The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

BAMBOO Town MP Renward Wells went on the defensive yesterday, criticising Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant as disrespectful for his comments that criticised his performance during the 2016/2017 budget debate.

Mr Wells told The Tribune that he was singled out in Mr Grant’s scathing rebuke of FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis last week because he supported Dr Minnis’ campaign to stay on as leader of the party.

Pointing out that he has also been the target of social media attacks, Mr Wells contended that individuals that engaged in “gutter politics” for power should not have it.

“He’s (Mr Grant) a man who speaks about principle,” Mr Wells said, “but he was very unprincipled in his attack on me. He speaks about respect but was very disrespectful about the way he treated me.

“Not including me in an email that lambasted me, castigated me in connection with Dr Minnis, that is not the mark of a leader.”

Mr Wells also said his colleague misrepresented him.

Last week, The Tribune exclusively reported on an email sent from Mr Grant to Dr Minnis and several other members of the FNM.

The email outlined Mr Grant’s displeasure with the party leader’s performance during the wrap up of the 2016/2017 budget debate, saying the Killarney MP showed “no interest” in the head-by-head exercise and seemed unprepared.

Mr Grant, leader of opposition business in the House, also accused Dr Minnis of abandoning ship by leaving the House session around 2.30am last Thursday under the guise of not feeling well – an excuse he said that he did not believe.

The email ended with a postscript that said the communication was not copied to Mr Wells, “as his behaviour was similar to yours (Dr Minnis).”

Reacting yesterday, Mr Wells said: “It was a very low blow to write something like that and include me, then didn’t include me in the email so I have to see it, read about it in the paper. He’s always a man who jumps up and speaks about principles and his name, but he was very unprincipled and disrespectful in what he did.”

While he may not have directly asked many questions during the budget wrap up, Mr Wells said he offered suggestions to some of his colleagues who were standing up at the time and had fielded questions that he intended to ask.

He contended that he was present for every sitting of the debate in the lower chamber, and only stepped away for a few hours on the final night to fulfil a promise he had made to his daughter.

Mr Wells’ daughter, Sasha, is currently ranked second in the region in the 100m hurdles, and sixth in the world in the under 18 category.

On that night, she was due to compete in a qualifying event at the national stadium.

Mr Wells said he informed both Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn and St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman, who were seated next to him, that he intended to leave Parliament at 7pm to watch his daughter compete. He said he asked Mr Lightbourn to pass the message on to Mr Grant.

“When I became a politician I didn’t stop being a parent,” he said. “My daughter pleaded with me to be there that night because I have missed other times, other opportunities because of my job as a politician. I was able to promise her I would be there because we were supposed to finish the budget Tuesday night, not Wednesday.

“I’ve held the national record for 11 years. This is a matter of family legacy. I have helped train my daughter, invested in her. She is one of the best athletes in her age category. I was absent from 7pm to 11pm, and then I stayed until the budget was passed at 3.30am. They knew where I was. He (Mr Grant) was being very disingenuous.”

Mr Wells said he believed he was included in the email attack because of his staunch support for Dr Minnis to remain party leader. He said that the anti-Minnis team was split into two factions, an above-board group and a more sinister “black-ops” team tasked with mudslinging, particularly on social media.

He referred to a video that was circulated on Facebook that inferred that Dr Minnis was corrupt and featured himself and Lanisha Rolle.

“That’s the black ops team of the get rid of Minnis minions,” he said.

“All manner of malfeasance and all manner of wickedness they will do for power. People who engage in that kind of wickedness, not a contest of ideas but gutter politics for power, should not have it. Those people should not have power.”

The scathing email came weeks after six FNM MPs, including Mr Grant, wrote a letter to the party’s Central Council outlining Dr Minnis’ weaknesses as a leader. The letter was used to bolster their case for an early convention, which was later set for July 27-29.

Yesterday, Mr Wells acknowledged that there will never be a contest without some form of negative campaigning.

However, he said it will be left up to the voters to judge whether the actions of participants were fair and just.

He said: “I came into the FNM supporting Dr Minnis and I support the leadership of Dr Minnis. I believe we need a new vision, and a new direction in this country.

“Politics is a fight, a contest and there is always the internal fight politically within an organisation as to who will lead. At the end of the day, by the very set up and nature of democracy you’re going to have a contest and from time to time that internal contest has to be settled.

“That is what we’re seeing now, it was settled but others were not happy with it and we’re going to settle it again.”