Tennyson Wells
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Cabinet minister Tennyson Wells yesterday theorised the only credible threat to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ leadership was the country’s economic stability, not another party coup.
Mr Wells sounded off on persistent rumours of discord within Dr Minnis’ Cabinet, telling The Tribune the Free National Movement’s leadership challenges last term served as a lesson for all politicians.
Social media and tabloid rumours of a budding FNM coup centre around claims of diminished confidence in Dr Minnis from his parliamentary caucus.
The FNM has not yet decided whether it will hold a national convention this year, as mandated by its constitution.
“I think they should follow what the constitution say,” Mr Wells said when contacted by The Tribune yesterday. “You hear rumours about it but I don’t think there’s any validity to it, nobody could beat Minnis now. Every government had the same kind of things (missteps); it’s been played up more now than ever in the past, but persons knew about mistakes and pitfalls, they always there in every government.
“Whoever’s contemplating (a coup) that don’t stand a ghost chance in hell. I see those things but it’s nonsense, they wasting their time. The first possible chance of getting rid of Minnis, if that happen, would probably be if the economy hasn’t moved 18 months before the next election.
“If (Minnis) hasn’t performed or shown any evidence of performance by then, it’s a possibility and only a possibility.”
The Tribune canvassed several senior FNM members yesterday, most of whom believed the rumours were opposition tactics working to unseat Dr Minnis or at the very least erode his public image.
One MP suggested the Official Opposition was attempting to exploit Dr Minnis’ perceived insecurities or “thin skin” by fabricating discord reminiscent of his clash with former Official Opposition leader Loretta Butler-Turner.
Yesterday, Mr Wells said: “Most of the people talking and pushing these things are cowards and wouldn’t lift a finger. Between 2012 and 2016 was a lesson or message to all of them if they have any political savvy. Minnis is very politically astute, don’t mind what you see out there, Minnis know what he doing. Those who wanna raise their hand against him, they just get it cut off.
“I’m surprised they would even think about it at this stage less than year after they win the government. I don’t see nothing happening with it.”
FNM Chairman Carl Culmer told The Tribune yesterday the possibility of a convention has not come up before the party’s Central Council, but the matter will have to be raised before July. He believes the rumours are the machinations of the Progressive Liberal Party, keen on exploiting perceived weaknesses and distracting the government from its agenda.
“We haven’t gone to council,” Mr Culmer said. “I don’t preempt nothing, it’s a democracy and we allow the council to dictate what it is.”
As for the rumours of discord, Mr Culmer continued: “There is no such thing as no confidence (in Dr Minnis), there are so much other things to be accomplished. All (Cabinet members) busy trying to work their ministries and make sure Bahamians are first, and making good on the obligations we made to them.”
He said: “Everyone’s busy doing what they supposed to. The PLP is manufacturing propaganda, we don’t pay that no mind.”
Last week, Health Minister Dr Duane Sands expressed his full confidence in Dr Minnis’ leadership while dismissing social media and tabloid rumours of a budding FNM coup.
“No truth at all (to the rumours),” he said last week, “no truth at all, idle hands clearly is the devil’s work.”
Comments
proudloudandfnm 6 years ago
Who cates what this fella thinks???
Another reason Minnis is a lousy PM? Making this dude head of Bamsi....
licks2 6 years ago
If the FNM feel like they can beat the doc. . .come forward. . .let the people show them "AGAIN". . . we want yinna doc. . .not yinna old guard. . .LET THEM COME. . .THE STREETS WAITING ON THEY TAILS. . .LET US SEE WHO THEY ARE. . .WE WILL SAY NO NOW AND THROW THEY TAILS OUT IN 2022!! But as a man on the streets. . .we are already feeling "the beat-on-the-streets". . . we can see what doc is doing. . .he is honest and a hard working achiever. . . if he ever gets too big for his pants we know what to do with his backside. . . for now. . .VIVA LA DOC!!!
TalRussell 6 years ago
Whatever Comrade Tennyson thinks, which reading between the lines is not exactly a sterling endorsement support Minnis to continue lead the red party, this should be a wake up warning call in the making of the way not long after the 2012 general election which saw the PLP win 29 House seats compared the red shirts 9 House seats...... when even with the former once popular prime minister Papa Hubert leading the by election campaign charge - PM Christie was able to pick up another seat after winning the North Abaco by-election. The red party is about to be by election tested - and its going come from a most unlikely House seat resignation. Minnis performs at his weakest level when he is under colleagues pressure... hadn't for 3 solid months showed up in the House even once after being removed by the governor general following the Coup by his fellow red House MP's....yet he continued collecting his MP's salary from public purse... go check the House's attendance records. Once you suck at leadership -always you suck - and, who would know this better than Comrade Tennyson -having served under all four PM's and was also close power base da Bay Street Boys.... so the man's is well prime ministerial schooled.
TheMadHatter 6 years ago
Minnis cannot be overthrown if he:
All of that can be completed before Dec 1st.
sheeprunner12 6 years ago
Tenny Wells is always sucking up to the PMs (except Ingraham) to get land or tax deals ........ He is a swinger who has NO loyalty except to his pocket.
TalRussell 6 years ago
Comrade Tennyson is no fresh fish Minnis's stewing pot. The man's been politically hanging around power ever since days colony's coins included them big ass pennies.
ThisIsOurs 6 years ago
"Whoever’s contemplating (a coup) that don’t stand a ghost chance in hell. "
"#One MP suggested the Official Opposition was attempting to exploit Dr Minnis’ perceived insecurities or “thin skin"
Cuck-oo Cuck-oo Cuck-oo
TalRussell 6 years ago
Ma Comrade ThisIsours, no need contemplating a red shirts coup when constitutionally it's mandated the party must holds a national convention at date before that date which is right around corner... of which Minnis's political coffin will be tossed into the bottom red well... if not in coming days and weeks... considering the chief convention decider was Brent back then and who just happens still be the party's money bucks chief convention date decider and is still of the same sneaky backdoor mindset Minnis - as he was back then when he publicly stated he would be in favor or an earlier convention to decide Minnis's leadership fate...some things red are cemented in concrete. Let's not forget how KP stood behind the reds convention podium shut down Loretta's freedom of convention speech... and he did it on live TV broadcast around world millions democracy lovers.
sheeprunner12 6 years ago
We take this "coup" word so lightly ......... In any other context, that would be punishable by death ......... But why is this word so loosely used????? ........ Is it because we are a black, Third World country???????
birdiestrachan 6 years ago
What is wrong with Culmer. His answer to every situation 'it is the PLP fault".
It is impossible for the PLP to have a coupe against doc. I say let the doc stay, he is so good for the people's time voters.
licks2 6 years ago
SO THE EAST FELLAS DEM WANT DOC GONE SO PAPA CAN COME BACK A "GEE" THEM BACK THE COOKIE JAR AYE?? One of they own done told them in the papers that they can't beat doc in or out of the house. . ."THE PEOPLE GOT HIS BACK". . .PAPA IS THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD POSSIBLY BEAT HIM. . .and papa done make himself "as one of them" when he row out doc for carrying Shane them to the police! Papa said: " they done get beat in the election. . .lee them alone. . .losing is enough for them"!! Heen mentioned nothing about the plenty money they done tief and living high on the hog!!
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