The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Mercifully the bye-election in West End and Bimini has come to a conclusion. It was almost like torture watching and listening to the groveling manner and semantics of the ‘failed’ putative ‘leader’ of the defunct FNM and the absolute humiliation of the venerable Bishop Ricardo Grant. The campaign mounted by the FNM and its side kick, the former Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Hubert A Ingraham, was a modern version of the enduring comedy characters Larry; Moe & Curley Joe.

What is so perplexing herein is that, allegedly, Mr Ingraham told the putative ‘leader’ of the defunct FNM not to contest the bye-election based on political antecedents and experience. Despite this, Ingraham, big as Billy and his half way sister, Gussie, came out of retirement to ascend platforms for the doomed FNM and it’s equally politically doomed candidate. In my opinion this proved toxic and an abject and very personal rejection of Larry; Moe and Curly Joe.

The victory of the Hon Kingsley Smith, Member of Parliament elect for West End and Bimini, was a victory for himself; the constituency, but more importantly the clear affirmation of the Davis Administration after less than three years in office. It was also a stark message to the current putative ‘leader’ of the now demoralized, shell shocked and rudderless FNM.

Try as he might, Pintard has never, so far, been able to best the Most Hon Philip ‘Brave’ Davis, MP, KC, on the political field. He tried to do so years ago when he challenged “Brave” in Cat Island; Rum Cay and San Salvador. He lost then as he has now lost again. If the defunct FNM, despite what some claimed was a large war chest, and having four sitting members of parliament was incapable of flipping the last remaining seat in Grand Bahama - you can imagine the outcome of the next general elections under Pintard’s leadership or lack thereof?

Resurrecting political ‘ghosts’ and ‘familiar’ spirits’ have never been palatable to the average Bahamian voter. It was a mistake for the FNM to attempt to utilise a long dead political war horse. Why was the Hon Dr Hubert A Minnis (FNM-Delaporte) not enlisted and deployed? Is it possible that petty personality issues caused the FNM to lose the first bye-election contested under the juvenile leadership of a hapless brother? I shudder to think about all of the funds and political capital which appear to have been wasted by Pintard & Company.

Mr Davis’s administration, per se, was not on the ballot, but make no mistake the recently concluded bye-election was a clear and well defined referendum on the same and his exemplary and stellar leadership. It, and he, have been given stamps of approval BIG TIME by a grateful Bahamian people in general and the good people of West End and Bimini in particular.

In the almost ‘cake walk’ campaign, Brave demolished the long bogus aura of political invincibility claimed by Ingraham et al. Dr Minnis told all of you people, years ago, that the ‘Ingraham era was over’ but few believed him at that time. It took PM Davis to hammer the final nine pound nail into his political coffin. I daresay that we will not be subjected to the spectacle of Larry; Moe and Curley Joe anytime soon.

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr

Nassau,

November 23, 2023.