By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
SOUTH Beach MP Cleola Hamilton criticised political “turncoats” yesterday who are attempting to dismantle the Progressive Liberal Party. She urged them to “gather the testicular fortitude” and leave the party.
While she did not specify who she meant, Ms Hamilton referred to the behaviour of “some young politicians”.
It appeared that she was referring to Fort Charlotte MP and fellow PLP backbencher Dr Andre Rollins who has fiercely criticised the party and its leader over the past few months.
“We did not have a chance in the bottomless pit with the other parties (who) used the PLP to get in this honourable place and then wait for what appears to them to be the right time and then try to dismantle the PLP and demean our leader (Prime Minister Perry Christie),” Ms Hamilton said.
“What is even more concerning to me is how the phrase ‘in the best interest of constituents and the Bahamian people’ is being used as a motive. One thing I know about the Bahamian people, we are not stupid. We love our parties (and) we love our constituents, but one thing we despise is a turncoat who would stop at nothing for what appears to be political mileage.
“We are not worried. We see the dagger coming. We have seen it for a while and in time we will know what was the real purpose.
“I sometimes question what is the price to those of us who seek to carry out such obvious backstabbing methods of politics.
“It appears that those of us who desire to leave the party, rather than just leaving we are trying to force the party to fire us. To this I say if you desire to leave, do the honourable thing, garner your testicular fortitude and leave.”
On Monday The Tribune reported that Dr Rollins could be reprimanded, refused a nomination in the 2017 general election or suspended for up to two years by the PLP’s National General Council based on a report from a disciplinary committee formed last week to determine his fate.
The possible sanctions are outlined in the PLP’s constitution.
Dr Rollins has taken an adversarial stance against the government over the past few months. In August he severely criticised Prime Minister Perry Christie in the House. At the time he called for new political leadership in the country.
Last week, he refused to apologise to Mr Christie despite a recommendation from the party’s National General Council to do so.
The PLP held a Ft Charlotte constituency meeting on Monday and afterwards PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts told reporters that he had asked former area MP Alfred Sears to represent the constituency once again. This would remove Dr Rollins as Ft Charlotte MP.
Dr Rollins has maintained that he has no plans to leave the PLP.
Comments
Emac 9 years, 6 months ago
'Don't Like The Plp? Leave!' If that statement was directed at all Bahamians then this country would only have illegal Haitians left.
GrassRoot 9 years, 6 months ago
and the Chinese.
Emac 9 years, 6 months ago
LOL I forgot about them
killemwitdakno 9 years, 6 months ago
Well their Ambassador to New York said it to Bahamians that way
Sickened 9 years, 6 months ago
“We are not worried. We see the dagger coming. We have seen it for a while and in time we will know what was the real purpose.
“I sometimes question what is the price to those of us who seek to carry out such obvious backstabbing methods of politics.
Is she talking about Brave Davis? LOL
NoNoNo 9 years, 6 months ago
Well said.
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licks2 9 years, 6 months ago
Another JA who sold them soul ta da crooks party!!! Go figure!!!
GrassRoot 9 years, 6 months ago
I prefer a turncoat over the Stalinist-Marxist line of thinking of the MP Cleola Hamilton. Democracy has evolved, the Westminster System is outdated, old and cold and should have been buried together with the Cold War. If a (n educated) MP is not allowed to voice his concerns and bring in Ideas with the intent to further the Cause of the Bahamians, who else should. 70 year old men, who never lived outside the islands?
TalRussell 9 years, 6 months ago
by TalRussell
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 6 months ago
Hidin' behind woman ...again? (A la: Wendy Craig, Convention postponed due to equality referendum)
PKMShack 9 years, 6 months ago
Don't worry we the voters will make you leave soon enough!
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 6 months ago
Hamilton likes a real man; a man like Bradley Roberts or Leslie Miller. These men know how to treat a woman!
Clamshell 9 years, 6 months ago
Zing!!
SP 9 years, 6 months ago
Hamilton has more balls than Christie.......But obviously she is just as stupid!
After 41 years of failure the country needs NEW LEADERSHIP...........NOT MORE BOOT-LICKERS!
John 9 years, 6 months ago
Can't the PLP (and also the FNM) lock themselves in a room (separately) and iron out their differences? There seems to be more unity and support coming from Miami Heat fans pulling for The Lakers than there is unity or support in either the PLP or the FNM for their own party. A party divided amongst itself cannot stand and a government divided will sooner or later lose its ability to govern, even if it takes until 2017. .
Much indeed to be regretted, party disputes are now carried to such a length, and truth is so enveloped in mist and false representation, that it is extremely difficult to know through what channel to seek it. This difficulty to one, who is of no party, and whose sole wish is to pursue with undeviating steps a path which would lead this country to respectability, wealth, and happiness, is exceedingly to be lamented. But such, for wise purposes, it is presumed, is the turbulence of human passions in party disputes, when victory more than truth is the palm contended for. GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter to Timothy Pickering, Jul. 27, 1795
John 9 years, 6 months ago
There never was any party, faction, sect, or cabal, whatsoever, in which the most ignorant were not the most violent: for a bee is not a busier animal than a blockhead. However, such instruments are necessary to politicians; and perhaps it may be with states as with clocks, which must have some dead weight hanging at them, to help and regulate the motion of the finer and more useful parts.
ALEXANDER POPE, "Thoughts on Various Subjects"
John 9 years, 6 months ago
An election cannot give a country a firm sense of direction if it has two or more national parties which merely have different names but are as alike in their principles and aims as peas in the same pod. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, fireside chat, Jun. 24, 1938
John 9 years, 6 months ago
Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and are right.
H.L. MENCKEN
John 9 years, 6 months ago
In order to remain true to oneself one ought to renounce one's party three times a day.
JEAN ROSTAND, "A Biologist's Thoughts," The Substance of Man
John 9 years, 6 months ago
All political parties die at last of swallowing their own lies.
JOHN ARBUTHNOT, attributed, Life of Emerson
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