By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts yesterday called Free National Movement chief Dr Hubert Minnis a “duplicitous” leader in the aftermath of the resignation of Heather Hunt from the Senate.
Mr Roberts said the “unceremonious” departure of Mrs Hunt from the Senate raised troubling questions for the FNM.
This comes as party insiders told The Tribune yesterday that FNMs continued to feel uneasy about Dr Minnis’ leadership style. They accused Dr Minnis of attempting to rid the party of anyone who did not support him in the last FNM convention.
One insider insisted that the FNM leader was also working to thwart the political ambitions of former deputy leader Loretta Butler-Turner and former FNM chairman Darron Cash.
“It is clearly known that the organisation is dealing with someone who is insecure and is intently focused on disarming the FNM of people who will challenge him and take positions that are contrary to his own,” the insider, who did not want to be named, said.
Another FNM said: “It is almost as if he wants to conduct a cleansing of sorts within the party. The only thing he is concerned with is about becoming the next prime minister of the country. He will do it, it seems, in any way possible.”
“Unfortunately the party has this to deal with this until another FNM convention rolls around.”
When contacted yesterday, both Mrs Butler-Turner and Mr Cash said they were unaware of any plans to prevent them from securing a nomination for the 2017 general election. However Mr Cash confirmed that he planned to offer himself for a seat on the FNM’s ticket for the next election.
Meanwhile, in a press statement yesterday Mr Roberts said the series of events surrounding Mrs Hunt’s resignation suggested that there was long-standing contention surrounding the situation. Last week, Mrs Hunt revealed that she resigned from the upper chamber at the request of Dr Minnis.
Mr Roberts said: “Firstly, Mrs Hunt pre-empted the leader in releasing her resignation statement suggesting some rancour around the whole affair.
“Minnis’ statement (released) later is widely perceived as an attempt at some damage control in the public domain by suggesting that he was following through with a previous announcement to rotate senators periodically.
“The problem with this explanation is that it contradicts the continued seating of Senator Kwasi Thompson, who has been a senator for more than two years. If Dr Minnis’ words are to be believed as credible and consistent, he would have replaced both senators at the same time.”
Mr Roberts said Mrs Hunt’s resignation, when combined with the leadership defeat of former deputy leader Loretta Butler-Turner and the FNM’s strong opposition to the constitutional amendment bills before parliament, revealed a negative pattern.
He added that it sent the wrong message about the party’s general attitude about equality for women under the leadership of Dr Minnis.
The Killarney MP could not be reached up to press time for comment.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 9 years, 2 months ago
Brad may be an ass but God knows Minnis could learn a thing or two from this man....
I may not be able to stand him. But he does his job and he does it with absolute commitment....
Publius 9 years, 2 months ago
While Roberts should be the last person to talk about the treatment of women, the point made is a legitimate point. Mr. Minnis knows he got rid of a young active female in his group for purely self-centered and insecure reasons. Everyone who knows what is going on knows the serious leadership problem all three prominent parties have. As for the FNM, those who know, know that the leader of that party only wants mindless sycophants or yes men around him who tell him every day how wonderful he is while the country is going to hell. If any of these political parties really had the country's interests at heart, they would stop supporting people in their upper ranks who are doing nothing but making matters worse for any Bahamian who actually has something productive to offer to his or her nation, whether it be in or out of politics. FNMs know Ms. Hunt was forced out simply because she was not a lap dog to their leader's sublime sense of self and because she has a mind of her own - a characteristic the FNM claims to embrace. The FNM is not building a party of change agents, they are amassing a gaggle of strange agents.
Cobalt 9 years, 2 months ago
I'm no fan of Bradley Roberts, but part of what he's suggesting seems to be true. Dr. Hubert Minnis' explanation concerning the resignation of Heather Hunt is bogus to say the least. Indeed, if senators are to be rotated every two years, then why is Kwasi Thompson still serving as senator??? This is a stark contradiction to his explanation. And then when asked to clarify this discrepancy.... Dr. Minnis goes mute. There's obviously some dissension within the FNM party that is being cloaked. And the manner in which Dr. Hubert Minnis is going about managing it makes me question his ability to lead our country! He seems like just another Hubert Ingraham!
But having said that..... Bradley Roberts and his PLP are dealing with their own dissension issues regarding Dr. Andre Rollins. So maybe he should concentrate on that situation before pointing fingers at the FNM.
And the attempt by Roberts to make this a gender equality issue is beyond pathetic. He seems to be grasping at staws. His initial point was valid. But the rest of his argument is just political hogwash.
Publius 9 years, 2 months ago
True, though atleast the PLP had the good political sense to squash the Andre Rollins fodder, at least for now. As for the gender equality point, coming from Roberts it is laughable for sure, but in the main it certainly holds water. That snap convention held by the FNM last year was held for one reason only, and that was to remove a woman from the deputy position she held. The leader of the FNM made no secret about that and in fact often bragged about it, telling many that his sole intent was to get rid of Loretta Butler Turner. And now two months into this new team, the first decision their leader makes is to cut down another woman, all because she supported the woman the leader wanted gone. It doesn't look good for the FNM right now in terms of how its active female politicians are being treated.
Cobalt 9 years, 2 months ago
Hmmm......
Food for thought.
licks2 9 years, 2 months ago
What a buncha narrow minded people we Bahamians are? That woman should have known that in politics you "watch" ya tail and how ya play ya cards!! You don't serve at the "pleasure" of the boss and then "kick" the boss azz at the same time!!
That crew of girls. . .including Candea dames have not resigned themselves to the fact that the party has chosen DR M as they leader! If she had a problem wid that she should have resign or suck it up. . .not stay on the man ship and support "insurrection" on board the ship!!
She chose to goosie the dude. . .so he fling she traitor azz over board wid she stick too!!!
ANY OF YOU HERE WHO DONT FROM TIME TO TIME HAVE TO THROW SOMEBODY OVER BOARD THAT IS CUTTING YA SHIP APART FROM INSIDE. . .IF YOU ARE A LEADER. . .YOU ARE YOUR GREATEST ENAMY!!
THOMPSON ISSA "BROWN NOSER" AND SUPPORT DA CHIEF. . .WHY DA LEADER GER THROW HIM OVER BOARD? LOP and HI had to do so. . .BRAM!!
AND YINNA STOP TALKING FOOL BUT SHE GET THROW OVER BOARD FOR BEING A WOMAN. . .SHE WAS AN UNREPENTANT TWO-TIMER TO THE RULE OF HER LEADER. . .UNDER MINDING THE DUDE FOR HIS DETRACTORS IN THE PARTY!! Good riddance I say. . .SHE EEN ALL THAT GOOD A POLITICIAN ANYWHO!!
AS FOR BR. . .THE SAME PERSON WHO WANTED TO THROW ALLA DEM YOUNG PLP BOYS FER SPEAKING THEY MINDS. . .FOR TELLING PERRY HE SUCKS TO BE EXACT!! CHILD PLEASE!!
PERRY JUST DID NOT THROW ROLLINS OVER BOARD BECAUSE HE WAS IN A BIG ROW WITH ANOTHER ONE OF HIS YOUNG FELLAS DEM!! AND PLUS IFFIN HE THROW ROLLINS OVER BOARD THAT BOY DONT GEE A DAMN AND WILL LET ERRYTHING OUT!!! PERRY KNEW TO THROW ROLLINS OVERBOARD HE WOULD HAVE BEEN BUSTING OPEN PANDORA BOX. . .ALL THEY DIRT OVER PLACE!!
Publius 9 years, 2 months ago
For the sake of the country, let's hope you don't happen to hold a position of influence in the Opposition, because it seems you do not know what the purpose of a convention is in a democratic political organization. Hunt never openly campaigned against her leader at any stage. On convention floor though, people vote as is their right to (or as they are paid to as was reported in the FNM's convention). Then again you may very well be an active FNM, because we all know how ungrateful many FNMs are and how they toss their people to the side like trash after they have had productive use of them. The way you have torn Hunt down is evidence of this. So she is only worth something so long as she worships one man? This is the message being sent to the young Bahamians that political parties keep claiming to support? The Opposition is doomed with thinking like this. They might as well give the PLP the crown again right now and not even bother encouraging people to dirty their thumbs because right now the FNM is behaving alot like the PLP they always complain about.
licks2 9 years, 2 months ago
There you go. . .putting me into one political party or the other because I said something that you do not like. . .or mashed ya toe! All yall just alike. . .PLP and FNM. . .well not so much dem DNA. Any time something is said about yall short comings yinna cry. . .that's an FNM or a PLP! That's so politically immature. . .maybe that's why Minnis out maneuvering that fraction's tail!! Child plenty people in this nation are not taking yinna that serious. . .we do what we have to do on election day!
You should read the 48 laws of power, the ART of War and Rudyard Kipling's IF!! While ya at it read John Locke's Treaties of Two Governments. Hunt shot herself in the foot. . .NOT BECAUSE SHE IS YOUNG OR WOMAN. . .SHE IS JUST NOT THAT POLITICALLY ASTUTE. . .PURE AND SIMPLE!
Pray tell why should I be an FNM at this time when yinna can't get yall act together. . .all about in public rowing like yinna crazy!!
Cobalt 9 years, 2 months ago
@licks2......
Just because you like 2 licks ass 2, doesn't mean that everyone else does. You sound like a typical PLP jackass. If people like you were never given the freedom to vote, our country would me in a much better state. Typical Bahamian jackass with idiotic ideals. Smh
licks2 9 years, 2 months ago
My my my. . .you are proving my point really. . .THE FNM CAN'T STAND THE HEAT IN THE KITCHEN SO THEY ARE NOW TAKING THE LOW ROAD! NOW I AM A PLP? YINNA BETTER MAKE UP YALL MIND WHAT YINNA GER CALL ME! ON SECOND THOUGHT. . .ASKING YINNA FNM TO MAKE UP YINNA MINDS IS LIKE ASKING A ROCK TO SWIM!! Never mind there skippy! Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
TheMadHatter 9 years, 2 months ago
Butler-Turner and Cash should not have said all of what they said. Esp. Turner. She should have simply said, "The Convention had an open election for leader and Dr. Minnis was selected by the delegates. As a loyal FNM, I support his leadership and stand ready to assist in way he may ask me to."
Simple. I like Ms. Turner, but I think she would be better served by standing on the sidelines and letting people see Minnis for who he really is all by themselves. Everyone will remember that she was the other choice, and eventually realize they made the wrong choice.
Instead she wants to start talking about 2017. Simply not needed at this time.
TheMadHatter
licks2 9 years, 2 months ago
Truly well spoken. . .IF HE IS NOT GOOD AND LEFT TO HIS OWN DEVICES. . .HE WILL FAIL! BUT WHEN PERSONS CONTINUALLY DIGGING AT HIM AND TRYING TO CONVINCE ERRYBODY AND THEY MAR THAT HE IS NOT GOOD. . .THEY IN CONTRAST BY THEIR UNDERMINDING ACTIONS TELL US THAT THEY KNOW IN THEIR MINDS AND HEARTS THAT HE HAS MERIT AND CAN GET THE JOB AT HAND DONE!!! OTHERWISE POLITICAL ASTUTE OPERATORS WOULD LEAVE HIM ALONE TO SHOOT HIMELF IN THE FOOT OR PUNCH A HOLE IN THE DECK OF HIS SHIP!!
THEY REALLY NEED TO READ THE ART OF WAR AND 48 LAWS OF POWER TO SEE HOW MINNIS MAKING THEM LOOK BAD. . .EVEN WHILE FALLING OVER THE BUCKET ON DECK AS THE LEADER!!
THE FNM BUSY JOOKING-UP THEY LEADER WHILE PERRY THEM BUSY GEEING ERRYBODY AND THEY MAR TINGS SO THEY CAN WIN THE NEXT ELECTION!! THE FNM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE FNM GREATEST ENEMY. . .THEY STILL HAVE NOT LEARN HOW NOT TO DO SO!! I MY VIEW, BOTH PLP AND FNM ARE BUSY HANDING THE NEXT GOVERNMENT BY DEFAULT TO THE DNA!!! THE PLP BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT THEM GONE LIKE YESTERDAY. . .THE FNM BECAUSE THEY TOO FULL OF THEMSELVES. . .ERRYBODY WANT TO BE LEADER AND JOOKING-UP THEY LEADER. . .OR WANT HUBERT BACK!!
TheMadHatter 9 years, 2 months ago
I think a lot o em want Pindling back.
asiseeit 9 years, 2 months ago
The politicians, both FNM and PLP are directly to blame for the downward spiral of The Bahamas. Corruption is KING in this country because the politicians ARE CORRUPT. Each and every one of them are involved in the corruption as they ALL know what is going on but do not have the morals, ethics, or guts to call the offenders out or "blow the whistle". The Bahamian people are a bunch of sheep being led to slaughter as they also know what is happening but barley whisper a bleat in protest. One thing is for certain, how it is now is not sustainable.
duppyVAT 9 years, 2 months ago
Brad ............ take care of the PLP. Pintard ................ take care of the FNM. DNA?????? We need all a yall ready for when Perry rings da bell ................... SIGH
licks2 9 years, 2 months ago
The whole nation mourning because of the looooooooooooooooong time we have to wait to get rid of PC and crew!!!
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID