By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Progressive Liberal Party Cabinet minister George Smith thinks Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner would be bigger competition for the PLP in the next general election than current Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis.
This line of thinking, he said, is the consensus among PLP members.
His comments came as he spoke to The Tribune about the future of leadership in the PLP, saying he believes the governing party would be able to easily defeat a Dr Minnis-led FNM even if Prime Minister Perry Christie steps aside as leader.
Dr Minnis held on to his party’s leadership after he defeated Mrs Butler-Turner at the party’s convention last November by a wide margin. However, he has continued to face criticism within and outside the party over his leadership style.
Some in the party have also called for a new convention to hopefully settle the issue.
Mr Smith said: “If Minnis decides he wants to stay, it is likely he will probably be challenged by Loretta Butler Turner, in which case the scenario (of how the election would go) changes if she won. A Loretta Butler-Turner-led FNM could give the PLP a greater run for their money than Minnis ever could because Minnis doesn’t seem to be a focused politician.
“But of course the sleeping wild card is if (former Prime Minister) Hubert Ingraham decides to give it a go at the end of the day. There is no doubt among political strategists out there that Ingraham still has the best shot at securing a victory for his party.”
Mr Smith also had a harsh assessment of the PLP’s new generation of leaders in the House of Assembly, saying that State Minister for Finance Michael Halkitis is the only one that has lived up to expectations.
“The new generation hasn’t performed,” he said. “To Mr Christie’s credit, he brought in many new generation politicians. But with the exception of Michael Halkitis, they have either failed to live up to the level of expectation set for them or they have, like (Elizabeth MP) Ryan Pinder, gone back into the private sector.
“Damian Gomez (minister of state for legal affairs) is very capable of performing but he has not been given the opportunity to do so. He has been put in a place where he works on the wing of another person, the attorney general. Unlike some even senior members, Halkitis has made no serious political gaffes and would shine much more if he were the substantive minister of finance.”
The PLP plans to hold its next convention at the end of October, party chairman Bradley Roberts revealed yesterday.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 10 months ago
I, and many I know just like me, would not ever consider voting for a FNM government led by either Minnis or Butler-Turner. And many of us not only vote by ballot, but also by cheques drawn in very generous amounts, frequently six figures and on occasion more! The organizational apparatus of the FNM is not going to get anywhere with necessary funding until the right kind of leader is chosen, and no one high up in the party's ranks currently qualifies.
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
If you can find a better leader in the FNM than LBT .......... I challenge you to name that person or STFU
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 10 months ago
Trust me my friend, your cheque book is definitely very much smaller than mine and those of many of my friends. And until we have enforceable campaign finance reform in our country, my friends and I are free to vote our dollars as we see fit. The same unfortunately holds true for the racketeering Bahamian front men of the 'illegal' web shops owned by foreign mobsters. My friends and I don't have to name a leader for the FNM party; that's for those who constitute the internal voting apparatus of the party to do. But whoever is selected as the new leader had better have some sex-appeal to the traditional financial backers of the party.....otherwise the FNM risks having only your hard earned penny to spend in the next general election!
asiseeit 8 years, 10 months ago
So PCG or Bran, they both are sadly lacking. Bran is about ego, Perry and his boys are about loot. This country is doomed to be a two bit failed ex-colony of the U.K. We might as well face it, our people are to petty to be REAL leaders! They have little by the way of ethics, morals, or honesty and no sense of fairness or equality. Good luck with that!
B_I_D___ 8 years, 10 months ago
Sad but true. Have supported the FNM in the past...would still support them before I support the PLP in the future...but as it stands now, would not support the current FNM ticket. This next election, unless things change drastically, will be a scary one to watch.
Sickened 8 years, 10 months ago
You are quite right BUT if Loretta was the leader at least I would stay to see if she can pull it of. If Minnis remains as leader (and again I say I personally think he is a good person) I doubt very much I would stick around for another PLP land-slide victory and 5 more years of governmental theft. I need some glimmer of hope!!!!!
asiseeit 8 years, 10 months ago
I would vote for LBT. She is a strong enough woman to do the job.
TalRussell 8 years, 10 months ago
Whether reds accepts or rejects Comrade Georgie's, Loretta argument, there is no denying that his own damn PLP party - done long ago rejected his authority offer his horse manure tainted leadership opinions. But there are some into well fertilized manure - regardless of the rectum it did's pass through.
VDSheep 8 years, 10 months ago
Bahamians ought to stop doing the same things and expecting a different result - with these FNM and PLP charades again and again. There is something terribly wrong with this country, its: PLP and FNM!
SP 8 years, 10 months ago
This is the only sensible comment so far!
BoopaDoop 8 years, 10 months ago
I just wish Mr. Smith didn't use the word "bigger".
TalRussell 8 years, 10 months ago
Comrade BoopaDoop, but is it a simple case word misuse? Then again. Loretta could fire back running da political risk getting a supporter all bent out whack - even if it's a potential supporter still residing in a "man cave" mentality?
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
Trust me my friend, your cheque book is definitely very much smaller than mine and those of many of my friends. And until we have enforceable campaign finance reform in our country, my friends and I are free to vote our dollars as we see fit. The same unfortunately holds true for the racketeering Bahamian front men of the 'illegal' web shops owned by foreign mobsters. My friends and I don't have to name a leader for the FNM party; that's for those who constitute the internal voting apparatus of the party to do. But whoever is selected as the new leader had better have some sex-appeal to the traditional financial backers of the party.....otherwise the FNM risks having only your hard earned penny to spend in the next general election!
I have NO idea who this person (Well -mudda-take-sic) is and whether he/she is a genuine FNM supporter ....... but this statement is treasonous and is the root of the problem .......... it goes against the spirit of true democracy ........ spoken as a true kleptocrat
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 10 months ago
You either have your head stuck in the sand when it comes to the role 'big' money plays in real world politics today or you're just too sensitive in general to the realities of life. In either case, I suspect you are a strong proponent of election campaign finance reform, which is a good thing. As for LBT, the FNM really does need a much better alternative to Minnis. Apologies for getting you so riled up.
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
Apologies accepted ........... and I really DO understand the role that monied interests play in the politics of our country and ALL countries.
Reality_Check 8 years, 10 months ago
Cutely diplomatic way of you once again emphasizing that LBT is not at all a better alternative to Minnis.
EasternGate 8 years, 10 months ago
Why does the Tribune entertain this over the hill loser?
christee 8 years, 10 months ago
Who cares what this has-been, PLP reject has to say? Perhaps he should take a long, hard look at his failed party and offer his opinion on how they can do a better job for which they were elected.
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
Ditto
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 10 months ago
LBT is the only choice. By the way Mudda usually when someone boasts about the size of their check book it means they're broke as hell....
TalRussell 8 years, 10 months ago
Comrade will soon come learn that the quantity of blank cheques da bank does issues you don't necessarily correspond to da cash ya has in ya bank account. Da cash tends run out long before you start bouncing them over other people's way for things ya can't afford pay for.
Reality_Check 8 years, 9 months ago
Here's what one well-known Bahamian journalist had to say about George Smith's role in the history of the Bahamas as far back as 1982: ".....the Bahamas was in the throes of a criminal takeover by South American drug cartels. The Colombian flag was raised over Norman's Cay in George Smith's Exuma constituency by the notorious gangster Carlos Lehder, who drove ordinary visitors away at gunpoint and orchestrated hourly cocaine flights to the US. The 1984 Commission of Inquiry found that Smith had accepted gifts and hospitality from Lehder, who is now serving a long sentence in an American jail. In fact, one parliamentarian said at the time that 'Pindling and his crew make the Bay Street Boys look like schoolchildren.'" Smith will tell you he has since welcomed the Good Lord into his life and sought, found and received forgiveness and redemption for all of his earlier transgressions.....WHAT A BUNCH OF POPPY COCK FOR ANYONE WHO REALLY KNOWS THIS SCOUNDREL!
DisgustedBahamian 8 years, 3 months ago
She is the FNM's hot air balloon. Loud mouth no action & she forgets that her government did plenty of the same thing she speaks against.
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