Dr Duane Sands
By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement (FNM) Senator Dr Duane Sands said the delay to appoint him to the upper chamber, despite countless calls by “respected persons” within the party, shows that the organisation’s current leadership is not focused on putting the “best effort forward”.
He was responding to questions from The Tribune after former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham told reporters on Thursday that he had recommended Dr Sands’ appointment for the past four years. Dr Sands said he was “amazed and confused all in one breath” by the revelation.
Sources in the party have suggested that the move to name Dr Sands to the Senate had been “tossed about” but was delayed for some time out of fear that appointing the surgeon would give him a stronger platform to challenge the current leadership duo at the party’s upcoming convention.
One Central Council representative, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the internal belief for several months has been that the party was doing what it could to push people “all on board with (Dr) Minnis)” while “slowing the advancement of all those that aren’t a sure thing”.
When asked about this, Dr Sands chuckled and said: “It is time we get beyond this. We in the FNM have a job before us. We have a government doing very little to improve our country. You have to keep their feet to the fire. You have to put the right persons in place to ensure that we can emerge victorious come election time.
“We have to do what is necessary to work as a team and that has always been my point when I have had any discussion with any and everyone associated with this great party. Personally, I don’t have an issue with Dr Minnis or the Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest. From early on in this process I have held to the belief that skills - fundamentally sound individuals in specific areas - would have to play key roles in moving this party forward.
“If you look around, the bashing and criticising isn’t being encouraged by this side. Personally, I don’t think the FNM has had an effective team concept developed to this point. It could be because Dr Minnis sees some of us as challengers or however you describe it. But as a leader, it is your job to walk into the room and get everyone on the same page and moving in one direction.”
Dr Sands said the public is “hoping and praying” for a united FNM.
He said that his push to be deputy leader was started with that very goal in mind - uniting the party and advancing the best possible platform ahead of the 2017 general election.
He added that he has always viewed both Dr Minnis and Mr Turnquest as strong contributors to the party. However, he said he believed the duo had become consumed with the internal fight and have lost sight of the bigger goal.
Dr Sands said that fact was painstakingly clear during the recent budget debate, a platform he said Dr Minnis could have used to “hammer a failing government”, but instead, he opted to “sell his brand”.
“I think the idea that you are operating as your own hype-man has always been shown as a marketing flaw. That is what he became on that day. He used a national stage to do something he could have done behind closed doors. I think the timing was certainly bad.”
Asked how he foresaw the party moving forward, Dr Sands said as “a team of rivals”.
“I have said this before: we don’t have to like each other to get this task done. But we do need to break this divisive spirit and do what is best for our supporters and for our country. This has gone too far. The FNM should be way beyond this and we need to start the process of fixing these issues.”
In an email chain that was leaked in early May, Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins urged Dr Minnis to remove Kwasi Thompson from the Senate and appoint Dr Sands in his place.
According to the leaked emails, Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman and Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn all backed Dr Rollins’ comments.
Dr Sands was appointed to the Senate in mid-May after then Senator Lanisha Rolle resigned.
The FNM’s convention is scheduled for July 27 to 29. Dr Sands has said he will run for the post of deputy leader on a ticket with Mrs Butler-Turner, who will vie for leader.
Comments
Rhetoric 7 years, 9 months ago
Indeed he is no doubt bewildered as to why he is the most unelectable politician in the Bahamas
ThreeTimeLoser
Publius 7 years, 9 months ago
This was a bad statement by Sands. His political acumen is zero.
Sickened 7 years, 9 months ago
He's a little embarrassing!
TalRussell 7 years, 9 months ago
by TalRussell
Zakary 7 years, 9 months ago
Do they have any sort of public relations background, particularly the Bahamian kind? Where are all the smart people who are supposed to be helping them!? Wow.
This is exactly why he’s known as “No Seat” Sands.
Publius 7 years, 9 months ago
Good question!
licks2 7 years, 9 months ago
Dr Sands is swiftly making himself unlikable. . .he shot Rocking Doc and LBT in the foot . . .pre-empted LBT leadership bid by telling the public that she will be running as his leader. . .with him and saying that he was wondering about the long time it took to be posted to the senate!
thephoenix562 7 years, 9 months ago
Wow.What took you so long to appoint me to the Senate?Wow.I guess he was born with a foot in the Senate.Will someone please stop the madness.Please!He jooks Dr Minnis in the back first chance he gets,stands on LBT head first chance he gets,then demands to know "What took you so long to anoint me to the Senate
jackbnimble 7 years, 9 months ago
What I don't get is why they insist on campaigning in the public arena. Isn't it the "delegates" that have to be convinced to vote for you (and by all accounts most of them are in Doc's pocket)?
Ah well......
licks2 7 years, 9 months ago
I spoke to one of them delegates. . .they don't like her much. . .more like they will support a papa and Sands or Doc and Sands. . .LBT seem to have been thrown under the big red bus!! Papa talked how good Sands works in public. . .BUT NOT ONE WORD ABOUT LBT!
I wonder why. . .if she is the leader with Sands. . .SOMETHING UP!!
TalRussell 7 years, 9 months ago
Comrades! The front part of the sail which meets the wind is called the luff. Loretta's luff is encountering much stronger sailing winds than the smooth sailing to unseat Minnis winds she and Dr. Duane were anticipating heading into July 27-29th's leadership port.
She just may have done abandoned the luff to Dr. Duane to sailor on, all by he normal politically lonesome self?
by TalRussell
SP 7 years, 9 months ago
................................ Silly season obviously coincides with stupid season ..............................
sheeprunner12 7 years, 9 months ago
There is NO reason for the Gang of Six to stay in the FNM if Minnis wins again .......... who goes down with a sinking ship??????? .................. I will be extremely disappointed if they, (Gang of Six) who have already called out Minnis on his "leadership unfitness" and then cower and stay in the FNM after the convention for a nomination........ that is not LEADERSHIP and that an option for those of us who cannot vote for Perry or HAM in 2017 ...... sorry
If HAM wins again, the time is NOW for the gang of Six to step out and start a Social Revolution against the corrupt Perry-led PLP and the inept HAM-led FNM ............. that is the only viable option
And that letter must be sent to Dame SLOP the day after the FNM convention (if HAM wins)
licks2 7 years, 9 months ago
Then why clammer for a convention with no intention in calming down. . .THIS CREW WILL BROKE UP AND LEAVE LBT, AR, and NG in the wind. . .their egos are too big for meekness. . .there is a Greek saying that goes like this: "whom the gods will destroy they make him proud"!
THREE SPOTS IN THE HOA DOES NOT MAKE UP A MAJORITY. . . READ THE NATIONAL REVIEW. . .HALLF OF THE RAGING SIX ARE STAYING. LBT and AR are too ambitious and proud to accept defeat by a man whom they called unfit to lead. . . and made so much trouble for. . .they are "culling out" an exit. . .an excuse for the cut hip that is coming!! They must carefully take heed to their intended foolish actions. . .least they find that same "social revolution" taking them to the bottom of the social ocean. . .a people tsunami!
sheeprunner12 7 years, 9 months ago
Licks ......... you are a hen-pecked, small-minded, obscene, groveling excuse of a Bahamian who typically hitches your fortunes to a politician ........ in your case it appears to be HAM (God knows why) ...... I wish you luck ...... the L.I.Republic will soldier on!!!!!!!!!!
licks2 7 years, 9 months ago
Haha! Now you saying that I is the one hen-picked, pea brained, obscene groveler. . . and a poor excuse for a Bahamian? Some people in the FNM and PLP will know me because of the type of work I do (HM is not one of them). . .nobody in the DNA will know what I look like. . . you know me too. . .and you would know that I carry no brief for Doc. . .I just mentioned some of the poor reasoning and rabid "snipping" of the anti-Doc persons on this site. . .comes with the job. . . my job is to ensure accuracy and fairness in documents and statements! I can't help it when I see fluvial. . . your gang is just not that "hot" in bashing DOC. As for supporting Doc. . .yall FNM can bash each other "breens" out at convention. . .our time is coming May 2017! Then we will take a second look at the winner. . .bloodied no doubt! Letsssssssssssssssss get ready to rumbleeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!
licks2 7 years, 9 months ago
Vell vait. . .Simon on the front porch chopped Minnis to minced hot dogs and the Young Man's View dig LBT "another eye hole" with a big stick!! I though that Gibson did a more fair and balanced job with accurate social commentaries as they are given on the streets! aND HE IS NOT A COWARD. . .WE KNOW HIM!
As for Simon. . .I don't have time for cowards who hide in the bushes and throw stones at people. . .good writer. . .BUT DON'T WORTH THE EFFORT TO TALK ABOUT! HE/SHE JUST SCARED OF DOC. . .ROW. . .ROW. . .ROW!! Lol!
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