The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Cabinet minister Tennyson Wells yesterday pointed to the recent statements made by Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins as further evidence that the “rebel seven” acted selfishly, and were only motivated by “spite and pettiness”.

Mr Wells lamented that Dr Rollins sabotaged his chances for candidacy with the FNM and made tremendous errors as a result of his thoughtless actions.

In a dramatic turnaround on Wednesday, Dr Rollins declared in the House of Assembly that he was prepared to do whatever it takes to “get back with” the party and make sure it wins the government - with FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis at its helm.

He had previously stated that Dr Minnis would be an “absolute failure” as the nation’s leader.

“I don’t know about him getting back in the FNM,” Mr Wells said, when contacted by The Tribune. “I don’t believe he ever left, but it just go to show how thoughtless they are.

“They didn’t think through what they were doing and it was just spite and pettiness, no rhyme or reason for what they did.”

“They never really had a case and Minnis was quite right at the end of the day. It all shows that it was just pettiness on the part of people who were just selfish and wanting to be leader.”

Dr Rollins is part of the “rebel seven” that ousted Dr Minnis as leader of the Official Opposition in the House of Assembly, and appointed Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner in December last year. The FNM has appointed a three-person tribunal to decide the fate of Mrs Butler-Turner and the six other members of Parliament, and that process is continuing.

At the time, Dr Rollins insisted that the coup was done in the best interest of the Bahamian people, adding that the Killarney MP was more captivated by the title of prime minister rather than the work it would take to improve the quality of life in the Bahamas.

Mr Wells continued: “They were all squabbling amongst themselves over who it should be and Minnis has now demonstrated he has a steady hand, probably too cautious in some cases, but I think he now has unified the party and they now see that. People like Rollins, really I believe he had the first opportunity to replace Mrs Butler-Turner in Long Island but there are certain protocols, whether politics, business, life, respect those mores. I don’t think they respected that.

“I think he made tremendous errors and I think he was following (former Prime Minister Hubert) Ingraham and a couple other people. If they couldn’t have it they destroy it.”

He added: “The common man on the street have a lot more sense than they thought. They thought that because they said it and they’re MPs but you’re still only a man. You may be an MP but you’re still a man or woman. Same thing with the PLP now, soon as they get there, they think they know everything.”

Mrs Butler-Turner declined comment when contacted yesterday.

When contacted by The Tribune yesterday, FNM Chairman Sidney Collie said he did not watch the sitting of the House, and was unfamiliar with Dr Rollins’ comments.

However, he said: “Dr Rollins is still a (member of the) FNM, I don’t know why he said that. I presume he meant in the good graces of the party but until the constitutional provision of the party is carried out, which has not yet been carried out, Rollins is still an FNM.”

Mr Collie revealed that party leadership will be in Abaco this weekend to officially launch the campaigns of Darren Henfield for North Abaco and James Albury for Central and South Abaco.