EDITOR, The Tribune.
Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner has yet to decide on taking on Dr Hubert Minnis for the FNM Leadership position at the party’s July convention. Butler-Turner is attempting to appear modest to FNMs.
Despite the subterfuge, many are still under the assumption that the Long Island MP was one of the ringleaders in a recent move to force Minnis’ hand in changing the date of the convention from November to July.
For the past three years, Butler-Turner has not been a good team player in the FNM. We in the FNMs Underground are elated that the convention will be held in July rather than in November, as this would give the FNM ample time to get its house in order.
We suspect that the November date was the Minnisites’ shrewd manoeuvre to bide more time for Minnis in a bid to hold on to the FNM top post.
We are glad Butler-Turner and the five FNM MPs who have rebelled against Minnis have succeeded in getting the FNM executive council to adjust the date, even though we believe each of the six political nonconformists must suffer the consequences of not being renominated in the event Minnis is re-elected at convention. Conversely, if Butler-Turner runs and somehow, someway defeats Minnis, then he should resign his Killarney seat and return to private life, if only for the good of the party and the nation. In light of Butler-Turner’s recent irrational charge that Minnis should accept responsibility in the part he played in the failed equality referendum, it has become apparent to many FNMs that the two cannot coexist within the party. Butler-Turner is the granddaughter of the first Bahamian governor general, Sir Milo B Butler.
Her political navel string is buried in the PLP. Virtually the entire Butler clan is PLP. We do not know when she converted to the FNM, although it is her constitutional right to support any political organisation she desires to. Despite the two hypotheses that were posited above, we believe Minnis stands a good chance of winning at convention, owing in large part to the strong support he currently enjoys among FNM council members.
We do not believe Butler-Turner is as popular among FNMs as she was in 2014 when she challenged Minnis for his post. Her popularity has diminished. There have even been chatter among FNMs that her support in Long Island has dwindled due to her relentless opposition to Minnis. Maybe Butler-Turner should give serious consideration to returning to the party her political navel string is buried in: the PLP.
There have been rumours that the PLP top brass has courted her. We believe she would gel much better with the PLP than with the FNM led by Minnis. Furthermore, Butler has many family members who are PLPs. This fact along with her family’s name and the legacy of Sir Milo Butler are all invaluable political capital, and would go a long way in helping her climb the political totem pole within the PLP. While we agree with the Butler-Turner camp that Minnis has some glaring leadership deficiencies which have hurt him in the eyes of many swing voters and even some FNMs, we just cannot see the FNM winning with Butler-Turner as leader, as she has turned off far too many Minnisites.
Interestingly, there have been rumours that former FNM Leader Hubert Ingraham might re-enter front-line politics at the behest of some wealthy white knights. Another possible run for the FNM leadership post by Ingraham could alter the political landscape of the FNM. If there is anyone who can topple an impregnable Minnis, it is Hubert Ingraham.
However, it should be remembered that Ingraham was very unpopular in 2012 among thousands of swing voters and thousands of ordinary FNMs. If Ingraham re-enters politics and defeats Minnis, Butler-Turner can stay put. She would not have to leave the party.
Undoubtedly, Ingraham would give her a nomination, something Minnis appears unwilling to do. But all this is just conjecture at this point. We do not know if Ingraham will run, as he has stated in recent times that he has no desire to. In light of this, Butler-Turner’s best bet is to join the PLP if she wants to save her career in politics.
FNMs UNDERGROUND
Nassau,
June 12, 2016.
Comments
sheeprunner12 8 years, 4 months ago
Who the hell are these underground FNMs??????? ........... are they Cecilites and Ingrahamites or UBPs??????? or a combination???????????
Economist 8 years, 4 months ago
The political affiliations of the parents have nothing to do with those of the children.
If some, in Long Island, are up set because she stood up for something then we, as a country, are in serious trouble.
She was correct to put pressure on Minnis. He wanted to be leader and, having got the position, sat back and did not perform. LBT was being a responsible member of the opposition to call him out on it.
The FNM needs change and she is pushing for it. Without change the party is doomed.
viewersmatters 8 years, 4 months ago
LBT should humble herself and respect her leader, it's one thing to push for a change and it's another to destabilize your party. One thing I respect about the PLP is no matter what their unity stands strong in the eyes of the people, we may not know how they slap and punch each other behind close doors but in the public eyes they hold onto each other back and keep a solid team together but the FNM MPs has shown themselves to be of great selfishness and arrogant just to gain power over the other, they have shown their leader total disrespect and even more discouraging to hear anything about the FNM LBT has the nerve to say Dr. Minnis played a roll in the fail referendum, how could she built the nerve to speak that out of her mouth when Minnis constituency was one of the few constituency to voted yes! Does she really believes that Minnis would had changed the mind of the people who from day one had their minds made up to reject anything this PLP government bring to the people. How can she accuse her leader and lambast him and not take responsibility in their negligence handling of the referendum using tax payers money to run a bias champagne and have the yes vote daily insulting anyone who oppose of those bills. Am hoping if Minnis do win this convention give himself some back bone stand like a man stop being friendly and make an example out of those MPs who wishes to be their own boss, at no time should anyone proudly disrespect their superior if you dont like how the boss is running things simple just leave and create a better party that you can lead. Let the people gain confident in You Minnis and do the Honorable thing to those disloyal MPs!
Economist 8 years, 4 months ago
Spoken like on who would do whatever a Dictator told him to do. A good meek and mild sheep.
By your argument the people of Venezuela should be happy with Maduro and endure the suffering that he is putting them through.
Their economy is in terrible shape and you will be appalled to hear that some dared to protest and object.
Minnis failed to make any contribution on a matter of major importance to the Country. He is the Leader of the Opposition, speaking out goes with the territory.
Minnis failed to do his job on this, and has failed throughout the last 3 years.
UserOne 8 years, 4 months ago
If FNMs Underground are truly FNM supporters, then they are doing their own party harm by making public possible divisions within the party and by spreading rumours. These things should be dealt with within the party and a united front should be shown to the public otherwise the public will not feel that the FNM is a party that can govern the country.
Economist 8 years, 4 months ago
I agree with you. I am not a member of the FNM so cannot speak to what they have actually done.
Sitting on the outside it appears to me that they are ignoring the realities of Minnis inability to be the Leader of the Opposition.
The Council should have acted late last year. By doing nothing and turning a blind eye they have created this atmosphere.
As I see it, they left the MP's no alternative but to go public.
The FNM Council seems to be very out of touch. More like an Old Boys Club, a 'Very Old' Old Boys Club.
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