Dr Hubert Minnis speaking on the night before the election.
By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT
tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net
A FREE National Movement trustee has urged party leader Dr Hubert Minnis to step down from the role to allow the organisation to refocus its efforts and become a viable force in the future.
Shango Woodside, FNM National Trustee in Grand Bahama, believes Dr Minnis fell out of touch with members of the party, leading many of them not to show up at the polls to vote on Thursday.
The Progressive Liberal Party was ushered into governance after winning, unofficially, some 32 of the 39 seats in the country’s general elections.
Almost all of the FNM Cabinet Ministers lost their seats in Parliament. FNM Chairman Carl Culmer said based on statistics that he saw, only about 38 percent of voters turned out to the polls.
This contributed to victory for Philip “Brave” Davis who was sworn in on Friday as the 5th Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in a private ceremony at the Office of the Governor General.
While he had little to say of the election loss, former deputy prime minister Frank Watson said the time was now for FNMs to come together to decide who they want to lead them.
“I think one of the reasons why we lost the election is because the leader of the party lost touch with average people,” Mr Woodside explained. “I am the one who really sold him to the people of Grand Bahama in terms of them accepting him as leader. People felt he was non-charismatic and not a good public speaker. I told them that his leadership would be different, and they bought it.
“What really happened afterwards is that it seems as if when they got into power they forgot about the average people, and this now is the result. They never listened to anyone on the ground and arrogance began to kick in. The communication just went south. We tried to explain to them, but nobody was listening.
“Many FNMs are disgruntled, unenthused, not excited, just not inspired or motivated to come out and vote. Calling the snap election was a mistake on the leader’s behalf. It was a horrible mistake that backfired on him. I personally like Dr Minnis as a person, but I think it’s now time for him to step aside and for us to choose a new leader. We need a new leader a.s.a.p.”
The trustee downplayed the PLP’s win saying FNMs just did not go out to vote.
“What I saw in this election, people were not interested in voting for our leader or the prime minister elect,” he continued. “The FNMs stayed home, you can see that from the lower voter turnout. They had no interest. So, it wasn’t really a defeat by the PLP but instead actually FNMs just not coming out to vote.
“What actually put the icing on the cake was the feedback after Hurricane Dorian. They tried to sell that the leader was a compassionate person through the rest of the community, but he didn’t show it. He started to lose plenty popularity. There was low turnout overall.
“The FNM is known to have a lot of falling out when they are in opposition and take long to organize itself and get together, but I am advising my party not to sleep on the PLP but to organise an opposition in and out of the House of Assembly. So, we have to choose a leader and organize ourselves short and quick.”
After the FNM trustee laid bare his thoughts about FNM’s loss at the polls, The Tribune spoke to Mr Frank Watson, who was deputy prime minister under a previous Ingraham administration.
For his part he said: “I think they have to come together and determine who is going to lead them,” Mr. Watson said. “Then after they have chosen a new leader, they need to start the groundwork that they need to win.”
Mr Culmer also chimed in saying not only is it now time to regroup, but to also figure out why the FNM was defeated at the polls.
Culmer also mentioned the low voter turnout.
He said: “When you look at it we must find out the reasons why we lost and correct them immediately. When I look at the stats in regard to the electorate who voted, there was only 38 percent who voted. It was really not a major percentage of people at the polls who voted PLP.
“We need to find out what went wrong and why the people rejected us and build from there. We have already started our plans. We had a meeting today with a number of our stakeholders. We have a plan to bring our party back together. We are going to bring all of our members who may have grievances with the party together and at the end of the day we will be victorious whenever the next election is called.”
Comments
Cobalt 3 years, 3 months ago
Agreed. Minnis needs to go! His dictatorship style of leading isn’t popular among the Bahamian electorate. Both the FNM and PLP need new leadership.
SP 3 years, 3 months ago
Does anybody have any ideas what Minnis can do with the dozens of special order FNM shirts he just received for the campaign?
The BHS has a use for the little road signs which ironically fit perfectly in their cat boxes. Apparently, the signs are great for cat poop!
Cobalt 3 years, 3 months ago
He can keep them for the next five years. Bahamians change government every five years. The public will soon turn on Brave and vote FNM.
Cobalt 3 years, 3 months ago
What does Mr. Culmer mean when he states “we have to figure out where we went wrong”? The FNM went wrong when they increased VAT on the people! That’s where they began to go wrong and fall out of favor with the people. It wasn’t hard to tell.
rawbonrbahamian 3 years, 3 months ago
Yeah cant believe they do not know what went wrong
TalRussell 3 years, 3 months ago
Seriously, the left Minnis — Bankrupted Red Party, should tighten their trousers belts, committing scarce money to rent on a month-to-month basis, a Doghouse with a ruff. — To serve as the Red Party's 2021- 2026 headquarters,— for but a handful of. — Mostly Grand Bahama House-elected MPs'.— Themselves. — still in shocked, confused disbelief, over why it is that — they actually got elected? — Yes?
IslandWarrior 3 years, 3 months ago
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
"the time was now for FNMs to come together to decide who they want to lead them."
The most tone deaf thing I have ever heard was Dr Minnis statement saying he will lead the opposition. Who ask him? He doesn't get to decide. He forget that all they need to do is write letter eh?
"Culmer also chimed in saying not only is it now time to regroup, but to also figure out why the FNM was defeated at the polls."
You've already failed because Dr Minnis een resign yet.
No 1: The FNM council. They should have had a convention from 2017. Whoever among them backed Minnis and resisted efforts to check him, should be resigning with him. They are not qualified to lead. No oversight body allows this dysfunction to continue for 5 years
Dont waste no more time getting people together, the reason why you failed? "Dr Minnis: pettiness, arrogance, VICTIMIZATION, decisions from a position of ignorance, elections case in point". Secondary reasons, so many enablers who said Dr Minnis was the greatest leader ever, they were si disappointing. People out here have two eyes and 2 ears. Renward Wells and Carl Culmer get special mention as the worst. Kwasi Thompson, Elsworth Johnson, Travis Robinson, Jeff Lloyd, Darren Henfield, Dionisio DAguilar, Marvin Dames, Frankie Campbell, Desmond Bannister.
3rd Adrian Gibson. Adrian Gibson is the personification of everything wrong with the FNM administration. Seeming promotion of arrogance and lack of accountability. Now he gets to sit in the house and ask PLPs to be accountable? He should be made to resign too.
General statement: Corruption will find the corrupted to do its work.
Go read Loretta Butler's letter to the council, they had to have missed it.
Maurice Moore was it? The council member who chided Hubert Ingraham for throwing his support behind Dr Sands so close to the election. I can tell you if you had persuaded Dr Minnis to step down 24 hours before, and put Dr Sands in his place as interim leader, your results would have been much different. You dont have to pay no consultant. Buy me one coke soda. And a cup of ice please.
The irony is, if Brave and his MPs have finally learned the lesson that the people do not want corrupt officials who enrich themselves they could be the first govt to win 2 terms. They now have the opportunity to shine that the FNM squandered
Cobalt 3 years, 3 months ago
Asking Dr. Minnis to step down isn’t the way to go. Neither is voting “no confidence” in him. The very same way Hubert Minnis was elected leader of the FNM by its delegates during their last convention, is the very same way they have to vote him out during their next FNM convention. This is proper decorum and etiquette when it comes to party politics. There’s no need for infighting and public back-bitting. Party politics makes provisions for each party to choose its leader during its national convention. Until then, Hubert Minnis should serve as leader of the opposition until the FNM calls its national convention and the votes are cast amongst its delegates. Learn to do things the right and honorable way instead of being controlled by raw emotions.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
I humbly disagree.
I remember being part of a body where there was a major breech in procedures. Huge. The head of that body could have in no way have been blamed for the breech, noone was blaming him and he was loved and respected widely. Even by competitors. He was asked to stay. He stepped down. He said as the head, he had to take responsibility, he had to set the example. And he did. The organization survived.
Im sure we could find many more examples of leaders who stepped down due to their sense of honour or because they understood their part, real leaders. So its not unheard of. The fact that Hubert Minnis is the cause of this failure and the sheer magnitude of the failure, makes resignation more imperative. He didnt even have the courage to face the cameras, he sent a written statement and in the statement declares hes leader... its arrogance hubris with zero foundation.
He's not a leader. At every critical point when he was called upon to exercise leadership he failed. BPL, Dorian, COVID, Elections. He let every situation dissolve to its worst possible state before acting and then tried to claim he was doing great because noone had done this before.
A functioning oversight body would be well in their right to ask him to resign. Yesterday
moncurcool 3 years, 3 months ago
I disagree with you.
We know that the party system is stacked with persons in favour of the current leader and not average persons who will be needed to vote out a leader.
If Minnis believes in democracy and the Westminster System, he would do what the system calls for. If the Prime Minister loses the election, they resigned. Ingraham was the first to show that what you do. Not even Pindling or Christie followed the Westminster system thy so much propped up.
moncurcool 3 years, 3 months ago
You make some signifcant points and I can resonate with all except the last. Davis has not learned anything. In fact, he will be worse than Minnis.
Sadly, we believe that putting a person in a position will all of a sudden cause them to act as should be. No successful business puts a person in a position of leadership who does not have track record to support they can perform.
It wasdone with Minnis, and the people blindly and without thinking did the same with Davis.
Not only that, every cycle sine 1997 we have been electing Prime Minister's older each time and the result is worst each time.
The low voter turnout clearly shows that the public was not interested in Minnis or Davis. An opposition party that can find a real leader similar to the young Hubert Ingram pre 1992, will electrify the populous.
The Bahamas needs leadership, not position holders.
AnObserver 3 years, 3 months ago
Loretta and Duane need to be in charge. Period.
Minnis completely disenfranchised the residents of Abaco and their Spanish Wells cousins due to his blocking of international Dorian relief efforts, compounded by his continued flubbing of relief for those affected.
Then he let his (sizeable) ego get in the way of rational decision-making, and chased away his own party members, inspiring them to run as independents.
As a thought experiment, if you were to play with the numbers, and give Abaco and North Eleuthera to the FNM, and combine the votes for the now independent former FNM candidates, you'll likely find that the red team would have won.
Minnis lost this election for the FNM. It is as simple as that.
Please FNM party people, put him out to pasture, and get the aforementioned levelheaded and qualified duo to lead the charge.
baclarke 3 years, 3 months ago
I'm not sure what Minnis hopes to accomplish by NOT stepping down. He has been rejected by the people, disgraced, a resounding NO. Why would he think that continuing to lead the FNM is in the best interest of the FNM?
Cobalt 3 years, 3 months ago
Simply because the same thing happened to Brave Davis and the PLP four years ago yet here he stands as our new Prime Minister. Simply because Hubert Minnis knows how senseless Bahamian people really are. Simply because Hubert Minnis knows that Bahamian people have a short memory and vote for spite rather than sense. Simply because Hubert Minnis knows that Bahamian people switch government every five years and all he has to do is sit back and wait. Simply because Hubert Minnis knows the Bahamian people will turn on Brave Davis in the same fashion they’ve turned on every Prime Minister who has had the misfortune of leading such an illiterate nation of people. Simply because Hubert Minnis knows that he has the international banking agencies supporting his party and they're about to downgrade our economy and devalue our dollar forcing Brave Davis to increase taxes. Simply because Hubert Minnis knows Brave Davis doesn’t have the slightest inclination on how to run a country and Bahamians will be voting for the FNM in five years regardless who the leader is. Need I say more?
baclarke 3 years, 3 months ago
I guess you are the "senseless" one? Those with sense voted him out. Terrible leader.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
Remember this sensible Cobalt who ready to suicide his unvaccinated COVID patients
Cobalt 3 years, 3 months ago
I’m actually glad you used the term “suicide”. It’s a very fitting term seeing that it’s these patients who actually kill themselves. I just make it more comfortable for them.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
Apologies Dr Kevorkian, "assisted" "suicide". I put suicide in quotes because no where did you ever indicate you would make anyone comfortable. You said you would let them die with extreme prejudice
Cobalt 3 years, 3 months ago
And so you think you’re sensible for voting for Brave???? Get the F outta here. Anyway….. I’m just going to sit back and watch this sitcom which is the PLP. And when the complaining starts I’m just going laugh and laugh.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
Nobody said whether they did or did not vite PLP. The overwhelming sentiment is Minnis' leadership was terrible, glad hes gone. FNM find a good leader
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
Read Loretta letter. Nobody needs to be lead over the cliff following what Hubert Minnis thinks. His 5 years of election campaigning and non-governance failed
moncurcool 3 years, 3 months ago
Some may disagree with you, but if they do they are only blindly ignoring the truth os what Bahamian people have been doing ever since 2002. The facts are the facts! Sad, very sad, but true.
pablojay 3 years, 3 months ago
I have always believed that the PLP has an advantage over the FNM because it has a set of followers who will always vote for them ,no matter what. They don't know or care what is happening in our country,all they care about is PLP. Having heard over the years many times not who,but what they would vote for once the PLP puts 'it' there.On many occasions i have heard PLP supporters say that they don't like Brave,but they will PLP and on many occasions i have heard FNM supporters say that they will not vote for Minnis and the results mirrored the difference.
tribanon 3 years, 3 months ago
Minnis, Culmer and a whole slew of others who will try their hardest to remain within the FNM party's hierarchy all need to be removed the party's failed governing and administrative apparatus. And that includes many of the delegates Minnis showered with significant political gifts of one kind or another to secure their undying loyalty to him. Minnis's role in the new parliament should be limited to doing nothing more than representing the constituents of Killarney. If it can at all be avoided, he should not be given a significant shadow minister role or parliamentary committee position.
The very few who think Duane Sands might someday be the answer to resurrecting the FNM party from the dead are delusional to say the least. Sands (like D'Aguilar) will always be politically tone deaf and 'loved' by a majority of the Bahamian people as much as they 'love' a major island-wide power failure during a blistering hot summer's night. In fact, Sands' effectively ended his desired long term political career when he failed to join the dissidents who successfully had Minnis removed as opposition leader in the last Christie-led PLP administration.
Pintard will have to do the heavy lifting for the opposition in parliament while the FNM party cleans just about all scent of Minnis from its house so that it can go about identifying a suitably qualified long term leader of the party. The interfering voices of political dinosaurs like Ingraham, Watson, Symonette, etc. should all be ignored during the FNM party's re-building process which must favour vitalising talented and youthful new blood to avoid future embarrassment at the polls.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
"Youthful". Ill take that to mean anyone with energy and intelligence no matter their age.
I dont think Duane Sands is the answer. But someone has to lead and I think he'd be a good choice to fill the seat. His colleagues respect him and he's intelligent competent and hardworking. He would need a crack ethical political advisor, he's horrible at the politics of it and I like that he's not too engrained in the system.
I think the real answer is in collective organization. Im certain now after years of watching the merry go round thst power in this little country unchecked will always corrupt absolutely.
Adrian Gibson is an eye opener. He was the anticorruption fire man.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
Weird. I recall the last FNM convention when Peter Turnquest came to the stage and had a temper tantrum. I was talking to a friend at that moment and said what is that? I dont like him for leadership. The PLP and FNM council need to reevaluate how they vett people who put themselves up to represent this country
DEDDIE 3 years, 3 months ago
The FNM lost because of the same reason why the PLP loss in 2017 and the same reason why the FNM loss in 2012 and the the same reason why the PLP loss 2007 and the same reason why the PLP will loss is 2026. 40,000 young people coming out of school with 90 percent of them with no job or very low paying jobs. Someone has to pay the price and the most likely candidate is the government.
baclarke 3 years, 3 months ago
We won't know for sure until we get the numbers, but I do not think that a lot of young persons voted this time around.
DEDDIE 3 years, 3 months ago
The class of 2013-2017 still have not found their footing. They voted.
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 3 months ago
I partially agree with you, but younger voters are not the majority of the electorate. FNM lost because of arrogance and opaque government dealings, same as the PLP in 2017. Ingraham losing in 2012 was largely due to the influence of the DNA.
Also, if younger voters are indeed voting governments out, is that not indicative of a legitimate problem not being addressed by these lousy governments?
YoungSir242 3 years, 3 months ago
Ok Dr. Ceo.
SP 3 years, 3 months ago
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, all kind of analysis from up down and all around but NOT ONE SINGLE WORD about the Holoweskos, Symonette, Scott group of pirates influence that actually pulls the prime ministers' puppet strings from behind the scenes!
Why does everybody continue burying their heads in the sand refusing to acknowledge the elephants in the political arena that is the "REAL" reason our people are slipping further and further down the economic pole every day, while foreigners are enjoying the fat of the land "THAT WAS BUILT BY US"?
Minnis drank their cool-aid willingly and took a swan dive deeply into Holoweskos, Symonette, and Scott's hue of pirates, totally abandoning the mandate of the people which won him the election in 2017.
Lynden Pindling, Hubert Ingraham, Perry Christie, and Hubert Minnis ALL drank deeply from the Holoweskos, Symonette, and Scot grouping of pirates barrel of grog, and THEY ALL suffered the total rejection of the Bahamian people!
Brave Davis now has the opportunity to be the best Prime Minister the country ever had and champion of the people. He can fulfill the "words" of Pindling and lead the country back to the # 3 most prosperous nation position in the western hemisphere.
Alternatively, he also has the opportunity to "accept the check" and bow to Holoweskos, Symonette, and Scott's hue grouping of pirates like all his predecessors, leading to him too being a one-term Prime Minister, tainted in corruption, and bringing international shame on his entire family for life!
We will know in short order how "Brave" and which path Prime Minister Davis chooses.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 3 months ago
Truth. Investors love the FNM and poor love the PLP. the problem is neither group has really worked for the poor. They gave out crumbs here and there to make it look good while special interest groups raked in millions.
Brave indeed has a chance to be the revolutionary 1967 PLP revisited. Or he can be the all for me 1980s PLP, we'll know within 2 months.
TalRussell 3 years, 3 months ago
I hold strong suspicion— what exactly transpired on election day but— Must await the release of 2021 official election results data — confirm my — just a held observation. — Yes?
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 3 months ago
Any idea on when they are going to come out? Have been waiting to see the breakdown by polling divisions for days now. Absolute shame that they can't have these recounted yet. Everyone just seems to have gone home thinking that their job is done.
DEDDIE 3 years, 3 months ago
Don't impose your obsession on others. The average person below 40 years old don't even know who Holowesko and Scotts are. I am fifty plus and don't know who the hell is Scott. I don't have nothing against foreigners. My business in fact caters to foreigners.
SP 3 years, 3 months ago
It is impossible to defend those whom you do not know, yet you speak and impose YOUR obsession on us!!! Your ignorance is only surpassed by your inability to comprehend. Foreigners were not degraded. The fact remains everybody and their dogs know ex-pats from white collar to blue collar to no dam collar at all are enjoying the benefits of employment in the Bahamas more than Bahamian citizens. This is no secret!
If you at fifty plus and others do not know our countries history, and the likes of Holoweskos, Symonette, and Michael Scott hue, then they have succeeded in controlling the country and suppressing the masses from hidden places, and you WILL continue to be doomed to repeat our history of subjection by the minority to your detriment.
moncurcool 3 years, 3 months ago
It is amazing like you say how people still like to pull this UBP boogeyman garbage as if people under 50 really know anything about it or even care.
Talk to millennial about it and they would look at you with a blank stare.
Plan and simple when you loose touch with people, they loose touch with you and move you out.
It is about leadership that listens and our country has not had any since 2000.
Dawes 3 years, 3 months ago
He's blaming white people as thats all he knows. He keeps saying hue. He knows that for over 50 years this country has been run by black Bahamians, but whenever mistakes are made its because of the evil white man. Its easier then admitting the truth.
ibonamy 3 years, 3 months ago
Primus inter pares is a Latin phrase meaning first among equals. It is typically used as an honorary title for someone who is formally equal to other members of their group but is accorded unofficial respect, traditionally owing to their seniority in office. Losing is never an easy thing and in defense of Hubert Minnis, he should be afford a time for reflection and introspection. In one of his last sound bites he alluded to being tired after 4.5 years. So over the next weeks if not months give him the time to consider his next move. This calling for his head does not bode well for anyone and during this time it also gives the country time to heal. I have no doubt he will do what is in the best interest for the country, his supporters and the party. To make it clear , I am not a Minnis supporter, but i see where blame is being shift. We at no time in a young democracy voted for a PM, the election is based of first past the post voting system and he who holds the majority forms the next government and the leader made PM. This is very consistent and despite the low voter turn out the PLP were victorious and Phillip Davis was sworn in as PM. Dr. Minnis was punished at the polls and was demoted, as it stands now who will be the leader for the opposition , will Dr. Minnis be ostracize from the party and be made to resign from parliament. This will cause a bi-election and the FMN may not win or hold on to the Killarney seat. Dr Minnis was re-elected by his supporters in Killarney. It is only fair that over the next several days and months respect be given to the constituents of Killarney, which includes all the PMs past and present. Five years for some folks are long and the FNM will regroup and come back stronger and better with ideas and honest candidates. Give Dr. Minnis some time over the next several months and if the party is wise enough, questions will have to be answered by him on how he governed for the last 4.5 years and who is best to answer than the man himself.
sangeej 3 years, 3 months ago
The FNM need to stop picking up PLP to run for them in Elections; as soon they get in the their ticket, they does implode and make the party look bad. The FNM need to go back to the Torch Bearers for it's candidates.
Check out the trend, in 2002 bad blood between H.A.I & P.D, A.S.B.A, and other imploded the party, 2007, K.G help imploded the PLP, 2017 R.W & Dr. A.R help imploded the PLP, and now 2021 was a big one, V.M, D.H.M, R C, F.M those were as bad as that 2002 crew.
Cobalt 3 years, 3 months ago
Naaaah. The problem with the FNM is Hubert Minnis. Plain and simple. Although he’s a better alternative than Brave Davis, he attitude is terrible.
The_Oracle 3 years, 3 months ago
The election was a simple referendum against Minnis personally. Nothing more or less, aside the fact that we vote and have been voting against, not for. He needs to step down, period. The infantile state of mind of the majority of voters doesn't help either. Run a D-, earn a D-, live with a D-. i await the appointments to see if this is same old or new. I suggest they all read the rules of the house to abide by the limitations of their authority. There is no power to be wielded, only authority under the rule of law.
M0J0 3 years, 3 months ago
shut down the whole party and start again, only way I see them having another chance.
stillwaters 3 years, 3 months ago
Well, at least while all y'all still sharpening your knives for...and still carving up poor Minnis....you will not be able to sharpen your knives for poor Davis......yet.......Bahamians vote in PM and then spend the following five years tearing him down........
bahamianson 3 years, 3 months ago
Well, Minnis won his seat. Mr. Cartwright really won his. He defeated Halkitis in an election which had plp momentum. Thag tells me that he really worked in the community and the others didnt. People like to see you, feel you, touch you. They like when you sit around the porch and.mingle. If as a politician, you ostracize yourself from the people, it will be e ident at the polls. But, then again, there is no method to the madness of why people do or do not show up for you at.the polls.
jus2cents 3 years, 3 months ago
He needs to do the right thing and resign as leader. His arrogance is very off-putting and his ego does not match his talent.
jus2cents 3 years, 3 months ago
At the end of the day Everyone is at fault, we should try harder to judge people by their actions and not their personalities.
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