By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
FORT Charlotte Dr Andre Rollins yesterday claimed that veteran politicians were “hamstrung” to antiquated political practices that limited national discourse and frustrated the modern electorate.
Dr Rollins said his party’s policy on public debate was outdated and contrary to a mature democracy, adding that limited dialogue made it easier for leaders to direct national focus.
He charged that politicians have done the country a “tremendous disservice by dumbing down the political discourse”.
“We dumb it down because it’s easy for a political leader to not have to deal with a more sophisticated or deeper political discourse,” he said, “when he or she can dictate the terms of engagement with the public. The public for far too long has felt that they should be afraid to speak up, to be critical of the government in between election cycles and only to express themselves at the ballot boxes on election day.”
He said: “All of a sudden because of the failure of politicians to be open in the parliamentary chambers, because of politicians’ failures to challenge the parties that they belong too, they express surprise on the day of an election when an incumbent party loses because they say we never recognize that the public was that upset with us.
Dr Rollins spoke to The Tribune ahead of tonight’s meeting to determine whether or not he will be suspended for his outspoken criticism of the government and Prime Minister Perry Christie.
He forecast that the trend of a one-term government would persist unless politicians caught up to the expectations of the voting public.
“I think that the point of view of established politicians is that politics is supposed to work the same in 2015 as it did pre-1973,” he said, “and unfortunately while that makes sense to them, that does not make sense to Bahamians in 2015.
Dr Rollins said: “One thing that politicians must recognise is that we do have a lot of influence, if used correctly. We have the means to alter the course of national dialogue whether we choose to use it is another thing entirely, and if we choose not to use it then I think the primary interest in that case is that we believe it’s going to advance our individual political careers if we appear to be more of a ‘team player’.”
“If the party may not be focused the way that it needs to be on the issues that matter most to the Bahamian people, a team player is one who will cause the party to be focused on those things that it needs to be focused on in order to satisfy the electorate that they are in touch with what the Bahamian people consider most important.
He added: “They can’t know that if I only discuss these things internally and so I think we have to ensure that politicians in 2015 are not hamstrung by this view that we have to continue to abide by the accepted practices of politicians circa 1973.”
Dr Rollins said that while he wants to run in the next general election, he has not decided whether he will continue as an independent if his party does not offer him a nomination.
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