The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) MP for Tall Pines, Leslie Miller, presents a litmus test for Philip Brave Davis and Fred Mitchell.

If Messrs Davis and Mitchell reject Miller’s nomination bid, the outspoken former MP has the potential to start a small civil war within the PLP; and play spoiler in Tall Pines in 2022, assuming he runs in that area again against the Free National Movement’s (FNM) Don Saunders as an independent candidate.

If Miller runs in 2022, he will be either 73 or 74. I stand to be corrected, but I think Miller has been in frontline politics since 1987. Like former West End and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe, it wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest that Miller is a political protege of Sir Lynden Pindling. Miller’s vocal support for Wilchcombe in the chairmanship contest at convention as opposed to Mitchell is worth monitoring moving forward.

There seems to be a movement afoot among former PLP MPs to make their presence known within the PLP. These senior politicians, some of whom are in their seventies, seem to be unwilling to accept permanent retirement from active politics. They are unwilling to give way to new blood and are seemingly opposed to Davis’ plans on thoroughly reshaping the PLP. With 2022 fast approaching, more senior PLPs will begin to resurface.

With the FNM’s political capital on the verge of being spent just two and a half years in office, Miller and Co obviously smell blood in the water. Based on his comments in The Tribune, Miller feels like former Prime Minister Perry Christie must bear full responsibility for the landslide loss the PLP suffered in 2017. And with plans to run a few failed candidates in 2022, this would only strengthen Miller’s resolve to wreak havoc in the PLP. With a fresh mandate being given to PLP Leader Brave Davis and National Chair Fred Mitchell at their recent convention, Miller presents the duo’s first major litmus test, which might define their leadership of the organisation over the next two and a half years.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport, Grand Bahama

July, 2019.