FNM LEADER MICHAEL PINTARD.
FNM leader: Minnis’ criticism of one-day convention ‘nonsense’
By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
THE threat of a challenge from former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis at the upcoming Free National Movement convention has not dented Michael Pintard’s confidence that he will be affirmed as leader of the party.
Although Dr Minnis has not officially confirmed his plans, he and his allies have been plotting a potential run for leader for months.
“We expect that the leader and deputy leader will go into this convention and we will emerge again as leader and deputy leader,” Mr Pintard said yesterday. “We fully expect that the officers who are now in place, that the vast majority of them who are offering again, we expect that they will be returned to that position.”
Mr Pintard also dismissed Dr Minnis’ criticism of the party’s one-day convention plan, calling it “nonsense”.
Dr Minnis told the Tribune on Sunday that the one-day convention does not allow the party to showcase its talents and policies.
Mr Pintard, however, suggested the convention is about settling the kinds of issues that Dr Minnis and his allies have generated.
“The council of the party has spoken. It’s their opinion that ultimately matters,” he said. “If he had a view, he should have been in that meeting to express that view. Let’s be clear: the one day is to make sure that we move early enough to give him or any other who has an interest in running an opportunity to do so so that the range of things that have been going on that has muddied the water around our message clearly being stated for the public, that we want to settle those issues.”
“They now have an opportunity to present their case to the delegates of the Free National Movement. This is about settling matters so that we could get on with the business of the party.”
“A convention is but one of many forums used by any political organisations to take their message to the people. So it’s nonsense when people are talking about whether or not you have enough time in a convention; it is one of many forums that you will actually take your case to the Bahamian people,” Mr Pintard added.
Mr Pintard said he will remain a part of the party if he loses, adding: “The question doesn’t arise.”
“There isn’t a possible chance that I’ll be going anywhere else,” he said. “This is our party. We built it together. This a party my mother prayed over, worked in. This is where our friends and relatives committed ourselves.”
Comments
moncurcool 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Please. Because no way can there be a going back to Minnis.
sheeprunner12 7 months, 3 weeks ago
The country needs the best possible version of the FNM to take on and defeat the New Day runaway train ............ We trust that the June First FNM delegates will BEST represent the 100,000 potential FNM voters who will (eagerly) go to the polls when the next general election is held.
moncurcool 7 months, 3 weeks ago
And it was Minnis who was responsible for many of them to stay home in 2021. What does a Minnis return bring to cause them to go eagerly go the polls this time?
Minnis era is over and he needs to learn to support.
TalRussell 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Admit, if pressed about the prospect of a "Minnis/McCartney vs Pintard/Cartwright Thriller On The Convention Floor,," --- Even the most ardent of non-supporters' of Minnis, would say, ---- Hell yeah, let four of them play it out. --- But even Cartwright will arrive at the convention. nagged with his Pintard doubts. --- Yes?
moncurcool 7 months, 3 weeks ago
No.
What FNMs support McCartney who tried to tear the party apart because he could not get his way. And Minnis who won't support Pintard since he is not the leader anymore.
Minnis/McCartney to lead? Jokes - Yes?
sheeprunner12 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Mr. Moncur ......... tell us why you are so gungho about Pintard????
TalRussell 7 months, 3 weeks ago
@Long Island's ComradeSheepRunner12, Who questions anyone's appointment as a 'interrupter against constituents MPs', --- Being called upon by the 'cloaked' House Speaker to rise to speak during sessions of the Honourable House of Assembly's debates. -- Hopefully, those who are made to believe were bestowed with "special-political privileges-than-thou" attitudes will not be cloaked in silence, once it's time to be shuffled on over to the Witness Box's reserved seatin', --- When it's their time to answer all types questions to be asked by the colony's crown prosecutors'. --- Yes?
moncurcool 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Why would you not be gungho for Pintard? What is there to be gungho about for Minnis?
What has Minnis done?
A man who as leader does not want to talk to the press, and now everyday he wants to be all in the press?
A man who kick LBT our the party when she opposed him, but now that he is not leader he does not want to support the party leader? People not willing to follow are never good leaders. As Plato even said, the test of leadership is the one who does not want to be leader.
Further, what has Minnis done as PM? What did he do as party leader expect cause thousands of FNMs to stay home and lose the election. Add the Wetminster system says if you lose the election you leave party leadership and be gone.
A return of Minnis is going backwards and not forward.
TalRussell 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Not in Minnis leadership camp but Minnis, did, and without the backing of Papa Hubert and knowing all about Pintard's closeness to Papa Hubert.--- Sill won a majority RedShirts' Movement government. --- Pintard, with the full backing of Papa Hubert, contested the West Grand Bahama and Bimini by-election and went down in defeat --- Losing to a candidate "without a bankbook. --- You can't make this stuff up, now, can you! --- Yes?
sheeprunner12 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Can't make it up Tal 🤣🤣
Get your popcorn ready for June 1. We all (who have a job) still have to go back to work.
TalRussell 7 months, 3 weeks ago
@ComradeSheepee, RedShirts' members in the thousands are quitting local politics. - Not wishing to go along with leaders, wishing to cram them into some hotel's banquet room. --- Comrades, we're in the Artificial Intelligence Revolution. --- Yes?
TalRussell 7 months, 3 weeks ago
yes
TalRussell 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Others have court dates. --- Yes?
LastManStanding 7 months, 3 weeks ago
As much as it is in your interest to cause strife in the FNM camp, you know full well comparing the 2017 general and the recent by-election is a huge false equivalency. It didn't matter who the FNM leader was in 2017, people were sick of Christie and ready to vote in a potcake if they had to in order to get him out of office. West End & Bimini has always been a PHellP stronghold, which is why Papa told the FNM not to waste money competing in the by-election there. Davis has not aroused public scorn to anywhere near the levels of Christie or Minnis, so there was no reason for the FNM to ever think they were going to win that seat in the first place.
The Minnis era is done and over with, Minnis should have completely retired from politics considering the catastrophic losses the FNM suffered in the last general election; some of the seats they lost have never voted PHellP in the entire history of the Bahamas. Anyone still clinging to Minnis as the future of the FNM is blind and delusional.
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