EDITOR, The Tribune.
In his most recent contribution to national debate, FNM leader Hubert Minnis has managed to revive the most tiresome and illogical idea that ever raised its head in this country: limiting the tenure of a Prime Minister to two terms in office.
In doing so, Dr Minnis demonstrates that his understanding of the system of government he aspires to lead is as shallow as the American television shows from whence he seems to derive his political philosophy.
For the information of the FNM leader, a Prime Minister is not a president. He is not directly elected and owes his constitutional position solely to the fact that he leads the party that has the most seats in parliament at any time.
How limiting his term is supposed to promote good governance is a matter known only to those politicians that aspire to the office not on the basis of merit or leadership, but by the disqualification of more attractive candidates.
If he wants to subject himself to a term limit, maybe Dr Minnis should be offering himself for high office in Guatemala, Honduras, Nigeria, Nicaragua or the United States – all countries that are so highly regarded for the smooth functioning of their political processes. Somebody please wake me up when the FNM has a new leader and politics gets interesting again.
ANDREW ALLEN
Nassau,
May 28, 2014.
Comments
jlcandu 9 years, 10 months ago
Mr. Allen,
I disagree with you. This country had to endure the likes of LOP for over 20 years, which only led to corruption of the highest order. All elected officials should have term limits to ensure that power does not lead to endless corruption and waste, leaving the taxpayers at the mercy and whim of those elected officials.
In Canada and the UK, both Parliamentary democracies, the PM has a limit of 2 consecutive 5-year terms.
Quite frankly, if a PM cannot implement his vision for a country in less than 10 years, he needs to be fired anyway.
Despite Minnis' preoccupation with this issue during a budget debate, with this point I wholeheartedly agree.
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