The Tribune

NEVER MIND the election. As rumours spread that a very special guest would attend last night's FNM rally, Tina Turner fever took over the country.

Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere - not to mention The Tribune's phone lines - exploded with claims that the mega-star had been hired to serenade Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham with what has become his signature theme song, her very own "Simply the Best".

Reports that she flew in on a private jet, sailed in on a yacht, touched down in a helicopter, took on a life of their own yesterday.

At one point, Tina was said to be relaxing at the Ocean Club, hiding out at Albany, and holed up in a private home in Lyford Cay, all at the same time.

The more sober-minded were having none of it. There's no way the FNM could keep such a huge secret under wraps for an entire day, they said.

But these people were far outnumbered by the fanatical fans who vowed to make their way down to Clifford Park - regardless of what party they support.

Virtual

battlefield

AS the War of the Signs rages on in the streets, rival parties have begun contesting a new, high-tech battlefield.

Over the last several days, election 2012-themed videos have been popping up all over the internet - most of them dedicated to portraying PLP, FNM or DNA operatives as either shameless cheats or hapless fools.

One of the more amusing claims showed DNA supporters caught in the act of "cussing out" drivers who don't want to accept gifts of party paraphernalia - when they are supposed to be converting them to the cause.

Another purports to be a PLP television spot rejected by broadcasting authorities because it resembled an FNM advertisement too closely.

The ad, which uses the FNM's colours and slogans, pretends to show the governing party admitting it has done an awful job in office over the last five years.

Only at the end is the game given away, when the words "Paid for by the PLP" appear at the bottom of the screen.

The worst

kept secret

There's something fishy at ZNS, according to Carl Bethel.

While he can't be sure, the FNM chairman suspects an interruption in the public TV station's feed this week could have been a shameless act of political trechery.

He was referring to the black-out of a portion of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham's speech in Grand Bahama on Tuesday night.

Mr Bethel said: "They are back to their dirty business and they haven't even gotten in power. You heard 'Papa' last night - someone cut him off at the right point."

The revelation Mr Bethel's PLP operatives didn't want the nation to hear:

"The leader of the opposition, a former Prime Minister who is seeking to once again hold that high office, has publicly stated that he is a paid consultant for a foreign oil company," Mr Ingraham said.

"This company is seeking to explore and drill for oil in Bahamian territorial waters. Mr Christie's deputy leader's law firm is also involved with the very same foreign oil company."

Not exactly breaking news then.

Maybe there are PLP moles at ZNS; maybe someone mistakenly stepped on a wire.