The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

ENGLERSTON MP Glenys Hanna Martin dubbed the nation’s leader a “dummy” on Friday, firing back at Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis for his recent reference to her as “plenty talk and no action” at a recent town hall meeting.

Mrs Hanna Martin took aim at Dr Minnis’ political career and legacy in a scathing press statement that went viral across social media on Friday.

The former Transport Minister claimed Dr Minnis had “secured his position as lousiest PM in Bahamian history” notwithstanding his short tenure as prime minister.

“I read a newspaper report where Prime Minister Minnis attacked me at his recent mini-rally,” she said, referring to news reports that detailed Dr Minnis’ speech at a party-branded town hall meeting at Edmund Moxey Park on Thursday.

At the event Dr Minnis castigated Mrs Hanna-Martin for using her position in the House of Assembly to row “morning, noon and night and not making much sense”.

He claimed that her contentious attitude in the House has long been predicated on unseating PLP Leader Philip “Brave” Davis, and not the betterment of her constituents and Bahamians as she often suggests.

Firing back on Friday, Mrs Hanna-Martin said: “This cannot be coming from the man who has in less than two years secured his position as the lousiest PM in Bahamian history? The man who has proven he stands for nothing and will shamelessly say one thing and do the complete opposite?”

She continued: “The same man who says he hates VAT but almost doubled it up on Bahamians? The man who is that awkward gymnast in the Parliament who has mastered the art of flip-flopping. Is this the dummy who was sitting blank-faced next to Oban's Krueger in the Cabinet Office and now the file has gone missing?”

“The man who prioritized eating stew fish before answering serious questions about matters resulting in the death of a young woman.

“The man who fell in love with the Haitian bananas?”

Mrs Hanna-Martin continued: “Is this the man who cried fake tears for Dominica, but can't hear the cries of the people of Ragged Island? The same man who has fake love for over the hill while he hands the entire country over to the wealthy oligarchs.

“This man cannot speak to the special relationship that is held between the people of Englerston and myself as their Member of Parliament where the fruit of that relationship is manifested throughout the community,” she said.

Mrs Hanna-Martin further warned that Dr Minnis should be careful exposing his rank misogyny; insisting that women leaders don't "row”.

“They speak for the people,” she said, “which I will continue to do - morning noon and night, until my last breath.”

She added: “He will note that as he queries my political future, he must appreciate that I have been elected by the Bahamian people more times than he has.”

Mrs Hanna-Martin was first elected to office in 2002, retaining her seat in three successive elections.

As for Dr Minnis, 2007 marked the start of his parliamentary career.