Roberts decries "reckless" Minnis and calls for cool heads in airport dispute

Bradley Roberts

As of Saturday, April 15, 2017

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party (PLP) chairman Bradley Roberts has accused Dr Hubert Minnis of appearing to condone the "unwarranted and unlawful" industrial action which caused flight cancellations and lengthy delays at the Lynden Pindling International Airport as travellers were trying to get away for the Easter holidays.

Mr Roberts derided the Free National Movement leader's comments as "weak, political opportunism" after a 'sick out' protest by air traffic controllers on Thursday had disrupted operations at the airport. Dr Minnis claimed that his party, if elected on May 10, would honour agreements after criticising the Christie Administration for not paying government employees what they are owed on time.

The PLP chairman called for "cooler heads to prevail" and for a swift resolution to the "unlawful" act by the union employees.

The Bahamas Air Traffic Controllers Union staged the surprise action over a number of outstanding matters currently subject of discussion with the Ministries of Transport and Labour, according to Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna Martin. They range from the frequency of the shuttle service from the security checkpoint to the Tower to the payment of outstanding holiday pay and other money matters, she said.

On Thursday morning, on one of the busiest days for travel in the year, the morning shift of employees did not arrive at work. At least three American Airlines flights were cancelled and there were lengthy delays to domestic and international flights.

On Friday night Mr Roberts called Dr Minnis' comments on the issue by FNM leader "reckless and irresponsible".

"He apparently condones the unwarranted and unlawful industrial actions taken by some Air Traffic Controllers that left Bahamians stranded in airports, led to the cancellation of flights and the loss of revenue and other economic opportunities for Bahamians," Mr Roberts said in a statement.

"Further, these actions, condoned by Hubert Minnis, hurt the international reputation of The Bahamas and we all lose; there are no winners.

"The PLP calls for cooler heads to prevail and for all sides to put the welfare of the country first. Further, aviation operations of this type is an essential service and the integrity of this service should never be compromised.

"I am advised that some of the outstanding issues and subsequent demands predate the current administration and require an audit to compile the requisite data on which the Government can act. This government has always acted in good faith in addressing labour issues; this administration did so in resolving longstanding financial issues with the public school teachers, Customs, Immigration and we will do the same with the Air Traffic Controllers.

"These chronic press releases by Minnis and acts of weak political opportunism are unseemly as politics become inappropriate and irrelevant in these circumstances. Minnis should set aside the vitriol, the political posturing and grandstanding, the carpet bagging, the bluster and the heavily scripted commentary fed to him by his public relations consultants and consider his country and its citizens first.

"Every day when he pokes his head from behind the curtains he confirms he has no genuine individual vision or intrinsic activated plan for advancing the cause of a powerful Bahamian people.

"Minnis should know that the law provides for the settlement of disputes. He should be advocating for a lawful resolution to disputes - that is what responsible leadership will do. He is instead encouraging mayhem through the ad hoc withdrawal of essential services to the detriment of the Bahamian people. But then again the Bahamian people already know he is a political opportunist in heat.

"The PLP again calls for a swift and well-reasoned resolution to this unlawful act in the public interest because it is only through the legal and good faith settlement of disputes that we can move all Bahamians forward together."

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John 7 years, 7 months ago

The PLP calls for cooler heads to prevail and for all sides to put the welfare of the country first. Further, aviation operations of this type is an essential service and the integrity of this service should never be compromised.

I agree (if this is the case of Minnis siding with the air traffic controllers to attempt to cripple the country on one of the most busy travel days of the year.).. But knowing Mr. Bradley Roberts, he obviously put a spin on what actually happened. Mr. Roberts is a political animal and his nature is to score political points at every opportunity. And on the other hand, Minnis needs to weigh every word he says in the next 26 days because they will twist and turn them at every opportunity.

OldFort2012 7 years, 7 months ago

Old political adage: "It's not the Opposition that wins an election, it's the Government which loses it." All Minnis has to do is be quiet for 26 days.

licks2 7 years, 7 months ago

Why? Let him speak. . .do you think we are stupid? Bradley Roberts is only speaking to his PLP diehards. . .not even to his elite party members!! Let doc speak. . .

John 7 years, 7 months ago

In the main time Trump is planning a strike on North Korea (nuclear sites) and China is with him. If this does happen North Korea plans to launch not properly tested missles at the US. And even to let off nuclear weapons. What contingency plans does the Bahamas have should this happen and our food supply is threatened.

ThisIsOurs 7 years, 7 months ago

Won't happen. This is the first time in history every single world leader believes that they are working with a US president who is uninformed, crazy and unpredictable, they seriously believe he could flip at any moment, not to mention that he's recently discovered the thrill of bombing things. Kim Jong Un has met his crazy brother, they both recognize crazy, more importantly China recognizes they're both crazy hence their willingness to speak to North Korea.

On the other hand... If it does happen, too late, we're screwed. No time to fix BAMSI or implement an alternative electrical supply.

MassExodus 7 years, 7 months ago

Crawfish season becomes wide open...

Clamshell 7 years, 7 months ago

" I am advised that some of the outstanding issues and subsequent demands predate the current administration and require an audit ..."

Translation: "We've had 5 years to address the problem, but could not be bothered."

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 7 months ago

Nepotism of the worst kind in politics has for decades plagued us with the grossly incompetent Glenys Hanna-Martin. She should have long ago been given her walking papers as a cabinet minister and banned forever from holding any key position in government. This woman represents the very worst of the worst when it comes to gross incompetence! She has cost our country untold millions and millions of dollars over decades as result of her repeated failures to detect countless easily detectable instances of waste, fraud, corruption and outright theft that have occurred right under her nose!! And she has no shame whatsoever in always blaming others for her very own incompetence and failures. The fact that she has remained in active politics this long is a testament to Perry Christie's most significant shortcoming - valuing loyalty above all else no matter what the cost to the Bahamian people.

DDK 7 years, 7 months ago

HOW RIGHT YOU ARE!!!!!

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 7 months ago

But as I've mentioned time and time again Minnis is no different than Christie when it comes to the very serious shortcoming of valuing loyalty above all else. Are you thinking? If not, please - THINK, THINK, THINK!

concernedcitizen 7 years, 7 months ago

Not just incompetence , many , most. people pay their car fees cash .How much do you think never makes it to the treasury .And the pingdomites ,PGC, AMG ,Obie ,Lady Piing Baltron Bethel . trust Hanna to cut the pie they keep putting her there .what is missing this time ,bout 60 to 70 million .This is not incompetence this is organized crime

SP 7 years, 7 months ago

................... Bradley Needs To Show Us Where All The Missing Millions Went ...............

Nigeria resolving their problems with PLP style friends, family, lovers and cronies corruption:

https://qz.com/957927/nigerias-anti-cor…

OMG 7 years, 7 months ago

As always blame your failings on someone else " pre dates this administration". You friggin idiot ,you have had 4 1/2 years to take care of these and many other matters so the blame lays with your governments shoddy ways.

BMW 7 years, 7 months ago

Roberts is an idiot!! No where did Dr.Minnis condone the actions of the controllers, he said this situation would not happen under a FNM administration and here you have roberts putting their spin on it, we are not fooled.

TalRussell 7 years, 7 months ago

Comrades! Whatever the outcome brungs May 10, 2017, this will be the last general election campaign for both PM Christie and his loyal chairman "Big Bad" Brad. The last before they will be just two old battle-weary political Comrade pensioners, sitting in a corner writing their memoirs - "How Even When Dismissed By Others - We tooks PLP All Da Way."

sheeprunner12 7 years, 7 months ago

I suppose you will be their biographer???????????

John 7 years, 7 months ago

Its amazing how the FNM painted the town red over the weekend. Red posters in all the inner-city areas. Almost like they caught the PLP off guard, so now the PLP is playing catch up. DNA has some well designed billboards but their "silly season' campaign needs a little more 'silliness' (plastering posters) in it.

Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 7 months ago

As I've said countless times before : "THINK, THINK, THINK!!!" But I suspect many registered voters are still much too blinded by party loyalty to do just that. Weak minded voters have been severely blinded as a result of four decades of brainwashing by political party leaders (Pindling, Ingraham, Christie, McCartney and now Minnis) that has left them wrongly believing that political party loyalty matters to the exclusion of all else. But under our Westminster parliamentary system of government, we are all much better served when the best candidate in each constituency in terms of their integrity, intellect and common sense gets elected no matter what his or her party affiliation may be. We already have a four decade old track record that proves just voting along party lines for the more popular party of the day is a sure fire recipe for disaster. Corrupt politicians come to the front and thrive in settings where party loyalty is all that matters, relegating integrity, intellect and common sense to very low places on the totem pole. We need as many good qualified people sitting as MPs in the HOA as we can possibly get irrespective of their party affiliation....let the chips fall wherever they may when it comes to which party ends up with the most seats....we need the best MPs available for both good governance and good opposition. I therefore once again implore registered voters to THINK, THINK, THINK!!! And please encourage your family members and friends who are registered voters to do likewise. On a much more pleasant note this Holy Day, Happy Easter to all.

Reality_Check 7 years, 7 months ago

@Mudda you are so right about what you say here. At the risk of being accused of using the good Lord's name in vain, most registered voters would not vote for Jesus Christ himself if he were running as an independent candidate in their constituency without being affiliated with either the PLP, DNA or FNM. And just think how many times we have all heard the ridiculous sentiment that a vote for the DNA may as well be a vote for the PLP because it would split the total vote in may constituencies leaving the FNM the loser. In other words, registered voters are being told time and time again to vote along party lines without any consideration of who in fact may be the best candidate for the job in terms of their honest character, smarts and good judgement. For Bahamian voters, it's all about the political party and it's precisely this wrong mindset that corrupt politicians encourage whether they be of the FNM, PLP or DNA variety. It's the kind of demented thinking that prevents us from ever having good governance through a robust government and equally robust opposition. I truly fear that we may be locked in a vicious cycle of corrupt rotating governments, whether FNM, PLP or DNA, all because most registered voters seem unable to do what you have been so strongly recommending: THINK, THINK THINK!!!

Maynergy 7 years, 7 months ago

SUPPORT 2017

New Bahamas government

Initiates fundamental national guidelines for education (2018 – 2021)

MINISTRY of EDUCATION implements. Firstly ALL Children born in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas Are encouraged to go to school PERIOD.

Tuition free public schools.
Introduction to foreign language(s) electives.
Arts-integrated curriculum with a) music b) dance/art.
Science lab grades 3 – 7.
Free After school program(s).
Free lunch / grades 3 – 11.
Trained teachers assigned to all classes.
Parent’s involvement/ Counsels.

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