hate the PLP and that white Bahamians (as if black Bahamians differ) do not support Minnis. Fine. I wont argue that. Now I am asking you as a Bahamian, what you want Bahamians to do about what white Bahamians want, and why should there even be a consideration about what any racial grouping wants or does not want in a political candidate? Why do we need to "do something about" what white Bahamians want over any other racial group? All of our desires are critical, regardless of our color. And are we to believe that the white Bahamians Scott speaks of are actually concerned about nationbuilding? No, they, like black millionaire businessmen, care about their ends and which party will help them accomplish them.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
I put no words in your mouth, I asked you a series of questions. You are entirely too paranoid and defensive for these types of discussions.
Meantime, you said if Minnis remains, whites wont support which means the FNM will lose. What you are saying is the vast minority is controlling the outcome for the vast majority.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
And who is to say white Bahamians will support the new leader picked? Shall we ask Scott, spokesman for white Bahamians?
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Since you know this, why are you repeatedly saying the PLP will win without whites supporting the FNM! You are incorrigible!
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
A Bahamian who knows ZERO about elections in his country! Do you know how many of those same white Bahamians Scott spoke of, directed their millions to parties other than the FNM, ensuring their party's defeat? See this is the problem with Scott trying this angle - he may not like the truths that come out as a result. FNMs have no idea which prominent FNMs funded the DNA and the PLP. If they did, they would probably die of shock, and yes, they were white Bahamians or Bahamians passing for white. So before Scott tries to put any demographic on a platform, make sure the platform is built on a firm foundation, as some of the most prominent white FNMs have a huge part to play in the PLP being the government of the day.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
You must be Michael Scott or a cousin of his, because I know you saw me specifically highlight the white Bahamians he is referring to, not all white Bahamians. And since he is also being intellectually dishonest in his commentary about white Bahamians (in that he knows he is only referring to a handful of white Bahamians and passing-as-white Bahamians who are the FNM's traditional backers) hence my joke about you either being him or being close to him!
sheeprunner12 8 years, 8 months ago
Sooooooooo, who are white (FNM) Bahamians supporting???????? Come on Michael Scott .......... spill the whole truth .......... and why they wont really support HAM ...... is he too independent (Trump-like) for those who like to pull the strings of the puppet leaders????
Now if Hubert Minnis comes out and says that he cannot be bought by ANY special interest group in or out of this country, he will begin to get serious grassroot support ......... like Donald Trump .................. we need our own Bahamian Trump-like politician to come forward and challenge this engrained status-quo political system that is destroying this country ...... not another Oreo like Obama .......... or fake Old Guard like Hillary (???????)
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
All Scott is doing, is creating potentials for certain other political arguments to be made by the very camp he opposes. Scott is not helping his camp, he is hurting it and he does not seem to be able to see that.
Scott, the spokesman for white Bahamians, should tell us this very thing. Minnis is an absolute moron and neurotic, but Scott should tell us who white Bahamians want in his place since as I'm told, the demographic is so critical to the FNM's victory. Tell the nation who we want, so the nation can make haste to oblige.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Good thing your personal opinion of me is of less than nil consequence. You need help for this anger you have about racial issues. It is only on racial issues here that you get so touchy and combative and belligerent. I know a few white professionals, friends of mine, who can assist... (just kidding).
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Scott should have just said what he really meant. Don't say white Bahamians, say the traditional white financial backers of the FNM who he is clearly speaking on behalf of, which is only a handful of men; a tiny subset of the minority race in this country. But he can't be that honest, so he has to be intellectually and socially dishonest by making it a purely racial thing. And this is why I say that when you disingenuously insert race into important discussions such as the fate of the nation, it dishonors us all no matter what "color" we are.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
And can we just leave this "white" thing alone, especially since the people who bring it up are mulatto passing for white? See why color becomes such a problem depending on how you choose to discuss it?
TalRussell 8 years, 8 months ago
Comrade Michael S -some 32 years ago PM Pindling floated a plan to revitalize over-da-hill. Then Papa Hubert's regime come to power and he redesigned the boundaries to drop providing economic aid and incentives to native over-da-hill entrepreneurs, to be replaced with special deals with Paradise Island and the specially privileged Arawak Cay Club.
In fact wasn't it Papa's regime that signed over the Cable Beach lands where the PM's office once sat to make room for the doomed Baha Mar project?
Comrade Michael S - did's you not have a voice back then when papa was around? I guess not.
What about the millions of National Insurance dollars used by the red cabinet to buy up shares in a beer company - shares that the free market had a chance to subscribe to but decided it was not the best investment for their millions?
Some of us come from old school where we more respect when a voice is consistent - not politically selective.
I have heard you on the talkie shows and you sure as all does appear to have become a regular spokesman's for the anti Minis club?
jackbnimble 8 years, 8 months ago
Know your history dude. Not true. The UBP had the plan. When the PLP came to power they killed it. Apparently keeping people poor stupid and needy garnered more votes. It's why the PLP always wins in the grassroots areas.
TalRussell 8 years, 8 months ago
Comrade Dude everyone including you is entitled to their own opinion, but not to rewrite UBP history. UBPism is not exactly the kind of political party you should be rushing to blog brag about okay - cause the biggest problem to overcome is something called the Bay Street Boys.
jackbnimble 8 years, 8 months ago
Not rewriting history dude. It's fact. Stop by the Tribune's office one day and ask to see the "plan". Will give you much food for thought.
TalRussell 8 years, 8 months ago
Comrade not to be unkind but if you really have grandiose fantasies about how the UBP needs to be admired, despite a proven track record of lacking empathy for so many thousands of Bahamalanders that they intentionally disenfranchised - there is professional 'head-care' help coming your way under BahamaCARE.
Publius 8 years, 8 months ago
Moving on from race itself, since Scott believes that Minnis' ad-hoc so-called plan for inner cities in Nassau is nonsense, then why not tell the nation what qualifies as a sensible, comprehensive stimulus policy?
banker 8 years, 8 months ago
I am still amazed at how the un-intelligent among us cannot grasp the subtleties of what being a good leader for the country entails. Honestly, if they were any slower, they would be going backwards, like the country is now. You talk sense to a fool and he calls your foolish. I've learned to never under-estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
Whatever his shortcomings are, Minnis beats Christie by miles, and if we had an intelligent populace, all could see he is the only choice to stop this slide into anarchy and oblivion that we are seeing in our or at least my beloved Bahamas. But alas, in this country, stupidity is not a handicap. When I read about CB Moss's Hands around the Bahamas crusade, it struck me, that we don't need a crusade against crime -- we need one against stupidity. Stupidity is the same as evil if you judge by the results.
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 8 months ago
banker, you're dead wrong about Minnis being preferable to Christie....be careful.... there's much about Minnis that makes Christie look like a church choir boy! I know many Bahamians (both black and white) who will vote for 5 more years of the corrupt Christie-led PLP long before they would vote for Minnis.
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