By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis has dismissed criticisms that his organisation is falling apart in the aftermath of the resignation of Lanisha Rolle from the Senate.
Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Dr Minnis said the FNM is “a strong vibrant organisation” and was “absolutely not” suffering a deepening divide as was asserted by PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts.
Following Mrs Rolle’s resignation from the Senate and the FNM Parliamentary caucus on Friday, Mr Roberts said it signalled a deepening divide and growing unrest within the opposition party which pointed to growing dissatisfaction with the failed leadership of Dr Hubert Minnis.
“Absolutely not,” Dr Minis told The Tribune. “The Free National Movement is not falling apart. We are a strong vibrant party that stands ready to defeat the Progressive Liberal Party.”
Mrs Rolle stepped down from the upper chamber after a series of articles were published exclusively by The Tribune highlighting disparaging comments she made during a private meeting with FNM political hopeful Lincoln Bain.
During the meeting she disparaged several opposition MPs, including Long Island MP Loretta Butler Turner, who she insisted is unfit to lead and has not proven herself.
She pointed to Mrs Butler-Turner’s tenure during the previous Ingraham administration as minister of state for social development, suggesting the MP was only handed the junior Cabinet appointment because the party could not do better. She also used the meeting to inform Mr Bain that the party had made a decision not to offer him a nomination for the Pinewood Gardens constituency.
Mr Bain has since admitted to The Tribune that he secretly recorded Mrs Rolle in an attempt to protect himself from possible “sabotage”.
“One of Minnis’ primary obligations, responsibilities and mandates as party leader is to build the next generation of political leaders who Bahamians can repose their confidence in to lead this country and he is failing to fulfil that fundamental mandate,” Mr Roberts said in a press statement on Friday.
He further pointed to John Bostwick, Heather Hunt and Michael Pintard as others who have resigned from the Senate in the past several years.
Of these, Ms Hunt was asked to step aside by Dr Minnis; Mr Bostwick resigned after he was charged with illegal ammunition possession; and Mr Pintard resigned over his involvement in the court action against Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard.
The statement continued: “Just this week in the press, a member of Minnis’ caucus reportedly said that Mrs Rolle’s Senate appointment only underscored Dr Minnis’ poor judgment and leadership capability,” Mr Roberts said. “Now with literally thousands of Bahamians watching and deciding on who is best suited to lead this country, they cannot help but conclude that if Dr Minnis is struggling with leading a political party then how can he possibly hope to lead a country given the myriad of challenges facing The Bahamas?
“For those who would publicly wish me not to comment on the internal affairs of the FNM, I am merely reflecting the observations, opinions, the whisperings and postings of literally tens of thousands of Bahamians as this spectacle – this organisational leadership debacle – plays itself out in the public domain to the horror, amusement, bemusement, befuddlement and dismay of the public,” Mr Roberts said.
Comments
Honestman 8 years, 7 months ago
Speaking to The Tribune yesterday, Dr Minnis said the FNM is “a strong vibrant organisation”
Everyone else, on the other hand, thinks the FNM is a weak and divided body lead by a man who would like to be regarded as strong and vibrant. Me? I would like to be an opera star but it ain't gonna happen 'cause I can't sing!
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
The only disturbing difference between 1990 and 2016 is that there is no "free agent" leader in the wings capable of defeating the PLP like Hubert Ingraham ......... that is troubling to many ........... the only hope is that there is an anti-PLP coalition group ready for 2017
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 7 months ago
Minnis is delusional....
jackbnimble 8 years, 7 months ago
That's an understatement.
Wideawake 8 years, 7 months ago
Sometimes you can't see your house is falling apart if you are looking at it from the inside! Go outside and you see the peeling paint, the cracks in the wall, the shingles blown off the roof and even the fig tree growing into the septic tank!! If Lil Hubert doesn't want to leave the FNM house, then ask those on the outside looking in how the FNM house looks! i.e. ASK THE ELECTORATE!
Economist 8 years, 7 months ago
Minnis is out of touch with reality.
EasternGate 8 years, 7 months ago
Minnis gotta go!
Wideawake 8 years, 7 months ago
Too late for that!
sangeej 8 years, 7 months ago
No! y'all want Minnis to cuss out someone; The FNM is like a ship, got hit and started to sink, the Captain jump over board and leave the ship, so Minnis start to plugs up the holes in the ship, but most of the people who stayed on the ship, keep pulling out the plugs, and so y'all keep saying the ship is sinking, instead of telling the people who are undermining him to STOP!!!
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 7 months ago
Um sangeej the lack of leadership in the FNM is just too obvious. If you can't see that then you are a sheep.
Minnis must go.
sangeej 8 years, 7 months ago
Nah, we need something new, maybe you should just listen to him, don't mind the noise, the guys that jump over board, are pulling out all the plugs in the boat, if you jump ship, stay off.
themessenger 8 years, 7 months ago
The FNM have shot themselves in the feet, knees and head so many times in the last two years that they now qualify for paraplegic status; the only reason they haven't officially been declared dead is because they haven't been able to find a brain to shoot themselves in.
licks2 8 years, 7 months ago
Ah well. . . the Minnis-Booing" has finished singing their regular tune. . .maybe someone should help them on this site find their brain (the only place they have not shot themselves into) so we can have some peace from their Andros Yard Chicken mentality. . .Lol!
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