Former Prime Minister Perry Christie.
By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie is expected to give statement on his political future tonight at a Progressive Liberal Party National General Council meeting, party Chairman Bradley Roberts confirmed yesterday.
However, Mr Roberts could not say if Mr Christie had plans to challenge the election results for the Centreville constituency, a seat Mr Christie narrowly lost to the FNM’s Reece Chipman after representing the area since 1977.
Mr Roberts also said other issues such as PLP Deputy Leader Philip “Brave” Davis‘ possible ascension to party leader as well as when, or if, the party will host a convention will likely be discussed at the meeting.
Mr Roberts’ statements come just days after Mr Christie suffered a surprising and humiliating defeat at the polls, losing by just four votes to Mr Chipman.
In view of the shocking defeat, some observers said the loss not only represented the electorate’s disdain for Mr Christie’s leadership, but also the Bahamian people’s desire to permanently remove Mr Christie from the halls of Parliament and force him into retirement.
From mid-July of last year to now, Mr Christie had maintained that he would continue to serve as the party’s leader and serve as prime minister had the PLP won the general election, with no indication of a possible retirement.
Mr Christie had cited support from younger members of his administration as well as concerns over the party’s stability as the two main reasons behind his decision to stay on as leader.
On nomination day last month, however, Mr Christie told reporters that it would be his last time running as a candidate for Centreville.
Last week, Alfred Sears, the PLP’s candidate for Fort Charlotte who challenged Mr Christie for the leadership of the PLP at the party’s convention in January, urged Mr Christie to resign, suggesting that the PLP might have won the general election had he not been the leader.
Similarly, former PLP Cabinet minister Loftus Roker who has spent the last three years speaking out against the flaws of the Christie administration, said while he respects Mr Christie’s work during his time in public office - which exceeds 40 years - the alleged corruption that happened on his watch brought the Bahamas to a “new low”.
To that end, Mr Roker said the people of the Bahamas took to the polls and repaid Mr Christie in kind.
Mr Roker also told The Tribune last week that he voted against the PLP in his constituency of MICAL.
Comments
JohnDoes 7 years, 6 months ago
It better be retirement & exit from public life. Enjoy what years you have left away from this life, spend the much missed time from your family with them, this time without the 'office' to keep you away from them. Go enjoy life before the Auditor gets to work.
banker 7 years, 6 months ago
Prescient words. True too.
proudloudandfnm 7 years, 6 months ago
Go hide your head in shame traitor. You should be in jail...
Sickened 7 years, 6 months ago
Who's the dude in the picture? He looks like a LOSER!!
alfalfa 7 years, 6 months ago
I don't think the question is "should I retire". The PLP should retire him. It is their folly if they keep him on as party leader, as it is patently evident, that the PLP lost because of his leadership, or lack thereof. He is the only person who can't see that. Sad.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
Just tell us where you and your family have most of what you stole from us socked away!
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
.......
jackbnimble 7 years, 6 months ago
I understand there are pictures circulating of a home being built in Atlanta worth millions of dollars..... some call it a retirement home.
Alex_Charles 7 years, 6 months ago
Mr. Christie has disappointed me. I had more respect for him last tuesday than I do right now. He hasn't even conceded publicly in a speech, nor has he even addressed his own former constituents. Releasing a press statement does not suffice for a now former leader of our nation.
sigh
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 6 months ago
Quite often with great wealth comes great arrogance and we all know crooked Christie got a whole lot wealthier during the last five years. We desperately need to somehow get back from him and his family as much as possible of what they received from both foreign and local interests for selling out our country and its people.
DonAnthony 7 years, 6 months ago
You are so right. My respect for Prime minister Pinding grew tremendously when he conceded on national radio to the nation after 25 consecutive years of power. It had to be one of the most difficult things he ever did, but he did it out of his respect for the Bahamian people. Christie on the other hand has disrespected us. He has shown us that it is all about him, a short concession speech would have been good for the country and our democracy. It will be a stain on his career forever, and shows that the nation was correct in voting him and almost his entire party out of office.
Alex_Charles 7 years, 6 months ago
Pindling had more character. Mr. Christie is a shameful disgrace of a politician. He's so shameful he gives politicians a bad name.
jusscool 7 years, 6 months ago
After that Japanese pear harbor attack on the plp government the greatest thing that Mr. Christie can do is retire! Fresh blood or no blood!
cmiller 7 years, 6 months ago
What future??? The future that young people talk about, Christie, you are at the END of it, not at the beginning and planning a life!!!!
Truism 7 years, 6 months ago
Wasn't the man fired by the voters of Centreville and by extension the Bahamian people. I read where he acknowledge his loss I guess that wasn't enough for his supporters/detractors. Illusions. There is no reason for any politician to fear the auditors none of them are the financial officer in any government ministry or department.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 6 months ago
Mr: Christie will be just great. No doubt he is hurt. but this to will pass,. those with mean spirits will have to live with themselves. Mr Rocker knows that the press did not and does not like him they used him. now his usefulness is over. Mr: Christie has vision. and history will be kind to him. God understands and he will bless him for all that he has done. Now you folks go find some one else to hate. because it is what you all feed on.
themessenger 7 years, 6 months ago
Christie may be gone but we still got a scrawny Birdie to feed on.
baldbeardedbahamian 7 years, 6 months ago
WHATS BIRDIE DOING HERE STILL POSTING. SURELY IT IS NOT STILL BEING PAID FOR ITS FOOLISH COMMENTS. IT MIGHT HAVE TO GET A REAL JOB NOW. IT IS A SHAME THAT CREDIBILITY GAP CHRISTIE WILL NOT HAVE TO GET A REAL JOB WITH THE HUGE PENSION WE HAVE TO PAY HIM DESPITE THE CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE HE HAS DONE TO OUR COUNTRY.
Millennial242 7 years, 6 months ago
There should be no further pomp or pagaentry to anything further he has to say. His window to speak was between the night of elections and before the new Prime Minister was sworn in. Sending an unsigned written statement and having others in your party speak before him is unacceptable. Out of respect for the office of the Prime Minister (the title and not necessarily the person) he owed it to us to show dignity and face us while conceding. We didn't get that. His legacy is sealed.
jackbnimble 7 years, 6 months ago
If he tries to challenge the vote in court or decides on a senate position, I will definitely know something is wrong.
themessenger 7 years, 6 months ago
Summed up in two words, Retirement & Obscurity!
Reality_Check 7 years, 6 months ago
Some say Minnis isn't even gonna try take Christie's expensive pinky finger ring from him! Why is Minnis so inclined to let this corrupt greedy SOB walk away with all that he taken from us by selling out our country and its people?
birdiestrachan 7 years, 6 months ago
It is plain to see why there are so many murders in the Bahamas. This small Country has to many mean spirited bitter people on this site alone.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 6 months ago
Christie is no longer a Member of Parliament ......... an MP has to lead the Opposition now ...... Perry is still the leader of the PLP ........ But his influence and power is diminished ....... Perry should resign as PLP leader, hand the interim leader title over to Davis and oversee a PLP convention within six months ........ If the PLP is to survive, it needs a new generation of U-50 leaders who can reverse the SLOP & Vomit curse in time for the 2022 election
sheeprunner12 7 years, 6 months ago
DID PERRY RESIGN AS PLP LEADER YET?????????????????????????
sealice 7 years, 6 months ago
He's gonna go to ATL and bury his head in the sand up there, the only time he'll be missed is when he has to take up the first 3 rows of pews in church for his sunday morning naps......
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