The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I read and listened with interest to Perry Christie’s remarks about the recently-concluded PLP convention and he just confirmed for everyone how out of touch he is with us, the people.

I am a 29-year-old Bahamian from a traditionally diehard PLP family. I voted in 2007 and 2012 once each for the PLP and FNM. As much as my family hoped I would vote PLP this time, I just could not do so, disappointing them again as I did in 2007 when I voted FNM.

I told my parents the PLP they told me about since I was a child is not the same PLP that exists today. Leslie Miller was 1000 percent correct when he said plenty PLPs either voted FNM or just didn’t vote this time.

To read and hear Mr Christie criticise Monique Pindling for saying what she said publicly at the Convention shows how out of touch Mr Christie is and confirms the country made the correct decision on May 10. He says comments at Convention should be given “to inspire people”.

As a millennial who has no allegiance to any party, but who voted PLP once before, I found Miss Pindling’s comments extremely inspirational. She spoke the truth and echoed the feelings of thousands of people in The Bahamas - PLPs and non-PLPs. Mr Christie, why hide those comments and restrict them to internal sessions? That way, those of us who aren’t delegates or in the PLP inner circle would never hear them. But clearly, Mr Christie just doesn’t get it.

Then he said she should have come to him to talk privately about it. What a joke! My uncle told me he did just that two years ago and Mr Christie totally dismissed him and stopped speaking to him afterwards.

Mr Christie, you did the honourable thing after the election and accepted full responsibility for your party’s election defeat. Your recent comments make me and others wonder if your apology was sincere.

Lastly, my grandmother was talking to me about his comments and laughed, commenting Mr Christie must have a short or convenient memory. She then told me about the stinging criticisms Mr Christie (and Mr Ingraham) made of Sir Lynden in public after the 1983 NBC television report on the drug trade in The Bahamas. The same way many people agreed with Mr Christie’s criticisms of Sir Lynden back then, is the same way many people agree of the criticisms of Mr Christie today.

Plenty of people are saying the PLP just can’t change their ways and their thinking. If they do not do so, and listen to the Monique Pindlings and the Leslie Millers in their party, they will never see Government again.

In closing, a word to Dr Minnis and the FNM Government. Please stop telling us over and over how corrupt the PLP are or were; we know that and that is why we voted them out. We voted you in for change and to improve our country. Please let us know what your plans are for us because you know we Bahamian people don’t have much patience. Continually bashing the PLP is now old and played out. Okay?

A Young, Educated and Thinking Bahamian

Freeport, GB

October 30, 2017.