Ingraham reveals resignation date

Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham with FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis and supporters in North Abaco.

As of Monday, May 14, 2012

By CELESTE NIXON

Tribune Staff Reporter

cnixon@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham announced he will formerly resign from the House of Assembly on the anniversary of his first election.

Thanking Abaconians for the years of unwavering loyalty and support during a reception and concert in Abaco Saturday evening, Free National Movement (FNM) Member of Parliament-elect and former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said after 35 years of public service he will step down as leader of the FNM at a special convention on May 26th and resign from his North Abaco seat on July 19, the anniversary of his first election to Parliament.

"I have spent more than one half of my life in your service," he told his supporters. "I ran again this time to Head the Government for a fourth time; the Bahamian public rejected my message and denied my request. I accept their determination and in the Westminster tradition of electoral democracy which we adhere to, I have determined to end my public life which has spanned more than half my own lifetime."

Encouraging residents to discuss who they would like to replace him in Parliament, Mr Ingraham said North Abaco will remain an FNM seat.

He said: "I thank all the people of Abaco for their faithfulness and loyalty and support. It does my heart good to know that I love you and that you love me in return.

"It does my heart well that Abaco has joined Long Island in being amongst the most faithful of Family Island constituencies to our Party since I joined the FNM in 1990. We are Abaco; we are never fearful and we will not abandon the FNM ship! So I will be replaced as your MP by another FNM!"

Proud of his record and many accomplishments, Mr Ingraham said he has done his best for North Abaco and has plans in place that will continue the island's development.

A number of projects are on the books for Abaco, he said, including new subdivisions for community expansion in Crown Haven, Fox Town, Cooper's Town, Green Turtle Cay, Dundas and Murphy Town; the new port at Conch Rock and the Angle Creek Fish Bridge and asphalt paving of the Treasure Cay Airport.

The new terminal at Marsh Harbour Airport is nearing completion, while the new Administrative Complex is complete and the Central Abaco Hospital is under construction, Mr Ingraham added.

"I acknowledge my debt to you and express my gratitude. I leave with my reputation intact," he said. "I gave you decent, honourable and incorruptible service. I did my best for you and I leave you now much, much better off than when we began."

Returning to private life and his law practice, Mr Ingraham said he plans to re-open his office in Marsh Harbour as he will be spending more time at his home in Cooper's Town and in "the seas of Abaco fishin'.".

"I am honoured for the privilege to have been of service to you," he said.

Newly-elected Opposition Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, who was also present, thanked the former prime minister for his years of service. He also thanked Abaconians for "sharing one of your brightest stars with the rest of the Bahamas" adding that they "have been an FNM stronghold for many years."

Dr Minnis encouraged the residents of Abaco to remain loyal to the FNM.

He said: "We will soon be returning to ask for your continued support in the upcoming by-election. We need you to help us to strengthen our team in the House of Assembly so that we can carry out the functions of an effective opposition, and so that we can better guard your rights and privileges as citizens of the Bahamas.

"Remind our opponents that this is still FNM country and that you will not be moved."

Dr Minnis said the FNM will use this defeat as an opportunity to reorganise internally, rebuild the party's leadership and restructure plans to ensure the "torch will burn brighter than before".

"Like the phoenix, The Free National Movement will rise from this setback with more strength, clearer vision and greater determination to serve the Bahamian people," he said.

TalRussell 11 years, 11 months ago

I hope the fired Hubert when he reopens his Nassau and Abaco law practices will follow his own damn advice he sure as hell accused his former, trusted law partner PM Christie of, and release to the media the names and financial arrangements of all seeking his advice as a lawyer and "former PM?" Something tells me that it would be foolish to expect such transparency of the dealings of a former PM, when he never practice it as the head of the FNM regime. But he'll just practice his potentially hugely influence peddling opportunities law practices and go fishing to sell his catch to the local natives in Abaco and Nassau, forgetting all those lies he told to make his former law partner out to be a thief and a crook. I wonder whose at the top of his list of the dearly departed for him to attack when his mood hits him? No, Hubert few Abacocians will ever understand why you runn for your seat if you had no intentions of representing your constituents, particularly when you accused PM Christie of not wanting to serve his full five years? What a peep show you and the FNM have have become since May 7, across all of Abaco.

dacy 11 years, 11 months ago

lol anger is killing you...he is gone and you still angry....LOL

TalRussell 11 years, 11 months ago

Oh really. Isn't it Ingraham that is now, in the present, accusing PM Christie of buying votes? And, i thought he had retired? Let the FNM peep show continue. Admission must be worth much more than the price of admission was to his campaign propaganda so-called documentary. The more Hubert rants on about this thing and that thing the more he sounds like he is already prepping his return. Don't be surprised if the reason he did not immediately resign his Abaco seat, is he wants to hedge his bet, just in case there are still voices in the FNM that can be taken seriously about calling for his return. I tell you what. If there are those voices, then the normal Comrades still sticking around in the FNM need to turn them all upside down to find out what kind of Crunchy Nuts they using to power their brains. As I recall many in the party were ignored backing 2002 when they warned the FNM party’s money backers that if they did it would be an expensive move for the party, one that the party may never recover from the peep show he will have left behind.

concernedcitizen 11 years, 11 months ago

still waiting for PGC to sue the fnm ,,still waiting for PGC to sue the punch ,stil waiting on OHW to sue cnn and Larry King ....

TalRussell 11 years, 11 months ago

The courts much too busy reserving the dates on the calendar for all them civil and even criminal law suits they threatened anyone who was a threat to their power with. For five long years the FNM had their hands on all the government's documents and yet they never did find anything to charge even one single former PLP or sitting MP with nothing. Zippo. Let's see what PM Christie discovers now that he got all their documents?

concernedcitizen 11 years, 11 months ago

the fnm didn,t threaten to sue anyone .....lets see by natives do you mean people of African desent and by foriengners do you mean people of European desent ,,or maybe you mean foriengners equal whites and natives equals blacks ,if thats it, what is the new MP of financial services , still trying to figure what the native thing means since the natives were Arawak or Tanio indians

bookiedread 11 years, 11 months ago

Mr. Ingraham is gone and unless he does something that requires some form of scrutiny, then his practise should not be of any concern. What should be of concern to the Bahamian people is the involvement of the PM Christie in this oil company. I know that during the election process he spoke with two different tongues about his position. Mr. Ingraham has retired, now its time for Mr. Christie to answer the Bahamian people. Keep a close eye on exploration for oil in our waters not Hubert Ingraham.

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