FORMER PLP MP Philip Galanis and Prime Minister Perry Christie.
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Deputy Chief Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Progressive Liberal Party MP Philip Galanis yesterday chastised Prime Minister Perry Christie over his recent assertion that the party could become unstable without him at the helm, saying this was the “height of nonsense” and bordered on “delusional”.
In a frank interview with The Tribune, Mr Galanis said there are many persons within the party that are capable of bringing a breath of fresh air into the country, ridding it of the “Christie fatigue” it now experiences. Mr Galanis insisted that if it was Mr Christie’s desire to remain on as prime minister, he should just be intellectually honest and say so.
He went on to explain that despite Mr Christie’s constant mantra that his team was a “bridge to the future,” his declaration on Monday was an admission that he failed to appoint persons who could actually succeed him.
Asked if he believed the party should have an earlier convention, Mr Galanis said the PLP should because the planned November timeline was too late to change leaders and draft a plan to direct the country.
Meanwhile, former PLP Cabinet Minister George Smith was adamant that while no one should underestimate the importance of Mr Christie’s role as leader, the organisation is bigger than any one person and will not fall apart should he retire.
Mr Smith said he believes Mr Christie is being encouraged to remain leader of the governing party by some PLPs and members of Parliament who fear without him they will not have the same level of “clout” under new leadership.
Mr Galanis said: “If those statements are correct, that is the height of nonsense. The PLP is much bigger than Mr Christie. It has withstood change in leadership before. His continued leadership has nothing to do with the stability of the PLP. It’s stable and has been so for many years. While there have been moments where we have undergone challenges, there is no credence in the comment that he has to stay on for stability to remain in the PLP.
“If he wants to stay on, just stay on. Be intellectually honest. Don’t say it will bring instability to the party because the party is stable. In the year I won my seat in 1967, we won six seats. At that time many persons suggested that the PLP should re-brand itself or change its name. But the fact is in each instance, we garnered sufficient votes from Bahamians. Some people who serve as minister may be unstable but that has nothing to do with the level of stability in the party. In fact it borders on delusional to suggest that.”
Mr Galanis added: “Mr Christie’s statement may be a poor indictment on him. It says he’s chosen people who are supposed to be a bridge to the future yet he is admitting he has failed to appoint or select persons who can be that bridge.”
Mr Galanis insisted that there were many people in the party capable and able to lead the party. These include: West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe, Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell, Marathon MP Jerome Fitzgerald and Golden Isles MP Michael Halkitis.
“There are any number of persons who would be able to bring a breath of fresh air and new vision and help us get over the Christie fatigue the country is experiencing right now. If he feels the way he does because there is no one who can replace him, that in my mind would be an indictment on him.”
Also speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Mr Smith pointed to Mr Christie’s two predecessors – Sir Henry Taylor, former governor general and the party’s first leader, and former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling, the second and longest serving leader - insisting the PLP had always managed to unify and survive.
His comments came after Mr Christie, during an appearance on the “Ed Fields Live” show on Kiss FM Monday evening, said the instability affecting the Official Opposition might happen in the PLP if he stepped down.
Mr Christie gave this as one of the reasons he has decided to remain leader with no indication of a possible retirement.
Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis on Tuesday rejected Mr Christie’s assertions.
When asked if the PLP would become unstable without Mr Christie, Mr Davis said: “It depends on how you define what is meant by instability. The Official Opposition is in shambles. The PLP always finds a way to right its way at any given time despite whatever happens.”
Asked why Mr Christie would make such a claim, Mr Davis declined to speculate, saying: “You should ask him. I don’t know why he thinks that. That’s for him to answer.”
The prime minister also drew attention on Monday when he said he seeks to continue leading the PLP because enough young members of his government have urged him to do so.
He did not name those members, but one PLP parliamentarian who spoke to The Tribune on Tuesday expressed incredulity at his statement.
“I would have to ask around to find out who they are,” the parliamentarian, who did not want to be named, said. “I’m sure (people) got a good laugh at that.”
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 5 months ago
Christie is suffering from what's more commonly known as "the Saviour Complex". Pindling suffered from very much the same thing, except it was then locally referred to as "the Moses Complex". Christie is corrupt and grossly incompetent to say the least. It's a medical fact that evil individual's like Christie are much more prone to becoming highly delusional in their later years. Christie now only hears himself and others in his head who are figments of his imagination; he's no longer capable of hearing those around him in any meaningful way.
Reality_Check 8 years, 5 months ago
Christie is also very concerned that his grave transgressions will be revealed if he steps down as leader. A Commission of Inquiry in the post-Christie era that properly follows and investigates the money trail behind the unjust enrichment of Christie, certain of his family members and his close circle of elitist political friends and business cronies, would tell all. Watch out Baltron "Bagman" Bethel!
Hogfish 8 years, 5 months ago
I have been wondering for a whiles now if Wultess Perry indeed has been operating under some delusion. It has seemed he either has some dimensia or lack of coherence. Maybe Alzheimers ?. Reagan even was diagnosed a year into his second term as having alzheimers! Easily can be the case with Mr. Wutlessness.
jackbnimble 8 years, 5 months ago
Tell me, why would the PM want to give up 'the good life' and just retire and go off into the sunset and live like "regular" folk simply because we can't stand him?
He gets to ride around in a chauffer-driven car with outriders and traffic halting when he's passing all at the expense of the taxpayers. Everyone bows to his whim and fancy because he is "THE PM"; he has access to the Public Treasury and can spend the taxpayers' money as he pleases with NO ACCOUNTABILITY; he gets to travel on the taxpayer's money; gets to give long-winded speeches at public and private events where persons are forced to listen whether they like it or not.....and all for a period of 5 WHOLE YEARS!
Baby it's the good life. A life that most of us can only dream about.
Are y'all crazy? He IS NOT delusional. He's the emperor and he's COLD that he's not giving that sh**t up!
Zakary 8 years, 5 months ago
sealice 8 years, 5 months ago
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Honestman 8 years, 5 months ago
Sepp Blatter at FIFA was head of one of the most corrupt and wealthy organisations in the world. He refused to step down because he knew that staying in power was the best way to conceal the corruption beneath and around him. The FBI are no doubt working hard to prepare a criminal case against him. Perry Christie is NOT delusional. He knows EXACTLY what he is doing and believes he can get away with another five year term. He believes this because he knows HIS people. HIS people are largely uneducated and brain washed into thinking people like Christie are actually looking after THEIR interests. The PLP is a MAFIA type organisation and leaders of organised crime gangs NEVER retire. So now the question is whether the educated people of The Bahamas can organise themselves, stop this stupid in fighting, appoint the best possible leader and, by force of numbers, out vote the deluded, uneducated masses come May 2017.
DDK 8 years, 5 months ago
"So now the question is whether the educated people of The Bahamas can organise themselves, stop this stupid in fighting, appoint the best possible leader and, by force of numbers, out vote the deluded, uneducated masses come May 2017. "
This IS the real question Honestman, and a very serious one at that! It appears that the 'elite' FNM's are missing this fact and quite possibly running out of time.
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 5 months ago
Bordered???
No...
Perry Gladstone Christie is most definitely delusional....
birdiestrachan 8 years, 5 months ago
Never mind Galanis, ..He will have his say, But would he care to tell the Bahamian people why is he not **a part of the PLP Government, What is he guilty of ??
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 5 months ago
Wow Galanis is delusional. Look at the list of names he has. Jerome? Obie? Mitchell? Halkitis?
Phillip what the hell are you smoking?!?!?
jackflash 8 years, 5 months ago
Check out the photos of them both.
One is of a crook staring you down, and the other is of a delusional crook trying to remember what he was trying to remember what he remembered that he wanted to say..before he remembered that he couldn't remember what it was that he forgot.
Honestman 8 years, 5 months ago
Four years of PLP mis-rule has set this country back 20 years. The colossal and empty twin towers of Baha Mar will remain a monument to the greed of the PLP elite. There really ought to be another commission of enquiry when this is over.
John 8 years, 5 months ago
Is it Izmirilian or the PM he's talkin about? What a difference a day make
SP 8 years, 5 months ago
Too many under the table shady deals would be exposed if Christie demits office!
Christie finds himself in a very bad "catch 22" position. His only option to save himself is to die in office.
Serves him right for being an idiot!
sheeprunner12 8 years, 5 months ago
Galanis and Rigby (and any other U50 politicians) need to challenge the old Pingdomites at the November 2016 convention .............. this may be the right time and the right setting to cleanse the PLP hierarchy of the Pingdomites
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