FROM reports we are receiving from all sides, including once staunch PLPs, the general feeling is that this country has no chance of success under a PLP government.
If this is in fact the case then those entitled to vote in the 2017 election have to face the reality that the contest has to be between two parties — the PLP and the FNM. At this juncture of The Bahamas’ political development, there is no room for splinter parties. To entertain such a thought could condemn The Bahamas to a repeat of what happened in 2012 when the PLP took over the administration and — with another year to go — has almost scuttled the Ship of State.
And so for the sake of future Bahamians we hope that those who have grandiose ideas of becoming prime minister at the head of a new party would mothball those ambitions for a more auspicious moment — well into the future. Now is not the hour.
Hopefully when we are faced with election 2017, the contest will be between the PLP and the FNM.
As the PLP is the party that an increasing number of Bahamians want to put on the benches, attention now has to be turned to the FNM, which under the present leadership has little hope of going anywhere.
We apologise for being so blunt, but these are serious times, and serious times call for serious decisions – no dancing around the mulberry bush with meaningless platitudes. Dr Hubert Minnis, current FNM leader, has his loyal followers, who give him credit for working hard to project himself as leadership material. We also give him A for effort, and agree with those who say that he is a good administrator, but as for the qualities that would win an election the answer is - NO. He has even failed to inspire his party to unite behind him. No general goes anywhere with his battle lines fractured.
And so who should lead? We are told by many who ride the morning buses that the cry is for the return of “Papa”. In their opinion, “Papa” wouldn’t “tolerate this nonsense.” However, former prime minister Hubert Ingraham, has made it clear that he has no intention of re-entering the political arena.
Therefore, we are limited to the FNM members now in the House. Among these are good solid businessmen. And so we questioned further. Several names were mentioned, but the general opinion was that Loretta Butler-Turner was the one who would have the hardest punch.
But she is a woman, and Bahamians are not yet ready for a woman prime minister is the usual damper that is meant to end all further consideration of this talented woman. However, what we found interesting was that those singing in that choir were politically-oriented males over fifty.
A messenger in his forties summed up what we were hearing from other Bahamian men — of all age groups. The question put to the messenger was not what would he think of Loretta Butler-Turner as the next prime minister, but rather: “From the two parties — FNM and PLP— who would you choose as prime minister?” Without hesitation, he shot back: “Loretta is a no-nonsense woman — this is who we need to stop this nonsense!”
Is The Bahamas so backward that even though many Bahamian women are better educated than their menfolk, these men really believe that women have no ability to lead a political party? We understand that today at the College of the Bahamas men make up only 20 per cent of the student body, women dominate the classrooms. And yet Bahamian men are not yet ready to accept that women are worthy to lead in the political arena.
If this is so, The Bahamas is indeed a small, insular, outpost of the world.
Even from the times of the Pharaohs, there were women queens who ruled. Our fellow Caribbean islands have had successful women prime ministers —the late Dame Eugenia Charles, prime minister of Dominica (1980-1995); Pamela Gordon, Premier of Bermuda (1997-1998), Jennifer Smith, Premier of Bermuda (1998-2003). Trinidad and Tobago’s woman prime minister was defeated this year, and Portia Simpson Miller is still prime minister of Jamaica. Other outstanding women have been Mrs Golda Meir of Israel, Mrs Indira Gandhi of India, Dame Margaret Thatcher (UK) and Germany’s current Chancellor, Angela Merkel — to name only a few. This year, 22 world leaders were women, 18 of them were elected and four were appointed.
Here in The Bahamas, Mrs Janet Bostwick was the first woman to be elected to the House of Assembly. She was also the first woman Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs. She was the first woman to act as prime minister and has held many ministerial posts. Then there was Dame Ivy Dumont, who was the first woman governor-general; Cynthia “Mother” Pratt, the first deputy prime minister, who acted as prime minister when Prime Minister Christie suffered a mild stroke. And, of course, Dame Joan Sawyer, was the first woman Chief Justice of the Bahamas and president of the Court of Appeal.
And yet there are among us men with such inferiority complexes that they dare suggest that this small archipelago of islands is still not ready to elect a woman prime minister. They should be ashamed of being so insular. From a woman’s point of view, we should get a better government.
For example in Rwanda, when 56 per cent of its parliament was made up of women, the policies and money shifted from warfare and politics to healthcare, infrastructure and sustainability.
The Bahamas certainly needs a change of emphasis — maybe a Bahamian woman is the one to do the job.
Bahamians, open your minds and consider the possibility.
Comments
jus2cents 8 years, 5 months ago
LOL! YES>>>> Open your eyes & minds!
The Bahamas is already being run by women! Most of the women are carrying the men, most women are WAY more Capable than the men in all departments and in all businesses. Of Course a woman can run this small country, it would be Easy for a woman! They run the households better than the men whilst working, cooking, cleaning, in a bras & heels, holding a baby and balancing the household expenses. Try and get a man to do what a woman does in one day!
Angela Merkel turned the German economy around and now Germany is the most stable in Europe, Margaret Thatcher created a better British economy too, Women just get on with it, instead of the 'male' who needs attention, he just postures and pontificates looking for praise to boost his delicate ego. Women are about caring and nurturing & fixing and Not ego!
PLEASE get a woman to run this country, its is the Only way for a better future, we have wasted so many years, we need a drastic change of mindset to catch up the last 5 'lost years' of the Christie admin.
B_I_D___ 8 years, 5 months ago
Being sarcastic of course...but can we allow second class citizens to become Prime Minister? I am personally for male...female...balck...white...whoever, but we REALLY REALLY need to make sure the equal rights concept is dealt with once and for all.
jus2cents 8 years, 5 months ago
Agree! But WHY is the woman still second class? Because MEN who write the laws are intimidated, they must be to want to keep women down. If they were real men they wouldn't worry about equal rights, equal rights would have been dealt with a long time ago. Another reason Women need to take charge, Bahamian men are not 'ready' they haven't properly evolved yet, but The Women Are Ready!
asiseeit 8 years, 4 months ago
I would vote for a woman as long as she was a capable manager, was honest, fair, ethical, and had morals, in other word everything our current P.M. is lacking.
asiseeit 8 years, 4 months ago
I would vote for Lorretta in a second, she is a true leader and seems very no nonsense. That being said anything is better than the buffoon we have today.
CatIslandBoy 8 years, 4 months ago
The mere fact that in the year 2015 we are having this discussion in the Bahamas says a lot about the backwardness of our country. There are many educated, professional women in this country who could out-manage any of the past three Prime Ministers. It is past time for one of outstanding ladies to shatter the glass ceiling. If Loretta is the one chosen, she will definitely get my vote.
digimagination 8 years, 4 months ago
Of course we are ready, and the sooner it happens the better!!!
marieIngraham 8 years, 4 months ago
We might be ready for a woman...But not one like Loretta Butler...What many of you are calling STRONG good leadership amounts to a LOUD, OVERLY AGGRESSIVE, BOORISH Human
The nature of people is, they change when given power....Imagine her behaviour and she is NOT the leader of the opposition....Certainly I would never vote for such a person as the leader of the country....Minnis cannot get the entire party behind him because Loretta Butler and those who follow her believe that she is entitled...Of course she is, her grandfather was SIR MILO BUTLER....She is well connected within the system that the PLP has established, she will look out for the privileged because she is of that kind....
I believe in women, but just, not this woman!!!
sheeprunner12 8 years, 4 months ago
More than 10,000 women voted than men in 2012 ............... when will they use that collective power to support women in government and women's rights???????? Who do you blame??
SP 8 years, 4 months ago
.............. Focusing on gender is a non-starter and sure path to more failure .............
The Bahamas is desperately in need of a CAPABLE Prime Minister!
Electing an incapable woman as Prime Minister would be just as detrimental to our country as the last three stooges proved to be.
Bahamas needs a true nationalist as Prime Minister with the capacity to govern for the betterment of our country an benefit of all Bahamians black, white and any other hue pure and simple.
Historically, leaders of the PLP and FNM governed for the enrichment of a handful of friends, family, lovers and spineless corrupt brown noser's while 99% of the country went to hell.
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 4 months ago
Our parliament is currently a magnate for unqualified, uncouth and easily manipulated men and women alike, largely as a result of the rampant corruption that exists within the governing apparatus of both the PLP and FNM parties alike. Well-qualified, bright, talented, sensible and caring Bahamians with good management and social skills, and business instincts, are not inclined to enter politics today as they are repulsed by what they already know about the key players behind the corrupt governance apparatus of our existing major political parties. We can only hope that some of these well-qualified Bahamians, whether they be men or women, will step forward to run as independent candidates in the next general election out of a sense of desire to serve the interests of all their fellow Bahamians. The existing buffoons in our parliament must be replaced by men and women of sound character and unquestionable integrity; in other words we are in desperate need of wise political statesmen!
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 4 months ago
Totally agree!! The thing I don't like about the discussion around a female PM, is, invariably we're talking about Mrs Turner and two, we assume that because she is there, she is qualified. If we think of the number of persons who voted to actually get her in the house and then the number of people who will vote to make her PM, it's a very scary thought. This goes for any candidate, It's possible that 400 people total, from one little community, may chose our leader.
The debate also assumes that she is the only qualified person in the world. We don't even know if she is qualified. I remember years ago being impressed with Bradley Roberts because he stood up to Hubert Ingraham, today I recognize how volatile he is andI cringe at the prospect of him as PM. So to my mind, the fact that Mrs Turner is outspoken does not count as sufficient grounds to label her excellent PM material
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