The Tribune

By ADRIAN GIBSON

ajbahama@hotmail.com

THE CHRISTIE Administration has lost its mandate to govern. It has lost two consecutive referendums in one term.

It appears that history is likely to repeat itself and much like the Free National Movement (FNM) in 2002, whichever side appeared to lose the referendum would lose the government. Mr Christie must take the fall on this; this is an indictment upon him and, in order to perhaps save his party before the next election, Mr Christie should resign. The ultimate responsibility is on Mr Christie and his government.

The Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) demise can be tied to their betrayal of the Bahamian electorate who voted no to the gambling referendum in 2013 and their ineffectual, scandal-ridden governance over the last few years. What’s more, Bahamians were offended by their blatant arrogance in not apologising for their vote in 2002. Only Alfred Sears - the frontrunner to succeed Mr Christie - was decent and honourable enough to apologise.

On March 3, 2002, Fred Mitchell - then a senator for the PLP - called for the resignation of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham following the defeat of the referendum organised by the FNM and held on February 27, 2002.

Mr Mitchell then stated: “The Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and his party the Free National Movement went down to resounding defeat on Wednesday, 27 February, 2002. Their spin doctors and apologists are trying to make-up all sorts of stories about the whys and the wherefores. The simple fact is they were beaten and beaten convincingly. This Senator believes that his position from the start that he would vote no has been fully vindicated. The lesson for the PLP is that the role of a political party is to shape public opinion, not the other way around. We must be informed by public opinion but the duty to lead is the role of a political party … We therefore must congratulate the Leader of the Opposition Perry Christie and his team for the skilful manner in which this whole thing was handled.”

“On the other hand we have nothing but scorn for this jackass that we call our Prime Minister. He had to concede defeat just after 9.30pm on the night of the referendum. But the next day, he was back true to form. He refused to resign making some spurious distinction by saying that this was a vote not against the FNM and himself but against the issues raised in the referendum. That is utter foolishness and is at variance with every known convention of the Constitution,” he said.

Mitchell went on: “At this press conference, he showed no contrition, no repentance and no remorse. He just continued along like nothing happened. In fact he said that he is ashamed of the Bahamian people for having voted no. Then he proceeded to jump on a plane to a Heads of Government meeting in Australia on the strength of the same Bahamian people’s tax monies. We should be out in the streets, forcing him and his Government to go.”

On March 10, 2002, Mr Mitchell further wrote: “A fellow can really play stupid when he wants to. That’s the continuous story of Hubert Ingraham. He speaks out of one side of his mouth about integrity and commitment to the rules, but he breaks each and every rule whenever it suits his purpose. And that is the story with why he won’t resign. He knows that the conventions of the Constitution demand that when he and his government have lost an important vote like the five questions on the referendum he has in fact had a vote of no confidence made in his Government. There is no choice but to resign.”

“Pinch me! Pinch me! We must be dreaming. This can’t be the same man who wanted the last Prime Minister to resign when the commission inquiry condemned the last Government. He knows what the convention is. It has nothing to do with how many people called for your resignation. He must go because the rule says he must go. But now he has bastardised the system again. This is not surprising. But hopefully, he will be gone in short order by means of the general election which he should call and stop dragging this country through this long process while our economy is on hold. The fact is that the delay in calling the election has caused untold damage to the economy. No one will deal with this Government until the election has been decided,” he said.

I wonder if Mr Mitchell would still make this argument given the Christie administration’s loss of two referendums in one term. Surely, if he could call for the former PM to resign for one failed referendum, then Mr Christie must surely be gone for two!

What is interesting is that at a rally on Windsor Park on February 25, 2002, Mr Mitchell told attendees that they must “work toward the defeating of the Free National Movement’s attempt to diss our national Constitution” and begged them to vote no to “send a message straight to the Wallace Whitfield Centre. Your time is up. It is time for you to go. So long! Farewell! Adieu! Bon Voyage! Carry your …”

Interestingly, this is the same Fred Mitchell who campaigned so hard in favour of the Yes vote this time around. I guess the proposed amendments were no longer an “attempt to diss our national Constitution” because the PLP was organising the vote. Unlike Mr Ingraham, who accepted “full and complete responsibility for the result” of the 2002 referendum, I have yet to hear Mr Christie say anything remotely close to that.

One would not think, in the wake of Tuesday’s referendum results, that this was the same Perry Christie who, in a jubilant address at the PLP’s headquarters on the night of the 2002 vote, said: “The results of today’s referendum are enormously gratifying. Democracy has triumphed. The tyranny of arrogant falsehood today lies slain on the field of battle. Truth has emerged victorious. It is a great and joyous day for the Bahamas. To God be the glory. This is not, however, an occasion for gloating by those who campaigned so vigorously for the result that has been achieved because the real winners tonight are the Bahamian people.”

And yet he gloated.

Will Mr Christie now resign? Will Mr Mitchell call for his resignation? Or, will we see more of the usual arrogance on display?

ajbahama@hotmail.com

THE CHRISTIE Administration has lost its mandate to govern. It has lost two consecutive referendums in one term.

It appears that history is likely to repeat itself and much like the Free National Movement (FNM) in 2002, whichever side appeared to lose the referendum would lose the government. Mr Christie must take the fall on this; this is an indictment upon him and, in order to perhaps save his party before the next election, Mr Christie should resign. The ultimate responsibility is on Mr Christie and his government.

The Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) demise can be tied to their betrayal of the Bahamian electorate who voted no to the gambling referendum in 2013 and their ineffectual, scandal-ridden governance over the last few years. What’s more, Bahamians were offended by their blatant arrogance in not apologising for their vote in 2002. Only Alfred Sears - the frontrunner to succeed Mr Christie - was decent and honourable enough to apologise.

On March 3, 2002, Fred Mitchell - then a senator for the PLP - called for the resignation of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham following the defeat of the referendum organised by the FNM and held on February 27, 2002.

Mr Mitchell then stated: “The Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and his party the Free National Movement went down to resounding defeat on Wednesday, 27 February, 2002. Their spin doctors and apologists are trying to make-up all sorts of stories about the whys and the wherefores. The simple fact is they were beaten and beaten convincingly. This Senator believes that his position from the start that he would vote no has been fully vindicated. The lesson for the PLP is that the role of a political party is to shape public opinion, not the other way around. We must be informed by public opinion but the duty to lead is the role of a political party … We therefore must congratulate the Leader of the Opposition Perry Christie and his team for the skilful manner in which this whole thing was handled.”

“On the other hand we have nothing but scorn for this jackass that we call our Prime Minister. He had to concede defeat just after 9.30pm on the night of the referendum. But the next day, he was back true to form. He refused to resign making some spurious distinction by saying that this was a vote not against the FNM and himself but against the issues raised in the referendum. That is utter foolishness and is at variance with every known convention of the Constitution,” he said.

Mitchell went on: “At this press conference, he showed no contrition, no repentance and no remorse. He just continued along like nothing happened. In fact he said that he is ashamed of the Bahamian people for having voted no. Then he proceeded to jump on a plane to a Heads of Government meeting in Australia on the strength of the same Bahamian people’s tax monies. We should be out in the streets, forcing him and his Government to go.”

On March 10, 2002, Mr Mitchell further wrote: “A fellow can really play stupid when he wants to. That’s the continuous story of Hubert Ingraham. He speaks out of one side of his mouth about integrity and commitment to the rules, but he breaks each and every rule whenever it suits his purpose. And that is the story with why he won’t resign. He knows that the conventions of the Constitution demand that when he and his government have lost an important vote like the five questions on the referendum he has in fact had a vote of no confidence made in his Government. There is no choice but to resign.”

“Pinch me! Pinch me! We must be dreaming. This can’t be the same man who wanted the last Prime Minister to resign when the commission inquiry condemned the last Government. He knows what the convention is. It has nothing to do with how many people called for your resignation. He must go because the rule says he must go. But now he has bastardised the system again. This is not surprising. But hopefully, he will be gone in short order by means of the general election which he should call and stop dragging this country through this long process while our economy is on hold. The fact is that the delay in calling the election has caused untold damage to the economy. No one will deal with this Government until the election has been decided,” he said.

I wonder if Mr Mitchell would still make this argument given the Christie administration’s loss of two referendums in one term. Surely, if he could call for the former PM to resign for one failed referendum, then Mr Christie must surely be gone for two!

What is interesting is that at a rally on Windsor Park on February 25, 2002, Mr Mitchell told attendees that they must “work toward the defeating of the Free National Movement’s attempt to diss our national Constitution” and begged them to vote no to “send a message straight to the Wallace Whitfield Centre. Your time is up. It is time for you to go. So long! Farewell! Adieu! Bon Voyage! Carry your …”

Interestingly, this is the same Fred Mitchell who campaigned so hard in favour of the Yes vote this time around. I guess the proposed amendments were no longer an “attempt to diss our national Constitution” because the PLP was organising the vote. Unlike Mr Ingraham, who accepted “full and complete responsibility for the result” of the 2002 referendum, I have yet to hear Mr Christie say anything remotely close to that.

One would not think, in the wake of Tuesday’s referendum results, that this was the same Perry Christie who, in a jubilant address at the PLP’s headquarters on the night of the 2002 vote, said: “The results of today’s referendum are enormously gratifying. Democracy has triumphed. The tyranny of arrogant falsehood today lies slain on the field of battle. Truth has emerged victorious. It is a great and joyous day for the Bahamas. To God be the glory. This is not, however, an occasion for gloating by those who campaigned so vigorously for the result that has been achieved because the real winners tonight are the Bahamian people.”

And yet he gloated.

Will Mr Christie now resign? Will Mr Mitchell call for his resignation? Or, will we see more of the usual arrogance on display?

ajbahama@hotmail.com