By KHRISNA VIRGIL
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
HUNDREDS of staunch FNMs will gather Saturday for one of the party's most highly anticipated conventions where supporters will see a new leadership emerge.
The one-day event is slated to take place in two major sessions at the Trinity Activity Centre, McKinney Avenue, Stapledon Gardens. Although the event begins at 8am, outgoing leader and former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham will give a farewell address at 9am.
A number of closed sessions will then follow before the party's newly elected leaders are officially announced at the convention's final meeting, which begins at 7pm and is also open to the public.
FNM Chairman Carl Bethel earlier this week told The Tribune the convention shows that the party has heard the voice of the Bahamian electorate and its 65,000 supporters.
He said: "(The Free National Movement) is prepared to respond positively and proactively to meet the challenges of being the official opposition, while laying a firm and enduring foundation for an early return to government."
The leader position of the FNM was left to be contested after Mr Ingraham announced he would step down following the party's landslide defeat on May 7.
Hours after it was declared that the FNM had not been re-elected as the Bahamas' governing party, Mr Ingraham said he would not take his seat as the FNM's MP for the North Abaco constituency.
Last year former Foreign Affairs Minister Brent Symonette also said he was stepping down from frontline politics.
Almost three weeks ago, Dr Hubert Minnis, who is the party's Member of Parliament for the Killarney constituency was unanimously elected as the leader of the FNM. He was later sworn in as the official leader of the opposition. Since then, party officials have said no one would run against him.
On Thursday night, unsuccessful election candidate Cassius Stuart announced he would pull out of the race for the FNM’s deputy leader, leaving newly sworn in Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner and former Education Minister Desmond Bannister to battle for the position.
Former FNM senator Dr Duane Sands, Carl Bethel who served as FNM chairman for several years, former Youth, Sports, and Culture Minister Charles Maynard, and former Senator Anthony “Tinny” Musgrove have offered themselves for the party's chairmanship.
Comments
TalRussell 11 years, 10 months ago
How many final farewells is Hubert going give? He done said his piece on defeat night of May 7 , so why he still tugging away? I ain't exactly know, it's why I asking the bloggers if they know? Comrades Hubert is doing what I'd call an hold onto power reluctant tug
242 11 years, 10 months ago
atleast he know when to bow out gracefully unlike the LOSER of the 2007 elections. who said he wasnt runnin again from 2005 after his stroke. n then change his mind n then say if he wib 2012 hell only serve 2 years n then . change his mind. hell be runnin again in The year 3000.
Philosopher_King 11 years, 10 months ago
UH? Citizen Ingraham resigned after defeat at the polls in '02 when he was leader of the remnants of the FNM and now again after another landslide defeat he resigns as leader leaving behind his Hubedite minions to fill his small shoes. This man is was destructive force of nature that corrupted the ideals of FNM to create a cult of personality that the majority of Bahamians thought they were done with in ’92 with Sir Lynden was run out of office. Unfortunately history continues to repeat itself in The Bahamas, I suspect he’ll claim the people calling for him to come back in ’17 so he try scrape another slim victory like ’07.
Rontom 11 years, 10 months ago
Nooo, he resigned as leader of the party BEFORE the '02 elections
242 11 years, 10 months ago
Um....he resigned prior to the 2002 elections he didn't run as leader Tommy Turnquest did. and when Tommy lost he stepped down as leader of the party like respectful leaders do. PC Lose and come back. See the difference young Philosopher
Cc 11 years, 10 months ago
We get it. Everyone so used to Papa "doing", they can't understand why he is now "talking" so much. Here's a thought- If you don't want hear him, turn off your dam TV.
TalRussell 11 years, 10 months ago
Comrade Rontom them red shirts leader has told so many damn lies over the past five years that even the few still supporting him gets their facts mixed-up. Father don't forgive them for the red shirt scarlets knoweth exactly what they saith.
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
That's it now ...... Exactly the PLP way ...... think you can tell God what to do? Keep it up! Your reward will be JUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
242 11 years, 10 months ago
lol....God is Love
Rontom 11 years, 10 months ago
TalRussell, You are funny as hell man.
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
For the record, there's no "few" people supporting the FNM. there are thousands and thousands of us - GET IT RIGHT! The ignorance of PLP is so offensive to this country!!!!
TalRussell 11 years, 10 months ago
The last time I checked there were 38 FNM regime political candidates contesting on May 7 and only 8 weaklings remain seated in the House, if we accept Hubert at his word that he's actually leaving. Seems the majority native's disagreed with you.
rochellecurry 11 years, 10 months ago
In 1997 there were only 5 plp in the house
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
TalRussel you remind me of those B--- T--- children in the senior high school class room. Can't get past 1+1 - go figure! But yet, they tell teachers that they have no need to worry about jobs now because with the PLP in power they don't need an education to get a job - why? Because their MP promise their ma that when she vote for him her whole house straight - Now that's out of the mouths of Babes - and the poor things actually believe that - so sad.
TalRussell 11 years, 10 months ago
While i don't agree with the PLP or any other government being in the mortgage or housing business, do I need to remind you that just days ago your bloved Hubert not only stood-up in the House to acknowledge the merits of PM Christie's mortgage payments and interest assistance program, he claimed it was exactly what his FNM regime were planning ti implement had they not been fired?
242 11 years, 10 months ago
No No after the changes were made AFTER PC realized he would have ruined the Country AFTER...FACTS lol FACTS...PULL OUT TAL because you makin less and less sense lol.
spoitier 11 years, 10 months ago
Dude you made a statement earlier like their is so much supporters supporting the FNM, if that was the case the FNM would've won the election, especially since Hubert Ingraham did his gerrymandering technique to try and benefit the party. Technically even the DNA have thousand and thousands, but don't make that statement after a landslide loss. By the way i was rooting against both of the FNM and PLP.
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
Again, the DUMBNESS of bahamians!!!!!!!!!!!! Lesley Miller was actually correct!!!!! LOL!!!!!
spoitier 11 years, 10 months ago
Everyone is stupid and only you have since, feel better now.
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
It's "sense" that I have ... the "since" you speak of doesn't make sense.
TalRussell 11 years, 10 months ago
If you want to be mathematically correct all you would have to do is count up the total votes received by the 8 members who actually remain as sitting members of the House and you would get the grand sum of their support from across our entire Bahamaland. If ya ain't got elected all the votes in the world still equal zero. Ask Comrades Carl, Tommy and that Zhivargo, if i taking sense? Ask Ingraham's choice for his Abaco seat, sister Comrade Pakeisha if I talking right?
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
Tal please don't use "mathematically correct" in your nonsensical arguments. You are misleading the nation's youth who are trying to learn math. We on the other hand are trying to save them.
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
Again, the ignorance of PLP's in our society is an embarrassment and is debilating this country.
http://thetribune.media.clients.ellin...">Bahamas Election Results - 2012 by notsogullible
242 11 years, 10 months ago
That means the 51% of Bahamians who actually voted did not vote PLP. and 9% out of all the registered voters said screw everybody I stayin home.
spoitier 11 years, 10 months ago
Rather than cut and paste something from an article "Mr. only sensible man in the world" sit down and understand it first, how could three parties accumulate 99% of the votes and still there is another 9% out there not cast. Now that is what wrong with Bahamian people because they could talk louder and hit dominoes harder then that means their the better player. Go back and add up the total votes and then do your percentage or simply explain that the ones that didn't vote was taken from the total amount of registered voters and the other percentage was taken from the people who voted, two different charts..
242 11 years, 10 months ago
Yes, we can clearly see that by only glancing at the figures. The point was to show the actual counted votes that went to each particular party. Nobody knows what the 9%(out of the total registered would have done) and the less than 1% were for Independent and BCP. That is why it adds up to 99%.
spoitier 11 years, 10 months ago
Hey! when a person is on a board calling everyone else dumb, he have to at least show some sort of intelligence, your point will be miss when you have an error in calculation, and one that is the average 7th grader would know?
242 11 years, 10 months ago
Ite Got ya
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
And I as a math expert used to wonder why the country's youth was so lacking in basic number skills ... LOL!! not anymore. You are correct 242 and spoitier is definitely off his math rockers. FYI spoitier, the stats came from the parliamentary registrar dept.
Rontom 11 years, 10 months ago
The % represent the number of UNSPOILED ballets cast for the respective parties. Evidently, its a different % when counting number of REGISTERED voters who were able to vote ( that would THEN include the 9% who did not vote
Rontom 11 years, 10 months ago
NSG, believe me, even with this factual table, there is no fighting (or understanding for that matter) ignorance or deliberate misrepresentation of facts by some. Tal, It's impossible to have an honest discussion with you. BTW, If you add the FNM and DNA votes, its represents more that half of the popular vote. Translation: PLP albeit the govt, but a minority govt (by %)
242 11 years, 10 months ago
Truth. The majority of the people in the Bahamas are not PLP's but the PLP is the government. That's scary
242 11 years, 10 months ago
This chart is also very interesting because it shows that almost 30,000 people did not want either PLP or FNM to be the government. Give or take the invalid votes and people who had no way of making it to the polls. I also looked at the results from the previous election and noticed that the PLP had roughly the same amount of supports. They got virtually no new supporters %age wise. The FNM lost support %age wise but we cannot tell from the charts if most switched to PLP, DNA, BCP or just didn't vote. The 13,000 DNA votes is a large number but almost 16,000(out of the total of registered voters) is large as well. Does anyone know if there is a chart that shows the amount of 1st time voters or 1st time registered? And total discarded or incorrect votes.?
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
That's exactly why we cannot expect better from our students - not when they come from homes like yours - imagine telling students to calculate the number of people who voted FNM by adding the votes of the sitting FNM members of parliament. My gosh when will you start helping this country for a change! God it's so frustrating to know we are still so DUMB in this country!!!!
242 11 years, 10 months ago
Tal Russel remind me of those people who think there is one less hour in every day after time change
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
LOL!!! you're so right!!!
Cc 11 years, 10 months ago
And don't forget those people who think that if you were born on Feb 29, you have to celebrate your b-day every 4 years. Grown azz men walkin roun with gray hair, talkin bout dey only 10 years old. smt.
242 11 years, 10 months ago
LOL!
TalRussell 11 years, 10 months ago
You try buying a straw hat from the market by using your type of math to negotiate a lower price from the vendor. You'd get run out the market. I seen them outsmart bankers from the big apple of New York. Tell me something Comrade, who got the government limos now? I hear Hubert driving himself around in his little jeep - and still looking for a parking space.
dacy 11 years, 10 months ago
You got to call out HUBERT in bed! he is always on your mind...sad, sad it!
TalRussell 11 years, 10 months ago
You mean the regime that watched as the thugs were murdering, raping and robbing de own native’s. I t’ink 60,000 native’s going without paychecks is a form of economic slavery in itself. Don’t you? I t’ink they were afraid of the foreigners becoming their modern day Maussa's. You sure sound like as you’re as good a slave to their lies as they ever desired. Me, I’d rather be free to support a man who many pray will once again bring prosperity back to our Bahamaland, and not for just a few elites. How can you possible knock Hope?
Cc 11 years, 10 months ago
I've since concluded that Perry is not worthy of Tal's attention.
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
Well everybody knows that 90% of the vendors in the straw market are PLP so GO FIGURE ... dumbness, crookedness, dishonesty and scandal gone out of style ...
Bril 11 years, 10 months ago
notsogumble I was just watching the back and forth on here and was just observing the with interest the comments made. But I have to say something about your comments on Straw Vendors. You need to catch yah self. Bahamians too love to play like they are from some aristocracy. The people you insult in the Straw Market are our neighbors, our church members, our PTA parents, our family, our friends and our fellow Bahamians. As far as I know our population doesn't vary that much that majority of our ancestors didn't come off the same ship. We really need to check ourselves in this country and get a grip. We've gotten a little education and now we think we're above our own. We applaud people who have pursued educations and done well for themselves. But I think we need to be careful how we denigrate each other. So let me challenge you then notsogumble. If there is dumbness, crookedness, dishonesty and scandal only in the low Straw Market then how do you explain the gross incompetence we see in the local commercial banks. I wouldn't talk about the theft and dishonesty. What about the many high level accountants and bankers in this country accused of embezzlement and fraud that has been swept under the rug time and time again? What about the many thieves in the hotel industry who's news stories never see the light of day? If you want talk numbers talk these numbers. The FNM loves to act as if its hands are clean and in their hearts they know its not true. I agree there has been scandal under the PLP and many PLPs know that. But please lets top dragging straw vendors and others into these arguments. We use them when its time for election then speak ill of them when things don't go our way.
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
"I seen them [vendors of straw hats] outsmart bankers from the big apple of New York" is the conversation I had participated in. Focus, focus, focus my child!! It's pointless for me to respond to someone (you, Bril) who pluralizes education ... whoosh, straight over the top!! Oh! And might you be one of those vendors whose corns I may have mashed? Testy! Testy!
Bril 11 years, 10 months ago
Hahahaha its quite interesting that I'm described as testy by someone who is hurling insults. I simply said that we need to be more sensible in our judgement of people. True there is a typo in the word education being plural. But for you to pick at that and try to use it as an insult is quite amusing. Perhaps I am a straw vendor, but what does it matter if I am. And if I am it says a whole lot for my success and achievement that I'm sitting in a coffee shop in central London enjoying this awesome day and laughing at your patronizing comments. If at some point you should be even marginally be fortunate enough to experience even a fraction of what I have. Please remember your ancestors were probably slaves as were mine, your grandparents were poor and barefoot as were mine and the most important thing to remember as you conjure up some stupid response is this your hatred and spite for your own people will forever keep you in the piss poor state you apparently live in.
That's the only conclusion I can come to with you because you appear to be angry at the world. Now that's "Testy."
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
Ooops! Sure hope we weren't sitting next to each other! LOL!!! God sure has a sense of humour!
positiveinput 11 years, 10 months ago
Well Bril, notsogumble actually spoke highly of the straw vendors in a way but he himself is too dumb to notice. In his earlier post he implied that he wonder why we cant expect better of our students, but form his posting of our STRAW VENDORS outsmarting bankers from the BIG APPLE actually puts them as being more educated. Futhermore its not SOME parents whose to blame for OUR children educational outcome, its mainly jackassez like notsogumble whom steriotype ones job as degrading. This immature thinking even exists in some teachers whom get first 'chance' in discouraging our kids by making them assume that if they can't become a lawyer, policeman, doctor, teacher or even a 'banker from the big apple', they're a waste of time. And no, I am not a vendor but if I was I would say it proud because whatever in life I may have become that is not criminal I'm proud to know I could pay MY bills and support My family from the profession I choose.
TalRussell 11 years, 10 months ago
Comrade positiveinput you talk plenty sense. Sometimes the Comrades may just look smart. In Hubert we had a former customs officer and a lawyer. Now, throw in Comrade Tommy and we have the banker who thought he was anointed top cop. And, look what they did to our tiny and much beloved Bahamaland?
Cc 11 years, 10 months ago
Hubrt, Hubert, Hubert, Hubert, hubert.... Delores don't call that man's name as much as you.
242 11 years, 10 months ago
maybw guiltyy take insult to notsogullable's comments. Everyone has their opinions. Everyone has made good points. even here n there tal russel has made points (although rare) . We all should read post fully before responding. when yoy got people sayin that ingraham ran for pm in 2002 they clearly dont know enough history to make a statement lije that. Sayin that people who voted for a candidate that lost votes adds up to zero is like saying that the dna n bcp had no supporters.
notsogullible 11 years, 10 months ago
My sentiments exactly; if the cap doesn't fit ...
Philosopher_King 11 years, 10 months ago
Yes Ingraham did run for PM in '02 Tommy held a non-constitutional post of leader-elect that didn't guarantee or compel Ingraham to step down after the election. So he was the leader of the FNM at the time and would have been sworn in as PM if they had won. Many of his sheep are deniers and refuse to understand that He did lead them in to landslide defeat as he did again this time. I’ve been around this all my life and know the FNM constitution which most Hubedites and new supporters clearly don’t care to learn
242 11 years, 10 months ago
R U Serious?
Rontom 11 years, 10 months ago
This is priceless. Astounding
Philosopher_King 11 years, 10 months ago
Note of Fact: Both the last 2 elections produced governments that did get 50% of the popular vote. The FNM/ Hubedites led by their noses by now Citizen Ingraham governed with no regard for the majority who didn't vote for them and lost badly this time around by seat count, but the PLP like them in ‘07 only garnered 48% of the voters support. Once again the ugly code word “Mandate” was uttered by Bradley “My Fingers in Every Pie” Roberts in a recent interview, just like Citizen Ingraham foolishly did in ’07. Let this be a warning to the current administration: you must be consultative and come to the people on the bigger issues to at least let them be heard. Be open to criticism and frank assessment of your ideas and performance by true intellectuals and experts in various fields. Adjust policies to fit the reality of what is in the best interest of the majority of the people, not a select few legacy families or big party donors. For next time around the DNA if they play their cards right will take an even greater percentage of the vote, a few seats even and one of you will find yourselves sharing office with them or even worse you both will be battling to see who is truly the official opposition. We tired of this ish man.
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