The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

CAT Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP Philip “Brave” Davis said Tuesday the Progressive Liberal Party will take into account the “constructive” criticism from Monique Pindling, whose father the late Sir Lynden Pindling led the PLP for more than 20 years.

Others in the party commended the scathing remarks from Ms Pindling as “necessary medicine.”

As the party marked nomination day for leadership posts at its convention on Tuesday, The Tribune spoke to a handful of candidates and staunch supporters about Ms Pindling’s assessment of the PLP, a party she said had become “overcome with envy, consumed with jealousy and stung with greed.”

For his part, Mr Davis said aspects of Ms Pindling’s assessment would have to be factored into any plan crafted to move the PLP forward.

“It was a frank address and she did a critique of what she thought we may have done wrong and what she thought we ought to address and what she said will be taken into account on the way forward,” the PLP leadership candidate told reporters on the sidelines of the convention.

“I can’t say I was blindsided by it . . . I accepted what she said, it’s a view from someone who has a perspective of a party that she belongs to and has been a part of through her father all these years and I take the criticism very constructive.”

When asked if he agreed with her remarks, the former deputy prime minister said: “I don’t think that – I think what she pointed to, those factors did exist in some form or fashion in the organisation. I don’t want to say where and how. But again, we have to listen to what people say about us. We have to accept these criticisms and address them going forward.”

Meanwhile, Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin, also vying for PLP leadership, maintained that much of Ms Pindling’s assessment had “long ago” been “accepted” by segments of the party.

She said such “recriminations” shouldn’t be dismissed, but rather accepted, analysed and worked into plans to improve the party.

“It was good to see her on the PLP stage and of course she expressed her views and I respect her for it,” Mrs Hanna Martin said.

“I think that (what she said) is a given that we have accepted long ago. When you see the (election) results and you see that you ended up with four seats, you know that you have to try to understand what has happened here.”

Deputy leader candidate, Exuma and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper for his part branded Ms Pindling’s address a “reconnection mission” when interviewed Tuesday.

Back in June, Mr Cooper delivered a speech that struck a similar tone and he faced heavy criticism at the time.

He told reporters: “Sometimes to move forward you have to reflect, that is what she did last night.”

He added: “We are now looking forward to 2022. The PLP is resurgent. We are going to build on the platform we have. We are going to learn from the mistakes we have made and we are going to become stronger as a party.”

Former Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller applauded Ms Pindling’s critique as “necessary medicine.”

When contacted by The Tribune on Tuesday, Mr Miller suggested if an extensive study were carried out on PLP supporters after the 2017 election, it would highlight the “major gap” that exists between those leading the PLP and “the average fellow.”

“What she said was her view, but I would be lying if I said she wasn’t saying what people everywhere are feeling. There is true hurt in the party and this is the necessary medicine.”

Mr Miller added: “I’m happy things are happening this way. We need this to shake things up.”

The Tribune also contacted former PLP MP Philip Galanis for his view on Ms Pindling’s assessment. 

The former Englerston MP said the critique “captured the essence” of what many people in the party are thinking. 

Mr Galanis said the critique, in years to come, would be referred to as a “moment of truth.”

“We’ve known,” he said, “many of us have held that view for a while and as a result, the party lost its way. This was the moment of truth.”

He added: “I think a greater number of us realise that things haven’t been working the way it should be. That group now sees the need for reform. To that end, I think the incoming Davis regime will make the changes necessary.”

Ms Pindling, during an address on night one of the party’s convention, said the PLP had become “weak” and “dishonest.” She also suggested that the party had strayed away from the values it once had.

Additionally, Ms Pindling insisted the PLP had allowed the political ambitions of a “few men to dash the aspirations of a whole people.”

Ms Pindling, who was married to former PLP Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson, described herself on Monday night as a “single mother raising two daughters on my own.”