Loretta Butler-Turner, leader of Opposition in the House of Assembly. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
By SANCHESKA DORSETT
Tribune Staff Reporter
sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner said yesterday that she is forming a “very powerful and bold” coalition with Branville McCartney and the Democratic National Alliance that will “change the direction of the country.”
In an interview on Hot 91.7 FM’s “Morning Madhouse” with host “C-Note”, Mrs Butler-Turner said the details of the “interesting” coalition will be announced “very soon”.
Despite having her ratification for the Long Island constituency revoked by the Free National Movement’s council, Mrs Butler-Turner also said she believes persons are more inclined to vote for a “person” rather than a “party” in the upcoming election.
Last month, after ousting FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis as leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament and obtaining the position, Mrs Butler-Turner appointed DNA Leader Mr McCartney as leader of opposition business in the Senate.
At the time Mrs Butler-Turner said the move was evidence that her team was willing to put the Bahamian people first to move forward to defeat the governing Progressive Liberal Party.
Announcing the decision at the time, she insisted that she and the six FNM MPs who support her have not joined the DNA, but were working together for a “common good.”
“Branville and I and the DNA are going to have a very interesting coalition that we are going to reveal hopefully not too long from now,” Mrs Butler-Turner said yesterday.
“I think it is important that persons like ourselves get in the driver’s seat and be able to move the direction of the country. We are going to be bold in what we do. This generation requires us to produce change and if you want change, you have to be bold.
“So, I am forming a very powerful, bold coalition. Some people will second-guess my judgment but in the fullness of time they are going to appreciate and understand in order to frame history you cannot be passive. You have to go out and make things happen. So kudos to Branville and kudos to the magnificent seven who decided we could not go sit down on our morals and wait for things to happen. We are like fireworks, we will explode things and make sure we are able to make it happen.”
Mrs Butler-Turner said whether or not she remains in the FNM, she will never distance herself from the philosophy of the party. She also said she believes during this year’s election, the voters will concentrate more on individual candidates because the country’s history has proven that voting for party “doesn’t really work out”.
“I think philosophically I will never ever distance myself from the philosophy of the FNM. It has framed my political outlook and as you all now time is of the essence and the FNM has disengaged me and whether legal or otherwise they have revoked my nomination as an FNM and so if I am going to continue to run I can’t run under an FNM ticket, but stayed tuned,” she said.
“People will realise they have voted for party for four generations and for four generations look at how we ended up and so we have got to be clear that we are going to do things differently. I don’t think the people of the Bahamas have ever been faced with the boldness of bringing parties together, there have been parties that came together to form a new entity but as we move forward you are going to see something that is dynamic, that is going to bring fairness to the entire process of who becomes leader and so I think it will be a new option but people are looking for change and if they want change they cannot be picking two sides of the same coin.”
In December, Dr Minnis said he was “more than confident” that political newcomer Adrian Gibson will unseat Mrs Butler-Turner in Long Island.
“We are not worried about Loretta - Adrian Gibson is running in Long Island as the FNM candidate,” Dr Minnis said last month. “He will carry the torch. Her ratification has been revoked, we have now placed a new candidate in Long Island and Adrian Gibson will represent Long Island.
“I am confident that Adrian will win no matter who runs. You are witnessing a new generation, members of the change agenda. Long Island has always been FNM territory and I am certain that Long Island will remain FNM.”
Mrs Butler-Turner and the six MPs who ousted Dr Minnis from his post as opposition leader face expulsion, suspension or a fine from the FNM.
Comments
Regardless 7 years, 3 months ago
...she will be able to lose even more weight now she will no longer to have a seat to sit in all day.
UserOne 7 years, 3 months ago
What a childish and petty comment.
goodbyebahamas 7 years, 3 months ago
Regardless, go tell your fat ass mother to lose weight before you tell anyone else too. And go back to school and educate your F-ing dumba$$, your so F-ing stupid you don't even realize your part of the F-ing problems your country faces.
JohnDoe 7 years, 3 months ago
Great example!
Regardless 7 years, 3 months ago
Rest my case. You lack control as she, Maybe you have an appetite problem for food as well as profanity. Enjoy Hawaii!
goodbyebahamas 7 years, 3 months ago
No dumba$$, I guess you haven't heard, to busy jerkoff. But there is a movement called WE MARCH BAHAMAS telling a$$holes like you who down grade women that "Enough is enough"! It's not just a government thing, it's also a social thing. You treat my Grand Mother, Mother, Sister, Aunt, Cousin like $hit, and me and you are going to play F-ing baseball together dumba$$! You $hit on them because not F-ing one of them would give you the time of day, so you feel good $hitting on them, than you jerkoff after. But I'm here to defend them and shove your $hit right back up your F-ing a$$; I would guess you never dealt with Sicilians? Never met a human that couldn't be bought, my father taught me that. Information on anyone can be bought; remember that, it's a good thing to know.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 3 months ago
What is wrong with LBTs declaration??????? ............. her horse has jumped the proverbial fence and is now running wild ........... she is a "free agent"
Baha10 7 years, 3 months ago
So, she is out of the FNM and as best I can gather, her "new" Party is called the "Magnificent 7" or I suppose "M-7". Somewhat catchy, but sounds more like a British Motorway or a Branch of their Secret Service! Either way, she will be lucky to win a Seat under any Banner.
Publius 7 years, 3 months ago
So now suddenly voting for a party is not helpful, when that would have been exactly what she would have been promoting had she not thrown away her nomination?
sheeprunner12 7 years, 3 months ago
Yep she is politically "persona non grata" .......... DOA in Long Island
goodbyebahamas 7 years, 3 months ago
Regardless, I'll post a photo soon along with my Bahamian friend here in Hawaii and you tell me if I'm a fat ass like yourself. You talk $hit, but can you back it up a$$hole?
Regardless 7 years, 3 months ago
I will look forward to that. Lol.
goodbyebahamas 7 years, 3 months ago
Even with my photo you PLP pieces of $hit will never find me....LOL! You think I don't know your PLP scum trying to make me expose myself. For your information dumba$$, I was standing right next to you on Friday; stupid MF-ing PLP a$$hole that you are.
Emac 7 years, 3 months ago
goodbyebahamas, Regardless, seems like both of you wish the best for Bahaland. But we as Bahamians need not fight each other...Direct your frustration at this wutless government. We need to all come together with one common goal; And that is to vote out this rotten government.
Zakary 7 years, 3 months ago
What’s going on here? Another public relations exercise?
Publius 7 years, 3 months ago
She seems psychotic. She is behaving as though she is both leader of the FNM and the DNA. While she is on the radio saying one thing, Branville is saying something completely different. And it seems she does not understand what she is and what she is not in our system.
Zakary 7 years, 3 months ago
You're right, there was Branville on the news the other day saying the complete opposite. It’s crazy. I think she's overestimating the electorate, it's all about the ground game, maybe I'm wrong.
Publius 7 years, 3 months ago
You are absolutely right.
happyfly 7 years, 3 months ago
She lost me when she abused her parliamentary privileged and parked in the handicap parking spot at Super Value. I would expect PGC to do that every day but we sure don't need another one of dem in, man or woman
banker 7 years, 3 months ago
Demonstrates a sense of entitlement. We don't need that.
goodbyebahamas 7 years, 3 months ago
Your stupidity is why your country is in the $hithole. Your to stupid to realize your in a sinking ship with a hole in it's bottom and LBT is the only one with a plug. You dumba$$es will more than likely reelect the same oppressors back into office so they can continue enslaving you; use to it all your lives. But we as investors and visitors will never come back, God gave us a brain, eyes, ears to see the corruption that you have come to except as normal; there are other places in the World with less drama. To much drama, to expensive, and to much division between yourselves; your country is doomed.
Sickened 7 years, 3 months ago
goodbyebahamas - what the hell has gotten into you since you left? Your language and aggression is not acceptable. Please tone it down.
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrades! Why Loretta proved that even she believed her "Divide and destroy" strategy would fail ... She flinched once she got to the red party leadership starters line... Flinching from the leadership fight with Minnis at the very convention moment when the 410 red shirts delegates become loud in expressing that they wanted nothing more to do with this woman's brand of "It's all about myself politics".
Loretta's behaviour at convention is something Long Islanders would wish to forget as it marks one of the most embarrassing moments in any Island's MP's history since a General Assembly was established way back in 1729.
And, Long Islanders ain't finish with their MP...just yet.... and she's a woman who has boxed her own self into a corner of being a sitting MP without a party... cause even the DNA would prefer that she never apply a green party membership card.
athlete12 7 years, 3 months ago
Sounds like most people here oppose the FNM and the DNA. Wonder who you alll are voting for?
We as a people must back someone or group of parties because we cannot go forward unless we are united point blank.
Pettiness and entitlement has kept this country divided and vision-less for over 40 years.
Personally I wish there is a coalition, including greg moss' party as well. But we can no longer be lead by this old regime and by this old system. We must create something that works for all Bahamians.
The system needs to be completed turned on its head because EVERYTHING we do is outdated and inefficient.
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