By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
ONE day after Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis called for party disputes to be dealt with internally, Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant said “he can no longer remain silent” while being publicly attacked by his “junior parliamentary colleague”.
In a statement, Mr Grant demanded that Senator Lanisha Rolle apologise for her “unprovoked attack” on himself and colleagues, as “it is the proper thing to do”.
His statement came almost a week after Mrs Rolle set off a firestorm of controversy after she accused Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner and other FNM MPs of being “jealous” of Dr Minnis.
Mrs Rolle also said the Bahamian public would never vote for Mrs Butler-Turner as prime minister over Perry Christie and suggested that she “humble” herself before the FNM leader.
She also said Dr Minnis had the support of FNM delegates and that only a few FNM MPs who were “holding seats for now” did not support him.
She also said: “Some of them have chosen to misuse their positions of power for self-serving interests and not in the interest of the country.”
Mr Grant denied being jealous of Dr Minnis and said the only thing he has done as it relates to the FNM leader is seek to make the Killarney MP “attractive and acceptable” to the party’s supporters and the electorate.
“In an effort to preserve party unity, I have refrained from public comments when asked to do so. However, I can no longer remain silent when all FNM members of Parliament are disgracefully and publicly attacked by a junior parliamentary colleague, without provocation?” Mr Grant asked.
“Senator Rolle has suggested that I, as an FNM MP, was envious and ‘jealous’ of Dr Hubert Minnis. This is (not true). If I am guilty of any act as it relates to Dr Hubert Minnis, it is seeking to assist him in making himself attractive and acceptable to FNM supporters and the entire voting population of the Bahamas. As Senator Rolle has advised that she is not prepared to publicly apologise for her unprovoked attack on colleagues I, hereby, demand that she does so, as it is the proper thing to do, in the circumstances. I trust she and the leader sees the wisdom in so doing.”
On Tuesday, Dr Minnis broke his silence on the rift within his party last night, releasing a statement which said that the “personal comments” voiced by his colleagues over the past few days “would have better served our cause” if shared internally.
However, Dr Minnis sought to downplay the party discord, stressing that there “are no irreconcilable differences that the FNM family members face, and it is my hope and prayer that this will become very clear to those who wish to see this PLP led government gone.”
However, he did not condemn Mrs Rolle’s statements or ask her to apologise.
Mrs Rolle’s remarks drew rebuke from several FNMs this week, including Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn and former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson. Mr Watson told The Tribune on Monday that Mrs Rolle has “no sense” and that her appointment to the Senate last year was one of Dr Minnis’ “tragic mistakes.”
However some in the FNM, including founding father Maurice Moore and Central and South Abaco MP Edison Key, rallied around Mrs Rolle and her statements. The issue has put the strained relations in the FNM back in the national spotlight.
But in his statement, Dr Minnis said these “temporary family exchanges will pass.”
While he did not specifically refer to Senator Rolle’s statements, or the scathing criticism they received from some quarters, Dr Minnis said: “The FNM does not endorse the public analysis or criticisms - including those that imputed motives - of our members of Parliament, senators and senior party members in ways that can cause reputational damage or cause loss of support for them and by extension the FNM. Each such instance where this has occurred was unfortunate and unhelpful to the mission – providing a caring and competent government – we are on. Our energies are best directed dissecting this ineffective PLP led administration.”
Comments
TruePeople 8 years, 2 months ago
Politicians always looking for apologies from each other.... when they gone apologize to the country for screwing it over?
Guess they too busy worrying about their hurt feelings and their chances for 2017. Little else seems to matter to them.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 2 months ago
Good point True .............. the post-independence generation of Bahamian politicians need to get down in Rawson Square on their knees and beg forgiveness for putting us on the slippery slope for national ruin since the mid 1970s ............ first up the remnant of the Old PLP guard led by AD Hanna, Perry and crew
realfreethinker 8 years, 2 months ago
Since they like going to SLOP so much maybe they should bring him along so he can account also
Publius 8 years, 2 months ago
So true; though in this case they do not truly want an apology from the woman nor do they truly care about her thoughts or whether she is sorry or not - they are simply adding more stripes to her since she has foolishly made herself Minnis' whipping girl. This entire affair and the amount of public attention the FNM is dedicating to this instead of focusing on the nation and dealing with this matter within their ranks, is yet another testament to the tragedy the FNM has become.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 2 months ago
This cannot be an internal matter because these non-PLP politicians will soon be coming to the public to be elected to Parliament and to form a government ........... they must be on ONE accord before they present themselves to the public ............ OR those of like mind should form whatever groups they wish ..... and may the best team (other than the PLP) win in 2017.
We cannot risk having this country run by the PLP beyond 2017 ........... that is a PRIORITY
licks2 8 years, 2 months ago
Please tell me Mr. Grant, what did the Senator said about you all in the house that yinna ain't like she? Would you also call for Frank Watson to retract his "low brow" comments of the Senator in the morning papers? Mr. Watson said that the Senator is not entitled to the Senate. . .just come in the party. . .have not political experience . . . and she don't have any sense!!
Well muddo sick! What FW was smoking bouy? He thinks that the FNM party belong to "them" aye? By them I guess he means "LBTites" . . .the old guard! So Dr. Cool breeze don't "rule". . .like FW said some time ago. . .Dc. won't listen to "them". . .and doing his own thing!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. . . .DR. MINNIS "YUCK" THEY WHOLE SHIP FROM THEM AND WILL THROW THEM OVERBOARD IF THEY "CARRY ON BAD".
WE THE PUBLIC LIKE WHAT DOC. COOL BREEZE IS DOING. . . MOVING THE BALL BACK TOWARDS THE SMALL MAN. REST ASSURED. . .IF THEY MOVE DOC BREEZE. . .THE DNA IS MOST LIKELY THE NEXT GOVERMENT. . .NOBODY WILL VOTE FOR THE PLP. . .AND LBT DON'T HAVE THE PUBLIC SUPPORT TO LEAD THEM FNM TO VICTORY COME 2017!! The Senator was right. . .WE THE PUBLIC DON'T LIKE LBT. . .she comes across too fake. . .CHILDISH POLITICS!!!
HER MINIONS ARE CALLING PEOPLE "PETTY LAWYER". . ."ghetto fabulous". . ."have no right to senate". . ."she did not earn that position". . ."not true FNM". . .etc. What a sorry bunch for real!! Yall sense of entitlement is showing real bad!! They sound like a bunch of snobs who think that anybody who is not from the Bay Street ilk. . .you have no right to they "things"! Lol! I can't laugh at these people. . .so blinded by their self-importance that they can't see how silly and spoiled brats they look!!
According "TO WORD ON THE STREETS". . .Minnis OR McCartney will be next PM. . .never LBT or PGC!! Both persons will allow the elite to "ride pon da people like a bicycle". . . hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
banker 8 years, 2 months ago
by banker
SP 8 years, 2 months ago
.................. Throw a rock into a pack of dogs and only the ones it hits yelps ......................
Senator Lanisha Rolle should throw some more rocks. But much, much bigger ones this time!
Regardless 8 years, 2 months ago
....safe seat Neko looking out for safe seat Loretta. Would be great fun to see any of these two contest a seat that is not a cake walk for the FNM.
Publius 8 years, 2 months ago
The seat Neko occupies right now is certainly not a safe seat anymore, see 2012!
TalRussell 8 years, 2 months ago
Such talk by Comrade Neko can be baffling, considering Senator Lanisha is doing what Jesus sent her to do.
Neko and his red shirts House of Assembly Colleagues, never got around to publicly speaking the damn truth about the mutiny long oping on in the red party and lead by none other than Loretta.
Neko did you know but still did not tell Minnis about his own red MP's who sought an appointment with the Governor general to move Minnis as Her Majesty's Leader Official Opposition in the House of Assembly?
Forget Senator Lanisha, what exactly was your involvement in the planning of a House of Assembly Coup d'état against Minnis?
Niko don't you think reds in Grand Bahama have the right to know your true political intentions?
TruePeople 8 years, 2 months ago
Who Jesus would vote for in 2017 Tal?
TalRussell 8 years, 2 months ago
Comrade TruePeople was not Jesus crucified for His blunt honesty to the message.
I seriously doubt the red shirts party MP's and Executives will ever move from their self-created darkness that did befallen Papa Hubert and all but a tiny couple fingers worth of his his cabinet colleagues and party executives back on the General Election Day of 2012.
The reds really shouldn't be fooled into thinking Loretta is the leader to lead HER red party to come out of the Papa Hubert darkness into the light of victory come the 2017 General.
Senator Lanisha should have been encouraged not made suffer the pain and sorrow Loretta and club were determined to hammer into her nail-scarred hands - aided by the the two daily newspapers and talk show hosts to suit their own political-profiteering agendas.
tonymontana 8 years, 2 months ago
p pray they dont send him back in my area again , he needs to go blow one of those horns he donates to the schools
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