Hubert Minnis, leader of the Free National Movement, speaking at last night’s meeting of the party.
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By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis last night called on the seven MPs that staged a coup to remove him as Opposition leader in the House of Assembly to do the honourable thing and resign from the party or face disciplinary action.
Speaking to a raucous crowd of supporters at the party’s headquarters, Dr Minnis said he thanked God that the MPs launched their plot before the party was victorious at the 2017 polls, as their actions would have destabilised the government.
He called the plot a “stunning usurpation of the very essence of the democratic right of a political organisation to determine its leadership”.
Likening the party to a sea-faring vessel, he charged that the ship has already left the harbour and no “mutineers” will stop its course towards Government House.
None of the dissident MPs were present at last night’s meeting.
“In my view,” he said, “the actions of seven FNM members of the House of Assembly - by invoking their privilege under the Constitution of The Bahamas to choose their leader in the House of Assembly - is a direct affront to the democratic conventions and traditions of the Free National Movement.
“It is tradition that the leader of the party, if elected to the House of Assembly, has always been appointed leader of the Opposition. Their action is a slap in the face of the party, and a slap in the face of democracy,” said Dr Minnis, who was greeted by the crowd by chants of “Rock with Doc.”
The seven FNM MPs withdrew their support for Dr Minnis in Parliament yesterday, and have asked Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to appoint Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner as leader of the Opposition - a move that Dr Minnis termed “a slap in the face” of both the party and democracy.
Flanked by the party’s ratified candidates, Dr Minnis told the packed hall at the party’s headquarters and the wider public that the party’s core remained strong.
He stressed that while Mrs Butler-Turner was poised to assume responsibility for Opposition members in the House, she was not and could not be made the leader of the party.
“Let me be very clear that she is not and cannot as such be made leader of the Free National Movement,” he said.
To this, Dr Minnis was met with chants of “never, never, never” from the boisterous crowd.
“It is only the national convention of the FNM or, in emergency circumstances, its Central Council, that can elect the Leader of the Free National Movement.”
He continued: “In view of today’s events I, as the constitutionally elected leader of the Free National Movement, wish to inform the Bahamian people that I now invite the seven MPs who were elected under the banner of the FNM, and who signed the letter to the governor general, to do the honourable thing and resign from the Free National Movement.
“Failing which, I have today recommended to the national executive of the party, and the executive has unanimously voted in favour thereof, that the disciplinary provisions of Article 53 of the constitution of the Free National Movement be invoked, and that if found to be required, a disciplinary tribunal be appointed and take whatever action it deems appropriate under the constitution of the Free National Movement.”
Article 53 states that “wherever it shall come to the notice of the executive committee that a member of the party may have acted contrary to the interests of the party, its platform, programmes, policies or principles the executive committee may, at its discretion, cause an investigation to be made.”
Following that investigation, a charge is made against the member, who in turn will have an opportunity to exculpate himself. If the member is unsuccessful in his defense, a tribunal will then be called to hear the charge. If the charge is proven, there are three possible punishments: a $100 fine; a suspension period of up to one year, or expulsion from the party.
“I want to say to our supporters who are listening to me by TV, radio and by social media,” Dr Minnis said, “the core FNM remains strong. I want to remind them that what has happened today is an act of God. It is a blessing for the Free National Movement, and it’s a blessing for the Bahamas that such an act occurred before the Free National Movement became victorious, because if this act had occurred while we were government, the government meaning the Free National Movement of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas would have been destabilised.
“So as I stand here I say to the nation that I thank God that such an act has happened now. We in the Free National Movement will always put God first, and with God’s help I am certain the Free National Movement will be the next government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and be assured that Peter Turnquest will be the next deputy prime minister. I want the Bahamas to view the members who are standing with me, my ratified candidates because these will be the same members who will be sitting in Cabinet, and who will be running the day-to-day operations of your country.”
Comments
Space 7 years, 4 months ago
"A $100 fine; a suspension period of up to one year, or expulsion from the party."
So resign from the party or the worst he can do is expel them from the party? Yeh, makes sense. I bet they're quaking in their boots.
Who are the misguided souls standing up in support of this poor excuse for a leader.
Greentea 7 years, 4 months ago
Last nights introduction of Minnis as the next Prime Minister of the Bahamas truly scared the sheet out me. Sorry FNM. I couldn't vote FNM with the seven and won't be voting for FNM without them. The problem for you isn't the seven - it's your so called leader who got Goosied on the floor of parliament yesterday. You have to remember that the FNM could never win with just the people in the room from last night. Your leader does not appeal to the wider population and has done a PISS POOR job as leader of the opposition. He is painfully incompetent and the sooner you all realize that the better for us all.
islandgold 7 years, 4 months ago
So you're saying that in spite of Christie's clear demonstration that he never has and never will embody any characteristics of a leader, you would still be willing to vote for his leadership again which is not only incompetent and piss poor, but devastating to the future of the Bahamas itself and the Bahamian people?
jujutreeclub 7 years, 4 months ago
Let them remain part of the party since only one of them is ratified a candidate in the person of Loretta. Minnis is still leader of the party so he still call the shots, run an independent against Loretta, win the seat and then join the FNM. (Sounds and looks familiar.) That would be more devastating to her than having her resign from the party. One thing for sure, she can't win in Montague, St Annes and especially Long Island. Dr. Minnis should have ratified Andre to run in Long Island in thew first place when she was complaining about Rollins and Minnis undermining her. He would have a better chance with that. Now the two hugging up like nothing happened. Politics do make some strange bedfellows.
Economist 7 years, 4 months ago
I cannot understand, for the life of me, why Minnis would want to continue to bring all this humiliation on himself?
Everyone and their mother has said that he is not a good leader, why continue?
He has destroyed the FNM and should resign the leadership, the party and politics.
(Ok, I know, you have to care about The Bahamas to do that.)
sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago
Minnis is going to cut off his nose to spite his face .......... and he is already disfigured ...... Minnis time is over ............ 400 delegates cannot save his lousy ass in Parliament ............... the time for change is NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 4 months ago
The job is only half done. The entire leadership apparatus of the FNM party needs to be dismantled otherwise it will remain a failed party hijacked by the very deceitful, arrogant and incompetent Minnis. If this cannot be achieved in relatively short order, Bahamian voters should simply consider the FNM party to be a politically defunct organization of the past, with no future political purpose whatsoever for our country....much like the PLP will be after the next general election.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 4 months ago
What disciplinary action is he talking about?. Butler Turner is the only one who has been given a nomination does he have the power to throw them out of the party? And what about the wide bench Doc always talked about.
asiseeit 7 years, 4 months ago
The seven need to cut a deal with the DNA and we The Bahamian people will do the rest, ego's aside, it is now or never.
SP 7 years, 4 months ago
...................... DNA Cannot Be Stupid Enough To Touch The Nasty Seven ..........................
McCartney better have sense enough not to allow these 7 untrustworthy vermin into his camp, as general perception of the electorate is BLT and Rollins cannot be trusted beyond line of sight, and the rest fall into the same boat!
DNA needs allow the FNM to continue to implode and try forming a solid coalition with the Gate Keepers.
These 7 proven wackos carry little weight and would be more of a liability than an asset to DNA!
sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago
Asiseeit and SP ........... a compromise of all parties that are anti-PLP must happen by January or the PLP will get an easy election victory .............. Minnis needs to see the writing is on the wall for him and Perry ......... he should now do the right thing and step aside and let a third party leader like Jeff Lloyd, Bran or Greg Moss to become the new FNM-led coalition leader and unite both FNM factions and bring the UDP, DNA etc on board to kick the PLP out of Office in 2017 ........ watsayu??????
proudloudandfnm 7 years, 4 months ago
Who are the morons on the committee?
A majority of your sitting caucus votes no confidence in their leader and the committee wants the caucus to resign?!?!?
Can you say stupid?
The FNM really is a joke. Time to either get a new leader or close the party down man. Damn....
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 4 months ago
The FNM party is no more and the root cause of its demise was Hubiggity's piss poor sore loser conduct in response to the thrashing he received from Christie in the last general election. Hubiggity's angst and utter disgust at the conclusion of the 2012 general election resulted in shameful post-election bahaviour on his part. Hubiggity's disgraceful walkaway from the FNM party back then created a power vacuum easily filled by a blithering incompetent corrupt imbecile with zero charisma and absolutely no ability to think quickly while standing on his feet to address or debate anything. We all know Minnis was never possessed of the qualities necessary to be or become a political leader; he could never overcome his many obvious limitations. Hubiggity knew all of this when he observed Minnis maneuvering to fill the leadership role in the opposition and the FNM party shortly after the last general election. But, like a spiteful child, Hubiggity did nothing to prevent the disaster he undoubtedly knew would be coming the FNM's way under the failed leadership of Minnis.
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