Loretta Butler-Turner, leader of Opposition in the House of Assembly. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner yesterday criticised her party for its decision to revoke her nomination and ratify another candidate without due process, firmly stating her intentions to contest her seat in the upcoming general election.
However, Mrs Butler-Turner strongly pushed back against speculation that sought to infer that a statement from her to party officials, which was leaked over the weekend and circulated online, amounted to a resignation from the Free National Movement (FNM).
“As an incumbent MP whose ratification has been revoked and subsequently a new candidate named without due process as articulated in the FNM constitution, the FNM has created a bogus or illegal position,” she explained in an email to The Tribune.
“In effect they have undermined and circumvented the constitutional process in an attempt to prevent me running as an FNM. My response, as you will note, is in no way a resignation from the FNM, but rather a statement demonstrating that l will not be subjected to a leadership or a party that disregards and corrupts the rule of law to achieve personal objectives.”
Mrs Butler-Turner was responding to questions placed by The Tribune after a letter purportedly written by her, was circulated on social media.
Confirming the letter, the Long Island MP explained that she was prompted to issue a response to the notice of a special meeting on Wednesday.
“I didn’t think I needed to go to the meeting since they already went ahead and did what they did,” she told The Tribune in an interview earlier Sunday.
“Because what they have done (is) constitutionally illegal, they have infringed the FNM constitution,” she alleged.
Mrs Butler-Turner stressed that she didn’t leave the FNM, “they left me”.
“I am an incumbent,” she said, “my ratification has been revoked and they have subsequently named a new candidate in my seat. I have every intention of running in my seat, and since they’ve taken that route it means essentially that they have disengaged themselves from me.
“I was the only one of the seven (dissenting FNM MPs) that had a ratification from the party, and they subsequently named someone in my seat.
“In order to keep going, I obviously can’t run under the FNM party so I didn’t leave them, they left me.”
The Long Island MP along with the six other “rebel” MPs face expulsion, suspension or a fine from the party following their decision to oust FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis as leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament, and replace him with Mrs Butler-Turner.
Her candidacy was revoked by the party before the outcome of that disciplinary process.
The letter penned by Mrs Butler-Turner read: “The actions undertaken by yourselves and the council, combined with the public pronouncements by the leadership of the party clearly demonstrate your intent to sever my legal affiliation with the FNM; the party that l voluntarily supported and joined over 30 years ago.
“Be assured that l do not enjoy, neither do l embrace this posture,” the letter continued, “but l will not pursue or fight the illegitimacy of this premise, as I have previously stated in my response letter to the secretary general on December 15, 2016. The ideals and philosophy of the FNM’s existence are aligned with my personal convictions...democracy, accountability, fairness and transparency.
“I unreservedly espouse these tenets of my party,” the letter read.
“For these reasons, despite the divergent path we now face, l accept your majority will without opposition. I sincerely, thank you all for your past support and comaraderie. The battles and causes we have fought together will always be held proudly in my heart. May God bless you all.”
Comments
Publius 7 years, 11 months ago
What is wrong with Butler-Turner? The FNM nomination is gone. If she truly cared about representing Long Island at this point, she would have already stated to Long Island what her formal intention is for the ticket, and would have been on the ground in Long Island working in that vein. If an FNM nomination mattered so much to her, she would not have hopped on a waste of time errand with six men, none of whom had nominations. She was the only one of the seven with something to lose by way of a nomination and she lost it. Now she is still protesting as if she expected a different outcome and as if she is an innocent victim. Why does an FNM nomination matter so much to her anyway? The Party has lost its way right? By now a person of integrity would have already parted ways with what she believes the FNM has become. The Party is now corrupt and wayward, yet she is desperate to carry its banner? And she is still whining and complaining as if Long Island cannot vote her in as an independent if that's what Long Island wishes to do?
Her actions are psychotic.
banker 7 years, 11 months ago
Or impulsive, narcissistic, not-thought-out, non-strategic and just plain stupid.
It is back to stuffing stiffs for her.
Publius 7 years, 11 months ago
Nay, psychotic fits, as it denotes a break with reality. In all seriousness, an unbelievable sense of entitlement is at play here as well. She believes she ought to have whatever she believes she ought to have, even if she has done everything in her power to lose it or throw it away. Minnis is political dung, but what she wanted (a nomination) she could not get without him. That was part of the reality she seemed to have broken from. Another part of reality broken from is her role in all of this. She is behaving as though she woke up one morning to find her Party taking actions against her, and she has no idea where those actions arose from.
happyfly 7 years, 11 months ago
It is a hallmark of Bahamian politics, to not have a clue when is right to resign
John 7 years, 11 months ago
Loretta seems to want to have her cake and eat two (or is it too)? She wanted to become leader of the opposition but now she doesn't want to accept the consequences of the actions (mostly hers) that catapulted her to that position. How can you overpower your leader in a public place and have him removed from that position then expect everything to be nice and cosy at home in the party? Smt.
banker 7 years, 11 months ago
LOL ! It seems like stuffing stiffs een the only thing that she will be stuffing.
TalRussell 7 years, 11 months ago
Comrades! Hardly but a few will notice Loretta is gone from under the red tent. Few ever knew whom she really was other than she stood out as an embarrassment to 'herself' and her Long Island constituents. She will be most remembered for being just another selfish politician, which the 410 red party's convention delegates quickly came their good senses to see her for what and who she really is.
To better understand my post, go ahead and ask the next 100 Long Islander woman’s, you just happen to bump into on the streets…. What is it most about their current MP that they will need a long time to forget about... and their answer just might be.... Who in the hell really knows cause no Long Islander woman’s ever got to know who and what she was truly about anyways - other than 'herself'. That in the end she turned out to be nothing more just another power hungry MP, who just happened be of the female gender, who attempted to leverage her gender as a member the Honourable House of Assembly, for 'her self’s' twisted leadership ambitions.
Opinions from the street, that will become much clearer once their fellow Long Islander constituents votes are counted and certified following the 2017 General.
Sadly, but a small few will notice Loretta, once she has involuntarily disappeared permanently from the elected MP’s scene. How could they miss her when they never got know who she really is today, nor will she be remembered other than as being just another ‘one-term island MP’ who lead a Coup, against her own red party’s elected at convention leader.
I think most could agree that Loretta's misguided, doomed Coupe against the entire red party has not only become an embarrassment to her Long Island constituents but also to the woman's The Bahamaland. That her 'selfish' political benchmarks, are not the same as the woman's of The Bahamaland.
Honestman 7 years, 11 months ago
Loretta, you may not have quit the FNM but the FNM has quit you! Accept the consequence of your actions and move on. It is time to stop hanging on to the coat tails of the party and form your own.
yari 7 years, 11 months ago
You took the words out of my mouth!
Publius 7 years, 11 months ago
I see in the Guardian she actually says she can still run as an FNM candidate in Long Island. Once again I say, her actions are psychotic.
Emac 7 years, 11 months ago
She confuses the hell out of me, To think that I was one of her supporters before she became psychotic. :-(
Publius 7 years, 11 months ago
She is mouthing the foolishness being spouted by the pseudo-intellectuals, unstable lawyers and useless hangers-on around her, and she does not seem to have the gray matter in this regard to counterbalance it all. How can you tell the public that though the FNM already has a candidate, you can also be the FNM candidate? How can she not understand how crazy that is, regardless of who is putting that to her? And from her statements to the Guardian, she seems to believe that the nomination is an entitlement of hers. She seems not to get that a nomination is the Party's to give or take; it does not personally belong to the candidate. It is not the candidate's personal possession, regardless of the process by which one is nominated. The FNM at this stage is truly a bag of mixed nuts!
Zakary 7 years, 11 months ago
One only has to watch her in Parliament a few times to see something isn’t exactly right. The media (i.e newspapers) helps her out a lot. She is someone who definitely should not be leading the country.
Publius 7 years, 11 months ago
Yes. Sadly, neither should the other contenders. What a sorry state the country now finds itself in.
TalRussell 7 years, 11 months ago
Comrades! You can tell it's really starting to get to the member for Long Island, that she's receiving such such a warm not-so-subtle departure response from under the big red tent.
It was at that point of the Coup, that she must have decided to go for the "proverbial come-to-Jesus moment," when no where in her response statement, does she dear refer to any red shirt as her "colleagues or friends".
If Jesus don't want talk you, and the devil, ain't returning ya telephone calls....it's over politically over, Lady Butler-Turner!!
Stapedius 7 years, 11 months ago
Absence of a well thought out plan. They say when you dig one ditch for your enemy it's worth digging one for yourself. Loretta didn't get the memo. She doesn't know if she's FNM. Proclaims to be forming an ironclad alliance with the DNA of which the leader knows nothing of. They all capoonkle up. She needs to fade away from the media and do some ground work. Actually get on the ground in long island and stop this conjecture and fumbling. The party doesn't have to tell you anything. All she need do is get on a plane go down there and I'm sure the people will let her know one way or the other. If you were bold enough to make your move then be bold enough to face the people you represent.
licks2 7 years, 11 months ago
I don't think she is neither psychotic or unbalanced. . .she may have been lead down the wrong path by persons who themselves had their best interests in mind. . .and not her survival! So. . .it is just a case "thrown-under-the-bus-itis". . . she do not lose. . .she learns. . .don't bury her just yet. . .the FNM may yet reward her for scuttling the DNA without them firing a shoot. . .she just need to sit small for a while. . .stop trying to play the victim. . .shut her whinning in the press. . .stop "bigging-up sheself" and running on with "talks". . .she was barking at the car for 4 years. . .the car stopped for she 3 times. . .this last time she jumped on top of the car! The car not only stopped this time. . .the driver came out of the driver's seat and give the car to she to drive. . .now she complaining about "why dem wan gee me the car to drive. . .I'se ah dog. . .I carn drive no car". . .well if ya carn drive no car. . .and ya carn eat the car. . .lee it where the driver left it and carry ya behind in ya master yard and stop barking at everything dat move in the road!
Reality_Check 7 years, 11 months ago
LBT's brain is deader than the deadest brain of any 'stiff' she has ever stuffed and may possibly be as dead as the gray matter between the two ears of the very dimwitted Minnis. Crooked Christie has all along known this to be the case and is no doubt euphoric about the gifted opportunities created for him by the three wannabe PM clowns, namely LBT, Minnis and McCartney.
licks2 7 years, 11 months ago
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. . .Sir Knight. . .rest assure. . .we the people have something in stored for the PM. . .if this PM wins the election he runs the serious risk of being at the l;eadership getting they behinds "done" by the first Bahamian coup against their government! Mr Sears may help to stop such and historical outcome if this government goes back in as government. . . but PM Christies returned to power shall guarantee us that coup! It is really bad on them there streets when it comes to our current PM. . .very few of them will survive this election. . .replay of "slaughter of the Big Papa gang". . .when HI carried down most of his peoples to defeat to the PLP and DNA! Lol!
Reality_Check 7 years, 11 months ago
Re-post: LBT remains about as ignorant and dumb a politician as they come. She still sorely lacks even the most basic knowledge about our Westminster parliamentary system of government and will forever be incapable of comprehending the rules & procedures that apply to our parliamentarians and our standing committees of the House of Assembly. Some would like to believe she is a "heavy" weight in our country's political arena today, but in reality she is very much an uninformed "feather" weight of little import. The only one she may be slightly "brighter" than is the very dimwitted Minnis, but this is certainly not saying much about LBT as a wannabe PM!
TalRussell 7 years, 11 months ago
Comrades! Two different styles leadership tell a tale. Toggie, tosses Minnis, two of the finest fishes ever caught and Minnis cooks them for his supper. Loretta gets toss Six-career dead red MP fishes.... and she still trying get them flap their flippers.
licks2 7 years, 11 months ago
No. . .Toggie did not toss Minnis. . .it was BD offices, car, etc them two been "cutting movie" in with that white man! Toggie says that it was BD who tell them to burn down people places, shot people in the road, burn car, slap Lawyer with Haitian cutlass etc. Tal ya wrong fer dat nah! Lol!
John 7 years, 11 months ago
Maybe Loretta did not draw the support of the masses when she did her karate kick after a stint on a power hungry binge that leaves her the one seatless wonder. If she joins the green tent under Bran, he will definitely not tolerate the stabbing and jabbing
licks2 7 years, 11 months ago
So now who is Mr. McCartney in the senate? What shall I now call Senator Mr. Moncur now that the FNM has thrown LBT under the bus? Who's color will they now operate. . .Bran, Star or Workers party? Heck. . .she tried. . .now yinna ger keep knocking her fer dat? Only thing I ger "verbally slap she upside she head" for is for acting like "everybody" beat up on me. . .you stepped forward and stated ya case. . .got ya hip kicked plenty times. . .now ya on ya own. . .abandoned by backers. . .but you learn. . .you never loose . . . as far as I am concern. . .tis done! Lee it all lay. . .ya did it ya way!! Now let me hear Senator Mr. Moncur's show. . .he seem to be the only person getting anything out of all this cumbrukshion. . .he in dog heaven. . .walkin on air!! Lol!
TalRussell 7 years, 11 months ago
Comrades! Unlike so many other people which I simply do not understand... When it comes to the member for Long Island, she is just the one person I do understand.
Maybe it's due my long political observation of Loretta, ever since Papa Hubert, personally plucked her to contest for the Montagu constituency... And, how she thinks the same small group UBP's are being genuine, when they keep on impressing upon her, how uniquely qualified she is for party leadership - be it red or green.
licks2 7 years, 11 months ago
Tis green. . .they money them er lookin at. . .doc een singing their tune. . . they told LBT to change she clothes and she did. . .she wright. . .and we all can see the new slimmer and élan LBT. . .Leader for the Opposition in the HOA!! But now Mr. Scott, Lightbourne and the other Knowles man. . .and a few other prominent white persons in the country "pushed" her so that they can remain "tops" in "economic dumpster diving". . .they know she was not the person for the job. . .top of her game in her profession. . .but not a good politician! I saw this a long time. . .when Big Papa refused to publically endorse her. . .and he refused to take on the rockin doc at convention! My discussion group who meets each Saturday and Sunday also said that if the PLP. . .through its GG removes the doc in the HOA. . .that spelled that they wanted to take on LBT in election. . .a sure win for them . . .a desperate move by a drowning party who will use any "edge" to win the next election!
sheeprunner12 7 years, 11 months ago
LONG ISLAND HAS QUIT LBT ................ PERIOD
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