Prime Minster Perry Christie at the PLP event. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie berated Free National Movement Leader (FNM) Dr Hubert Minnis over his noticeable absence from the House of Assembly on Wednesday, telling a crowd of Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) supporters last night that the Killarney MP has opted to hide behind social media in the wake of yet another massive error in his leadership tenure.
In his address at the latest in series of campaign community forums put on by the PLP at SC McPherson junior high school, Mr Christie claimed that his opponent has now resorted to avoiding public appearances out of fear that the focused attention would reveal his inability to formulate quality ideas to move the country forward.
The Centreville MP in his extended scolding of Dr Minnis, challenged the former Official Opposition Leader to show up to Parliament, stand up as a man and face the public concerning his recent comments on the sale of Baha Mar.
Dr Minnis’ absence from the House of Assembly this week was highlighted by Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins, who at the time urged Mr Christie to “call out” Dr Minnis on his inadequate performance.
On Sunday, in a statement posted to his Facebook page, Dr Minnis said his party would “engage and execute a real sale of Baha Mar to a qualified and respectable purchaser who believes in Bahamians; a purchaser who will utilise only Bahamian labour to complete the resort, and will put Bahamians back to work with real jobs as quickly as possible.” The next day, Dr Minnis added that if the Baha Mar deal does not stand up to public scrutiny, his party reserves the right “to not approve any sale that is not in the best interest of the Bahamian people”.
In response last night, Mr Christie said to resounding applause: “He has senators resigning all over the place. He has candidates that were ratified and unratified and maybe he feels as if Facebook is good place for him to hide.” Mr Christie said he has fought through several electoral campaigns against former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, during which the former North Abaco representative earned his respect and admiration.
He said it was time for Dr Minnis to earn the respect of both him and the Bahamian electorate. “To be able to man up to the weaknesses, and to acknowledge his weaknesses. And I am not just talking about personal weaknesses, I am talking about the weaknesses of his organisation.
“Even when he decides that he is going to make these statements from long range, he’s still making mistakes, and sometimes, big mistakes. He put out some big statements about Baha Mar earlier this week, but he did not show up to defend those statements. I put some information in my back pocket, I know I had to travel for a Customs graduation in Freeport. I say just in case he comes, I wanted to see whether the Speaker would allow me through the argument of relevance to allow me to speak to him about that big mistake he made.
The Prime Minister added: “But he knows, he ain’t coming to me. He will hide. But we have a couple of more meetings left, and I invite him to come out. I don’t want him to duck and hide. Tell him come to Parliament where he could bob and weave; but don’t duck and hide. Not if he wants the people of this country to see him as a leader that they can (place) confidence in.”
Mr Christie is the third member of PLP to take Dr Minnis to task over his Baha Mar pledge. Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis lashed out at Dr Minnis’ pledge, accusing him of plotting for the resort’s demise for political benefit while spouting untruths. Additionally, Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller also took aim at Dr Minnis over the issue, saying while the Killarney MP is his friend, he is “not the smartest man on two legs”.
Moreover, Mr Miller continued his attack on Dr Minnis last night, using the platform to suggest that a vote for the FNM Leader as the country’s next Prime Minister would result in another internal fight to unseat him. Mr Miller, who has gone on the record on several occasions as a close friend of Dr Minnis, last night said he was of the view that if elected, Dr Minnis would be “run out” as Prime Minister by the likes of Brent Symonette, Marvin Dames, Dionisio D’Aguilar and Jeff Lloyd.
He added that Dr Minnis was “run out” from a minor role, insisting that if placed in the highest position of power, the wolves will hunt him.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago
But our lamed-brain PM does not feel any compulsion whatsoever to castigate his own Ryan Pinder, PLP MP for Elizabeth Estates, for not having appeared in a single parliamentary session this year! Apparently Marvin Pinder, an astute politician and former PLP MP himself in his day, told his son, Ryan Pinder (the current PLP MP for Elizabeth Estates), to stay away from parliamentary proceedings lest he be tarred and feathered for life by the over-whelming anti-Perry Christie / anti-PLP sentiment that exists throughout our country today.
realfreethinker 7 years, 8 months ago
I guess when you don't have any record to campaign on,you resort to name calling and fake outrage. Well_mudda,you are quite right in pointing out the hypocrasy in him not calling out Ryan the lion's absence from the HOA.
John 7 years, 8 months ago
If you watch real closely Perry's campaign strategy seems to be to attack Hubert Minnis, at every opportunity. Facts be known : Minnis has a secure seat. Despite the rhetoric on his leadership performance, he is still the most favored candidate in Killarney. And the number of seats to be won by the PLP and FNM, (DNA may not get any again) is too close to call. So Perry is obviously nervous, (maybe trembling in his middle finger even). So his aim is to discredit Minnis. Belittle him. Name calling. But Perry christie will never come out of his Centerville (gerrymandered) seat and run in Killarney against MInnis. Never, ever!
sheeprunner12 7 years, 8 months ago
Perry continues to bellow and howl ............ but his words and promises are shallow, false and disingenuous ............ There is really nothing for Minnis to go back to the Parliament to do ...... Perry is just biding time and passing "special interest" bills in the Lame-duck House ......... and LBT is the official Opposition leader ............. Greg Moss has moved on and most PLP back-benchers do not even show up anymore ........... What is the point of Perry's criticism????????
Perry has not even prorogue the House during this term to revamp his Cabinet and have a new Speech from the Throne to change policy course ........ that is how bad this 5-year period was
Honestman 7 years, 8 months ago
Perry is fretting. He knows his party is on borrowed time and he will soon be an ex-Prime Minister. Attacking Minnis and the FNM is the only tactic he has. Anything to take the focus off the PLP's disastrous last five years of total mismanagement of the country's affairs.
Sickened 7 years, 8 months ago
Perry I got a single finger for you buddy. Check out your road-side security camera; you will see my single finger every night around 6pm. Look for it... it's long!!!!
Franklyn 7 years, 8 months ago
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2017…
TalRussell 7 years, 8 months ago
Comrades! Personally, i would have preferred for the PM to have come right out to call Minnnis out for the real reason behind Minnis's skipping out on House meetings - as I'm figuring on the PM, knowing what's really going on with Minnis?
Alex_Charles 7 years, 8 months ago
Seems to me like Christie is playing Trump's game of blame/attack the opponent and Minnis is playing Hillary's game of do nothing. I'd wager money that the Progressive Liberal Party will be victorious. I don't know what'll happen to our country with another 5 years, but I give up on this c place. Nothing will ever change, ever.
xtreme2x 7 years, 8 months ago
That maybe good for America, not for Bahamas. Yes something will change and i will not give up....NEVER
Alex_Charles 7 years, 8 months ago
I no longer share your enthusiasm. The best bet is to put one's self in a position to leave this place.
TalRussell 7 years, 8 months ago
Comrades! Lest you forget this former law partner is the prime minister because he played the 2012 General Election campaign game harder, smarter, more determined, never conceded an inch and remained politically tougher than his former law partner Papa Hubert - who thought he was running against the late, dead and gone former PM Pindling and his wife Dame Marguerite.
Socrates 7 years, 8 months ago
our politicians have an eviable job.. except for Ministers, its parttime, mostly once a week with many 'breaks', pensionable and with no accountability. in other words, easy money. as for absences, i stand to be corrected but in my lifetime i wud think Pindling is the Guiness book of World Records holder for least appearances in the House during his career... with matters of substance rarely discussed, why bother anyway?
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