By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday remained tightlipped over whether he will make a bid for the leadership of the Progressive Liberal Party if given the opportunity.
Although Mr Mitchell brushed off questions over whether he would consider running for the post at the party’s upcoming October convention, he did refer to a political story that suggested his silence was the result of strategic timing.
He told reporters that he spoke to party leader Prime Minister Perry Christie on a daily basis, and was prepared to broach the subject when it was relevant to do so. Mr Christie has not publicly indicated if he will run for re-election.
“I don’t comment on those issues,” he said when asked about his aspirations at a press conference at his ministry. “I work for the prime minister, he’s the leader of the party. I speak to him every morning. I’m the minister of foreign affairs, I’m his agent, so why would I, before a TV camera, say, ‘Look this is what I’m going to do, this is what I’m not going to do.’”
When pressed further on whether he had considered a leadership bid, Mr Mitchell said: “It’s not anything I’m going to say anything more on. I can tell you plenty stories, there’s a man called Karl Hudson-Phillips and every Caribbean politician remembers him.
“Dr Eric Williams, as the prime minister of Trinidad, he got up and said ‘I’m gone, I’m not running anymore.’ So he (Hudson-Phillips) says ‘Good, I’m going to run.’
“Next thing you know,” Mr Mitchell said, “they hold the convention and the PM (Williams) says ‘Whoops I changed my mind,’ and that was the end of Hudson-Philips’ career.”
Mr Hudson-Phillips, QC, served as a Trinidadian MP from 1966 to 1976, and as attorney general and minister of legal affairs from 1969 to 1973. His political career with the People’s National Movement (PNM), came to an end in 1973 when he fell out of favour with Dr Williams, the country’s first prime minister. While he was never re-elected to public office, he later founded a major political party that merged with another faction and went on to successfully contest the PNM in the 1986 general elections – breaking the latter’s 30-year-long consecutive run.
Yesterday, Mr Mitchell added: “So I’m not getting in that, I don’t have anything to say on it, the prime minister and I speak everyday and I know what to say if the subject comes up and that is the end of that for me.”
Mr Mitchell joined the Progressive Liberal Party in 1975, and served in the Senate from 1992 to 2002. He was first elected as the MP for Fox Hill in 2002, and has served in the post for three consecutive terms. Prior to his political career, he was a prominent activist in the human rights movement with special focus on the Judiciary and South Africa.
Both Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis “Brave” Davis and Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe have indicated their interest in a leadership bid at the PLP’s next convention, set for the last week in October, on the condition that Mr Christie decides to step down.
Comments
GrassRoot 8 years, 10 months ago
Dear Editor, why is the discussion on the Flower story disabled? Seems he is a hidden sponsor? Lets us have some fun, open the discussion. FOIA Version The Tribune.
asiseeit 8 years, 10 months ago
Because they do not want to be held liable for the flood of comments as to how easy it is to buy certain things in this country!
realfreethinker 8 years, 10 months ago
The comment is now open under the Flowers story. You can go and comment Grassroot
Honestman 8 years, 10 months ago
Tip to Mr. Mitchell: stay quiet on leadership, stay very quiet.
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
He is doing the right thing ............. he has no chance in hell to be PLP leader or Prime Minister except he does so as a result of a coup ............ but then again, he would need the support of the police.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 10 months ago
Sadly we'd go back to pre-Pindling victimization days if Fred Mitchell became PM. And I honestly think he is the ONLY person actually qualified to be PM, he would make an excellent PM, but he is just too bitter. I don't understand his anger, he needs to resolve that so he can move to the next level.
licks2 8 years, 10 months ago
His deep seated anger is the result of the years of abuse and raggin-on for his sexual leaning! Me too think that he is well intelligent but too anal retentive and childish to make a good PM. . .he tends to be very vindictive. . . that trait seem to be over rated within the PLP!
jackbnimble 8 years, 10 months ago
I think he is an excellent politician despite whatever we think his sexual orientation is. Mitchell is an intelligent man. Unfortunately, Bahamians ain't ready for that yet.
birdiestrachan 8 years, 10 months ago
Mr: Mitchell is doing the right thing have nothing to say. As for persons deciding what is his private business. and saying what they do not really know. ". Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.'
realfreethinker 8 years, 10 months ago
Birdie birdie.
TalRussell 8 years, 10 months ago
Oh my, my. here I was figuring how Obediah would be the 2017 campaign manger to get Comrade Minister Freddy elected PM, and Obediah gone jump campaign ship right ahead Freedy's official announcement and done's he own thing, by announcing how he himself goin run be's da nation's Rt. Honourable PM. You go figure hey!
by TalRussell
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 10 months ago
That's a really nice hat
DEDDIE 8 years, 10 months ago
Fred is probably one of the better political tactician in the PLP. He is a student of politics. When he was giving a choice of Ministries he chose Foreign affairs and Immigration because he knew the passion that Immigration ignites in the average Bahamian and the opportunity to endear himself to the populace. The other aspiring PMs (Brave, Fritzgerald ) choose the Ministries that have the potential to influence the delegates through the awarding of contracts. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. Fred Mitchell Immigration tour throughout the Family islands was not a co-incidence. Him speaking to the PM every morning as indicated is also calculated(He knows he is smarter than Christie but have to pucker up his lips and do what he has to do). Christie is the key, whoever Christie anoints will lead the party into the next election although I think he will anoint himself.
ohdrap4 8 years, 10 months ago
he never did catch one illegal immigrant in Abaco since last january.
jusscool 8 years, 10 months ago
He too need a woman!
CatIslandBoy 8 years, 10 months ago
Fred Mitchell is more than ready to lead the PLP, and this country. He is intelligent, well educated, a strategic thinker, and more well grounded socially than his counterparts. Yes, he does have some skeleton in his closet that might make juicy campaign fodder, but is still more ready than Brave, Obie, or Fitzgerald. Now, whether the Bahamas is ready for an Educated Leader is another thing.
banker 8 years, 10 months ago
There are a few missing paragraphs out of the Tribune account of Fred's bio. He did quit the PLP and start another party when he had a falling out with Swindling that went nowhere. And then there was the time that he burnt the constitution.
He was once Lynden Oscar Swindling's Blue-Eyed-Boy and yes that means all of the innuendo that it implies. He threatened Swindling with revealing all, and learned quickly that you can't threaten a man more powerful than yourself.
The trouble is with Fred, is that he really is smarter than the lot of them. And it is trouble, because it doesn't engender humility that comes with a great gift, but quite the opposite. We know from his public pronouncements that he knows that the average Bahamian voter is a rather simplistic, malleable piece of humanity that is much lower than he on the scale of human development. So it has created a hypocritical, supercilious person who has no regard for the truth, because he weaves in just enough of the truth to make the less discerning believe in him.
He chose Foreign Affairs because he gets to travel the world, experience the different flavours of ...... (fill in the blank) and being intelligent, he gets intellectual stimulation from travel as most would. He is a frustrated human being. He is intelligent enough to know that if this country were a meritocracy, he has the mental machinery to have his name indelibly inscribed in our history. Currently he will be a footnote, and that must be galling. John Marquis had Fred's number, and that was another irritant. Marquis was the last editor of the Tribune who knew that the barrels of ink that the Tribune bought could trump anything that Fred said. The current staff of the Tribune is missing the royal jelly that Marquis had, except for Neil Hartnell's Baha Mar speculation that showed a flash of real journalism.
So all in all, I think that it would be Fred's dream to lead the PLP and country. But even he knows, with the cabal of corruption in the Christie regime, he is an outsider, and only a deus ex machina would change that. His fate is being pensioned off, opining and pontificating on spreading his own agenda, and swearing that he still has nothing to do with the Bahamas Uncircumcised column.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 10 months ago
"He was once Lynden Oscar Swindling's Blue-Eyed-Boy and yes that means all of the innuendo that it implies"
I'm afraid to ask...hmmmm
EasternGate 8 years, 10 months ago
Fred is a very strange individual. He has no personality or empathy. If there is such a thing and aliens among us...Fred is one!
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
Fred is anti-barefootBahamian ............ thats for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TalRussell 8 years, 10 months ago
Comrade Easterngate happy see you actually possessed the skills looks insides da brains of Minister Freddy and you done find out what was going on up there – how he any different than PM Christie or Papa Hubert. Why sure enough you founds a difference in da brains of da three men's, when it comes to empathy. Who got's and who don't got's no empathy. Really now are you also going examine brains Brave and Obediah and all da other PM's job interested PLP's? Can't wait results.
banker 8 years, 10 months ago
I did some some public mortification when his brother was locked up in Fox Hill prison a few years back.
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 10 months ago
Behavioral psychologists within the U.S. Department of State probably have put the most comprehensive and accurate label on our Freddy Boy: "Career politician - currently Minister of Foreign Affairs for The Bahamas; articulate pseudo-intellect infatuated by perceived ability to easily manipulate or out joust others believed to be of inferior intellect; demonstrated history of racist tendencies towards much lighted complected fellow Bahamians, but enjoys policy discussions and banter with diplomats and other officials of foreign governments of any race; considered by many Bahamians to be a "closet Haitian sympathizer" due to relatively soft stance on illegal Haitian immigrant issues; frustrated as a publicly known homosexual with the homophobic fears of many Bahamians; limited leadership abilities and lack of a broad base of political supporters; accordingly, very limited prospects for further advancement in political career."
Reality_Check 8 years, 10 months ago
Is this brief bio on Fred something you created or something you found in the classified material illegally taken from the U.S. government by Edward Snowden or Julian Assange? Not that it really matters; if created by you, the U.S. government would likely take little exception by way of comparison to their own bio info on Fred.
TalRussell 8 years, 10 months ago
Comrade Realty_Check considering the US government to my knowledge have never sung the praises of but white UBP connected politicians - what's new about anything they compile Embassy in Nassau Town. They sure liked sing praises not so much of Papa Hubert as much as their boy Brent? Can you name a name that is not UBP connected? Yoiu do know any love the US Embassy has for FNM is only because of they consider the party be UBP-like? Let them drop Brent, completely and then wait for the negative FMM, Embassy reports start flowing. And, you of all people knows its da damn USA truth.
pablojay 8 years, 10 months ago
I still cannot understand why so many bloggers and others believe Fred Mitchell to be so much more intelligent than everybody else, other than that being an indictment of the PLP. I agree that he is no dummy,but we have hundreds of Bahamians who can send him to the back of the room. Only thing is being one who craves the limelight and with a journalistic background, he knows how to present that image.After all these years in politics,he still oftentimes seems ill at ease, as if someone or something is lurking in the shadows.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 10 months ago
FM is brilliant, but "in my opinion" his brilliance is overshadowed by his vindictiveness. And the Bahamas has enough room for at least a hundred thousand brilliant people. I'm waiting for Gowen Bowe to throw in his hat. I'd go for Carlton Smith too but he has no interest in politics apparently...but then again, neither did Moses. Carlton 2017!
TalRussell 8 years, 10 months ago
Comrades let's set the record straight. MP and Minister Freddy in both roles is the most accessible PLP in the House of Assembly or as a member Cabinet. In fact, I would say he stciks his neck out to be helpful too much for his own political comfort. The Freddy being describe is not the man that many of us know, love and respect.
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
So, Tal can you explain why many bahamians see Fweddy like he is described in the comments above??????????
TalRussell 8 years, 10 months ago
Comrade well known fact Freddy for years has been THE punching bag for the red shirts. I wager that more Bahamalander's have Freddy's cell number than even that of some their friends and families programmed on their phones. It is absurd read posts attempting betray the man is being anti-white - it's utter foolishness. I have never once heard Freddy brag of any good deed he has done for people - and believe me he done lots good - oh yes, including red shirts too. Freddy couldn't care less, if ya is PLP or red. Could he work on being more personable publicly, maybe? But wouldn't you rather have someone who is genuine over a back-slapping fake-ass politician - who wouldn't go out they way lend help their own mommy?
Reality_Check 8 years, 10 months ago
Paid for by the editorial staff of BahamasUncircumcised.com!
SP 8 years, 10 months ago
**.......... Guaranteed There Are No Haitians Illegally Entering Dominican Now! ..............
Fred Mitchell could stay tight lipped on leadership aspirations, but could learn fast from Dominicans the only language Haitians understand!
http://news.yahoo.com/dominican-repub...">http://news.yahoo.com/dominican-repub...
Bahamas needs to follow Dominicans lead and get tough on Haitians too, or they will continue to ignore us as fools.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID