Loretta Butler-Turner, leader of Opposition in the House of Assembly.
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
OFFICIAL Opposition Leader Loretta Butler-Turner yesterday forecast that it was “very likely” the Progressive Liberal Party will be returned as the government unless splintered opposition forces can put the future of the country before their own egos.
Mrs Butler-Turner told reporters outside Parliament yesterday that the path to achieving a unified opposition is “very straightforward” but was blocked largely by the leadership desires of all persons involved.
She maintained that, despite the protestations of other groupings, the only team that she has not had formal talks with was the Free National Movement.
Mrs Butler-Turner lamented that there was still a “void of leadership” in the country, and suggested that while she had previously felt strongly about the ability of opposition forces to coalesce around the central theme of ousting the PLP, her team was having great difficulty achieving that goal.
“I think it’s important that the Bahamians have two clear choices and that is a unified opposition and the government,” she said, “and so it’s important that we try to work toward unifying at least the opposition forces. Maybe not under the same umbrella because everyone wants to be leader but certainly to be able to put our differences aside to turn the country around.”
She added: “I said to people who are advising the FNM, I said it’s very simple: we’ve just got to be able to determine if we unify ourselves, like I said, it doesn’t have to be under one brand. We just have to come together and ensure that we are not splitting the vote in so many different directions, that’s the important thing.
“The conceptualisation is very straightforward, it’s the egos of individuals. Until we actually determine that the country is more important than each of us as individuals, we will probably end up with what we have, and history certainly dictates that if we go into an election splintered in so many directions that’s very likely, that’s the reality.”
Mrs Butler-Turner was responding to questions from the media on the path forward for herself and the other six MPs who are currently facing disciplinary action from the FNM over their move in December to remove Dr Minnis as leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament.
“I believe that one of the things you see happening in the country today is that there exists a void of leadership, and I felt strongly that opposition forces would have been able to come together and to fight against the common goal and that is to rid this country of the PLP,” she said. “Unfortunately it appears we are having great difficulty in achieving that and so we will continue as best we could.”
When asked whether unification efforts indicated her willingness to work alongside the FNM, she said: “I think the DNA, the FNM, the United People’s Movement, the Gatekeepers, whatever opposition forces are out there, we are not each other’s enemies. I think objectively what we need to demonstrate is that we need to displace this incompetent, this inept, PLP government, and so if calmer heads would prevail I’m sure that those dialogues can happen. But, of course, it takes calm heads for that to happen.”
Mrs Butler-Turner added: “I think that’s the most important thing, you know, we’ve got to realise that the country is not in a good place. The country under the PLP has not been accountable, they have not been effective, they have not been transparent, bills are not being paid in a timely fashion. We’ve paid the most taxes that this country has ever undertaken and yet the regular running of business is not happening, so if we are going to represent the interests of the people who vote for us, those of us who actually represent opposition forces, we’ve got to do better, we’ve got to come together.”
Last week, Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins - one of the “rebel seven” - said he was prepared to “get back in the FNM” if that’s what it took to ensure the PLP did not win the next election.
While making his contribution in the House of Assembly last week, Dr Rollins said despite all that has happened, he considers himself to be a member of the FNM and his main objective is to make sure the party, led by Dr Minnis, becomes the next government of the Bahamas.
When asked whether she shared Dr Rollins’ view, Mrs Butler-Turner said: “I wasn’t here when he said that, but he did explain what he was attempting to do. I do believe that every right thinking Bahamian who wants what’s best for the country realises that the PLP is the common denominator and we’ve got to be able to try and come together for the greater good of the Bahamian people.”
Pressed on whether this would mean she was willing to work under Dr Minnis, she said: “I just said to you that I think everyone wants to be leader, I don’t know about the under. I think it’s not so much an under, we’ve got to work together.
“Let’s stop placing one person on top of the other and let us see how we can best work together. That is important whether it’s Dr Hubert Minnis, whether it’s Branville McCartney, whether it’s Greg Moss (UPM), whether it’s Loretta Butler-Turner; whichever the grouping we have got to come together.”
After she was appointed leader of the Official Opposition, Mrs Butler-Turner said she was forming a “bold and powerful” coalition with Mr McCartney and the Democratic National Alliance. Mr McCartney later said he did not know what the Long Island MP was referring to, saying the two had only discussed her appointing him to the Senate.
Mrs Butler-Turner later accused the DNA leader of throwing her “under the bus”.
Comments
Publius 7 years, 1 month ago
This woman is certifiable.
sp1nks 7 years, 1 month ago
Ohhh.... NOW she wants to put country before party
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrades! Crisis!!! The "I was just kidding about destroying the red party" member for Long Island in yet another one of her self-destruct modes. This is not all, the Supreme Council of the Red Movement Party are ignorantly attempting to pass themselves off as being true democrats who are willing to allow the Seven-political Coup leeches, back into the party to play important roles in the upcoming 2017 General - like they never really solicited The Queen to order the repossession of Minnis's government issued car, driver, license plates and his reserved parking spot.
Doesn't Long Island's MP "Reheasa" not know the natives are laughing at her each and every time they spot her cruising around in Minnis's automobile?
Alex_Charles 7 years, 1 month ago
oh that's real rich coming from LBT.
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrades! "So just because Long Island's "Reheasa'" says put your country before egos or the PLP will win come the 2017 General - that doesn't mean that her own ego will suddenly disappear -cause I think the emphasis is strictly on others to check they's egos - not her "Super-Ego?
I don't want go there to even talk about some things others are outright questioning - but is she living in the grownups world? She got The Queen to eject Minnis, as official party leader. Is it not time for the entire populace" to eject "Reheasa" from the political scene?
Milo must be tossing in he grave?
Honestman 7 years, 1 month ago
A bit late for this now Loretta!! You need to take time out of politics and reflect. Stop trying to cling to the coat tails of the FNM. You have shown by your actions that you value self above party. The FNM needs team players and you are most certainly not a team player. This is all about you finally realising that no-one wants to be in your gang after all. You are behaving like a 10 year old in the playground!
banker 7 years, 1 month ago
It is too bad that she is physically incapable of kissing her boongie goodbye.
themessenger 7 years, 1 month ago
Right on Banker, her ego is just as big as her ass............
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 1 month ago
Lol...sigh
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Laughable!!
sheeprunner12 7 years, 1 month ago
Now after all the political fires she has created over the past 3 years ..........she wants to put egos to rest???????? .............. the Devil is a liar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Minnis and the FNM have moved on without LBT ........ she has to eat crow
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrades! Tis "Reheasa's" concession speech of rejection as an Independent Candidate. Rejected by Long Islanders, the constituency well known over hundreds colonial years for electing Independent MP's. Just hand the government car, driver, license plates back to Minnis - then go find your own damn Unreserved Parking Spot - one that is not clearly marked - Reserved For Disabled Motorists.
Seaman 7 years, 1 month ago
What the hell this woman talking about ? Somebody give her some herbs to smoke. She let them rich folks in Nassau fill her head up with Sh- t. Forrest Gumps said stupid is what stupid does. Fits her to the t.
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrade Seaman's, I swear I am so tempted bake a baker's dozen my special gives you the munchies Hash Brownies and have them delivered to "Reheasa?
Listen-up policeman's who might be thinking comes knocking at my front door. Mine are strictly prescribed for therapeutic medicinal purposes with da potential to lower ya high blood pressure, okay.
banker 7 years, 1 month ago
My Auntie is in a wheelchair, and she has a range of medical problems. She said that she was considering medicinal marijuana. She asked me if I knew how to get some. I went to school with a person who now hangs around Balls Alley and he was able to score me some erl that was infused with the herb medicine. Tells me to tell Auntie that it is used like butter or fat when making brownies. Only he tells me that its more powerful so just use a lil bit. Somehow I forgot to tell Auntie that. She uses a cupful of the stuff and cooks up the brownies.
She eats a couple of them, and suddenly she thinks that she is a-dying. She thinks that she is having a heart attack. (She een never even tried the herb before.) They call the ambulance and they take her to PMH. She figures that she better tell them the truth so they can treat her promptly. She tells them why she is having that reaction.
Erryting changed when she told them about the hash brownies. They treated her like a criminal. She was shamed and embarrassed. After a few hours, the weirdness wore off and she called me to take her home. Her wheelchair don't exactly fit in my car, and I had to leave it hanging out the trunk. It scratched my car. Somehow, the whole fiasco was my fault fer not knowing the correct dosage. I take her home to Montell Heights. She tells me to take dem devil brownies with me and get them the hell outta her house. I can't find them. My cousin was walking around, eyes bulging and red for days.
If you want to lower yer blood pressure, my Balls Alley buddy has some erl for your recipe.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 1 month ago
Lol lol lol
licks2 7 years, 1 month ago
One thing LBT "WILL" learn is that nobody can make you a good leader. . .and especially that her backers. . .who told her that Doc is no leader. . .themselves don't know what a leader is. . .OR THEY COULD HAVE TOLD HER SHE IS NOT. . .OR THEY THEMSELVES DID NOT KNOW AND JUST TALKING OFF THE TOP OF THEIR HEADS! LBT LEARNS. . .SHE DO NOT LOSE. . .SHE WORKING ON HER OWN TERMS MAY BE A DIFFERENT KIND OF LBT!!
Seaman 7 years, 1 month ago
Well Bless your heart Comrade Tal..... The Lord does love a cheerful giver.
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrade Seaman's, how's you with the Brownies? My sister says I am a much improved Cheerful Giver with how I is change my attitude and heart about giving after me sampling me Brownies. The is no more of a chilling-out anointed act than a well homemade baked inspirational Brownie.
Seaman 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrade, Had some long time ago......... Kept me high to long... I liked it out of the big bamboo pipe.Lol
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrade Seaman's, you should read the many positive things the bible has to say about Herbal Brownies - even the oven's best baking temperature settings.
Seaman 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrade, It's better in conch fritters..........
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 1 month ago
Sadly the problem is much deeper than we would like to think, if only from a purely cultural standpoint. Therefore replacing an already well fed and fattened bunch of crooks with a very hungry and malnourished bunch of crooks would likely exacerbate our country's death by a thousand cuts. Like most Bahamians I want to be more optimistic, but unfortunately history shows the single most telling sign of a doomed country is the lack of available political alternatives which usually results in a dictatorship of some kind at the end of the day. Even LBT who already looks well fed is nevertheless hungry and anxious to have access to that shining pot of gold held by our country's government which is filled with our tax dollars!
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