The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

“Prime Minister is first among equals!” This is self explanatory, but just for the record, no one in cabinet has more power than anyone in cabinet, not even the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister does not dictate to the cabinet or his colleagues. It is collective responsibility. All members are equally responsible for all decisions made. It is inappropriate for Minnis to even believe that he does not need to consult with The Cabinet. This kind of thinking has all of the makings of a dictatorship. Policy cannot be implemented unless it goes through the channels that has been practised for decades.

I strenuously object to the notion that Minnis or any prime minister can create policy on their own willy-nilly. Anyone who believes that the PM can do as he wishes, is sadly mistaken.

There are some in the country who would want us to believe that Minnis is the maximum leader and must genuflect to him for their very existence. It is sad to see men who masquerade as strong, expressing themselves in private, while being “frightened to death” to offer the opinions they offer behind the scene in broad daylight.

This is a good time for Bahamians to revisit how prime ministers are selected. We have bought into a system that was designed for a chosen few to have that position. The voters have no say. We have abdicated that responsibility to the men in the smoke filled room.

Sensible and civilised countries vote directly for the President/Prime Minister. Never mind that some will argue that we use the Westminster System, I am saying that the system is designed for the chosen few to occupy the seat. Maybe when we open up the idea that the people have a say, then we just may get who we really want.

It is high time we vote directly and exactly for who we want to lead the country, not let a few “frightened cats” sit in a room under enormous pressure and sometimes in debt to select.

Imagine this, a bully, frightened everyone with threats, promises or otherwise is in the group, could be the PM, not because of ability, but because of the lack of courage of the group. Therefore an aggressive person would end up being PM. Mark Twain said “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”

The intimidation felt from a bully is excruciating and causes one to make decisions from fear, rather than reason. Loretta Butler-Turner, a woman, did not allow herself to be bullied!

Furthermore, deviating ever so slightly, the time that is wasted on petty vindictiveness could be better spent on addressing the many things that was promised on the campaign trail. People believed that the FNM government would deliver some if not all of the promises.

Jobs are what the Bahamian people want to hear, absolutely nothing else.

The new bill that would grant work permits to those who could afford a quarter of a million of dollars is not designed for people of a darker hue. This is the full game of the minister who has investment and immigration under one portfolio.

Picture this, the Minister who has been blessed with Financial Services, Trade, Industry and Immigration, can fly to wherever, have a meeting with whomever, agree to the terms and pass the potential investor his immigration papers on the spot, no formalities. Abracadabra, MAGIC!!!

Please help me, does this smell like conflict of interest? Bahamians must be the biggest fools in the whole wide world, if they believe for one minute that the light will be shown.

Finally, at one of the rallies, I remembered distinctly the PM blurting out about the “recall system”.

I wonder if he was sincere then, and if he was, when is he going to apply all of his thoughts to the idea.

Where are the right thinking Bahamians? Where is the Christian Community who are barking up the wrong tree? Where are the people who claim they have integrity? Dawn Steel said, “Dishonesty, lack of integrity catches up with you.”

I am thankful to God for cutting away the necessary fat from my brain, now I am laser focused and certainly unafraid and will not be intimidated.

IVOINE W. INGRAHAM

Nassau,

September 22, 2017.