By PAUL G TURNQUEST
Chief Reporter
pturnquest@tribunemedia.net
FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis has dismissed any possibility of DNA leader Branville McCartney being courted by his party to replace him as leader of the FNM.
Officially distancing himself, and his party from comments made by the FNM's chairman Charles Maynard regarding a possible "wooing" of DNA leader Branville McCartney, Dr Minnis said that while the FNM does have an "open tent" policy, there was no wooing of Mr McCartney for any leadership role.
"The FNM is an open tent. Anyone can join us. (Perry) Christie - anyone can come in. But the comments by the chairman were off-point," Dr Minnis remarked.
The comments to which Dr Minnis refer appeared in another local daily, where Mr Maynard said that the FNM will make it a priority to reach out to the DNA's leader to come "home" to the FNM. The chairman even goes further to suggest that the party's current leader and deputy had only "12 to 18 months" to prove themselves in their respective roles - hinting at the possibility of a change.
Mr Maynard: "The FNM traditionally, and I'll say it as plain as I can, doesn't take mess. (The members) have a very low tolerance in terms of seeing their party progress" - referring various leadership changes that have taken place over the years.
Dismissing any possibility of Mr McCartney being courted to replace him as leader, Dr Minnis said he and his deputy, Loretta Butler-Turner have been nominated and elected to serve as leader and deputy respectively, and have all intentions of carrying the party into the next general election and winning.
"And we will do all within our power to win. The comments by the chairman were off-point. The FNM is a party with an open tent, but we are not courting Bran to come back and take over the party," he said.
Mr McCartney could not be reached for comment, but DNA chairman Mark Humes said the opposition will have a hard time recruiting the party leader after all that has transpired.
Mr Humes said anything the FNM could offer would be "too little too late" after some party operatives tried to "destroy" Mr McCartney during the election campaign.
The DNA is "moving forward" with its own agenda and actually seeking to recruit any disgruntled FNMs or PLPs, Mr Humes added.
Prime Minister Perry Christie has also chimed in on the growing FNM debacle stating that he was "amazed" to read the comments attributed to Mr Maynard.
"Dr Minnis comes from a tradition of the FNM, but his chairman doesn't come from that tradition. And already it seems there is a diverging view on how things should proceed with that party," he said.
Comments
TalRussell 11 years, 10 months ago
With Hubert up in Cooper's Town hearing voices in he head that he should rush to Mackey Street to regain the leadership of the the red shirts, even though he burn their house down once before in 2002 and again on May 7, 2012, this developing situation Comrade Minnis has with his fellow Comrade Chairman Charles "Pillsbury Doughboy" rightly so must be troubling to his head to. First, we got the first Alexander A. up in Cooper's Town with head issues and now the new "temporary" Alexander A over at they Mackey Street Headquarters is also dealing with things messing with he You go figure! If Hod has a sense of humor, He too has to be laughing he head off?
proudloudandfnm 11 years, 10 months ago
Man the FNM needs to do something about the DNa if they ever want to win again. DNA supporters are primarily young naieve first time voters. The FNM needs to concetrate on them and leave the DNA with no support. The DNA handed this huge majority to the PLP, the PLP has no mandate as a result of their victory. More than half the people of this country denied the PLP, time fore the FNM to get them back to the fold and close the PLP down for good!
spoitier 11 years, 10 months ago
You call them young Naive because they can think for themselves and not follow behind what their parents view is? The naive ones are everybody else who keep straddling behind the FNM and PLP only to complain days after the elections that campaign promises haven't been met.
Concerned 11 years, 10 months ago
Charles Maynard needs a muzzle. A rookie chairman mistake to out speak his leader but a mistake that cannot be allowed to happen. Mr. Maynard, you are not Bradley Roberts who continually attempts to outshine his party head. Make the phone call, send an email or push a text message - whatever you do and say, make sure make contact with your party heads first to ensure that you three are on the same page.
TalRussell 11 years, 10 months ago
I would characterize this as an act of fragging.
TalRussell 11 years, 10 months ago
Hubert gotta be fuming red cussing up something serious in Cooper’s Town over his red shirts party Chairman’s call to bring Comrade Bran back, as if he ever left, into the red shirts. The new Hubert Alexander within days of being elected by one of the most unenthusiastic small grouping of 150 attendees I have ever witnessed at a political party’s convention came under direct fire from Comrade Pillsbury Doughboy publicly putting his new leader on notice that his days are numbered at the top.
What more can you expect when you surround yourself with political deadbeats. Comrade Chairman ain’t talking no one man’s gibberish. Comrades this type of backstabbing by the red shirts who been out their lecturing on democracy can actually give democracy a bad name, if that is at all possible after the things Hubert said and did for five long years.
by TalRussell
shortpants 11 years, 10 months ago
Don't you'll think TalRussell ,Bradley Roberts and Keith Bell all deserve to be in one boat .As for Charles Maynard he's an idiot and should keep his stupid mouth shut and let those in charge do their work .For sure Dr, Minnis can hold his own and I'm sure that will be Charlie last butt in . Who the hell wants Bran back with the FNM he's so full for himself he makes woman look bad maybe Charles .
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