The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, Dr Hubert Minnis, has called himself a man of his convictions. The trouble for him is that 15 months before the next general election nine out of 10 Bahamians can’t identify one issue around which he has shown conviction in the three and a half years that he has been in the job.

That’s a problem for the FNM. Minnis doesn’t command authority within his own party. That’s a direct consequence of his failure (some say inability) to lead.

All political parties are rag-tag operations with factions and special interest groups competing to hold sway. The FNM is no different now than it was at its formation. History has shown that dissent can be good. If it were not for the Dissident Eight who formed the FNM, politics in this country would have languished under what might now have been 49 years of unbroken PLP governance.

So dissent is not to be discouraged. There must always be alternatives waiting in the wings to provide leadership. Weak, ineffective leadership must always be challenged. Dr. Minnis needs an internal challenge for the good of democracy, for the good of the FNM, for the good of the PLP and for the good of the country.

Harken back to 2007 when Tommy Turnquest was under attack from many who believed he was an ineffective leader. The difference between then and now is that Tommy Turnquest is a class act. He is a statesman who soars way above the head of Dr. Minnis. Dr. Minnis, not so much.

Minnis is too weak a leader to be taken seriously. Plotting against him is easy. The PLP war room no doubt has a playbook on how to ridicule him in a head-to-head general election contest. The smart money says that beating him in a general election would be easy for the PLP. Removing him from his job as leader of the FNM though is hard work.

Lovers of democracy know that it can always be counted on to save the day. That is if the adversaries adhere to democratic protocol. A potcake fighting for its life will naw away the very hand that rescued it from the shelter. Minnis is not going down without significant collateral damage to him and the FNM brand. If he can’t have the government then he would rather the PLP keep it than see it run by another FNM.

So there must be a convention. Those who wish to challenge Minnis or see him challenged must be open about it. The leaders of the party must look to the good of the party and the country not to someone who promises them high positions. (I understand there are at least two governors general and three attorneys general in waiting.)

The delegates at convention must look not to who can give them personal favour now but who can march them back into government next year.

Call the delegates to convention. Let the chips fall where they may. And may the best man or woman win.

THE GRADUATE

Nassau,

January 28, 2016.