The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE FREE National Movement yesterday accused the government of “cajoling” Bahamians to support the upcoming referendum instead of truly educating them on the proposed changes to the Constitution. In a statement, the party also defended its leader Dr Hubert Minnis against criticisms over his lack of involvement in the referendum despite his support of the four Constitutional Amendment Bills in Parliament.

The party was responding to disparaging remarks levelled at Dr Minnis by Prime Minister Perry Christie, who told The Nassau Guardian that Dr Minnis was a “deep hypocrite” for failing to publicly support a ‘yes’ vote.

The FNM yesterday fired back that Mr Christie was the true hypocrite for his turnaround in the 2002 referendum, characterising the prime minister’s statements as “typical political talk from an old-time politician that is trying to cling to power.”

The party countered that Mr Christie was afraid of the people and fearful of giving them a “true say” in their future because of the unprecedented level of corruption under his watch.

The statement said the “bizarre attack” on its leader was an attempt to deflect attention from the government’s “abysmal record”.

“The true fact is that Dr Minnis has always believed that the upcoming referendum was an opportunity for the people of the Bahamas to weigh in on their future,” the statement read.

“He and the FNM trust the people – when empowered with the facts and armed with the ability to educate themselves they will decide what’s best for our country.

“The prime minister fears this approach – trusting and empowering the people – because it is his government that has taken corruption to a stunning new level. A level where government contracts are lavished on friends, families, and allies, and transparency and accountability are things to be feared and pushed aside.”

Mr Christie’s remarks follow a series of claims by Dr Minnis that the government was not doing a good job at educating the public, and was allegedly offering bribes for a ‘yes’ vote. Dr Minnis called the government’s funding of the YES Bahamas campaign biased and undemocratic.

The FNM insisted that Mr Christie’s role in the failure of the 2002 referendum was a sign of “true hypocrisy”, adding that his political legacy reflects his willingness to do or say anything to seize more power.

In a second statement released yesterday, Dr Minnis blasted the prime minister over his failure to present a crime plan to tackle the country’s rising murder rate during his 2016-2017 Budget Communication.

Recalling the prime minister’s 2012 charge that crime ills were a direct result of poor governance, Dr Minnis suggested that Mr Christie heed his own words when faced with record high murder rates over the course of his term.

“This government has had years to offer concrete plans to fix the crime rate,” Dr Minnis said, “yet its repeated failures have only made it worse. Under their abysmal leadership, our country is setting yearly records of murders that take place on our streets.

“How can the prime minister offer a budget communication that allows this frightening trend to continue? The country is at a critical crossroad and all this government serves up on crime is warmed over, failed proposals that haven’t fixed the growing problem.”

He added: “What do we tell the families that have lost loved ones to a violent crime, and what do we say to the children that won’t see a parent ever again? The prime minister and this government seem content with telling them that there is no major problem that this is off our imaginations.

“But we know that you can’t fix a problem like crime if you continue to ignore it.”

Dr Minnis said the government failed to lead and make an impact, and pledged that his party will deliver concrete plans to demonstrate real leadership in getting the country “back on the right track”.