Glenys Hanna Martin acknowledges her supporters. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune staff
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
ENGLERSTON MP Glenys Hanna Martin launched her bid to become leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) yesterday as she called for transformation in education, a renewed fight against poverty and efforts to combat the deteriorating health of Bahamians, an issue she said was nearly a crisis.
She is the first person to publicly announce an intention to challenge Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP Philip “Brave” Davis for leader at the party’s October convention.
She is seeking to become the first woman to lead a major political party, having been elected as the first woman chairman of a party in 2008.
“One of the most critical institutions in this regard is our educational system but over the years it has become more and more complex with layers upon layers of initiatives and layers and layers upon layers of policies,” she said last night at her constituency headquarters on Balfour Avenue.
“In spite of the earnest efforts of successive administrations, our children emerge out of the system experiencing great challenges with basic literacy and numeracy skills which negatively impact their communication skills and this is a very serious outcome. I believe we are now compelled to look at our educational system with new eyes and cause for an analysis of how our children learn and give them access to knowledge through methodologies which are effective in that learning process. Our goals in the delivery of education must broaden and deepen so as to stimulate in our children creative thinking and foster analytical thought and facilitate innovation. Access to tertiary education must be liberalised to ensure that our gifted children all over the Bahamas are not shut out simply because their economic status does not allow it. In this way, our young people can begin the journey of reaching their full potential and in turn contribute in cutting edge fashion to our economic and social life.”
As for the health of Bahamians, she said: “In the mission to assure the thriving of our human capital understanding its importance to our viability as a people, we must have grave concerns that our national state of health is deteriorating before our very eyes. Despite the investment over the years of billions of dollars in health infrastructure and pharmaceuticals and in training and engagement of health professionals, we are watching what is fast becoming a frightening health crisis in our country and which appears to be growing unabated and placing tremendous pressures on our scarce resources. It is therefore of utmost urgency that we address the state of health of our people. Just as we have the careful surveillance and the aggressive public education for communicable diseases, we should be embarking on similar strategies to counter chronic non-communicable diseases because we are indeed experiencing a deadly epidemic.”
Mrs Hanna Martin said she would lead the party into an era of aggressive modernisation as PLP leader, embracing technological advancements while ensuring greater dialogue between members and party leadership.
Former Financial Services Minister Hope Strachan and former Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin threw their support around her during yesterday’s launch. They declared Mrs Hanna Martin the next PLP leader and the next prime minister of the country.
“There’s no more fitting a person for what we about to do,” Mrs Strachan said.
Both former PLP Cabinet ministers struck feminist tones as they voiced support for the Englerston MP. Mrs Strachan asked “men to look beyond the fact that it’s a woman” running for leader and to look at her “accomplishments” instead.
As minister of transport and aviation in the last Christie administration, Mrs Hanna Martin steered reform of the Road Traffic Department and led efforts to help the Bahamas gain control over its airspace.
She was first elected to Parliament in 2002 and served in the first Christie Cabinet.
Comments
DDK 6 years, 7 months ago
How the hell are this woman and her cronies going to educate and care for the public if they can't keep money in the public coffers?
Sickened 6 years, 7 months ago
This is NOT good! If she wins then it guarantees that the PLP will remain irrelevant... and in order to have a good government you need a good opposition.
TalRussell 6 years, 7 months ago
Comrades! This IS good - cause we're all awaiting Glenys Hanna Martin to stand at the PLP's upcoming convention's speakers podium - where she will get to give her justification for all the wrong her former cabinet colleagues committed in the name transformation in education and a renewed fight against poverty? { Is this a fake article, or what? }
concernedcitizen 6 years, 7 months ago
Is this woman for real . 30 to 40 million dollars of the peoples money went missing from The Road Traffic Dept . when she was Minister of Transport and Aviation
TalRussell 6 years, 7 months ago
Comrades! Based on the two publicly announced MP's contesting for the PLP's leadership - if their track records encompassing the years 2012 - 2107 are all they have to run on - they both needs find another line of work.
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 7 months ago
Not to worry, anything this evil creature touches either dies or looks forward to dying quickly.
birdiestrachan 6 years, 7 months ago
realfreethinker 6 years, 7 months ago
birdie you really hate fnms? Mind you it doesn't matter because you are just as irrelevant as your beloved plp. Just go away.
licks2 6 years, 7 months ago
Thank you. . .you have just confirmed what we were telling you all along. . . you can't see pass your loyalty to the PLP!! I would be ashamed to say that about any political party. . .over my love for my nation! Your are unpatriotic. . .you show why the PLP shall remain irrelevant in our future politics. . .yall corrupted minds will not reform. . .that mind set is the death of all persons who are slightly connected to yinna! I predict that the next election will be between the FNM and DNA if it jettison its current two leaders and chairman. . .all who cannot seem to understand the reality of politics! If the DNA remains as is with its dysfunctional leadership. . .there will be another party. . .possible made up of some of those new parties. . .PLP, DNA and FNM drift wood. . .but never the PLP as we know them. . .including you birdie. . .
Maynergy 6 years, 7 months ago
The country got a lot of work to do for our children to keep this country as their country i.e. Bahamas. No more selling any out islands or family islands to anyone or entities.
realfreethinker 6 years, 7 months ago
Now that she has thrown her hat in the ring. They need to throw her ass in jail.
TalRussell 6 years, 7 months ago
Comrades, for anyone to say that they have never seen or met a PLP they did not like - I'm thinking that individual never crossed paths with V. Alfred?
birdiestrachan 6 years, 7 months ago
No I do not hate FNM;s No Way I have members of my family who are FNM:s we can respectfully*disagree. There is only one Bahamas . The Bahamas needs all of its citizen We should all love our country as so many other people love theirs. Hold the Bahamas up and do not break it down. We have been blessed by God with a beautiful country. let us all be grateful.
TalRussell 6 years, 7 months ago
Comrades! The Bahamaland remains a Commonwealth realm. The Queen can dispatch her war ships to recolonise the Bahamaland at any time - cause she is our Queen, and as our Queen she has full authority as head of state over 'her' realm. Read ya constitution - is so written.
The Governor-General has royal authority to dissolve the House of Assembly and so order a new General Election and there is not a damn thing PM Minnis can do to stop Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling, from firing him as PM - like she did when he was fired as official leader of the Queen's opposition.
Oh yeah, we is still a English colony... Loyal Subjects Queen Lizzy!
banker 6 years, 7 months ago
Sigh ... once again, I must intervene to correct your ignorance. As a Commonwealth Country, the provisions of the constitutional monarchy, stipulate as granted in the Letters Patent upon independence, that the Governor General of The Bahamas or The Queen can only dissolve Parliament on the advice of the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, or by an official act of Parliament duly voted on of non-confidence of the governing party and its prime minister. In very special cases, the Queen, through an order in council may be petitioned to instruct the Governor General to dissolve parliament, but not fire the Prime Minister, which would trigger an election. Such cases would have to be authorised by the Privy Council.
There is no Letters Patent or any authority for the Governor General to act unilaterally to suspend a legal government unconditionally. I hope that this informs you better, in spite of your intrinsic ignorance and penchant for making up "facts" like Donald Trump does.
TalRussell 6 years, 7 months ago
Comrade Banker, of course the GG would consult with Buckingham Palace...but do not underestimate the Royal Power of Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling. The GG of Canada, just a few years back stood up to the attempt to play politics by Canada's then PM Stephen Harper.
Both Canada and the Bahamaland are Independent countries but remain Commonwealth realms.
This was the same GG of Canada, who was born and grew up in Haiti.
CatIslandBoy 6 years, 7 months ago
LOL! Banker, the facts does not deter Comrade Tal from making up "alternate facts" and presenting them as the gospel truth. Thanks for sharing a little Civics lesson.
CatIslandBoy 6 years, 7 months ago
While Mrs. Hanna-Martin does owe the Bahamian electorate some explaining, I do consider her almost a breath of fresh air for the PLP. I find her a little more palatable, and less corrupted, than Brave Davis. Alfred Sears would be the PLP's best choice for Leader going into the 2022 Elections.
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 7 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
Greentea 6 years, 7 months ago
Most Bahamians don't give two hoots about the numbers bosses. He was acting in the capacity of a lawyer- everyone deserves representation whether you morally agree with their actions or not.
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 7 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
baldbeardedbahamian 6 years, 7 months ago
Only one thing to say about this, Road Traffic Department.
Reality_Check 6 years, 7 months ago
Right you are! And to think this loud mouthed evil creature who was foisted on our country by nepotism still has political aspirations!! She's about as delusional as they come, but like her father, her wings have been clipped but good!!! Thank heavens all of the people can now see her for what she truly is....nothing but evil incarnate, much like that evil wicked witch who has gone into hiding since the last general election.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 7 months ago
Glenys Martin has to first account for the Post Office money and the Road Traffic money ....... But any old PLP royal family spawn will not be welcomed by Bahamians ...... Old AD Hanna was bad enough, we sure do not need AD2.0
Reality_Check 6 years, 7 months ago
Amen to that!
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