Dr Hubert Minnis
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Deputy Chief Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday urged the government to table the delayed Constituencies Commission report in Parliament when it meets today.
However, House Speaker Dr Kendal Major, who is also chairman of the commission, told The Tribune yesterday that the report remained incomplete. An election cannot be called until the report is complete and is tabled in the House of Assembly.
“(There is) really nothing to report. Nothing has changed. Still waiting,” Dr Major said in a message to this newspaper.
Asked if he could say when the report would be tabled, Dr Major said: “At this point I am not aware.”
Last week, he said in Parliament that he was “disappointed” the commission had not completed its report. He revealed that several factors, including low voter turn out and “contention” among members, delayed the progress.
At the time he explained that the contention among the rank and file of the commission was sparked by the leak of information from deliberations into the public domain and published in local newspapers and social media. This, he said, was certainly displeasing. He said it had been the commission’s intention to table the report at the first sitting of the House, which was last week Monday.
Meanwhile in a press statement yesterday, Dr Minnis slammed Prime Minister Perry Christie over the commission’s failure to complete the report, saying he should finally admit to his failures and allow Bahamians to judge his government on his leadership.
He said: “Crime on the rise, the secret Baha Mar deal still sealed, no Boundaries Commission report, credit rating downgraded to junk status, failing schools – and all the Bahamian people get is silence and no plans from the embattled prime minister and his Progressive Liberal Party government.
“For the past four and a half years the Bahamian people have only heard empty rhetoric and broken promises from the PLP government and now that we have entered the election season we continue to expect to hear more empty rhetoric. The prime minister should finally stand up and admit to his failures these past four and a half years and finally allow the Bahamian people to judge his government on their leadership or lack thereof these past four and a half years.”
He continued: “It is time for the embattled prime minister to finally give the people the opportunity to vote for new leadership for this our country. The first step is to finally table the Boundaries Commission report in Parliament on Wednesday after many delays these past few months. The Bahamian people deserve to see what constituencies the PLP government have drawn to try and save their political futures. The Bahamian people are ready to hold this PLP government accountable for their failed leadership and the lack of action on the key issues facing our country,” Dr Minnis said.
“Bahamians know they deserve better and understand that we will never see any progress on the key issues affecting our country while embattled Prime Minister Christie remains in charge. It is time to finally allow the Bahamian people to decide which direction they want their country to move in – continuing down a route of failure under the PLP or a new direction and leadership under the FNM.
“We know that Bahamians want the government returned to them and the only way for this to happen is under new leadership with the FNM. When the PLP is removed from power this next election, the people will finally have their time and the FNM will work every day to serve them,” Dr Minnis also said.
The Tribune reported last month that the commission intends to create a new constituency in New Providence.
It is understood that portions of Englerston, Centreville, Bain and Grants Town and Fort Charlotte will be redrawn to reconstitute St Cecelia.
This constituency was eliminated before the last general election and divided among Bain Town, Englerston and Centreville.
In December, FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest told The Tribune the Constituencies Commission missed its self-imposed deadline to submit recommendations for boundary changes. At the time, he speculated that the report would not come until 2017.
The MP speculated that the deadline had been missed because the governing side was still mulling over additional constituencies in a bid to bolster support in tough areas.
Mr Turnquest is a former member of the commission. He was recently replaced by St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman.
Comments
Economist 7 years, 10 months ago
Dr. Minnis urged, did not demand. They have not given it so tell us what you think it should say and explain to us why, why we should be following your line of thinking.
You should cause a national debate on this report.
For the love of God and Country, please show us that you can lead or resign.
Publius 7 years, 10 months ago
He is not analyzing population numbers and shifts per constituency nationwide to provide such ideas intelligently. He would not be showing leadership by trying to make such suggestions outside of this critical information, he would be showing himself to be stupid. Yes, he does this stunningly well already but there is no need to ask for encores.
DDK 7 years, 10 months ago
If you can do a better job, why not offer yourself for leadership of the political party of your choice? Otherwise, I URGE you both to stop whining! You are not helping the opposition.
Publius 7 years, 10 months ago
You sound foolish. But people with political blinders on usually do. Can you comprehend? For my part, I told Economist that what he is asking for is not something Minnis would be in a position to do. If you could comprehend, you wouldn't see that as whining.
As an aside, how does posting glowing lies about a politician's non-performance "help" that politician or his party? Is a politician akin to God that he or she is not to be criticized, whether constructively or otherwise? So if one man is doing a bad job, no one should comment on it unless they wish to take a place they cannot take, which is the place he has grafted for himself? That mindset is part of our problem; to see what is wrong, but lie and say everything is fine. Or worse, to refuse to see what is wrong because of what you think is in it for you, or because you have been conditioned to do so.
licks2 7 years, 9 months ago
DDK them two can't do anything but bitch and whine. . .all the time. . .bitchin dis bitchin dat (check their records). . .bitchin cos the sun shinning. . .on doc dat is! Don't hold ya breath for anything out of dem two whiners.. .now and again they do say something that contribute. . .but when it comes to doc minnis. . .they are like them old men on the balcony in the Muppet show. . .abitchin and awhinnin if he say good morning ta yinna . . .Lol! Them two there hopeless if ya lookin for anything positive outta them when it comes to "their" rockin doc! They too fulla hate and entitlement mentality to be of much use in reflective dialogue when it comes to doc! Them two mussie some of dem old wash-up FNMs dem who "rootin all ova da floor" because doc tellin dem go home. . .they too old or incompetent to go this round. . .gee some young peoples dem a chance. . .een nobody on they run!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
John 7 years, 9 months ago
If Hubert Alexander Ingraham did not resign the way he did and carry half the opposition voice (zhivago Laing, deon folkes, carl bethel )among others, the country would not be in the state it is in today. But Papa this the keys in Hubert Minnis lap and walk out taking he ministers dem with him. And though Minnis means well and maybe gave it all he had he was not up to tha task of replacing Hubert Ingraham. He tried yes, he tried hard but there may be three Hubert's in politics but one Hubert Ingraham. And so Loretta Butler being so accustomed to having a stro , powerful, visible and vocal leader, someone who was always on point, she tried to step up to the plate to fill the void and emptiness Ingraham and his followers left behind. But rather than fixing 'things' and getting it right she ruffled feathers (Junkanoo and carnival). She stepped on corns (popped and grilled). And she came across as the bad guy, not only trying to take over, but Trying to put Hubert Minnis and his team to shame. Embarrassing it was to be defrocked as leader of the opposition in the HOA. Having to spend more time fighting the back biting and infighting going on in his own party. And so now less than five months before the election: hardly no one register to vote, hardly no one knows who to vote for. People trying to register get turned away because the dinosaurs they gat doing the registering have a problem with boobs being exposed even slightly and the country is on a roller coaster to crime and bankruptcies. And what was the topic again?
licks2 7 years, 9 months ago
Oh. . .I forgot this one too. . .say Papa took his "bouys dem". . .THE PEOPLE VOTED THEY TAILS OUT. . .he did not try to replace Papa. . .he rockin it his way. . .and LBT just did not flame-out because she mashed some toes. . ."LOOKING LIKE THE BAD GUY". . .SHE IS EXPOSED AS THE DUMB GUY. . .SHE CRASHED AND BURNED RIGHT IN THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE. . .NOT EVEN A GOOD LEADER. . .AND THATS WHO YALL PICKED TO REPLACED DOC AND SUPPORTED HER SUPERIOR SKILLS AT POLITICS. . .YOON MAKING NO SENSE THERE FELLA. . .THE NATIONAL REVIEW PUTS IT BEST. . .SHE IS A NATIONAL JOKE AT BEST! YALL EEN READY. . .THE ERA OF PAPA DEM IS OVA!! IF LBT IS THE BEST YINNA PAPA CHIRRINS DEM CAN PUT FORTH. . .VIVA LA DOC AND HIS YONG GIANTS! LBT is a wash for leadership. . .if yinna could hear what the public is saying about her yall will help give her some moral support. . .instead than trying to "sink" yinna own ship to keep doc from being the next PM Lol!! LAING, DOC, LBT, FOLKES AND BETHEL ARE PERSONS WHO HELPED MAKE THE MESS. . .ALL UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF BIG PAPA. . .THE PLP DID NOT DO IT ALL BY THEMSELVES. . .PAPA AND HIS CREW HAD 15 YEARS AT THE HANDLE TOO. . .ALL OF THEM FNM CREW WAS RIGHT THERE TOO. . .HELPING TO JACK UP THINGS!!
Zakary 7 years, 9 months ago
Ah, the boundaries commission, what a joke...
Publius 7 years, 9 months ago
Yes, this is true.
The other side with Minnis who never ever understands anything pertaining to Statute or the Constitution, is it is obvious that the Commission would encounter challenges if people are not registering to vote. It seems Minnis does not understand what the Constitutional mandate of the Commission is.
licks2 7 years, 9 months ago
What is it there . . .did you read the law pertaining to the BC? Een nothing so hard about reading or understanding that piece of legislation. . .the report is due before the GG 5 years after the last report was presented! Is it the same you who agreed that even though the FNM party had their convention and picked doc for leader that LBT had a right to partition the GG for leadership because the Constitution gave her the right to do so. . .no matter what the party wished? Now the government is saying the that they een gat the report ready. . .contrary to constitutional mandate. . .that registration slowness should be taken into consideration contrary to constitutional law? You think that doc is stupid for demanding compliance with law! "YOON MAKIN MUCH SENSE YA KNOW"! LOL! So if doc een understand that law. . .een mucha we do as well. . .so please mr please you tell us where we gone wrong. . .and lee doc and he dumb self outta ya answer,. . .just gee we da facts. . .you can keep the venom fer yinna doc to yasef! Lol!
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