Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis knocked the Progressive Liberal Party for its “chaotic” national convention, saying if the opposition party could not properly pull off an internal event, it cannot lead the country.
His comments came as he spoke to Free National Movement members at the party’s meritorious council members (MCM) ball at the Atlantis resort on Saturday night.
“Like 1992, 2017 was a major defeat for a deeply corrupt PLP that bankrupted our country and brought our country to the brink of disaster,” Dr Minnis said. “It was a defeat for a party more interested in greed than public service, a party that put their own selfish interests ahead of the interests of the Bahamian people.
“We were given an extraordinary mandate for reform. The parallels between 1992 and 2017 are extraordinary.
“Once again, the Free National Movement has the awesome responsibility to rescue an economy that was on the brink of collapse. We must restore the good name, international reputation and public finances of the Bahamas. Once again, our task is to clean up the mass and pervasive corruption that was bankrupting our democracy and the Public Treasury. Once again, we must be the beacon of hope, economic opportunity, social progress and social justice.
“Dear brothers and sisters: The PLP cannot change. The PLP will not change.
Look at the chaotic convention they had last week. If they can’t run a convention, they certainly can’t lead a country.”
Dr Minnis referred to the scathing critique Monique Pindling, the daughter of former Prime Minister and PLP Leader Sir Lynden Pindling, gave at the PLP’s convention last Monday night.
Ms Pindling said the PLP “has become weak” and “dishonest” and allowed the political ambitions of a “few men to dash the aspirations of a whole people.”
“We became too concerned with who became ministers but ignored the taste and values of those who would make good representatives,” Ms Pindling said in part. “We became arrogant, petty and thin-skinned. Some in our party even became anti-Pindling but (were) quick to quote or call his name when it was politically expedient to do so. Our party has been broken. Our party has been torn at the seam, torn at the very core of its principles and foundations. Our party has become weak.”
Dr Minnis said Ms Pindling’s indictment of the party her father led for more than 20 years was similar to critiques the FNM has made about the PLP.
“The daughter of Sir Lynden told the PLP what the FNM had been saying for years about the last PLP government,” Dr Minnis said.
“Her indictment of the PLP is clear and compelling. Sadly, the PLP cannot and will not change, especially given their leader.”
Dr Minnis said the FNM is a distinctly different party than the PLP, and is focused on economic development; national security; good governance; environmental stewardship and protection and promoting Bahamian interests at home and abroad.
The FNM installed 55 additional MCMs on Saturday night.
More like this story
- A COMIC'S VIEW: Has PM forgotten debacle of the FNM convention?
- GLOVES ARE OFF – Minnis: Davis ‘running scared’ and Chester is eyeing leadership role
- Sir Lynden Pindling's daughter: PLP overcome with greed
- FNM needs an early convention and leadership election
- Minnis brands Prime Minister 'delusional' after convention
Comments
Truism 7 years ago
Clueless HAM seeks to critique another organization. Less than 1 year ago his parliamentary colleagues declared him 'wutless'.LMAO
birdiestrachan 7 years ago
roc wit doc will do well to get to work keeping all the promises he has made. Bains town tax free zone, the repeal of VAT free university education and all of the other empty promises he has made. It appear it was all just cheap talk and his cheap talk continues. since he has no vision he continues to blunder on and on why has he made her speech his speech does he have anything of substance to say to the Bahamian people?
Cry baby doc only when it is convenient. Big show if the Bahamas gave out Academy awards he would win hands down , bar none. him and Parker.
TalRussell 7 years ago
Well, Comrade PM, I guess we now know who's on track to become the Trump of Bahamaland - don't we? You best not become too cocky comfortable, okay. We are a nation that prides itself in there being that main opposition party to keep the checks and balances of whatever party just happens to hold the reigns of power guaranteed for not a single day over a 5-years mandate. You sure are beginning to sounds much too damn dictatorial.
I am sorry, Mr. PM, you don't get to pick Her Majesty's Official Opposition. Get it? Truth be told, wasn't it you who the Queen - fired as official opposition leader....isn't that a royal fact?
The_Oracle 7 years ago
Should have said they've run their convention like they RAN the country!
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years ago
The dimwitted Doc seems to still be in campaign mode when he should be running our country. We, the people, want to know what he is doing to help easy the cost of doing business and encourage job growth in the private sector while trimming and controlling costs in the public sector. We don't expect our new government to resolve all of our country's many problems anytime soon, but we have every right to expect that Minnis will enlighten us as to what his game plan is to achieve the goals that were set out in the FNM Manifesto that formed the basis for the FNM's election victory. Minnis is really beginning to test our patience.
Honestman 7 years ago
Prime Minister, why are you bothering to waste any energy commented on the failings of the PLP? That Party is an irrelevance. The FNM has much to do and your five year terms will pass very quickly. Please concentrate on the issues facing the country and start fixing them. If you do so the PLP will be consigned to the annals of history.
TalRussell 7 years ago
True!
ThisIsOurs 7 years ago
This presupposes that the FNM won because they ran a stellar campaign and it's the furthest thing from the truth. ...
Stop pointing fingers at the PLP, everybody knows they were awful and they lost horribly, stop saying we don't have gang and other challenges in our schools, stop duplicating all the wasteful programmes initiated by the PLP, BAMSI, NTA, UR, stop appointing unqualified people to all these top posts, Macalpine is chairman of the hotel corp and you're buying the Grand Lucayan with hopes of him leading the charge? If he's doing nothing he's a morale buster, why is he there earning a salary while doing nothing?
stop the campaign tour and produce a serious, well thought out plan for the way forward, employing the right people, EVEN IF THEY DISAGREE WITH YOU FROM TIME TO TIME, this is no time for Yes Sir Mr PM men and women. You want people who know what they're doing AND who will tell the emperor when he has no clothes.
Either that or prepare for Prime Minister Symonette.
TalRussell 7 years ago
Really?
ThisIsOurs 7 years ago
Really. LBT een there, someone has to lead the coup, I mean take charge...
TalRussell 7 years ago
Comrades! Not my intent scare you but how could you not be terrified that you just might have handed power to a prime minister who wants to shut down the official opposition in the Peoples Honourable House of Assembly, A prime minister who has made it clear that he and his red colleagues - lacks the time honoured respect for the basic rules of our cherished parliamentary democracy?
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2017…
SP 7 years ago
Two of the biggest surprises with the PLP convention was that thugs Wayne Monroe, Wisler “Bobo” Davilma, Livingston “Toggie” Bullard and Damian Gomez were not prevalently displaying their "muscle" and there were no reported fistfights!
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