Senator Fred Mitchell.
By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
THE Progressive Liberal Party can become a much stronger force if it returns to its roots of being a community, one of its senators told supporters over the weekend.
Fred Mitchell, former parliamentarian for Fox Hill, was updating PLP supporters on Saturday at a PLP branch meeting held in Dundas Town, Abaco on efforts to strengthen the political organisation. He stressed that installing structure to the existing organisation as well hosting annual party conventions would go a long way in making the party stronger over the long-term.
“You know, after a loss like this, it’s important for us together because it’s the community that makes us stronger and causes our hearts to burn within us and so that’s what the vice chair is doing, that’s what all of us are doing is to go back to all the communities that supported us and to say ‘we’re still here, our life is going on,’ and I tell the people in Fox Hill that 2,400 people voted for me in Fox Hill,” Mr Mitchell said.
“My opponent got 200 more than I did but 2,400 voted for me and so all those people continue to have a voice in Fox Hill. For me to step away from that would not be the right thing to do.
“And so that’s what the party has to do, it has to remember that there are people who still voted for us, who still trust us and who still want us to speak for them.
“If you pay attention to the current attitudes in the country, they want you to shut up, to be quiet, to say nothing even if you see wrong being done, just go into a, what’s the man’s name (Dionisio) D’Aguilar, the minister of tourism said we must go back in our hole and crawl back from where we came, that’s his advice to us.
“And it gets worse because when Shane Gibson was taken to court, and (allegedly) mistreated by the police (before) his arraignment, two pastors, one is the former archbishop, another is a current bishop, spoke up not about guilt or innocence, but about whether he was treated properly during the arraignment. And what do you have, you have a (former) judge of the court, someone who is responsible for administering justice, who comes out and says sit down and shut up, sit down and shut up.
“That’s what they want you to do is sit down and shut up, so tonight, I want to tell you that Fred Mitchell is not going to sit down and shut up. Now they could, I don’t know, whatever they want to do, as they say that ain’t going to happen because as long as you have whatever you have, if your voice is all you have, you use your voice. So, if it’s no, it’s no. If you agree with some things, fine. But if you disagree, don’t be afraid to disagree.”
The PLP was wiped out of office on May 10, only securing four out of 39 seats in the House of Assembly. Many veteran PLPs lost seats considered party strongholds and only one MP, Glenys Hanna Martin, won a seat in New Providence.
The opposition party secured 37 per cent of the nearly 160,000 votes that were cast on Election Day compared to the 57 per cent won by the Free National Movement.
Since then, the party has seen the resignation of former Prime Minster and PLP Leader Perry Christie, and the arraignment of three former parliamentarians: Ken Dorsett, Frank Smith, and Shane Gibson concerning various allegations of extortion, bribery and misconduct in public office.
Mr Mitchell on Saturday expressed hope that there would be a convention before the end of the year.
“The vice-chair said there’s going to be a convention in late October and I’m hoping there’s a convention but as part of what we’re doing, the rebuilding effort, is to try and get back to the old way of doing things, to put some structure in the way that the PLP operates and that there is an actual party organisation that you can depend on a regular basis throughout the years.”
The senator reminded the party that it needs to view itself like a church.
“On Sundays, you go to church, every week you meet, you sing from the same hymn sheet, you read from the Bible, repeat the creed, you see all the people who are Christians like you and you talk about all of the things that have happened over the past days, and you then say what we are the body of Christ, we are one body, by the spirit we are all baptised, one body.
“Political parties therefore have a similar message and that’s what we’re trying to get back to.”
Comments
Honestman 6 years, 8 months ago
The PLP can become a much stronger force if its parliamentarians stop thieving from the public purse!!! But that is like telling a dog not to bark. Ain't never gonna happen because the PLP is corrupt at its core. The only hope for a strong opposition is for these criminal dogs to disband and a new party to emerge minus anyone who has ever served as a PLP MP. I doubt this will happen. Unfortunately the PLP is a reflection of the people that votes for them. Until we change the mindset of PLP supporters their corrupt party will always be around like a scab that won't heal.
Sickened 6 years, 8 months ago
Harsh! But I believe your statements to be accurate.
licks2 6 years, 8 months ago
The PLP has become a rotted cancer in itself. . .it is too far spread to "cut out". . .their disease is too dangerous and has become and "Awah" like giant that needs to be denuclearized and placed in a black hole. . .never to be seen or heard from again. . .like the former UBP. . .or if she joins with another party. . .all PLP ghosts must be kept in the background and never. . .I mean never see the light of day again!!
Sickened 6 years, 8 months ago
And I beg you regular commenters to please refrain from speaking about his gayness or referring to him as 'sissy'. Let us focus on his message and lambast him and his party on those points only.
licks2 6 years, 8 months ago
Why? He calls everybody anything that come to his mind. . . he went in the mud. . .get dirty is what happens when ya "go in the mud"! He took all civility off the table and you are asking persons to be civil with him and his "dutty" mouth? I agree with you though. . .let us take the high road and don't follow him with his childish behavior and rude condescending jabs! Just let him go on talking school yard crap. . .
baldbeardedbahamian 6 years, 8 months ago
Like a church the PLP is a political party that is most comfortable enjoying the blind faith of its followers. Reasoned dissent or individual thinking is to be crushed. You must believe that Swindling Pindling was sent by God and so could do no wrong. Unfortunately there are a lot of stupid people who all get to vote and many of them know no better than to support the PLP because they cannot see through the lies and false promises made on the election trail.
licks2 6 years, 8 months ago
I was one of those persons who followed Pindling for many years (not blindly) . . .at least until the late 70s when he begun to become a drug dealing vindictive thug. . .I left the country until 92. . .supported the new government in the light until PM Ingraham became a closet dictator and bully hard headed thug! I still do think that LOP was a ingenious and skilled nation builder who was well read and educated. . .street wise and book wise who became corrupted by drug money! However, the old PLP was never no where as corrupt as this new PLP bunch of highway robbers under PM Christie!
Porcupine 6 years, 8 months ago
And, until we get some "leaders", this country will stay 100 years behind the rest of the world. Fred Mitchell is irrelevant to the future of The Bahamas. He does not have a clue of what a leader should be. He is too power hungry and too egotistical. He has damaged this country immeasurably. The sooner he is gone, the sooner the country can move forward. Let's not forget that a similar percentage of people voted for Donald Trump. We'll see how that turns out.
OldFort2012 6 years, 8 months ago
The PLP cannot get back to its roots. Drug running is so 1980s and so much harder than it was.
SP 6 years, 8 months ago
Lol....
jackbnimble 6 years, 8 months ago
Yeah this thing go deep. How do you get back to your roots when corruption is all you KNOW?
SP 6 years, 8 months ago
Freddy boy is living his worst nightmare imaginable. Dog don't bark at park car!
PM Sheriff Minnis already set a whole new path for Bahamian politics. The electorate clearly wants nothing to do with the "old guard" that destroyed the country and decimated our people.
Pillage Loot Plunder is FINISHED same as former Foreign National Movement!
Its' a new day with a totally different direction.
Freddy boy and his crew of has been's finally ran out of rope. They have absolutely no political currency left, and no foundation to build on.
Pillage Loot Plunder has NO CHANCE of "getting stronger"!
by SP
rawbahamian 6 years, 8 months ago
Somebody please tell the former minister of flying and now the senator of talking to please just gracefully bow out and to leave quietly into the night and to not let us hear from him anymore and try to make a living at HIS own expense !!!
Sickened 6 years, 8 months ago
What scares the PLP the most is that they haven't taught enough of their up-and-coming how best to steal and plunder when in power. They are still in training and are about to be taken down by Sheriff Minnis. The PLP were overconfident the last 5 years and are now panicking because they don't have enough pirates to man the ship.
sealice 6 years, 8 months ago
Really Freddy - how many of the 2,400 were paid to vote for you? 2399? as in you didn't pay yourself although you probably almost had too....
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