The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net 

MORE members of the Free National Movement who former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis appointed to Cabinet threw their support behind Michael Pintard yesterday ahead of the upcoming one-day convention.

Former Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar said it is time for Dr Minnis and his successor, Philip “Brave” Davis, “to go home” and let a new generation lead.

Meanwhile, former Minister of National Security Marvin Dames said he is confident Mr Pintard could give the FNM a shot to win the next general election. He said he told Dr Minnis leaders in democracies rarely get a chance to lead twice.

The men spoke to reporters during an event at the British Colonial Hotel for those who endorsed Mr Pintard’s bid to remain leader.

The event attracted dozens of former cabinet ministers, former parliamentarians, supporters and delegates, suggesting Dr Minnis faces an uphill battle wrestling the leadership from Mr Pintard.

“I am of the view that the country needs to make a generational shift,” Mr D’Aguilar said. “You’ve got Dr Minnis, and you’ve got Brave Davis, who in the next election will be 73 and 75 respectively. So they are coming to the country to serve from 75 to 80 and 73 to 78. We need a generational shift.

“It’s time for a young, energetic, full of ideas, youthful person to assume the leadership in all the parties and come up with a plan to seismically change our country. We’ve got a lot of problems and this current crop of leaders have really run out of ideas and are tired. And, as my mother used to say, it’s time for them to go home now.”

Since the last general election, Mr Pintard has struggled to unify the party, but the endorsement from members who served under Dr Minnis reflects the view that Mr Pintard has most of the support of delegates and is favoured to win at the convention.

Mr Dames, who was seen as a close ally of Dr Minnis, said he called the former prime minister before attending last night’s event to inform him that he was supporting Mr Pintard. He declined to discuss Dr Minnis’ response.

“I think that in Michael, we have an opportunity to shift the tide,” Mr Dames said. “Leadership in any democracy, it’s a very serious thing and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I indicated that to Minnis, that very seldom do you have an opportunity to do it twice and so, you have to make the first time count because these are very serious and very precious positions. When you serve, you serve to win, and oftentimes those who do get a second term are those who put out a platform at the end of the day and they have a success.”

“We had a very difficult election last time and still, there are a lot of persons who still reflect on it and are still hurt by it for whatever reasons.”

Former Speaker of the House Alvin Smith, former Centerville MP Reece Chipman, and former managing director of the Disaster Reconstruction Unit Katherine Forbes-Smith were among those who attended yesterday’s endorsement event.