By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
TALKS taking place among Free National Movement (FNM) executives have centred on a tentative convention date in early July, a high-level party insider told The Tribune yesterday.
A final decision on this date is to be made on Thursday night during a special council meeting that was called by FNM Secretary General Michael Foulkes to specifically address the continuous agitation to hold the event before November. It is expected that all positions in the party would be up for challenge at convention.
While these talks are continuing, the six members of the FNM parliamentary caucus who threatened to have Dr Hubert Minnis removed from the post of Official Opposition leader by way of a petition to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling have made the decision to abandon this move, the high-level source informed this newspaper.
This threat on the part of the MPs has garnered mixed reactions from senior FNMs.
Frank Watson, who served as deputy prime minister under a previous Ingraham administration, said while the public infighting in the organisation “doesn’t help the party” the FNM has given Dr Minnis four years to get himself in order.
“You know the discussions are continuing,” Mr Watson said yesterday. “But what is going on in the public really doesn’t help the party but you know we have choices to make. That is life. This is just democracy in action.”
Asked if the FNM leader was given a fair chance, Mr Watson said: “He’s had four years to get it together.”
Meanwhile, former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette maintained that the only way for the divided party to unite would be to convene an early convention.
He said: “The main focus at the moment is for the party to decide whether it wants an early convention. There appears to be differing opinions and persons who want to run can run and if they don’t want to then they don’t.
“Obviously there must be some degree of dissatisfaction, but I am a firm believer in this convention because that will quell the outcry. I have never been one to fight battles in public but I will say that I think it is unfortunate that this is taking place.”
He continued: “That’s why the early convention is important for us to go to the highest authority and deal with it from there.”
Mr Symonette was also dismissive when questions were asked regarding whether he was seeking a leadership post in the FNM.
“I don’t know that my name is in the mix for leadership,” he replied. “As I have said over and over again, if I have any intention on running I will make it known.”
Last night, FNM Chairman Sidney Collie confirmed that Thursday’s special meeting will deal with the convention dilemma.
“FNMs and the general public are advised that the executive committee of the Free National Movement will meet on Thursday, June 2, 2016, at party headquarters, Mackey Street,” he said. “The meeting will be followed immediately by a meeting of the Central Council which will review the decision regarding the holding of the party’s national convention and establish a new date.
“An announcement will be made immediately following to advise FNMs and the general public of the outcome.”
This comes after six FNM MPs gave Dr Minnis an ultimatum last week: hold an early convention or they would seek to have the governor general remove him as Official Opposition leader.
Comments
birdiestrachan 7 years, 10 months ago
never mind Dr: Minnis trying to play the big man, He will do as he is told. that is what his Papa did and he must do the same. He will call the convention in July those are his instructions.
proudloudandfnm 7 years, 10 months ago
Now ALL FNMS FIND THESE DELEGATES AND TELL THEM HOW TO VOTE!!!
We cannot let Minnis win this, he must be replaced.
jackbnimble 7 years, 10 months ago
I agree. At this point I would even support "bribery". Lol
Publius 7 years, 10 months ago
@jack lol, that's how Minnis kept it so long!
sheeprunner12 7 years, 10 months ago
The million dollar question is .......... How will the July convention delegates be (s)elected by the FNM Chairman/Secretary General?????
Publius 7 years, 10 months ago
Probably the same way as before - in a corrupt fashion!
sheeprunner12 7 years, 10 months ago
Minnis is wealthy ............ does he need politics to consolidate his personal wealth???? (NO)
So, the question to ask is ............ What is Minnis' motive for being a Prime Minister???????
He says ........... To rid The Bahamas of corruption .......... Do you believe him????? ........ Can he do that??????? .......... Who will be in his anti-corruption Cabinet??????? ........ Will he adopt the anti-corruption strategies employed by the present President in Tanzania??????
TalRussell 7 years, 10 months ago
Comrades what Loretta, Chippie and Richard are now doing, after twice now not being capable enough of mustering the guts between three them to actually delivery their drafted letter to Her Excellency, demanding she fire Minnis as the Colony's Official Opposition Leader in the Honourable House of Assembly, is to now ask the red party's council to do their dirty work for the three UBPism electoral boundaries protected MP's.
These three misguided red MP's, couldn't even get a majority of votes between the three them, to head up the hill to the big pink house atop Mount Fitzwilliam.
My question is, if Loretta's, Chippie's and Richard's playbook wouldn't free them to run for House seats outside the UBPism electoral protective boundaries of Long Island, St. Anne's & Montagu, how in hell can these three lead the red party to an electoral victory in 2017?
Regardless, council needs sent these three MP's a clear message. Do your own dirty works by your three selves. PLEASE exclude council, from your many failures to sink Minnis.
Comrades it could get worse, so get real okay. If the three MP's can't handle voters outside UBPism, how in hell can they win a majority seats across Bahamaland?
Rather than risk winning with these three, wouldn't it be better to wait it out until the 2022 General, than to return back to the 2017 House, with but three UBPism seats?
Publius 7 years, 10 months ago
RE-POST: Let the FNM candidates tell you what they are getting when they go door to door in this country. Let them tell you what just about every home whose door they knock on is saying. Many of the candidates are heavily depressed because they can see what is coming down the pike for the FNM. They know the election will spell disaster at the rate their party is going. And many of them; candidates, council members, senior FNMs both active and retired, are to blame for helping to prop up a man the overwhelming majority of voters and would-be constituents are saying needs to go and who has brought the party into such disrepute. The FNM is notorious for ignoring the voices of the voters in furtherance of their own make-believe ideas about what the voters want or need. The PLP on the other hand hears the voices - and then proceeds to buy off the voices so as to change their opinion. Either way, these parties are not putting the nation and its needs above all else. The FNM should never have allowed things to get to this point.
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