By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Darron Cash yesterday blamed FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis for the “dismal state” of the Official Opposition and said it is now time for the party to seek “fresh, new” leadership.
In a statement, Mr Cash said Dr Minnis and his entire leadership team must give a full accounting of his stewardship of the FNM. He also said a full convention with all the accountability factors built in is the right way for that to happen and called for it to be held in the next 90 days.
Mr Cash also lamented that the FNM has become “a shadow of its former self” and risks being “sunk by an anchor of leadership that has been found wanting”.
“There are many people who share responsibility for this unfortunate position, but there is no escaping the harsh reality - the current dismal state of the FNM goes to leadership.”
“More specifically, it goes to the leader Hubert A Minnis,” Mr Cash said.
“It is time for the leader to seek a fresh mandate. I will elaborate on this in the course of the coming weeks, but it is clear to me that Dr Minnis has become the issue for the FNM. The mantra ‘Minnis can’t win’ has gained disheartening traction over the last 18 months. But I submit that this issue is secondary to the larger issue of party unity. Can Minnis pull the FNM together? That is the larger question. The evidence appears to be no.
“If our party leader has answered my earlier call for a ‘come to Jesus’ event, he has certainly taken the circuitous route. I have not seen it happening, and neither have thousands of anxious and dispirited FNMs. Evidence to the contrary is obvious. For far too long the FNM has been in perpetual decline. It is past time for the hemorrhage of support and goodwill to end.”
Mr Cash said waiting for a November convention would be considered “cruel and unusual punishment”.
“An early and full national convention can now be the only place to resolve this untenable position. Anything else would be the equivalence of shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic,” Mr Cash said.
Mr Cash referenced a recent scandal in the party that forced former Senator Lanisha Rolle to resign from her post. As reported exclusively by The Tribune earlier this month, an investigation was launched into comments made by Mrs Rolle during a private meeting with FNM political hopeful Lincoln Bain.
A purported audio recording of the meeting was circulated, and as reported by The Tribune, Mrs Rolle was heard making disparaging remarks about FNM MPs, which drew ire from many in her party. She resigned days after The Tribune broke the story.
“Just over a week ago, before the most recent revelations, I suggested that our leader should seriously consider taking decisive steps to cut the FNM MPs who are not supporting him. I had no hesitation about giving the leader the benefit of the doubt. But now, the FNM version of the ‘Watergate tapes’ has changed all that.
“Now, it looks as if the MPs have been on solid grounds in having serious concerns about their leader and how he operates. According to the then ‘senior senator’, the leader seems to lack confidence in his team, and this begs the question, which one of them really has the power?
“It is now fair to say that there is a crisis of confidence in the FNM leader,” Mr Cash said. “The only meaningful course available to the leader of the FNM is one that reveals true leadership.
“He must go before a full FNM convention with a fresh set of delegates to give an account of the party under his leadership. Given everything that has and has not transpired under his term in office, it is time for Dr Minnis to seek a fresh mandate. As the FNM Central Council meets to deliberate our party’s date for convention, I paraphrase Lady Macbeth, ‘If it were done, then best it were done quickly.’”
In April, former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette admitted to The Tribune that he would have liked to see an earlier date set for the FNM’s convention.
He also suggested that if party members presented “practical” reasons to reschedule the event sooner in the year, some consideration could be given.
The FNM’s convention is expected to run from November 15 to 19. At this time all positions, including that of leader, are expected to be open for challenge.
Comments
licks2 8 years, 7 months ago
Why is it the same FNMs who are all over the place "MAKING NOISE" . . .are they the ones that Doc will not run again?
Did not Doc fired this fella as party Chairman in the past for not doing a good job? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. . .these FNMs them are just too much. . .AND DOC EEN CHECKING FOR THEM!!
Honestman 8 years, 7 months ago
We don't need to listen to the comments of Darren Cash concerning Hubert Minnis. The electorate can see quite clearly that Minnis is completely incompetent in the role of Leader of the FNM. For the good of the country, it is time for senior FNM's to persuade him to stand down NOW. The good people of The Bahamas will not forgive the FNM if the party allows Minnis to lead them to what will be certain defeat in next year's election. A new leadership team would however be a game changer and result in the PLP being cast into oblivion. This would be their deserved fate for their almost ruination of the country these last four years.
jackbnimble 8 years, 7 months ago
Mr Cash also lamented that the FNM has become “a shadow of its former self” and risks being “sunk by an anchor of leadership that has been found wanting”. - Truer words hath not yet been spoken.
I respect Mr. Cash. It was he that warned Ingraham long before the last election that the sale of Batelco and road works would cause him the election and that it did.
Dr. Minnis is now the noose around the FNM's neck and it's chocking them straight out of winning the general election. Please, Dr. Minnis, for the good of all,step down and give the party a fighting chance.
licks2 8 years, 7 months ago
YOU ALL DUMMIES DON'T SEE THAT YINNA DONE "GAT" THIS ELECTION WON AS FAR AS THE PEOPLE ARE CONCERN. . .WE WILL NEVER RE-ELECT THE PLP!
BUT YINNA EEN "FIGTHING WITH DOC" BECAUSE YINNA MIGHT LOSE THIS ELECTION. . .YINNA FIGHTING BECAUSE YALL KNOW THAT YINNA "GAT THIS ONE IN THE BAG" BUT YINNA WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT YALL LIKE WITH THE DOC AS THE LEADER! HECK EVEN BRAN KNOWS THAT. . .IN THE PAST YALL COULD NOT EVEN GET HIM TO BUY A CUP OF WATER FROM YINNA COOK-OUTS. . .NOW HE "TRIAL-BALOON" YALL WITH JOINING UP WITH YINNA BECAUSE HE TOO KNOWS THAT THE FNM GAT THIS! IF YINNA STOP YALL GREEDY WAYS IN PUBLIC AND "GET BEHIND" YALL LEADER. . .ON SECOND THOUGHT DON'T GET "BEHIND" HIM . . . YINNA ACTING LIKE GREEDY BACK-STABBERS" THEM. . .YALL WILL JUST TRY TO JOOK HIM IN HIS BACK! Hehehehehehehehehe!
BUT. . .BOUY. . .YALL MUST AGREE. . .HE HOLDING UP LONG AGAINST YALL NOW! I SURE THOUGHT THAT HE DID'T HAVE THE "RIGHT STUFF" TO STAND ALL THAT PETTY ACCUSATIONS FROM TRIBUNE, GUARDIAN AND CERTIAN POWER GRABBERS IN HIS OWN PARTY! EVERYWHERE THE POOR DUDE LOOK YINNA ALL OVER HIS TAIL. . . PICKING, PICKING, PICKING AND DANG PICKING! BUT HE MANAGED TO HOLD ALL AT BAY. . .AND INCREASE HIS "LIKABILITY" STOCK WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC! MY NEW NAME FOR HIM IS "WACK-A-MO" MINNIS. . .EVERYTIME YALL HIT HIM HE POPS UP SOMEWHERE ELSE! Lol!
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Mr. Cash .............. what do you propose as the best leadership combo to lead the FNM into the next election????? ........... it is easy to say that the Minnis-Turnquest team is not a winning duo ......... but who else will and can take over and lead the FNM into an election that may be called by January 2017???????
May I suggest some possible teams????? ....... Turner-Sands, Sands-Bethel, Turner-Rollins, and Bethel-Grant, ............. but you need MPs who may be able to win safe seats and who can campaign throughout the country on a tight budget (PLP will have lots of money)
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
Sands Rollins
Observer 8 years, 7 months ago
Sheeprunner12 has all of the answers to the problems of the official opposition party. Elect him as Leader. But, then, an after-thought: is the name really sheeprunner12 or is it sleepwalker11?
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
......... a sheeprunner is a Bahamian shepherd ........ we are in dire need of a national shepherd right now .......... BTW: "sheeprunner' is the affectionate cultural nickname of Long Islanders ....... like we have Nassau pirates, Bimini smugglers, Inagua salties, Brilanders, Coonians, Segillians, Andros crabcatchers etc.
BMW 8 years, 7 months ago
Hubert and Bran need to drop their egos and take a serious look at the 2012 results. For gods sake put your heads together and in 2017 the PLL can be anialated!!!!!!
birdiestrachan 8 years, 7 months ago
Cash does not have to worry, he will not be nominated for any post..
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 7 months ago
Minnis has to go man. He is the worst leader thenFNM has ever had. And he seem to get worse eveey day. He is not improving at all.
If Minnis is not replaced the PLP will get a second term..
And I don't think the country can handle another 5 years of these amateurs...
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Hubert Minnis said on Steve McKinney show yesterday that the reason why he has so many "political haters" is that he is a change agent who is determined to get rid of corruption in The Bahamas ........... and that the "haters" want to keep the status quo in his party, the government and the general society .......... who the cap fits, let them wear it ....... GO FIGGER
So let us begin to make a list of Minnis' "political haters" ........ Cash, Ole Dick, LBT, Chippie,
He also said that he will remain as FNM leader, because the "young people" (in the FNM) love him and will support him ......... can we make a list of these "young people"????????
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
Will that be after he is done with all the deals he currently makes with Shane & Brave?
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrades what do you think "Pancake Face" Darron be's up to, calling for a Jesus Moment under red party's tent?
licks2 8 years, 7 months ago
Cash did not get the nomination for Carmichael where he was working with the party council for the area to be their candidate. Minnis apparently gave the nomination to Desmond Bannister. . .whom the party council for the area accepted and threw Cash under the bus. . .with Doc's blessing.
I looks like Cash thinks that since he was working the area, it belongs to him as MP. And because Doc gave it to DB. . .who is far better in that area than Cash. . .he surmised that Doc is not a good leader for not leaving him with the area since he worked the area so some time! He believe that that "bag of goodies" is his. . .even though the nomination process guaranteed nobody an area. So it appears that Doc will do his own thing. . .and no matter, he will run his ship. . .not other party members!!
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