Loretta Butler-Turner pictured at the advanced polling for the election at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. The independent candidate for Long Island lost out to FNM candidate Adrian Gibson. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
VOTERS in Long Island last night dismissed incumbent MP Loretta Butler Turner in convincing fashion, electing Free National Movement candidate Adrian Gibson by a 354-vote margin.
To the surprise of many outside the island, Mrs Butler Turner captured only 14 per cent of the vote, the lowest among the three candidates contesting the seat.
A buoyant Mr Gibson thanked his supporters for “buying into his plans” for the island from which he hails.
In an interview with The Tribune shortly after Mrs Butler-Turner conceded defeat, Mr Gibson - a former Tribune columnist - said the residents of Long Island voted to ensure their “seat at the table”, noting that “my people saw me as the best option for our home”.
“It feels awesome because this meant so much to us. My ‘us’ has to be emphasised because I made this journey because my people demanded it of me. It has paid off.
“The euphoria on the ground is not anti anyone. It is about the people of Long Island taking their voice back.”
Progressive Liberal Party candidate Glendon Rolle captured 528 votes to Mr Gibson’s 882 and Mrs Butler-Turner 243.
Mrs Butler Turner, who led a revolt of seven FNM MPs in a vote of no confidence in Dr Hubert Minnis in December and declared to run as an Independent, said: “I have fought a good fight ... l have finished my course.”
She thanked her “amazing Blue Team who gave their all in a valiant and honest campaign,” praising them for their devotion and industry.
“Congratulations to my opponents, especially the newest MP elect, Mr Adrian Gibson. It was my esteemed honour and indeed a privilege to have had the opportunity to serve the wonderful people of my beloved Long Island for these past five years.”
Comments
birdiestrachan 7 years, 7 months ago
she worked very hard for Long Island. she did her best it was just not good enough for them
sp1nks 7 years, 7 months ago
The people were just tired... of PLP corruption, and of LBT's under-handedness and shortsightedness. LBT was a capable politician so consumed by greed and opportunity that she maneuvered herself out of relevancy. He who wants all gets none. Too risky for Long Island.
DonAnthony 7 years, 7 months ago
Oh what could have been.... the LBT saga would make great source material for an interesting and instructive book. An attractive, ambitious, articulate candidate from a prominent political family, but one fatally flawed by a terrible sense of judgment, lack of wisdom, and unbridled ambition.
She was a decent representative, one who passionately advocated for Long Island in the house, was phenomenal during hurricane Joaquin, but one who could not even keep the potholes fixed. When she named the misogynist Rodney Moncur to the senate, she lost my vote forever. Any person with such terrible judgment as that should never be in power. I wish her the best, but she got as good as she deserved. She paid the consequences for the terrible choices she made. So no need to blame us long islanders, she need only blame herself.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 7 months ago
A good concise post-mortem on LBT.
Cobalt 7 years, 7 months ago
Well spoken.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 7 months ago
LBT is best described as a self-absorbed, narcissistic, obstinate Jezebel ....... she was not as forthright with her constituents as outsiders want to believe existed ....... She railed against favoritism, greed and lack of vision while being a big offender of those vices herself
Alex_Charles 7 years, 7 months ago
such a shame that she and Bran went down the same path. maneuvering themselves right into the bush
Cobalt 7 years, 7 months ago
Yup
jackbnimble 7 years, 7 months ago
Heard from a good source that they rejected her because she was not running under the "FNM" banner. Apparently the Long Islanders like the party more than her independent representation.
SP 7 years, 7 months ago
BLT led a revolt of seven FNM MPs in a vote of no confidence in Dr Hubert Minnis totally self destructed and took the rest of the untrustworthy backstabbers down with her......GOOD JOB!
Does she really have to reference everything to food? "l have finished my course.”
Greentea 7 years, 7 months ago
I wanted her to win. She is as imperfect as everyone that went into the house yesterday. Newspaper reports about Foulkes were deeply disturbing. If the reports are true he is a flickin' tax dodging criminal in the US and here is an elected parliamentary official. Go figure. Ya'll didnt "like" her ways- though she helped ya after the storm and was a good representative. We ain't learn nothing.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 7 months ago
LBT did not even get her deposit back ......... that is how bad she lost the election ..... She brought all of this contempt and derision on herself ........ So long, Bye Bye
DEDDIE 7 years, 7 months ago
I feel vindicated. I was one of the very few contributors on this post to support Dr. Minnis. All the talk of him been un-inspiring, wanton and lacking leadership ability has come to nothing. I refuse to allow newspaper editors to form my opinion. Both the Guardian and Tribune are now relishing in Dr. Minnis victory. I am quite sure they already had a piece written if he was not successful.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 7 months ago
Deddie you were not the sole HAM supporter ...... Bahamians have wanted to support HAM for a long time despite the distractions ....... But HAMs response to the crises have given Bahamians the confidence that he can do the PM job efficiently and effectively (and quite differently from the other PMs)
tell_it_like_it_is 7 years, 7 months ago
DEDDIE you are so right. Many of these very same Tribune bloggers threw Minnis under the Bus on more than one occasion. I never liked LBT. If you resign at the FNM convention after seeing your lack of support for leader. How you gonna turn around and oust the leader that the majority of the delegates supported. Those type of underhanded maneuvers are what got her exactly where she is now - Eating Crow!
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 7 months ago
I still think Dr Minnis is uninspiring give or take. That's "him". Did think he was definitely better than LBT though. What I don't know is how he performs out of the spotlight. I'm happy the corrupt government is gone but it's not an automatic sigh of relief for me, have to see what they do with it. Trust but verify.
DaGoobs 7 years, 7 months ago
LBT is a classic case of not being able to see the wood for the trees. She had a gift handed to her in 2012 when Hubert Ingraham resigned as FNM leader, elevating Dr Minnis to FNM leader and LBT to deputy leader. Had she been content to stay in that position today she would be Deputy Prime Minister. As it is now, she's like baseball's Roger Maris was for a long time after breaking Babe Ruth's major league home run record - an asterisk on the political landscape of what could have been but never was. When I review the whole political mutiny episode, I am left asking myself what was the purpose, what was the end game, what was it all designed to accomplish? Clearly LBT and her comrades were not expert at reading the political tea leaves. Who would have thought that while the FNM is now the government for the next 5 years, neither she nor any of the other mutineers is in the government or is even a member of Parliament? Without a strong party base, she didn't stand a chance of re-election.
alfalfa 7 years, 7 months ago
So long, bye bye, to Loretta and the rest of her Magnificent Seven, who did their best to disjoin the FNM party, with no apparent course of action after having Dr. Minnis removed as leader in the house. Well Loretta, Dr. Minnis' house is bigger than the House of Assembly, it is the entire country, and political electorate, and you have, by your misguided actions, been resoundingly removed from that house. The people of Long Island have elected an independent candidate before, in the person of Mr. Larry Cartwright, who ran against FNM candidate Mr. James Knowles. But Mr. Cartwright was a decent, trustworthy, son of the soil. We do not like back-stabbers.
The_Oracle 7 years, 7 months ago
Funny how we clamor for Personality over content. Perhaps this result is an indication of change in that regard. I believe Minnis will show content, and allow the content of all others to shine. Appointing Moncur was I believe a "woman scorned" move. Had to be. No other logical explanation. A feminist appointing a misogynist? Good grief.
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