UPDATED: Christie quits as PLP leader

Former Prime Minister Perry Christie with party supporters at Monday night's meeting.

As of Tuesday, May 16, 2017

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

TWENTY years after he took the helm of the Progressive Liberal Party from the late Sir Lynden Pindling, former Prime Minister Perry Christie resigned as leader of the PLP during an emotional meeting at the party’s headquarters on Farrington Road last night.

With Mr Christie’s resignation, former Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis will now serve as interim leader of the PLP.

Many cheered and some shed tears as Mr Christie recounted his story as a politician, the adversities he faced in life and the successes of his administrations as he sees them, from Urban Renewal, the Bahamas Agriculture & Marine Science Institute (BAMSI), Baha Mar and National Health Insurance (NHI), among others.

In a speech that often moved from reflective to defiant, Mr Christie said he accepts full responsibility for his party’s defeat in last week’s general election, the worst defeat the party has ever suffered at the polls.

“I also accept,” he said, “without reservation, that the best traditions of our democracy, no less the impulses of my own

conscience and value-system, dictate that I resign as the leader of our party. This is the correct and only thing for me to do from both a political and moral perspective.”

Mr Christie said it is critical to the rebuilding of the PLP that the party understands the message voters sent it with last week’s general election result and he called on PLP supporters to humble themselves before the electorate.

Likening the party’s current predicament to the challenge it faced in 1997 when it won only six seats in the House of Assembly, Mr Christie said: “We need to come to terms with any mistakes we made. And it is not at all incorrect for us to humble ourselves before the people and let them know that we understand their message. We should speak to whatever failures we’ve had as well as the many successes because we’ve always said we’re going to work hard, to work assiduously, and work to do our best. Sometimes mistakes are made and we have to be not just honest with ourselves about the mistakes that were made, but in frank admission to the people of our country from whom we expect their respect and support and that we understand how important it is for them to understand that we respect them and our views.”

Even as the PLP sets out to find out why it suffered such a heavy defeat last week, Mr Christie reminded supporters that the historical odds favour a return to government for the party in 2022.

“There is another part of the nation’s recent history that should give us great encouragement and it is this,” he said. “We have not had a two term government now for 20 straight years. Every single general election since 1997 has produced a government for just one term.”

“My season in politics has now ended,” Mr Christie said as he wrapped up his speech last night.

“It is for me to bid you farewell as your leader. The time has come for me to move on and I do so with these final words to you: I wish to God that I could have helped more people but God knows that for all my faults and failings as a leader and a man I tried my best to do the best I could for the Bahamian people.”

After last week’s loss, former Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller said he was concerned about Mr Christie’s “mental state.”

Mr Christie expressed annoyance last night at the notion that he could be struggling to deal with last week’s loss, noting his experience of being put out of school at 14 and suffering a stroke in 2005 during his first term as prime minister, have strengthened him.

Mr Christie did not discuss why his party lost last week’s election, but the unfounded claim that the Free National Movement allegedly “bought votes” was a popular theory among the crowd.

Without directly saying so himself, Mr Christie said: “(Past PLP supporters who have sat in this room) would never conceive of selling votes. They understood that citizenship required them to participate in general elections and win or lose they would do so with integrity.”

The idea that unethical activity may have taken place in the election was shared by Mr Davis, who told The Tribune last night some residents have allegedly come forward and told him as much.

In the lead up to the election, some supporters of the FNM also accused the PLP of allegedly giving inducements for votes, however this too was not proven.

Last night, Mr Davis could not tell The Tribune when the party will have a convention.

Meanwhile, former Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe revealed that he will run for chairman of the PLP at the party’s next convention as Bradley Roberts will not seek re-election to that post.

viewersmatters 6 years, 11 months ago

Amen!!!!

MassExodus 6 years, 11 months ago

Thank God. I wouldn't mind never seeing him ever again!!!

ThisIsOurs 6 years, 11 months ago

I'm sorry to see his career end as it did. But he did not try his best, I'm not sure why he couldn't reign in Shame or Fitzgerald and why so much visible theft and corruption plagued his administration.

Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 11 months ago

You must be one of those Bahamian christians who believes everyone should be forgiven so they can go to heaven no matter how much evil they may have inflicted on others during their lifetime.

ThisIsOurs 6 years, 11 months ago

O contraire mon frere.

I said "I am sorry to see his career end as it did". That doesn't change the way it ended or any punishment due for what he did. It just says he had so much potential and he wasted it. I repeat, I am sad to see his career end the way it did.

Also, there will be plenty people who miss their opportunity to get to heaven, broad is the way, that will be sad too. Don't miss your chance. (see you make me get preachy).

ThisIsOurs 6 years, 11 months ago

I guess I should correct "potential" to "opportunity". He had money, manpower and authority to do whatever he needed to. He didn't need to have any potential, he could have authorized other persons with potential to get it done and he didn't. All that happened over his reign is Shane Gibson went from broke to millionaire in five years, Fitzgerald got some contracts and the Bahamas became a shadow of itself. That is sad for him and the Bahamas

Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 11 months ago

Shameless Shane and Toxic Fumes Fitz are petty thieves compared to Christie, Maynard-Gibson, Baltron "Bag Man" Bethel, Sir Snake and others like them who have absconded with mega-millions of dollars of the people's money by one way or another.

TalRussell 6 years, 11 months ago

Comrades! The PM has no one to blame but himself. Had he followed the political advice offered this past December 2016, through his close pre 2017 General Election advisors - he may have just avoided today's embarrassment....But maybe, they never passed on the info?
What is - is what it is!
Some may have noticed that starting the latter part January 2017, I started going soft on the PLP's chances of winning a majority government. But even I, didn't see what was about to come on May 10, 2017....of which the PM's 'legacy' stubbornness invited on himself and his PLP party.

242613 6 years, 11 months ago

All the best, sir.

MassExodus 6 years, 11 months ago

Carry Ya Ass.

Tarzan 6 years, 11 months ago

I guess coming out on election night and congratulating the opposition was just too much for the "grand old man".

Sadly the fiction that he was a "good man" surrounded by scoundrels he just could not find the grit to reign in, is just that, a "fiction".

He is up to his neck in the corrupt mess that the PLP made of this country, and I only hope he faces impartial justice for his part in it. The good of the country is bigger than any man and the entire cabal needs to face serious punishment.

lucaya 6 years, 11 months ago

He is the worst PM of The Bahamas!

aberylm 6 years, 11 months ago

Blinded by greed and arrogance he failed to see the hand writing on the wall. Could have spared himself this undignified end.

TalRussell 6 years, 11 months ago

Comrades! Is the former PM Christie a caring and good man - yes!
It can't be a positive legacy to be thumped from office....More so - when you take your entire colleagues and party down with you.
The other former law partner's 'legacy.' didn't turn out that much better.

MassExodus 6 years, 11 months ago

More like he likes men...

CatIslandBoy 6 years, 11 months ago

There is a great difference between Ingraham's and Christie's legacy. While they both led their party to defeat, and their subsequent resignation as leader, Ingraham was able to hold on to parliament seat. Christie lost his. Also, Ingraham left office under no stench of corruption or financial malfeasance among his cabinet colleagues. I assume this why many Bahamians rewarded some of them with re-election. we can go on and list Ingraham's accomplishments while in office. Christie's will pale in comparison.

TalRussell 6 years, 11 months ago

Comrade CatIslandBoy, I have never bought into the story line that Papa Hubert, was a corrupt PM. Both former prime ministers are on the 'low-end personal wealth'....And, I honestly believe they are both good, honest and decent individuals - who served the nation to the best their abilities....Both felt they had to stay beyond their welcome....With both men seriously splintering the people of the country during their last term in office.

MassExodus 6 years, 11 months ago

Tal your head bad.

concernedcitizen 6 years, 11 months ago

When you put Bagman Bethel in the PM,S office and Valintine Grimes and Shane Gibson anywhere near the peoples money , I can no longer say you are a good man just "too caring " . And how do you know his wealth , He spent untold millions of our money setting up all kind of idiotic "consulates" in Atlanta trying to make his daughter the next Beyoncé

jamani2 6 years, 11 months ago

We must know when to exit the stage and not become intoxicated with power. We must lead with integrity and hold our ministers accountable. On both scores Christie was a dismal failure.

proudloudandfnm 6 years, 11 months ago

Lying sack of garbage. You never tried. You stealing, incompetent, lying, arrogant traitor.

Juat go away. Let us forget you ever existed. Useless little man...

ThisIsOurs 6 years, 11 months ago

May 10, 1980 - 4 marines died

Cobalt 6 years, 11 months ago

Yeah yeah yeah..... Shuffle ya ass on up outta here!! And don't ever come back! And take your worthless cabinet with you! Your legacy is one of utter failure! You're the worst prime minister our country has ever witnessed! A pure disgrace. So long!

banker 6 years, 11 months ago

The trouble was Christie was that he was not a very smart man, and the PLP mafia put him up as a figurehead, kept him there, and raped and pillaged the country because Christie was so devoid of an cognizance of what was going on. We truly had a brain-damaged person for a prime minister, who honestly thought that he saved the Bahamas by selling out to the Chinese, and creating jobs in a Potemkin Village.

I believe him when he said that he wishes that he had helped more people. He was just blind to what his caucus was doing to him, while enjoying what he was doing with his caucus.

Honestman 6 years, 11 months ago

The Ego has landed!

No tears for Christie, just tears for what might have been. The Country has lost so much during these last five years. It may take a generation for us to recover. The next five years ain't gonna be easy but I just hope that when we next go to the polls, Bahamians remember how bad things were under this administration and how close they were to driving us over the financial cliff.

OMG 6 years, 11 months ago

Not a way to end a lengthy career but he says he "tried his best"....... but his Ministers were out of control, the fact that he said it is "easy to piss away money" shows by default that he is admitting to wasteful use of VAT. Whatever you think of him, my guess is he is glad to be retired however he has left a hell of a financial mess to clean up.

Reality_Check 6 years, 11 months ago

Unlike many of you posting comments here, I do want to see Christie again....in court and then behind bars!

Honestman 6 years, 11 months ago

Mudda - you want to see everyone behind bars but someone has to run the country!

Reality_Check 6 years, 11 months ago

Hellooo.....you and @banker still living in the same closet playing guessing games. LOL!

MassExodus 6 years, 11 months ago

Well_Mudda get a life. Your head ain't good, go use your NHI and get your head checked while you still can.

Reality_Check 6 years, 11 months ago

Well, well....look who has joined @banker and @Honestman in the same closet playing the same guessing games. Can all three of them really be one and the same. BOL!!!

DDK 6 years, 11 months ago

You all are too funny! Don't worry Mudda, Reality check, etc. Hopefully all the deserving will get their day in court. Keep the new Government's feet to the fire on this and all issues.

Brilander 6 years, 11 months ago

Fred Mitchell's nasty comments yesterday and Perry Christie's self-pitying speech last night both make it very clear that neither of them has any understanding of why they lost, and neither of them has taken any lesson from the election result at all. Watching the Facebook Live feed of PC's speech last night, I saw one user comment that he should say sorry to the nation. I couldn't agree more. Why couldn't he fire Jerome Fitzgerald when the Izmirlian emails came out? Because he was either in on the deal or guilty of similar misfeasance himself and JF was aware of it. You can't fire people for corruption when they've just bee taking their cues from you. I wish the PLP luck with rebuilding, but they need to come back NEW, not just brushed off a little.

proudloudandfnm 6 years, 11 months ago

C.Y.C.!!!!

proudloudandfnm 6 years, 11 months ago

Most useless Bahamian ever...

Reality_Check 6 years, 11 months ago

Not only useless, but evil incarnate by every definition of that term.

jackbnimble 6 years, 11 months ago

To his credit PGC made Hubert Ingraham look like a saint. As bad as ingraham did us we were begging him to cone back and that in itself speaks volumes. His heart may have been in the right place but his actions never caught up.

DDK 6 years, 11 months ago

PGC FINALLY did the right thing!

Sickened 6 years, 11 months ago

I hate that thought that we will be paying for a state funeral for this guy when he passes! A further waste of tax payer money.

John 6 years, 11 months ago

Hopefully those sidewalks he started just days before the election will serve to mark Perry chrisite's legacy. The people did not fall for it, Neither did the people in lying Mike Halkaits ares, where some of the sidewalks are so crooked (no pun intended) and unfinished. Now may Perry and his gang go live in the society they created, at least for a short while, and experience the hard reality of life that the ordinary Bahamian was living since 2008. It is the peoples' time!

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