Wayne Munroe
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
DNA Leader Branville McCartney yesterday said he was caught by surprise over the Progressive Liberal Party’s official announcement that attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, joined the PLP on Monday.
Mr Munroe, who ran and lost on the DNA’s 2012 general election ticket for the Mt Moriah constituency, was still considered to be a DNA member by party officials up until yesterday, Mr McCartney said.
PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts told The Tribune that “in due course” Mr Munroe would be a candidate for the party because he has expressed political aspirations. He said the PLP was excited to have a man with “a good foreseeable political future and accruement” join the organisation.
But according to Mr McCartney, Mr Munroe was among the list of names being considered by the DNA’s candidacy committee for the next election. However, he said this had not been formally discussed with Mr Munroe.
The DNA leader said he and Mr Munroe are close friends, which made the announcement even more surprising because he did not indicate the desire to leave the third party.
Mr McCartney said his first time hearing that Mr Munroe had crossed party lines to join the PLP was when this newspaper contacted him for comment.
“All the very best to him,” Mr McCartney said. “Wayne and I were just together at the 30th anniversary reunion of Kingsway Academy and he didn’t say anything.
“I am not aware of it. We in the DNA were of the view that he would still continue with the party. The candidacy committee has his name for consideration for running again.
“If it is the case that he has gone to the PLP, I have no doubt that he will be an asset to that party.”
While Mr Munroe could not be reached yesterday for comment, he had previously told The Tribune that he had not paid dues to the DNA since 2012.
In a press statement yesterday, Mr Roberts said Mr Munroe’s keen intellect, love of country and public service will serve both the party and country very well.
“The Progressive Liberal Party, an organisation that prides itself in having a big tent,” the statement read, “welcomes its newest member, noted attorney-at-law Wayne Munroe.
“Mr Munroe officially joined our great organization on September 7.
“As a candidate in the 2012 general election, Mr Munroe is no stranger to the local political scene and the party fully appreciates his political ambitions.
“The PLP has a sound and historic record of harnessing the skills, knowledge and talents of young Bahamians through public service to further the national developmental objectives of our great country. We are confident that this noble legacy will continue with the addition of Mr Munroe to our team. Our bench is certainly deepened and strengthened as a result.”
Over the past few years, Mr Munroe has represented clients who opposed decisions made by the governing party. He represented the Police Staff Association (PSA) during its lawsuit against the government regarding overtime pay to officers. The PSA won the suit in July.
He later criticised the Royal Bahamas Police Force over its lack of response in that matter and said he and PSA were prepared to do what was needed to ensure the court’s ruling was acted upon.
The attorney also represented web shops, including Island Game, Island Luck, FML, Asue Draw, Whatfall and Chances during a court battle with the government after the failed gambling referendum.
In early 2013 he advised his clients to remain open despite then Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett lifting a conservatory order that had prevented the government from shutting down their gaming operations.
Mr Munroe has also been critical of the government’s lack of communication of certain stipulations pertaining to the web shops.
Earlier this year, Mr Munroe also represented MICAL MP V Alfred Gray who was embroiled in allegations of judicial interference.
Comments
Cobalt 8 years, 7 months ago
Anyone paying attention to politics over the last decade should have known that Wayne Munroe was always a PLP. All of his tactics including much of his dialogue reeks of PLP. He's a mercenary who only seeks to gratify his own pockets. If Brandville McCartney didn't have the foresight to draw this correlation, then how can he lead the Bahamas as PM??? All of these politicians are con-artist getting rich off of the stupidity of everyday Bahamian people.
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
100%
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
by TalRussell
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 7 months ago
He's not a bright as one might otherwise think with this move !
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 7 months ago
But, he see's where the money comes from !!!
asiseeit 8 years, 7 months ago
Another Bahamian looking out for them self before country. This is purely an economic move by Munroe, to hell with the country. Lets just hope for the sake of the country this set of corrupt, greedy, traitors do not win the next election.
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrade AsIseeIt, are you saying "King's Counsel" Wayne is one them republican party's described "anchor baby?"
Greentea 8 years, 7 months ago
lol- I assume you mean the King at Arawak Cay
Observer 8 years, 7 months ago
But isn't our political system a democracy? Who has to give notice to move from one organization to another?
birdiestrachan 8 years, 7 months ago
I have always liked Mr: Wayne Munroe. A very intelligent young man, I believe he hails from Ragged Island. I wish him well and I believe he has been and will continue to be an asset to the beautiful and blessed Bahamas. God bless you Mr; Munroe.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Who cares???????? He is not a politician .............. and he wont win a seat with the PLP in 2017 except he runs for one of the blackbelt seats .......... the PLP may be lucky to win 10 seats
jackbnimble 8 years, 7 months ago
They'll be lucky to get 1!
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
Let him do it. He's gonna get a proper cut A.. running for the soon to be defunct PLP. Perry is like Humpty Dumpty and soon he will fall along with the entire bloodsucking regime.
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 7 months ago
birdie.... you should stop calling on God while you support the DEVILS running this country today.
John 8 years, 7 months ago
The QUESTION is will Munroe bring creditability to the PLP by joining the party or will he (eventually) lose his own credibility? Most persons that jump on a ship in peril go down with it because they don't realize the state the ship is in until they get on board. By then all the lifeboats were boarded and everyone who had a chance jumped ship. But yet others manage to survive and even save the sinking ship.
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
What creditability??? Do you live in the same country as the rest of us???????
Publius 8 years, 7 months ago
Didn't even read the article; only saw the headline and to it I ask, who really cares?
JohnBrown 8 years, 7 months ago
I shall always be grateful for those few words that past Minister of State, Mr Alfred Maycock, once left echoing in my brain regarding the plight of youth, elders and my country as a whole, "Son, you never know what makes the pot boil until you're in the stew!"
Wideawake 8 years, 7 months ago
Mr. Munroe may have been told by his Webshop clients that all of their financial support leading up to the next election was going to the PLP, and that none was being made available to the DNA.
Perhaps he decided, like many others, that the DNA is a "Spent Force", and that it may become irrelevant by the next election, unless it combines with the FNM and the Independents.
pablojay 8 years, 7 months ago
From all indications,Wayne Munroe is a very good and successful lawyer and like most of them, dishonest. For him to make his most recent switch and not inform Branville of it beforehand shows his cutthroat nature. Branville is probably asking " Et tu Brutu ?" He should make a good PLP Senator, after the next election.
jackbnimble 8 years, 7 months ago
Bad move, Mr. Munroe. This ship is sinking. You should have stayed where you were.
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrades, unlike signing a pledge of cabinet secrecy the ex DNA shadow minister for "Numbers Man's" is not so sworn to the green party's leader, therefore has broken no rules.
Seems Comrade Wayne torn a page right out of Izmarlin's book, like when he failed in advance to inform the PM about his filing for bankruptcy protection in Delaware.
Seems, if yesterdays you once swore loyalty to the DNA Leader, the party maintains you on their active membership role. It likes the Voters Registry - got's all them dead people still living too.
Now, Wayne can tell all we, how many more are there who Bran thinks in his imaginary world are still active members,
Now that reality membership revelation is to talk about caughtin leader Bran, by a complete surprise come the 2017 General.
Bran's eyebrows be all raised like the fancy ladies you see at the stores behind the cosmetic counters, or as one them Mary K ladies standing at ya door, looking sell your lady their woman's 230 shades Lipsticks. Warning for former DPM Brent. When you get the merger proposition membership books from the DNA, be suspect, it all up in Bran's - make believe PM's head.
DEDDIE 8 years, 7 months ago
He is a good lawyer but a terrible forecaster.
pablojay 8 years, 7 months ago
Wayne Munroe said that he and Branville are childhood friends,but he saw no reason to inform him beforehand confirms what i said before,he is a cutthroat and a dangerous person to have as a friend. On second thought it is quite logical why he joined the PLP,because he seems to have a lot in common with Perry Christie, neither of them seem to have the balls to tell someone something that they may not like to their face.
Cobalt 8 years, 7 months ago
PLP tactics, I tell ya!
That's how the PLP operates! There is nothing dignified, nor decent about them!
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