The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I have heard some pretty ridiculous and insensitive things come out of the mouths of public figures in my time. But for Dr Hubert Minnis to compare the PLP government with the tragic loss of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 takes the cake.

First of all, the comparison makes no sense. While this government might have lost its way, it’s not lost, as in missing, which is the case with MH 370, which went missing early last month with 12 crew members and 227 passengers from 14 countries.

Just in terms of his comparison, Dr Minnis got it dead wrong. If anybody wants to find the prime minister or his cabinet ministers, they can go to the next cabinet meeting. They are not missing.

But even worse is the insensitivity of Dr Minnis. The whole world is following this tragedy and watching the pain and suffering of the families and friends who lost loved ones.

We can only imagine their pain, especially because the world still doesn’t know what really happened. What adds to the pain is that no wreckage has been found as yet.

This is one of the most significant air disasters in living memory. The stories are so sad like that of the young couple just married.

There are some things you just don’t joke about. What was Dr Minnis thinking? I wouldn’t be surprised if Dr Minnis was thinking of this for some time. He probably thinks he hit a home run.

What was he thinking? The reality is that his thinking is obviously not the best as we have seen on so many other occasions. Nor is his judgment, which is so flawed on issue after issue.

It is time for the FNM to have a convention and to consider a new leader whoever that might be. Dr Minnis has had nearly two years to demonstrate his leadership ability.

The comparison he made about MH 370 shows that he doesn’t have what it takes. He will only continue to embarrass himself and his party. Most people would have realised that such a comparison would be in extremely poor taste.

We should continue to pray for the relatives of those who likely perished on MH 370, a terrible tragedy made even sadder by the many unanswered questions as to what happened.

MAH

Nassau,

April 22, 2014.