The Tribune

HALSON Moultrie, the Free National Movement’s candidate for Nassau Village in the general election, has defended beleaguered party Leader Dr Hubert Minnis and blasted the machinations of the seven “rebel” MPs for their “insane” and “spiteful” actions.

In assuring Dr Minnis of his constituency’s “unreserved” support and confidence in his leadership, Mr Moultrie lambasted Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner working with the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) and branded Branville McCartney, the DNA’s leader, as being blinded by his “lust for power”.

In a strongly-worded statement on Tuesday night, Mr Moultrie likened the manoeuvring of Mrs Butler-Turner and Mr McCartney to that of “Sampson and Delilah’s unholy alliance”.

“I unreservedly support Dr Minnis and his team and accordingly denounce the December 7, 2016 insane and spiteful action of the seven recalcitrant members of Parliament and their continued disingenuous behaviour of purporting to be acting on behalf of the FNM without the leader’s knowledge and/or consent and without the sanction of any of the organs of the FNM party,” Mr Moultrie said. “Their most recent action of threatening to join or to work with the Democratic National Alliance is yet another insane transparent attempt to stave off the wrath of the party’s constitution. The insidious nature of this delusion reminds me of the Sampson and Delilah’s unholy alliance.

“Like Sampson and Delilah, the unnamed group and DNA’s union appears to be a union doomed for failure and marked from the beginning for the downfall of the group and eventual demise of the DNA which is now forced to align with persons like Edison Key and Dr Andre Rollins whom they have called unstable. History is likely to look at this infatuation for power and consider both ‘leaders’ gullible; stupid even.

“Similar to Sampson’s lust for Delilah, Bran’s lust for power has blinded him to Loretta’s (untruths) and her true cunning and calculating nature in offering the Senate appointment.”

On Monday, Mrs Butler-Turner announced that she had appointed the DNA leader to the Senate, giving him the post of leader of opposition business in the Upper Chamber. However, he has stressed that the DNA has not disbanded or formed a coalition with the FNM.

Mrs Butler-Turner was appointed to the post of Official Opposition leader on Sunday, days after she and six FNM MPs wrote a letter of no confidence in Dr Minnis to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling.

They asked Dame Marguerite to invoke Article 82 of the Constitution, and strip Dr Minnis of his post.

In his statement, Mr Moultrie said Mrs Butler-Turner “has made Bran second fiddle in the eyes of his own party supporters and has set the stage for a witch-like hostile takeover of the DNA.”

“In addition, unknowingly, the DNA’s leader has been gagged by the rebellious, recalcitrant seven’s insidiously deceitful claim of being FNM,” he continued. “The arrangement which they deem historic has effectively silenced the DNA with respect to their previous utterances and charges levied at the FNM.

“We wish to remind the representative of the Queen in Parliament for opposition politics that whenever she speaks about the failure of the opposition to look around and note that she took seventy per cent of that failure with her. And that if they are able to mount any kind of show as the Official Opposition it will only confirm the hypocrisy of their four and a half years of undermining Dr Minnis, the duly elected leader of the Free National Movement, for selfish gain to the detriment of beloved Bahamaland.

“The blessing of the recalcitrant seven’s departure is that the curse of uncertainty and disbelief of unity has now shifted from the FNM to the DNA and to this ‘historic’ arrangement where the devil remains in the details and end game.”

Last week, Dr Minnis called on the seven MPs to resign or face disciplinary action. The MPs have refused to resign and now face hearings before a tribunal that can see them expelled, fined or suspended.