The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

HAD Bain and Grants Town MP Travis Robinson severed ties with the governing Free National Movement, the narrative throughout the country would have been that Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is losing control of his party, particularly his MP backbenchers.

Opposition forces would have interpreted Robinson’s desertion as an indication that the FNM is falling apart at the seams, especially given the fact that Minnis’ relationship with Vaughn Miller, Frederick McAlpine and Reece Chipman is already purportedly strained.

A desertion by the Bain and Grants Town MP would have given the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) a much needed shot in the arm.

Many Bahamians who love political intrigue and political drama were keeping their fingers crossed that the young Robinson would have abandoned the FNM in order to join up with the PLP, form a new party or become an independent.

All of the foregoing conjectures were bandied on the ever unreliable social media rumour mill. Obviously these people did not have Robinson’s best interests at heart.

A desertion on his part would have probably sounded the death knell on his promising political career.

A recent example of former MPs who decided to go against the establishment are Loretta Butler-Turner and Dr Andre Rollins.

As a result of their political rebellion against the FNM and PLP, both are on the outside looking in. They had their five seconds of fame, but are no longer in active politics. Where are their cheerleaders now?

Where are the people who were cajoling them to rebel against Minnis? Robinson was shrewd in avoiding the immature missteps of Butler-Turner and Rollins.

The Bain and Grants Town MP demonstrated political maturity in accepting full responsibility for his dismissal as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Tourism.

He obviously understands that Minnis’ hands were tied due to the Westminster system of government, when he, Miller and McAlpine voted against the move to increase VAT.

By accepting full responsibility, Robinson has left the door wide open for another appointment by Minnis during the balance of this current term.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport, GB

June 28, 2018.