By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party stalwart councillor George Smith says the 2017 general election result proved that his party learned little from its 2007 loss and instead doubled over on its problems.
Mr Smith's comments came amid reliable reports to The Tribune that the PLP was informed by its consultants in recent years that the party was losing support in the country under former Prime Minister Perry Christie's leadership.
"PLPs have been doing polls consistently in the past many years," Mr Smith said when contacted yesterday. "Every poll has pointed out that if the (former) prime minister didn't change his method of operation with respect to a number of things, he would face defeat.
"People thought we learned the lesson in 2007. But then the prime minister said he would demit office (mid-way through a second term), but he didn't do it. He said he would respect the results of the gambling referendum but he didn't do it. He said he would deal with any improprieties by any minister and he didn't do it. If you took the 2007 report on the election result by Greenberg (the PLP's consulting firm) and you dust it off and change the date to 2017, you'd find that the same things, the same issues impacted us. Having not dealt with corruption and misconduct of various ministers, the problem was compounded in this past term. Whereas it involved only a couple of people between 2007 and 2012, this time it engulfed a number of ministers.
"Multiply by two why the Bahamian people rejected (Mr Christie) as prime minister in 2007 and you have the 2017 election, and this time, to make sure they voted people out of office that they didn't like, the Bahamian people got rid of people they didn't really want to get rid of."
Mr Smith referred to controversies this past term involving several government ministers, including former Agriculture & Fisheries Minister V Alfred Gray's alleged interference with a judicial decision of a family island administrator; former Labour Minister Shane Gibson's acceptance of thousands of dollars from Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard, which the former minister claimed was used to benefit residents of the Golden Gates constituency; former Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald's solicitation of Baha Mar contracts from Sarkis Izmirlian, the resort's original developer; and former Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson's involvement in Baha Mar negotiations despite revelations that her family had stores in the resort.
Of these, the only one Mr Christie ever addressed publicly was Mr Gray's alleged judicial interference. Mr Christie removed the Ministry of Local Government from Mr Gray's portfolio as a result, however he was never fired from Cabinet.
"How can you only take a half of the ministry from him?" Mr Smith asked. "That's like slapping only half of the backside after the child does something wrong. It's nothing really."
The 2007 report created by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research said the PLP faced four fundamental challenges: expanding the party's base, cleansing the party's reputation, conveying Mr Christie's leadership qualities and advancing a progressive social agenda.
"The party lost in part because of perceptions that its government was scandal-ridden," the 2007 report said. "It needs to take concrete actions that convey its seriousness about purging corruption from the party and state. There is a perception among voters--one deepened by the FNM--that the PLP has become more focused on doing things that benefit its own politicians than for people."
Among its recommendations, Greenberg said the PLP should, with justification, expel a senior member of the party for corruption.
The consultants added: "We cannot overstate the importance of (cleansing the party's reputation). It goes to the heart of people's concerns about the PLP and must be seriously addressed with concrete action. The corruption issue also contributed to the perception of Christie as a weak leader. Voters perceived that he was unwilling to take action against advisers or Cabinet officials accused of wrongdoing…"
Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Sidney Collie said recently that concerns about corruption was among the five or so most important reasons why people grew displeased with the PLP. He said dissatisfaction with Mr Christie, concerns about how value added tax (VAT) was spent, the perception that the Christie administration had few accomplishments and high crime weighed even more heavily on voters' minds, according to his party's internal data.
The FNM ultimately won 35 out of 39 seats in the House of Assembly on May 10. Mr Christie became the first prime minister to lose his seat in a general election, an area he had won eight consecutive times.
Comments
John 6 years, 10 months ago
Is this BMW Smith? The PLP was too corrupt, tooo untrustworthy, too hidden agenda, too deaf to the cries of the Bahamian people, too BoB raped and ravished with toxic loans to crooks and cronies loans, too same sex marriage referendum orientated, Too deep in cronyism with Bah Mar, too Bamsi burnt out, Too many fishing Chinese and crown land, to financially downgraded, too missing Vat funds, too V.Alfred Gray meddlesome, to lying Halkatis, too deceptive Obie Wilchcombe, too missing Funds Gleny's and Melanie, too urban renewal funds missing, just too much to fix to even be considered for opposition.. so they get their tings... the Bahamian people give it to them..God sanctioned it! Don't need no experts to tell them they lost the election more than two years ago. Chrisite is only part of the package.
SP 6 years, 10 months ago
Ditto!....You said a big mouthful and still missed Jerome Fitzpirate, Dr. Shane Gibson psychologist, and several other anomalies too many to even try counting.
"Absolute power" caused the PLP to lose its way so long ago, they actually fooled themselves into believing THEY were above the electorate that hired and paid them!
But, reality was an eye opener for the biggest of fools as they found out May 10, 2017, that the PEOPLE HOLDS THE POWER
Where are these bigitty, overwhelmingly arrogant, clowns now after asking THE PEOPLE FOR MORE J-O-B-S?
After five years of spewing nonsense and totally ignoring THE PEOPLE, they have all been F_I_R_E_D in the grandest fashion by THE PEOPLE, and now have gone underground in H_I_D_I_N_G from THE PEOPLE.
Whenever they raise their ugly heads again we THE PEOPLE will give them their FULL REWARD for what they did to our country and people these past 5 years!!
Apologies Mr. Sarkis D. Izmirlian. Like you, we too were hoodwinked by these unsavory, selfish vermin.
He who laughs last laughs best indeed!
Gotoutintime 6 years, 10 months ago
Wonder if he still has that BMW??
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 10 months ago
It was actually revealed and documented during The Royal Commission of Inquiry held in the late 1980s that Crooked Georgie Porgie got not just one, but two free BMWs from an infamous Colombian Drug Lord - one for himself and another for his wife. For several years Smith allowed tons of cocaine to be trafficked through the Bahamas. He was, is, and will always be 'shameless scum' by every definition of that term!
OldFort2012 6 years, 10 months ago
Asking the PLP not to be corrupt is like asking a vampire to go and sunbathe. What an utterly ridiculous suggestion.
TalRussell 6 years, 10 months ago
Comrades! George is a card carrying member of the PLP and a citizen of the Bahamaland - which means he has as much of a right as you and I have to speak out on whatever topic or subject subject matter he so desires. The man paid a heavy political price for that BMW and that matter was a long time ago. Learn to let go, to move on. I think George has.
You also have a right not to pay attention to anything George says.
John 6 years, 10 months ago
What did Tal say?
ohdrap4 6 years, 10 months ago
Cross: Yeah? Was he right? Exactly what do you know about me? Sit down.
Gittes: Mainly that you're rich, and too respectable to want your name in the newspapers.
Cross: 'Course I'm respectable. I'm old.
.
From the movie Chinatown.
realfreethinker 6 years, 10 months ago
He also has the right to go fook himself.
SP 6 years, 10 months ago
Seconded and praying "just so"!
sheeprunner12 6 years, 10 months ago
Well ........... If the PLP stalwart councillors continue to consist of the 1970 and 1980s Pingdomites ......... They will continue to go south into irrelevance (Thanks Georgie!!!!!!)
SP 6 years, 10 months ago
Pillage Loot Plunder is incapable of change because they have manipulated the natural progression of the power structure of the party!
Had Perry Christie followed the Westminster system and stepped aside as leader after losing the first time and Paul Moss or BJ Nottage been allowed an equal opportunity at leadership after dancing clown screwed up the first time, Pillage Loot Plunder would have naturally evolved.
Secondly, had dancing clown Christie had the humility and common sense to pull his head out of his ass and LISTENED to Andrea Rollins in the HOA in 2014 about getting more accomplished and paying attention to the needs of the people, again, Pillage Loot Plunder would have been in more enviable position for 2017 elections.
Pillage Loot Plunder "black hat" ancient, corrupt, stalwart councilors are as stubborn, power mad and irrelevant as the dancing clowns crew of "has been's" that just cannot comprehend their time is long, long, long ago past.
Alternatively, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis recognized the need for "complete change" in order to save the country, and single-handedly purged the FNM of a corrupt UBP era oligarchy that maintained a stranglehold on the countries economy across party lines for decades.
PM Minnis is strategically going to a referendum on matters called for by the people which can unquestionably only lead to another landslide victory, setting the stage for a 3rd landslide win in 2022!
Pillage Loot Plunder is FINISHED, KAPUT, ALL WASHED UP, DONE, DESTROYED they are steadfast on course to follow the UBP into political oblivion.
The man they said "didn't have it, couldn't talk, or generate enough electricity to kill a mosquito" has proven that "talk is cheap, and he has generated enough electricity to motivate the entire country!"
cmiller 6 years, 10 months ago
Why, oh why, don't these old ass PLP go away???? They just like booger that is sticking to the end of your finger after a productive nose cleaning!!!!!!!!
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