The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

WHILE still uncertain of his political future, Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins made it clear yesterday that he would not join another political party if he is not offered a nomination by the Free National Movement.

Dr Rollins said he would likely run an independent campaign in order to continue his contribution to frontline politics, as he was hyper aware of public scrutiny over his track record.

“No,” he said when asked if he had considered joining the Democratic National Alliance (DNA).

“If I am to run under any other banner, it would not be a political party or an established organisation. It would only be as an independent because my time in politics, while very brief thus far, clearly there are persons who have questioned the number of affiliations that I’ve had in this short space of time.

“I can assure you that I will not be running for any other political organisation.

“I’m solidly entrenched with the Free National Movement now and if, depending on the outcome of the convention and some factors I will take into consideration, if not with the FNM, if I run at all it will be as an Independent.”

Dr Rollins has previously said that he will not seek a constituency nomination from the FNM if Dr Hubert Minnis is re-elected as leader at this month’s convention.

He reasoned that he could not expect to campaign alongside Dr Minnis given his critique of the FNM leader’s capacity for leadership and his role in the push for an early convention.

When questioned on his political future, he said: “I’m leaving that option open, absolutely, I’m leaving that option open. I would like to continue to contribute in public life. I haven’t ruled out the possibility that I may not run but I haven’t ruled out the possibility that I may run either.

“The question remains under what banner. By that I mean will I, if not given the opportunity to run with an established party, because let’s be frank the reality is that the leader has a lot of influence in determining whether or not one will be offered a nomination, and if I’m not offered a nomination then it may be that if I am to run it will have to be as an Independent.

“I have to make a decision on that.”

Dr Rollins has openly criticised Dr Minnis and his supporters, stating that the leader had no substance or vision for the country. His outspoken stance on the FNM’s leadership struggles positioned him at the centre of renewed efforts by the majority of the FNM’s parliamentary team to engender an earlier convention date.

Six of the opposition’s 10 MPs - Loretta Butler-Turner, Hubert Chipman, Neko Grant, Richard Lightbourn, Theo Neilly and Dr Rollins - threatened to petition Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to remove Dr Minnis as leader of the Official Opposition unless the initial November date was brought forward.

In making their case against their leader, the MPs later highlighted a myriad of Dr Minnis’ deficiencies in a memo to the party’s Central Council, including his failure to take command of the party “at almost every turn” despite their repeated efforts to support him.

At the party’s convention, Dr Minnis and his Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest will go head-to-head against Mrs Butler-Turner, the Long Island MP, and former FNM Senator Dr Duane Sands.

Yesterday, Dr Rollins insisted that persons should not assume that he supports the Butler-Turner/Sands ticket, adding that he expected the convention to be full of intrigue and anticipation. When asked whether he felt there was any truth to rumours that former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham would return to frontline politics, he said: “I don’t know.”

“I have not made any decision as it relates to who I intend to support,” he said. “I believe that we ought to know what all of the options are. I called for an early convention, I stand by that. I said that with all that was transpiring there was an urgent need for an early convention - I have not wavered from my belief.

“There’s a possibility that the status quo will remain as well as there may be another outcome I don’t know, but some have clearly ventured that because I called for early convention it automatically meant that I was supporting Mrs Butler-Turner, that’s a mistake to draw that conclusion.

“We ought not to make assumptions, the most important thing for me is to know who is offering and when I know that I’m not afraid to make a public declaration.”