By SANCHESKA DORSETT
Tribune Staff Reporter
sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
THE Progressive Liberal Party lost the general election because its members of Parliament became “cocky, arrogant and dismissive,” according to former PLP Cabinet minister George Smith, who said he believes the former government can bounce back from the crushing defeat.
Mr Smith said he believes the PLP should seek forgiveness from the Bahamian people, rather than continue to make excuses and blame others for the party’s loss at the polls.
Appearing as a guest on “The Real Deal” with host Ortland Bodie, Mr Smith also said Exuma and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper should be celebrated for his “frank comments” on the current state of the PLP, rather than being criticised by members of his own party.
In fact, Mr Smith, who is a member of the PLP’s General Council, said he supports Mr Cooper and Cat Island MP Phillip “Brave” Davis forming the PLP’s new leadership team.
Mr Davis, the PLP’s former deputy leader, was promoted to interim leader after former Prime Minister Perry Christie resigned from the party’s top post in May.
When the party holds its next convention, expected later this year, all leadership positions will be vacant and up for a challenge.
Last month, Mr Cooper, in a speech before the PLP’s National Progressive Institute, said the party lost the recent election because it ignored scandals and condoned behaviour it should not have.
He also said the party lost touch with the people it sought to help. Although he said the PLP made contributions that the country will come to appreciate in the future, his sharp critiques diverged from public statements of other PLP officials.
“We (the PLP) lost connection with the people and the members of the government seemed to become more aloof and dismissive,” Mr Smith said Thursday.
“So the Bahamian people started to show signs of their anxiety and their lack of faith in the party and so the support began to dwindle.
“...Too many of the politicians on my side became cocky and arrogant and dismissive and when the people sent signs that they weren’t happy, the politicians did not pay attention. Then came the revelations and the gestures which made it worse.”
On Tuesday, South Andros MP Picewell Forbes said there was no need for the PLP to apologise for the mistakes the party made while in office. He also chastised Mr Cooper for his earlier criticisms of the PLP.
Yesterday, Mr Smith called Mr Forbes’ comments unfortunate and said: “When you offend people like the PLP did, or like the people believe the PLP did, you must seek forgiveness.”
He added: “It is nonsense what Mr Forbes said. All Chester Cooper did was repeat the statements that he heard from the voters in Exuma, I know because I was there.
“I was there when people said they would ordinarily vote PLP but they couldn’t this time because they had to register their displeasure with certain aspects of the conduct of the government.
“If Mr Forbes believes that as a Christian you should have a contrite heart, well that means that you must be a forgiving person and it means when you offed people you should seek forgiveness. If the Bahamian people told you, this is your judgment, then you should apologise. The Bahamian people sent the party a clear message and there is a growing position in the party of people who appreciate that message.”
The Free National Movement won 35 out of 39 seats in the House of Assembly on May 10, wiping out the incumbent Christie administration. On top of that devastating loss, the PLP only captured one seat in New Providence and Mr Christie lost his seat in Centreville, an area he had represented for 40 years.
Comments
birdiestrachan 7 years, 4 months ago
I stand with Mr.: Forbes They were not perfect but they did many great things to move the Bahamas forward, The university of the Bahamas the defense force boats. If the FNM and those who follow them do not like VAT or the web shops or the Baha Mar deal they with such a Hugh majority can repeal or change the laws. they can fix it all. But they will not do so, They wanted to win the election. Their talk about out door toilets they were in power for fifteen years what did they do about the outdoor toilets?;
Many voted against NHI .They do not want it
jujutreeclub 7 years, 4 months ago
Birdie. I don't expect no better from you. No one was saying they didn't do any good, all they are saying is they messed up big time this time and need to apologize for the wrong thy have done. Bottom line. Everytime someone criticize the PLP you always coming up with "oh, they did this and they did that". Face reality and fly away like a birdie
concernedcitizen 7 years, 4 months ago
how many times do I have to tell you Hubert Ingraham ordered the defense force boats ,,lets not even get into naming something that has no accreditation a university
realfreethinker 7 years, 4 months ago
Go away birdie
OMG 7 years, 4 months ago
Your deluded.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago
Georgie Boy needs to just go and find a cabana on a nice beach in Exuma and spend his last days in peace ............ Leave this fight for PLPs under 50 ......... They are the only ones that can somehow make this Perry train-wreck palpable in the next decade or so ......... Go away, George
TalRussell 7 years, 4 months ago
Comrades! Georgie Boy's sharp ‘Cocky And Arrogant critiques - does ranks high up on the list right alongside Papa Hubert's comes to Jesus "Must Be Humble" moment.
hallmark 7 years, 4 months ago
Picewell Forbes is living in the past like most PLP's. I had a group of young (public and private schools) students visit my office today and asked them who was the first Prime Minister. They said Perry Christie. They had never heard of Lynden Pindling.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago
This is so scary!!!!!!!!! ............. Our youth appear to be totally disconnected from their grandparents' reality ......... That is the gap between millennials and the PLP leadership!!!!!!!!!
The_Oracle 7 years, 4 months ago
Except you don't crawl out of the dumpster or cesspit to talk ethics and morals and be taken seriously. Any of them. Stop giving them a podium to spew from.
Economist 7 years, 4 months ago
Chester Cooper is making a great deal of sense. He can remake the PLP into a viable party again.
Brave Davis needs to stand aside and let Chester Cooper become leader.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago
Gravitas .......... Is Cooper willing to stare down the Pingdomites??????? SLOP and Vomit may be gone but their ghosts continue to hover ....... smh
TalRussell 7 years, 4 months ago
Comrades! To pontificate properly, doesn't you needs know_it_all the full political measure the man's?
November 17, 2016 . PLP Headquarters:
{ Speaking at PLP headquarters Chester Cooper said it is “time to empower Exuma”. He said while the PLP is “not perfect,” the Christie administration “has laid a "solid foundation for a new and stronger Bahamaland, boldly and fearlessly addressing the challenges confronting this country from food security, energy reform and criminal justice reform to tax reform and health reform through NHI.” }
sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago
Soooooooooo, are you throwing Comrade Coop under the bus???????
TalRussell 7 years, 4 months ago
Comrade Sheeprunner, no, not the man's but his long held silence. It's not like it was a well guarded PLP secret - even up to November 17, 2016. Now, was it?
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 4 months ago
Exactly, he was fully supportive if their governance. Don't trust the switch
Gotoutintime 7 years, 4 months ago
Unreal---I am agreeing with something that George has said---I guess it just froze over!!
John 7 years, 4 months ago
The reason many of the PLP has berms are rude and arrogant and cocky is they do not see any wrong in the wrong they to this country and to the Bahamian people. They were acting with their nature and they will not seek forgiveness or stop being cocky because that arragonce is their nature. What they didn't expect was for the PLP electorate to abandon them and kick them out of office and kick them to the curb and are still kicking them now after the dirt this dirty, rotten no good corrupt PLP government did is revealed. And the best way to deal with these political rejects is for the FNM government to perform diligently over the next five years. Keep the PLP in the wildernesses for at least a decade. So if and when they do regroup and if they come to power, all, yes every last one, who served under the last Christie administration will not be partskers. Time would have marched on and nature will have taken its course
TheMadHatter 7 years, 4 months ago
You don't need a crystal ball to make this prediction. Of course the PLP will "bounce back." In fact they will win in 2022. The people will be in such a rush to "get the FNM out cause they can't take it anymore" that they will "be safe" and vote the PLP back in - instead of "splitting the vote" with the DNA. That is the programming that has been placed in their brain - and Microsoft founder Bill Gates can't change that program.
Baha10 7 years, 4 months ago
If Minnis follows through, he won't have to worry about 2022, as they will all be locked up! If not, he will go down in political history as the biggest fraud to date. How's that for motivation?!?
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 4 months ago
This is so strange...we're they cocky and arrogant on May 9? And if they were why didn't he say so then? The same question goes for Chester Cooper
SP 7 years, 4 months ago
Picewell Forbes has once again proven beyond doubt the PLP are totally incapable of change.
MP Chester Cooper is obliviously aligned with the wrong side and needs to cross the floor if is to deliver the kind of representation his constituency is expecting.
There is no hope of political leadership future for the PLP!
John 7 years, 4 months ago
The PLP will not win in 2022. I am not a prophet but I believe a number of events will happen around the world, and especially in the US, that will cause many Bahamians to return home. Some of these will be second and third generations of Bahamians, some who have never lived in theBahamas. And some never understood why their parents or grandparents left the Bahamas. But they will come back with both education and experience and also the desire to save the Bahamas and make it the greatest little country it should be. They will not have time for PLP foolishness or their corruption. And they will not let the PLP rejects interfere with their mission to build this country and to stop it being raped and to stop its natural resources being stolen to enrich other countries and individuals. This will happen all over the Caribbean and Africa and even in those middle Eastern countries that are having their pill ripped off under the guise of terrorism. Just watch🙏
OMG 7 years, 4 months ago
George, you forget Normans Cay, You forget getting drunk at Exuma Regatta, and you want to take any sort of moral position on a corrupt, inefficient party that has saddled the next generation with a huge national debt
alfalfa 7 years, 4 months ago
I am amazed that George Smith is able to receive press coverage at all. His record speaks for itself, and there must be better people for the Tribune to interview. He is a washed up, corrupt, former politician who does not even have the respect of the PLP. What a joker.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago
Ole Georgie has a sense of humour that most of us cannot appreciate after Perry's reign ....... He actually saw a PLP administration that can rank lower than his SLOP crew
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