The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemeda.net

MICAL MP V Alfred Gray said yesterday that the fracture in the Free National Movement is “too deep to mend,” predicting that the party will “self-destruct” and feature an “almost permanent” split regardless of the outcome of its current debacle.

In an interview with reporters outside Cabinet yesterday, he also attacked Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins, calling the parliamentarian a “danger to politics” and a “loose cannon” who he always believed would “backstab” Dr Minnis.

His comments came as the long-brewing infighting in the FNM reached new heights over the past few days, with some MPs demanding an early convention so Dr Minnis’ leadership could be challenged.

He said: “No matter how this ends up, the FNM (is not going to) be the same because Minnis ain’t going to trust (the six parliamentarians urging him to call an early convention) anymore. To put them in his Cabinet, you talk about ousting, they would oust him the first Cabinet meeting.”

Mr Gray, expressing a viewpoint put forth by some supporters of Dr Minnis, also said powerful forces in the FNM are trying to regain control of the party.

“I heard (Hubert) Ingraham want come back,” he said without elaborating on his sources. “Other people want come back. (Brent) Symonette want come back. They see an opportunity to come back but no matter how they do it, the FNM’s split is almost going to be permanent; mark my words on that. If Minnis is going to be leader, there’s that group of six who won’t trust him. And I guarantee he wouldn’t trust them no more.”

“If he is not the leader, he and his group (are not going to) trust the new leaders who might be elected so where is the togetherness going to come from? I don’t see it happening again. It’s too deep a divide to be mended. They might patch it up on the face of it but if Minnis is ousted I doubt he gon’ follow the new set unless he is the weakling many say him to be.”

As reported previously, a group of FNM parliamentarians gave Dr Minnis an ultimatum last week: either hold an early convention or they would petition Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to have him removed as leader of the Official Opposition.

The Tribune understands this was discussed at a parliamentary meeting on Thursday and that Dr Rollins raised the matter in a subsequent council meeting that night. Six of the FNM’s 10 MPs were said to be in support of the move.

Mr Gray, commenting on Dr Rollins’ role in the matter, offered pointed criticism of his former PLP colleague yesterday.

“I always saw loose cannons for who and what they are,” he said. “Dr Minnis is just learning the hard way. Rollins and (Renward) Wells came over to save him from the same group that’s now trying to overthrow him. Now they have Rollins on their side so they’re a little stronger. It’s unfortunate that ‘he who is in my bosom is now turning out to be my greatest enemy.’ And I told him that the man called Rollins was always a danger to politics.

“He believes he knows everything about everything; he’s the smartest thing in skin; and the opposition is just learning that he was never intended to follow anybody. He likes his own way; he must have his own way like a little spoiled child and if he doesn’t have his way there will be no way. And Minnis ought to have learned that from how he spoke to and treated the prime minister whose fighting for him caused him to be in Parliament today. If he did it to (Prime Minister Perry) Christie, what make you think he wouldn’t do it to Minnis? He ain’ got no love for anybody but himself.”

Dr Rollins quit the PLP last June. He joined the FNM last November at the same time as Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells, who announced his resignation from the governing party before he crossed the floor.

When they joined the PLP, political observers said it was a move by Dr Minnis to block some FNM MPs who at that time had already drafted a letter to send to the governor general requesting his removal as leader of the Official Opposition.