By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
AN internal investigation is underway within the Free National Movement over “disturbing” and “alarming” assertions reportedly made during a meeting between Senator Lanisha Rolle and FNM political hopeful Lincoln Bain.
The probe, which is being handled by party Chairman Sidney Collie, is said to be focused on a recent discussion between the two FNM members who spoke at length about their political futures and dissatisfaction with certain members of the party.
The Tribune understands that during the meeting in question, disparaging remarks were made about FNM member of Parliament Loretta Butler-Turner, in addition to criticism about the state of affairs of the party.
The issue, according to party insiders, has stirred up another round of controversy and contention within the organisation.
While Senator Rolle could not be reached up to press time, Mr Bain confirmed to this newspaper that he was called into a meeting with Mr Collie yesterday to discuss the matter.
Mr Bain said he also observed Senator Rolle meeting with other party executives yesterday. However, he was tightlipped over what sparked the meetings.
“This is an internal party matter so I won’t go into too much details about the basis of the investigation,” Mr Bain said when he was contacted by The Tribune.
“However, I can say that comments were made to me by another FNM political hopeful that raised alarm and that I found to be disturbing,” Mr Bain claimed.
“So, yes, there was a meeting between myself and the party chairman.”
Senator Rolle was embroiled in controversy earlier this year after she called a radio show in January and criticised Mrs Butler-Turner and other FNM members of Parliament.
She accused sitting FNM MPs of being “jealous” of the party leader and said Mrs Butler-Turner, Dr Minnis’ former rival for leadership, would not have the support of voters over Prime Minister Perry Christie.
After she was criticised by members of her party, Mrs Rolle finally gave a public apology for her remarks in early March.
Both she and Mr Bain are angling for a nomination to run in the next general election on the FNM’s ticket.
Last week former FNM Chairman Darron Cash called for a “clean up” of the party over concerns that in its current state it could not successfully contest the next general election.
An early convention, Mr Cash said, was the only credible solution to the “current morass” the party now faces. He said anyone who disagreed with this is “deluding” themselves.
Mr Cash was responding to the leak – which he called a “bad idea” – of a chain of emails sent among FNM members of Parliament after Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins wrote to Dr Minnis asking for his consideration in appointing Dr Duane Sands to the Senate.
Dr Rollins asked for Dr Sands to replace Senator Kwasi Thompson as he said he was informed that the senator would not be seeking re-election in the next general election. He further argued that the appointment of Dr Sands to the Senate would signal that the FNM was readying itself to “bring the fight” to the Progressive Liberal Party.
Several FNM MPs, including Mrs Butler-Turner, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman, Central and South Abaco MP Edison Key and Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, responded in the email chain expressing support for the decision. Some of the replies in the email chain appeared critical of the party’s leadership.
Comments
ohdrap4 8 years, 7 months ago
a knoob
CommonSense 8 years, 7 months ago
Tired of hearing about Lanisha Rolle. As a new Senator she's causing the FNM more problems than they can afford at this point. Get rid of her ASAP.
Honestman 8 years, 7 months ago
The FNM is in a shambolic state. As it stands, it is totally unfit to be the governing party. Does this mean that the Bahamian electorate is soon going to be asked to choose between one unfit party and another unfit party? I am excluding the DNA since this one man show has not evolved as a party yet.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
How many more times are we going to hear about Laneisha Rolle???????? What magic does she have over the FNM inner circle??????? .......... She is not even a viable candidate for the next election ........... what a waste of FNM political currency and focus ....... The FNM needs to find 38-43 serious candidates who will be able to challenge the PLP next year ..... the 8 or 10 candidates named so far are mediocre/average quality at best
Wideawake 8 years, 7 months ago
Don't you mean "what magic does she have over Dr. Minnis"?
jackbnimble 8 years, 7 months ago
So somebody finally leaked the tapes aye? LOL. I've been hearing about this for days. This woman is a fool. Sits down to talk with Bain and he or someone else record it. You can hear its her big mouth all over the tapes. Unseasoned and inexperienced. It was a mistake to bring this one on board. I know Minnis shame!
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
None of them should have been brought on board. Why is Bain taping a colleague and using the tape to try to extort his leader and others? Who cares about a personal conversation two neophytes are having about anything at all? And why have other FNMs as they usually do, run to the Tribune with this foolishness? And what does any of this have to do with what our nation is facing, except to show that none of these major parties are fit to be elected? The FNM slammed the PLP for business emails shared between business associates, but FNMs are recording personal conversations and making them public and/or sharing them with others. And the personal conversations are about petty, irrelevant nonsense that don't concern the public in the least. So every time they talk to one another on the phone or in a meeting between them, they are going to run to the media with "guess what so and so say?" These are the people who want to be elected to govern? These people are sick - and sickening, on both sides.
Wideawake 8 years, 7 months ago
I have never known a political party more likely to shoot themselves in the foot than this STUPID, JUVENILE, DISORGANIZED, PETTY MINDED, SELF DESTROYING FNM!!!!!
STOP FLAPPING YOUR LOOSE LIPS!!!
Where the hl is the the Party's leadership and what the fk do they think they are doing!!!!
For once Bradley is correct! The FNM have lost all relevance and credibility and have managed, with their petty in-fighting, to lose the next election that an opposition party comprised of well organized Muppets could easily have won!!!!!
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
Absolutely
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Ms Rolle is probably not a bad person, but she is clearly unsuited for the front lines. If Dr Minnis can't see this, and he doesn't deal with it, he's not going to be a good leader
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
You are always so polite. -:) But yes she is bad person because she seems to like controversy. Perhaps they should put her to run in Bain Town???
You better run, run, run. Coporal Turner, run.. run.. run. Send for the man-o-war, tell them bring dey... You know that song by Pat Rahming. LOL
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
I try to be polite, I've said some mean things before (still do at times) and then I've gotten a different perspective of the person I said mean things about and I felt pretty bad. I do realize there are some horrible people around, but there are also some people (regular people not criminals) who are genuinely loved by others who do bad things.
For example, I'm sure somebody loves birdie..that is a patience tester if ever there was one.
Alex_Charles 8 years, 7 months ago
Strongman politics... You need a TEAM to lead not one man or one woman. Instead they are at civil war instead of at least appearing organized to the people. Both Her Majesty's official Opposition and the Governing Party suck goat testicles at serving the people. But lots of Bahamians don't even care, just a bottle of Night-train, $20 and a T-shirt and it's game over for elections.
Failed State Status Here We Come!
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
True
Wideawake 8 years, 7 months ago
Not so! Every student of Bahamian politics knows that to succeed in The Bahamas a political party needs both a strong "take charge" leader AND a talented team who work together under the direction and control of the Maximum Leader.
Trouble is, that as a Nation with the population of a large village, we don't have sufficient well qualified and visionary Maximum Leaders nor do we have sufficient ethical and talented politicians. Hence the present jokey mess!
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
Not sure what Alex Charles meant, but in government, you need a team. One man or woman cannot run a country. The weaker the Cabinet and the Parliament is (the team members), the harder it will be for that leader to do anything of substance for the nation. Of course the leader must be forthright, competent, the whole nine yards. But he or she absolutely cannot do what the country needs if he or she is out there on his or her own trying to drag others along by sheer force of will. Team does not mean there is no forthright leader. Every team has a leader. Its an ineffective leader that makes for certain troubles within the team. In a Parliamentary Democracy this is especially true, since the Prime Minister in our system for example, wields so much unchecked power.
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
And you know what is the sickest thing? FNMs are actually thinking they are accomplishing something by this foolishness and treachery they engaged in. They have got to be the stupidest people walking. They think that by making the entire party look like one big clown fest, they are hurting their leader, and hence accomplishing something. So they are determined to destroy the entire village to burn down the leader's house. Running to the newspapers with this kind of worthless, petty drivel and celebrating doing so - when if they were men and women of integrity, conviction and merit, they would deal with their issues effectively within the organs the Party has established to do just that, so as to ensure that those organs are not exploited to the benefit of any one person. FNMs have the power to fix their own Party but they are cowards and small men, and so they resort to these antics. These politicians and pseudo political experts both in and out of office with precious few exceptions, are the bottom of the barrel bane of our existence.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Correct, I'm disturbed that someone may have secretly recorded her statements....that is, "shocking", as tame as I can say it...wow..she's not a criminal. They did not have a right to do that. Who will ever trust that person again in a private conversation? Sneaky
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
Right. The someone was Bain. He has been spreading it all over town since the moment he recorded her.
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrades every political party will have their Jokers.
The red party's political Jokers could be regarded as a type of extreme sport with the potential to turn into complete Jackasses - reserved for the more senior red members.
Minnis could use what's left of his leadership's influence to ex communicate the four Asses from the red party’s membership roll.
Senator Lanisha, 2017 General’s Hopeful Lincoln, party Chairman Sidney and include former party Chairman Pintard, to round off the fourth for expulsion.
Do reds really want these four contesting as the faces for the red party to unseat prime minister Christie come the 2017 General?
Stapedius 8 years, 7 months ago
Why is the FNM doing this to themselves? There always seems to be a new character or group of characters having something to say. The party has a better legacy than this. A side show they've become, with every Tom, Dick and Harry grabbing for power.
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
They want to convince people that the problem is only one man, as if anyone with sense and situational awareness would not realize that the problem is obviously larger than just one person. They were able to hide these things better when they had another leader at the helm, but their ways and means are the same then and now. They now simply have the opportunity to be stupid enough to show it. Sure, their leader is a walking disaster - and so are they with few exceptions. Honest FNMs will tell you how destructive their members in general are. They will destroy everything and everyone if they cannot have their way. Their primary concern is not nation-building, it is self-aggrandizement and the perpetual syndrome of "whether I want it or not, I'm going to make sure you don't get it."And if that means they all go down in flames, so be it since many of them are more content in Opposition anyway, and love the trappings of power when they do win, but not the hard work, dedication and integrity that should precede power. Their better legacy was a long time ago; how many are living up to and building upon that legacy now?
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
Well Minnis, the ignoramus, is getting exactly what he deserves! Who in his right mind would put someone like Bain as a candidate to run for his party anyway? I mean, my goodness, this Bain person is notorious for setting up people and recording private citizens without their knowledge. This is NOT who I would want to represent me in parliament. The opposition leader complains and demands better from the PLP on several pertinent issues, yet he is selecting people to be a part of the FNM, who are guilty of the same things he is blaming the PLP for. The man is a complete moron. I can't even imagine this happening under the leadership of Ingraham! Minnis should man up, do what is best for country, resign from politics and go back to practicing medicine full time. With him as leader, the FNM is at an all time low!
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
Agreed
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
At what point will those who want a Better Bahamas realize that Perry or H. Minnis will not get us to a better place ........ nor Brave or Alfred Sears ........... maybe Bran, Rollins, LBT or Greg Moss ........ or maybe the real future leader of our country has not emerge as yet ........ but it's getting late for 2017
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 7 months ago
This Rolle chock has to go. And she needs to carry the eternally worthless Minnis with her....
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 7 months ago
Why is the party having to deal with this.new comer?!?
She is no one and as of now probably cannot win a seat.
Why is she still here?
What does she have on Minnis?
Or what is she giving Minnis?
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 7 months ago
When it comes to what little is now left of the FNM party, Minnis is the entire problem, period! Most Bahamian voters know Minnis is the devil incarnate, or as one former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives recently said: "Lucifer in the flesh!" No one in their right mind would ever vote for Minnis or any other FNM candidate as long as Minnis remains in any way involved with the leadership of the FNM party, a party he has personally made irrelevant and near extinct. Bahamians voters can only hope a reputable independent candidate of good character, with no allegiance whatsoever to the PLP, FNM or DNA, decides to run in their constituency in the next general election. Now more than ever is the time for decent, hard working, honest Bahamians who are fed up with the corruption and incompetence of the PLP, FNM and DNA, to step into the arena of politics in our country to serve (for the benefit of) their fellow Bahamians.
DreamerX 8 years, 7 months ago
The sad part I see here in these comments is that people are upset she is saying what she is saying. Ever thought what she was saying is true?
Are you all embroiled in this idea of party unity over being realistic? Maybe I missed something she said that was considered bad. But even if so, the same people who were acclaiming Rollins for speaking out are telling Roll to be quiet. Anything to beat the PLP? Even just becoming the opposite side of the same coin? Political integrity has been entombed in self interest and all I see here are people fighting for the self interest of politicians over the future of the country.
Rhetoric 8 years, 7 months ago
The only problem I see is the airing of the party's laundry in the media. Everyone's laundry looks and smells bad That is why it is handled inhouse.
Reality_Check 8 years, 7 months ago
Rhetoric, you're dead wrong! Minnis has no laundry because he is now an emperor entirely without clothes who is well known to stink to high heaven!
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 7 months ago
Minnis does get a lot of fish delivered to his home by his criminal friends and this may help explain why he has that dead fish smell about him at all times!
licks2 8 years, 7 months ago
Doc must keep his "keep-on-keeping-on". . .this doggish "back-jooking" . . .by the LBT faction will not amount to much. . .they know it will not! EVERY LAWYER KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU CANNOT WIN IN CHAMBERS ON THE MERITS OF YOUR CASE. . .YOU ATTEMPT TO "TRY" THE CASE IN "PUBLIC".
That's how I know when lawyer Munroe has a "donkey" case. . .he is all over the media trying to "shift" public opinion to his "hopeless" position!
DOC JUST NEED TO "KEEP" HIS WITS ABOUT HIM. . .WE THE PEOPLE SEE WHAT THEM "BOTTOM FEEDERS" ARE DOING TO HIM! So far he is holding his head up good!
"My head is under waaa-ter. . .but I am doing fine". . . is Doc's new battle cry in that pit of snakes!!!
They praised Doc Rollins and his "uppity antics" and condemned Senator Rolle for her "uppity antics". Child let me sit down. . .THIS FNM PARTY MAKING WE HEAD SPIN. Lol!
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