EDITOR, The Tribune.
I should be grateful if you would permit me a little space to comment on the unwarranted attack by retired Parliamentarian and Ambassador to Washington C A Smith on retired Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes which he made by open letter on the 10th June 2016.
While Mr Smith has unreservedly since apologized to Sir Arthur I trust you may find some merit in these few trenchant words as I am seriously bothered by what I apprehend to be a pattern of behaviour instigated by the Leader of the Opposition the effect of which is that persons are duped into besmirching the character of others for no good reason other than the political advantage of Dr Minnis.
If I am correct in that view, that is utterly shameful, particularly when it is done stealthily through others so that Dr Minnis is sheathed from the consequences of attacking others , perhaps even legally.
I read Mr Smith’s long, rambling and confused narrative littered with bromides and banalities as it was, but could not with my trained legal mind detect one single clue which might connect Sir Arthur to the erstwhile Simon and “Front Porch“.
I was bound to take this personally as Sir Arthur has been both a mentor over the years and a close friend to me after I went through a very difficult time in the wake of my son’s death. I was offended.
Thus I concluded that C A, in his sycophantic zeal to discharge this task and with the Oleander perfumed breezes of Mount Fitzwilliam at least distally in mind he obviously, somewhat overreached.
Then it hit me. Mr Smith had succumbed to the Philosophers’ trap , the fallacy of the undistributed middle. Extrapolated the logic holds that Sir Arthur is a talented journalist , Simon is a talented journalist, voila, Sir Arthur is Simon! What other explanation could there be?
Of course C A Smith has now apologized, but his credibility is in tatters; and for what a political mediocrity as is Hubert Minnis !
I have asserted that Dr Minnis is the bane behind these personal attacks. Why do I say this ?
None of us live in an information void. I am aware of efforts through surrogates and scouts to scour the lives of persons on the front lines looking into the intimate details of their lives.
These people are not doing this of their own volition. I believe it was the Graduate, that inveterate letter writer who suggested for us the number of Senate appointments, Cabinet appointments, diplomatic appointments, Governors General appointments and Board appointments that Minnis has been able to dispense with febrile enthusiasm as political spoils in expectancy since 2012.
Well as we know from the Jerome Fitzgerald experience garbage cans or cylindrical files often have a rebound effect !
I also point to the animus obvious in the personal attacks which have taken place against the Members for Long Island and for Montagu .
The periodic disparaging remarks made by Dr Minnis against the Member St Annes and the efforts by the Leader of the Opposition to interfere in the Constituency Association elections of Fort Charlotte.
His patronage of the politically illiterate and amateurish former Senator Laneisha Rolle was a divisive tactic in the Party particularly with her scabrous farragos to the media.
Even if one were to concede to his supporters that Minnis won the last leadership poll convincingly he has squandered this victory by proving yet again, as he has done for the last four years, that he is a divider not a uniter.
Dr Minnis is inept, inarticulate and inane! He has demonstrated no ability as a political manager, tactician or strategist!
He has destroyed the FNM’s legacy of trust, competence and accountability in government.
This recent attack on Sir Arthur shows how one misanthropic man can pit two fifty year friends against each other. It is sad, but true, Minnis is a wrecking ball the FNM can no longer afford .
As Abraham Lincoln said of the United States one hundred and fifty years ago . …”A house divided against itself cannot stand...”
It is time for a change and a new direction in the FNM!
MICHAEL SCOTT
Nassau,
June 15, 2016.
Comments
Economist 7 years, 9 months ago
C.A. Smith is old and has no relevance in todays political arena. Sadly he, like Minnis, just won't let go.
They are destroying the FNM.
ohdrap4 7 years, 9 months ago
all fallacies are illogical, nes pas? i was just astounded to see fnm old heads published in the plp propaganda blogs lol.
Publius 7 years, 9 months ago
Same thing I said.
killemwitdakno 7 years, 9 months ago
Minnis is Tynneson Wells' guy and Wells is a PLP.
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