The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A FORMER political candidate has urged the country’s new leader to end the culture of cronyism.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis led the Free National Movement to a stunning landslide victory.

During his speech at the party’s victory rally, Dr Minnis declared that those who have abused positions of trust “have something to fear”.

Farrell Goff, who ran on the Democratic National Alliance ticket in the 2012 general election in the Golden Isles constituency, urged the new prime minister, in a post on social media on Friday, to stop the cycle of corruption.

“Mr New Prime Minister ... no more cronyism,” Mr Goff said on Facebook.

“Appointing incapable inept vile persons to high and important positions due to political favour must end along with so many other things Wednesday night. Cronyism has stagnated the progression of this country and snatched the spirit out of so many good people.

“Mr Prime Minister you have an incredible opportunity to truly be a transformative government. Start with appointing the right/best persons in key positions to push this country forward and correcting the failures of successive governments.

“Yes it may mean pissing some people off who feel entitled or deserving of a ‘good government position’ as a result of their loyalty to you or the FNM ... But be reminded, sir ... This is now about country over party. Do the right thing,” Mr Goff stressed.

At Thursday’s swearing-in ceremony at Government House, Dr Minnis thanked “the Bahamian people for reposing their trust” in the FNM.

“We will honour this trust with an unwavering commitment to good governance, the rule of law, transparency and accountability. We will respect the Constitution and we will abide by the long-standing and testing conventions of our parliamentary democracy,” he said.