Loretta Butler-Turner
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
CENTRAL and South Abaco MP Edison Key launched into a blistering attack on some of his Free National Movement colleagues yesterday, branding Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner a “troublemaker” who will be dealt with by her constituents, adding that Ft Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins needed another slap from her to set him straight.
Mr Key also defended Dr Hubert Minnis’ performance during the recent budget debate, telling The Tribune that Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant “ought to be ashamed of himself” for criticising the party leader.
His comments came when contacted yesterday about a critical email Mr Grant wrote to Dr Minnis about his performance during the committee stage of the budget debate last week when parliamentarians went through the line items of the budget.
Mr Grant said it was apparent that Dr Minnis had not studied the budget, calling his behaviour “most disturbing” and “disrespectful”.
As exclusively reported by The Tribune, he also accused Dr Minnis of being mostly absent from the floor of the House of Assembly and suggested that he feigned illness to leave Parliament at 2.30am last Thursday while other FNMs stayed behind.
Mr Key said yesterday: “He (Mr Grant) ought to be ashamed of himself to be criticising the leader of the party. What is he planning? He don’t mind the PLP winning and the FNM losing?”
Asked about the substantive concerns raised by Mr Grant, he said: “Dr Minnis performed very well. All the (others) did was jump up and ask a bunch of foolish questions.”
Referring to the FNM parliamentarians who have been critical of Dr Minnis’ performance as leader, he said: “Those six dissidents have just lost it. They are not on this planet at all politically.”
“Dr Minnis is more capable than Neko Grant,” he added. “Grant was in the House of Assembly for several terms. You don’t turn your back on your friends when your enemies are there with a dagger to take you out. If you have a problem with your leader, go sit down with him and talk about it.”
Without being prompted, Mr Key referred to Dr Rollins who, after being brought into the party by Dr Minnis last year, has gone on to criticise the Killarney MP’s leadership. He recalled the 2013 incident when Mrs Butler-Turner slapped Dr Rollins, then a member of the Progressive Liberal Party, in the House of Assembly.
Mr Key said: “(Loretta Butler-Turner) slapped him so hard and his eyes was swelled up like a loaf of bread. Looks like she need to slap him on the other side to bring his head into the centre. He’s a lost soul.”
He also lashed out at Mrs Butler-Turner, who plans to challenge Dr Minnis for his post at the party’s convention next month.
“She is just a troublemaker and the people in Long Island going to deal with her when the time is right. They are fed up with her loud mouth in the House of Assembly and her threatening people. She better take it easy.”
Yesterday, former FNM South Abaco MP Robert Sweeting contacted The Tribune to weigh in on Mr Grant’s strong words for Dr Minnis. Mr Sweeting, who served in Parliament from 1997-2007, said Mr Grant’s critique of Dr Minnis was “totally ridiculous.”
He questioned if Mr Grant, a senior FNM MP in the House of Assembly, was feeling “insecure” because he has been outshined by the likes of East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest and others.
“Does he need some Pampers and a baby bottle?” Mr Sweeting asked, adding that he could not imagine anyone attacking former FNM Leader Hubert Ingraham in that manner.
“Neko can’t demand what the leader does. In my humble opinion you don’t make that kind of statement about your leader.”
Mr Sweeting, who served as shadow minister of agriculture and fisheries while the FNM was last in opposition, said he recalled an instance when he was left alone in the House of Assembly to face attacks from the PLP.
And as the Killarney MP faces a barrage of internal criticism about his capabilities to lead the Official Opposition, Mr Sweeting said he is “110 per cent” behind Dr Minnis.
Meanwhile, Mr Key’s harsh comments mark the FNM’s continued descent into chaos as fractures have emerged in the divided party.
On Tuesday, The Tribune reported that the party is having problems finding the hundreds of thousands of dollars that will be required to host next month’s convention.
Asked about this, Mr Key said: “When the time comes the people will find the money.”
Comments
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 4 months ago
All PLPs support Minnis.....
Sickened 8 years, 4 months ago
So right. Minnis is the key to a PLP victory.
sealice 8 years, 4 months ago
If you ever need something stupid from Abaco call Uncle Eddy......
ohdrap4 8 years, 4 months ago
you guys remember when he wanted to bring pheasants to be hunted in the forests of Abaco?
Why not some falcons and foxes too?
Sickened 8 years, 4 months ago
LOL. A real Jurassic park would be a blockbuster.
licks2 8 years, 4 months ago
And if it was allowed Abaco would be the pheasants hunting capital in the Caribbean. . .which is huge business in the USA. . .as they are now doing with boars etc. So you think them wild hogs on Andros, Inagua and Abaco walked there aye? I hope someone will do so very soon. . .
Reality_Check 8 years, 4 months ago
Most Bahamians today, whether they are black, white or in between, find Edison Key incredibly embarrassing and with good reason. Edison made the mistake of staying in active politics well beyond his time and usefulness and has contributed very little to the Bahamas over the past decade or so as a sitting MP. Thankfully most Abaconians now talk very publicly that he must be put out to pasture as he is clearly unable to do any heavy lifting and is very much prone to letting his misguided principles interfere with important changes that must occur for the betterment of our country. Please move on Mr. Key.......your usefulness to active politics came and went a very long time ago!
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 4 months ago
While he was a loyal PLP soldier for many years under Pindling's rule, Uncle Eddy was almost single handedly responsible for the Haitianization of Abaco by grant of Bahamian citizenships in exchange for PLP votes by thousands and thousands of Haitian farm workers. Most younger Bahamians in other parts of the Bahamas do not realize that this is the true legacy of Edison Key as an active politician!
Economist 8 years, 4 months ago
Just another "old man" whose is long past his "use by date".
Publius 8 years, 4 months ago
Wow. There are no words for these FNMs. The Bahamas is in for even darker days ahead.
And Tribune, please do a better job at editing; your story switches from Key's name to calling him Mr. Sweeting - different white guy from South Abaco!
jackbnimble 8 years, 4 months ago
Why does the Tribune always go to these people for comments when their allegiance and agenda is so clear? Wells, Key and the like are some of the most disrespected and has-been politicians of the lot and we actually expect to get sensible comments from them on anything?
Publius 8 years, 4 months ago
The Tribune behaves more like a tabloid than a credible newspaper these days unfortunately. They all do.
Sickened 8 years, 4 months ago
I think they do it in order to embarrass them. Sometimes it's best to let fools speak in public so that the public can see that they are fools.
Publius 8 years, 4 months ago
Except that that is not the role of the fourth estate, so if they are doing that, then they are indeed behaving like a tabloid.
licks2 8 years, 4 months ago
You are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo right. . .let the band of "poisoned" minds have their say. . .after they never say very much except. . ."Minnis have to go". . .no matter the topic of the conversation. . .on queue they all chorus . . ."Minnis have to go"!! The crazy thing about it though. . .they parrot that refrain no matter what is said!! For example, if we say; " oh this is a hot day". . .like clock work. . .the reply is most likely to be: "Minnis have to go. . .what day you talking about. . .don't you know that Minnis have to go"!
I wonder if they can sleep at night. . .without talking about: "Minnis have to go" in their sleep! Lol!
TalRussell 8 years, 4 months ago
Comrades it was not enough for Dr. Duane and his sparring partner Loretta to done have their red party all twisted to the bones, now they're trying see the sessions of the Upper Red Chamber twisted in paralysis.
Greentea 8 years, 4 months ago
Once again we see a private email to Mr Grant sent directly to Dr. Minnis being made public. Nobody needed to know what that email said except Grant and Minnis. But one of the two let it out the bag. The FNM is like watching Real Housewives of Parliament Street.
prosperity1914 8 years, 4 months ago
Key's support of Minnis, along with that of Tennyson Wells are among the reasons that Minnis has to go.
ghostwriter242 8 years, 4 months ago
Reading this is better than watching anything on television. Grab you popcorn, this is going to be long.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 4 months ago
The FNM is disintegrating. They're like rats on a ship, everyone is rushing to the media to ensure the public knows it's not their fault. It all comes back to an absolute failed leadership. Minnis cannot run this party with its current makeup
Zakary 8 years, 4 months ago
This is lame and boring.
licks2 8 years, 4 months ago
Now you band of brothers/sisters. . .LBT has stepped up to the plate. . .NOW GET UP OFF YALL COMPLAINING TAILS AND SURE UP HER VICTORY!! I SUGGESST THAT YINNA START WITH ADVISING HER TO BE HERSELF. . .YINNA THAT WERE ALL OVER THIS SITE ABOUT HOW DOC ROC IS DOING EVERYTHING WRONG. . .HERE IS YALL CHANCE. . .GO SHOW US HOW IT IS DONE!! GO SHOW US THE VOTERS THAT YINNA GOT THE "RIGHT STUFF". . . LESS TALKING AND MORE DOING. . .CHOP CHOP!
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 4 months ago
Lol lol lol, when asked whether he thought Hubert Ingraham was coming back., Dwayne Sands said today, ~"for the speculators it's probably not over till the fat Lady sings". Rotfl. Sigh this is just not how it works
licks2 8 years, 4 months ago
Well to be fair. . .the fast lady is not so fat anymore. . .she looks slim and so trim now. . .she looks good. . .SO HE NEED TO SAY. . ."IT EEN OVER TILL THE CHALLENEGER SINGS"! I don't think he is with her all the way. . .they playing a game with her. . .which I think is not fair. . .Lol!
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 4 months ago
Yeah I congratulate her for her efforts, my amusement was that he made the statement at all, I'm sure he didn't even realize the implication of what he said. The only consolation is he didn't make the statement before she announced. OMG, I love Dr Sands, I wish he hadn't gotten himself in this.
And I agree with you on the latter, something is really off about the way he's handled this, it's almost as if he's already signaled that he doesn't need to consult her. Watch them advisors Dr Sands. Not good
licks2 8 years, 4 months ago
Dr. Sands seem to be "dufus" in his "wits" to connect with the people. . . and I was surprise that BS seem to can't funny his way to the people either! God help them if LBT don't have it either! And they need to tell Rollins to shut-up his mouth. . .stop talking all over the place like he is the leader of LBT six. . .
afficianado 8 years, 4 months ago
The biggest trouble maker has always been a Caucasian.
licks2 8 years, 4 months ago
The final conclusion at our breakfast spot on Sunday was. . . Rollins will live because he is young and has some potential. . .the other five are to be jettisoned out into political deep space. . .Neko Grant will not survive this no matter what the outcome. . .he is poison! They don't believe that LBT is "all" to blame. . . but NG was the only one who challenged in the press. . .using his name! All the other "public" dirt were nameless. . .
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