The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

A video clip showing an interview of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis by various reporters which aired on Clint Watson's Beyond the Headlines had made the rounds on Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media platforms throughout the country. A friend of my wife's forwarded the WhatsApp video of the interview at its tail end with Minnis jokingly talking about being more concerned about the Shell Saxons Superstars winning at Christmas. He was responding to a question about the possibility of a general strike by the unions he had met with on December 3.

The Consultant Physicians Staff Association, The Bahamas Nurses Union, Bahamas Hotel Catering Allied Workers Union and other unions are agitating for various reasons. The video clip that I watched on Facebook was a little over two minutes. Minnis answered the questions which were posed to him, which is a good sign. He has taken a lot of flak for shying away from formal interviews and the media. But all in all, the two minute video provided a sufficient context for the ending part about the Saxons joke.

What Minnis detractors have done, however, is leave out nearly a minute and a half of the video interview before the Saxons comment, with the intention of portraying an indifferent, nonchalant prime minister who places far more value on junkanoo than the ongoing labour unrest gripping the nation. If you didn't know any better, you would think Minnis completely dismissed the question about the ongoing labour issues by shifting the topic to the Saxons.

Minnis has had his fair share of shortcomings since becoming prime minister last year. He deserves to be criticised when it is justly warranted. However, I believe Minnis detractors are dead wrong to intentionally misrepresent him in the video.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport,

Grand Bahama

December 5, 2018.