The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

MANY idle Bahamians who may have little to do or may have too much down time have opined in recent times that former Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Perry Gladstone Christie, may, along with others, be “plotting” to launch a coup against the current leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), the Hon Philip “Brave” Davis, QC, MP (PLP-Cat Island; Rum Cay & San Salvador). This, of course, in my opinion, is pure and unadulterated cow manure.

Brother Christie’s era, like that of Brother Hubert Ingraham, is over and done with. He’s had multiple opportunities, spanning more than forty years to govern and to prove his political mettle. Why would he want to come back, voluntarily or otherwise, into the leadership of the New Deal Progressive Liberal Party? What is he able to bring to the table, so to speak, that he did not do before? In our party we do not subscribe to patently bogus hysterical cries for our former leaders to come back. Yes, there is room for Brother Christie, but his days as leader are done with, permanently.

Brave is the best bet for the party to vanquish the crumbling and bumbling maladministration of the hapless and grossly politically inept FNM and Dr Minnis. This is no time for conspiracy theories and back door fake coups. The bulk of the people of our wonderful nation supported and voted for the FNM in May, 2017. This was not, solely, because they loved the FNM, etc, but because they were disgusted and completely fed up with the antics and blunders of the PLP then led by PGC and his inner cabal.

The former Minister of Tourism was “named” in a serious case involving an attorney and a foreign USA-based actor. He could not, seemingly, get The Festival Place open despite tens of millions of dollars being poured into that white elephant. Airlift and tourism arrivals were on the decline during his watch. He, in my opinion, was the worst MOT in living memory. In addition, he was incapable of retaining his West End & Bimini constituency, just like Brother Christie over in Centreville. They are two seatless wonders and political spectacles.

It is being talked about that the Member of Parliament for Englerston may be contemplating joining forces, such as they are or might be, with Obediah and PGC to mount a challenge to Brave’s leadership. I would strongly counsel against this potentially, for them, devastating fratricidal fiasco. There are, of course, no constants in life except for those created or made by Yahweh Himself. Having said that, it is beyond the pale to even attempt to rationalise such an outlandish challenge. It would be, ab initio, doomed to fizzle out if it ever were to start.

Any attempt by known and unknown individuals or co-conspirators to distract the New Deal PLP from our march back to governance will fail or be beaten back. We are engaged in rebuilding and rebranding our party. It is a big tent and there is room for all who are sincere; progressive and patriotic. If you are unable or unwilling to engage in nation building under a motivated and visionary leader like Brave, there are mechanisms in place to challenge the party leader but this should not be played out as an episode of ‘The Game of Thrones’.

The MP for Englerston is, I am sure, a good person in her own right but, even when she served the party as chairperson she displayed no outstanding attributes. Her political pedigree is exceptional but that alone, I submit, is not enough to qualify for leadership of the New Deal PLP. In less than two years in office, the FNM has dashed the economic dreams of tens of thousands of unwashed and washed Bahamians. It appears to be a rudderless administration and one which has been carved out into mini and personal fiefdoms by the more assertive ministers.

The results? The headless chicken is running around in circles and going nowhere sensible. This, dear reader, is the mantra of the bumbling FNM and the out of touch Prime Minister. There are only two major political entities in the nation. The Democratic National Arena (DNA) was well on the way to developing a real broad based support but, alas, mega egos and even bigger self delusional antics wasted and destroyed any real prospects for it becoming and remaining relevant, politically speaking.

The abrupt departure of McCartney as leader dealt a death blow to the DNA. Mortimer, the current leader is publicly perceived as “too soft”. Mrs Komolaffe, God bless her too, does not appear to have the gravitas. She has great potential and I would encourage her to come back home to the PLP. I do not, of course, speak for the leadership but I do carry a little bit of influence. She’d be offered a secure nomination. Once she is elected and we are returned to power, no doubt she’d be appointed Minister of State for Finance. McCartney and Chris could come too, but those gentlemen have their own challenges.

This, however, is no Game of Thrones. Brave is our leader and he is the man who will lead the New Deal PLP, God willing, into office by 2021......no this is not a typo mistake......I predict that by 2021 a majority of Bahamians and expats will be so incensed with the FNM that it will be obliged to come back to the electorate. To God then, in all things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE Jr

Nassau,

September 11, 2018.