The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

FORT Charlotte Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) MP Dr Andre Rollins’ recent threat to divulge damning information relating to his friend Renward Wells’ signing of a $600m plus letter of intent with Stellar Waste Energy has all but eroded any vestige of goodwill that remained for him within the PLP among its leadership and its base of votaries.

If Wells is fired, Rollins is prepared to put his head on the chopping block for his friend by naming names in the LOI debacle. Based on his antics in the past several weeks, few would entertain any notions of the Fort Charlotte MP bluffing. Prime Minister Perry Christie, Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis, PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts, V Alfred Gray and Obie Wilchcombe have all chided Rollins for his radical anti-PLP posture.

The PLP chairman minced no words in chiding Rollins in a press release which was published in the two major newspaper publications. Rollins was told to shut the hell up. Roberts also had disparaging remarks for Rollins’ representation in Fort Charlotte. He all but gave the Fort Charlotte MP a failing grade.

Roberts’ conclusion was based on what some Fort Charlotte constituents had told him, apparently. Whatever Rollins thinks of the PLP, Roberts’ statement has to be disconcerting to him. In the final analysis, if Fort Charlotte residents are not happy with his representation, then he is nothing more than a lameduck MP awaiting his political demise. Many PLP votaries will not support him in 2017.

He now has very few allies within the PLP and perchance none within the Free National Movement. He has all but isolated himself. Rollins has conceded that Christie no longer wants him in the PLP. One does not need a PhD in political science in order to reach that same conclusion or to gauge Christie’s mindset towards the political upstart.

I have said before that Rollins will not be re-nominated by the PLP. For some reason, he and the PLP have not been able to mesh. What I find intriguing about this entire affair is that Renward Wells has not come to the defence of Rollins, despite the tremendous political price Rollins is willing to sacrifice for him. For some odd reason, Wells has remained tight-lipped as senior PLP officials continue to scold and upbraid his former National Development Party comrade in the national media.

His silence is deafening. It is almost as if Wells is afraid to jeopardise his standing and prominent position within the PLP government by standing up for his friend. Rollins’ loyalty to Wells seems to be stronger than the latter’s loyalty to him. Does he agree with Rollins’ antics? It would be intriguing to hear what his thoughts are on Rollins.

I’m willing to wager, to use Chairman Bradley Roberts’ words, that hell will freeze first before we ever hear Wells commenting on Rollins’ anti-PLP pronouncements.

KEVIN EVANS

Nassau,

September 24, 2014.