The Tribune

By ADRIAN GIBSON

ajbahama@hotmail.com

There were political fireworks in Long Island on Monday. The embers are still smouldering and the talk about what transpired has graced the front pages of the newspapers, revealing that certain politicians are more proficient political spinners than Rumpelstiltskin.

Any claim that Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner had a successful candidate roll-out in Long Island would be nothing short of political shimmy dreamt up by those who are intent on propping up her candidacy, who are diehard supporters or who themselves exude a spirit of entitlement. The launch of Mrs Butler-Turner’s campaign in Long Island was an unmitigated disaster.

I could not write this column without having first-hand knowledge.

The persons who protested and booed Mrs Butler-Turner’s ratification by the Free National Movement (FNM) were not a small band of Dr Andre Rollins supporters, as she and those supporting her candidacy would have the nation believe.

Moreover, quite contrary to Mrs Butler-Turner’s claim that there were about 10 protesters, any investigative reporting would reveal that the dissenters numbered about half (and possibly more) of the estimated 125 in attendance. I have spoken to senior FNMs who were on site and persons who attended the spectacle, including my father who is visiting his home town for two weeks.

My dad attended the launch and, while there, he called me and we sat on the phone for at least an hour. I listened to the speeches of Mrs Butler-Turner, FNM deputy Peter Turnquest and FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis. I can personally attest to hearing boos and heckling. The jeering, booing and swearing I heard in the background, during Mrs Butler-Turner’s speech, left no doubt in my mind about the outlook of many in attendance.

My father described a scene unlike anything he had ever seen before at any previous FNM rally he has attended.

Quite honestly, I have discovered and I’m aware that the dissenters comprised everyday Long Islanders, the entire executive team of the former FNM association that campaigned for and played a humungous role in Mrs Butler-Turner’s election in 2012 and Long Islanders - like Jason Cartwright - who travelled from Nassau on the day of the event to express their opposition. By all accounts, the launch was a chaotic sham or, to use the words of former FNM association chairwoman Dyllis Smith, “a hot mess”. These are the persons who were her generals on the ground. They have now abandoned her.

One elderly Long Islander told me that many residents from south and north Long Island are united in their opposition to the incumbent MP.

Yes, Dr Rollins was in attendance and was acknowledged by the master of ceremonies. However, I am reliably informed that Dr Rollins had nothing to do with the protests. In fact, Dr Rollins himself - if he wishes to state facts and defend the charges laid against him - would affirm the same. I was told that Dr Rollins observed the protests and made the rounds, chuckling in shock and amusement (I am advised) during occasions when he was within earshot of the colourful commentary of objectors.

So, for Mrs Butler-Turner to dismiss the concerns, expressions of dissent and aggravation of Long Islanders as merely being a “handful” of Rollins supporters who tried to “hijack” her rally is simply misleading and disingenuous.

I am advised that Long Islanders are fed-up with Mrs Butler-Turner. If asked to list five major accomplishments during her five year tenure as MP, no doubt she would struggle to do so. Undoubtedly, Mrs Butler-Turner would likely refer to Hurricane Joaquin and her quick response in getting on the ground and assisting relief leaders - Father Keith Cartwright, the Aranhas and the HeadKnowles organisation. But, what other accomplishments can one point to? One notes that she defines herself as a “stellar MP”; however, that seemingly speaks to a politically tone deaf approach to representation of an island gem.

By her own admission, Mrs Butler-Turner said that “there were at least 100 or so people at the meeting”. I grew up in Long Island. I cannot recall a time when the FNM had a rally in Long Island and nearly 50 to 60 per cent of the entire island - which was 3,024 inhabitants in the 2010 census - didn’t turn out. It is unheard of that an FNM rally on Long Island would fetch less than 500 people.

When I was growing up in Long Island, we had no social media and the internet only became a fixture in the early 2000s. And yet, with only word of mouth and residential telephones, Long Islanders turned out in droves whenever the FNM announced a rally, school opening or some other event. Frankly, there were and still are very few outings to attend and so a rally is one that people of all political stripes sometimes attended. What happened on Monday?

We live in the age of social media. These days, there is hardly the need for much advance planning as WhatsApp, Facebook and other apps are advertising and promotional tools that could spread the word of an event on an island in one hour. And so, Mrs Butler-Turner’s excuse that she “didn’t plan this meeting at all; I was on vacation and when I came back I was told the town meeting was to take place”, is of no moment.

What’s more, I am reliably advised by high-ranking FNMs that Mrs Butler-Turner was made aware of the launch of her candidacy well in advance of Monday’s rally.

Throughout the week, I have been inundated by phone calls and messages from Long Island. I am informed that the crowd became irate and angry when they were not afforded the opportunity to express their concerns to the party’s leadership. Rather than a rally, residents asserted that they expected a town hall style meeting where they could communicate their issues and concerns for their island and their support for, or opposition to, the ratification of Mrs Butler-Turner.

That was not to be and, upon hearing of the impending protests, the launch format switched to a full-blown rally. If anyone knows Long Islanders, they would be aware that they are industrious, strong willed, driven, opinionated and, frankly, take no prisoners. Long Islanders have felt that their concerns have been ignored for far too long, by both the FNM and the Progressive Liberal Party.

The resistance of Long Islanders to being politically shoved around was demonstrated in 2002, when former educator Larry Cartwright was elected to the House of Assembly as an Independent candidate. I can vividly recall my own family breaking ranks to vote for Mr Cartwright. The industriousness of Long Islanders was again on display when we led the charge to provide relief to and assist our islanders decimated by Hurricane Joaquin.

Throughout the day on Monday (prior to the rally), the FNM’s senior leadership team met with prominent Long Islanders who undoubtedly expressed their misgivings about Mrs Butler-Turner’s representation and potential candidacy. Many of them have told me about those meetings and what was said therein. I shall not divulge their names here as several of them are civil servants and/or have asked me not to do so.

I can personally attest to what I heard on that phone call with my father and what I have been told.

Recently, Mrs Butler-Turner told The Tribune: “I have been a stellar MP and I trust the people of Long Island, when they make their decision, it will be the right one. There is always competition in an election, you will always run against someone, but I have no fear of Dr Rollins. The people will vote based on performance. Dr Rollins cannot do what I have done for the people. He has his own constituency, does he not? Why isn’t he running to be their representative? The people of Long Island only need to ask the people of Fort Charlotte what kind of representation they have gotten from Dr Rollins. There is a reason he isn’t running there as an independent.”

I live in Fort Charlotte and I will, in no way, proclaim that Dr Rollins is a great MP. Frankly, as a constituent, I am disappointed. This is no defence of Rollins; however, when Mrs Butler-Turner recently referred to his performance as a Member of Parliament as “lacklustre at its best”, the same description - I am advised - could aptly apply to her performance in Long Island.

There are Long Islanders who complain that Mrs Butler-Turner’s representation is centred on political cliques and sycophants who she views as supporters. One prominent Long Islander told me that if Mrs Butler-Turner “ever remotely imagines one not to be a supporter, she would cut you off and pass you as if she doesn’t know you, notwithstanding that you previously campaigned and voted for her.” If this is true - and by all accounts it is - such a dismissive approach cannot work in Long Island.

Throughout the island, people purport to having been aggressively or disrespectfully spoken to by Mrs Butler-Turner. Whilst she may still have supporters in Long Island, the numbers have dwindled. At present, regardless of the grandstanding in the press and spin doctoring by Butler-Turner devotees, the FNM runs a real risk of losing that seat to an Independent. It is likely that we could see a repeat of the general election result in 2002.

It is time for Mrs Butler-Turner to engage in deep introspection. It is time that she seeks to at least understand why a sizeable number of islanders - including her entire former executive team - are put off by her.

As a lawyer, we rarely give free advice but, in this instance and as a columnist, I would proffer the above for Mrs Butler-Turner’s consideration.

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