Loretta Butler-Turner and Dr Duane Sands held a meet and greet at SC McPherson school to boost their FNM leadership campaign. Supporters of the party were present. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
Reader poll
Do you agree with Loretta Butler-Turner that the FNM is at the weakest point in its history?
- Yes, I agree.
- No, I do not agree.
137 total votes.
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Deputy Chief Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner last night insisted that the Free National Movement (FNM) is at the “weakest” point in its history as she suggested the party’s current state was the result of poor leadership.
Speaking at a town hall meeting geared towards garnering the support of the party’s delegates, Mrs Butler-Turner focused heavily on Dr Hubert Minnis’ leadership shortcomings.
The former party deputy, who is challenging Dr Minnis for the party’s top post at the FNM convention later this month, sought to differentiate herself from the Killarney MP.
To make her case, she accused Dr Minnis of pretending he was sick in order to get out of debating the University of the Bahamas Bill last week, failing to intervene on behalf of Bahamians in a timely manner when the Baha Mar resort went into bankruptcy last year and not stepping up during debates to hold the government’s feet to the fire on troubling national issues among other things.
During her stinging attack on the party leader, she urged FNMs with voting power to consider who would make the strongest team to contest the 2017 general election and accused Prime Minister Perry Christie and the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) of seeking to ensure the FNM is not strong.
An energetic and animated Mrs Butler-Turner also warned delegates of the “boogieman” and those who might attempt to bribe them for their votes as they head to convention on July 27 to 29. The party has 410 delegates who can cast votes.
“Why are we as a party not stronger? Why are we as a party not unified? There are some who will tell you we are not stronger because Loretta caused us to be weak,” she told the group of almost 50 who gathered at S C McPherson Junior High School last night.
“Well, let’s accept that Loretta caused us to be weak. (Well) Loretta is going to cause you to be strong now. There are those who will tell you that we do not defend or stand with the leader, but I have a picture that I want to remind you of. When we were being led out of the House of Assembly, I want to know who stood up and said don’t touch us?
“What happened when Loretta Butler-Turner said ‘let’s have a march on Rawson Square for all the homeowners that did not benefit from the Mortgage Relief Programme’? You know what happened? You want to talk about divided? The leader said I didn’t call for that so y’all don’t come out. I didn’t call for that so don’t worry about that. We aren’t having no march for y’all because if y’all get thrown out of your house we will deal with that another way and we have yet to deal with it.
“You see, when Baha Mar closed down and filed for bankruptcy, I was the one to stand up and say that Perry Christie is delusional (and) he is lying to the Bahamian people. I said to the Leader you better go talk to Christie. But when you finish talking to Christie I want you to talk to China Construction America and when you finish talking to CCA I want you to talk to the developers and then, Mr Leader, I want you to tell the FNM what we will do when we become the government to get Bahamians back to work.
“But he said to me ‘no, I don’t want talk to no Perry Christie’ and then the next week he missed the time. You need an FNM opposition now that is going to hold the feet of this inept government to the fire.”
Mrs Butler-Turner also took a dig at Dr Minnis’ campaign slogan “Roc wit Doc,” saying the country didn’t need to “be rocin” but needed to be anchored. She said: “The party is not united. We are not here to break up the party, we are here to heal the party.
“Now, talking about Perry Christie, let me tell you, Perry Christie is helping to make sure that the FNM is not strong, all of them. Since when you see PLPs does go on the stage at an FNM rally to tell FNMs what they must do. The PLP ain’t our friends. This is wartime. I don’t care if the PLP is your friend: I want to roll him out.
“At the end of the day if you have a warrior taking on machinery and you only have (Montagu MP) Richard Lightbourn that you can count on every time or (North Eleuthera MP) Theo Neilly or (Central Grand Bahama MP) Neko Grant or (St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman) Chippie but you don’t have your Leader ... I am telling you all, watch Parliament. I am going to tell you who are the ones you see out there taking blows.
“The other day, when we were finishing up the educational bill, (a) very important bill the Leader said he was sick, but he got well soon (and) a friend of mine saw him in the barber shop a couple hours later. But he was too sick to debate on behalf of the FNM.”
She said her campaign is working on its five-point plan to rescue the country, which is expected to soon be released to the public.
Both Mrs Butler-Turner and Dr Duane Sands, who is contending for the deputy leadership, are expected to attend a round-table discussion at the College of the Bahamas this evening to discuss their position on national issues. Dr Minnis was reportedly also invited to attend but it is unclear whether he will make an appearance.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 3 months ago
Those delegates bettwr choose smart....
Minnis has to go...
TalRussell 8 years, 3 months ago
Comrades the only 5-pont-recovery plan needed is the one by the red movement to bring an immediate relief, recovery from a complete party collapse by Loretta.
Just to give you an idea of this meddling woman’s sunken popularity, how does she complete with the ‘populist leader’ like Minnis when she goes hunting for voting convention delegates, yet manages to snag but a room of 50 warm bodies. Doesn’t this speak for what the reds really have planned for her July 27-29, 2016?
That’s a room of 50 warm bodies, less at least 15 cold bodies from her campaign team of the 50 and you know the Tribune reporter would have been so tempted to have overestimated the reported crowd of 50, by at least 20 bodies? More important the weakest missing part this story are the actual count of the 15 warm bodies we believe were no more than the true numbers who actually bothered to show-to hear what Loretta had say?
Comrades I will concede Duane was not a Photoshop into the photo. Right
Economist 8 years, 3 months ago
The facts are the facts. Minnis has failed for four long years, he must go.
TalRussell 8 years, 3 months ago
Comrade Economist even if you're right, the only issue now before the party to make is can the red movement risk dumping Minnis for Loretta and Duane?
Honestman 8 years, 3 months ago
Absolutely they can! The PLP is running scared of BLT/ Sands. They have even sent out Leslie Miller to shore up support for Minnis. How desperate is that?
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 3 months ago
Anyone notice that we haven't heard that awful theme song since the first day it was released? I still can't believe a committee sat down and listened to that all the way through AND ok'd it AND put it on the radio
EasternGate 8 years, 3 months ago
Endorse all of the above except Tal
DillyTree 8 years, 3 months ago
Minnis has had 4 1/2 years to prove his leadership abilities. What has he done? The party has fallen around him and he can't even manage his own party. How the hell does he think he's going to manage a country?
Minnis, if you have any shred of decency or brains -- step down now. You're the albatross that will sink the ship for good. No wonder the PLP is campaining for him. SMT!
SP 8 years, 3 months ago
Butler-Turner: FNM ‘Is At Its Weakest Point In Its History’ because BLT and Sands invested 4 years and every once of energy degrading the party for personal gain!
BLT and Sands are total demagogues supported by corrupt FNM elites! If by some miracle they should win, expect Symonnette, Watson and Ingraham to complete their plan of the Haitianization of Bahamas.
alfalfa 8 years, 3 months ago
The FNM is at it's weakest point because of the public utterances of Loretta Butler Turner and Dr. Sands and their band of supporters in Parliament. Dr.Minnis is campaigning to return as leader without casting aspersions on the characters of those who challenge his position. Meanwhile his opponents are busy washing their underwear in public and further weakening their party. If you are professing to be the better alternative then why do you have to do so at the expense of your party's character. All of this hurrah will mean nothing if the party is so dis-jointed that supporters begin to lose interest. The PLP will win by default.
Economist 8 years, 3 months ago
If Minnis had ripped into the PLP, as he should have as leader of the Opposition, there would be no debate today. He has not acted like a Leader of the Opposition. He has acted like a quiet back bencher.
The fact that LBT and others have been doing Minnis' job for him is a clear indication of why he is not suitable to be a leader.
licks2 8 years, 3 months ago
Name when LBT or the others MPs besides MP Rollins made any significant "in-roads" as opposition against the PLP in the last four years . . . particularly that of LBT? I am waiting now!
TigerB 8 years, 3 months ago
I usually don't get into this leadership discussion but more so observe from a distance but I must use one of my own quotes here as I did sometime before. "Do things the same way, get the same results." Its nothing personal I have never seen the FMN this low, ever and to be honest very little can change in the next 10 months under the same leadership. I'll take it a step further. If the leadership doesn't change my vote will be green, that's the bottom line!
jackbnimble 8 years, 3 months ago
I agree. I don't know if I'll vote green but definitely not for RED with a clown at the top!
jackbnimble 8 years, 3 months ago
Child, tell that to the 400 plus delegate WHO CAN VOTE. We Joe Public een gat no say.
licks2 8 years, 3 months ago
LBT just need to shut the heck up and act like a state's man/woman. . .she has no plan for the last four years of telling us doc can't do his job, all over the place "seeking pity". . .she just need to shut up now. . . SHE CAN'T TAPE HERSELF AND LISTEN TO THE TAPE. . .people are saying how 'silly" she is beginning to sound!!
Doc Sands face does tell how disgusted he is with her rants. . .quite frankly I don't want to hear her speak any more. . .maybe doc Sands needs to lead the way. . .LBT don't have it!
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