By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis was dismissive yesterday over criticism of the size of the delegation which accompanied him on trips to Peru and the United Kingdom.
As Dr Minnis travelled in recent weeks, critics took to social media to attack the government, with some creating memes lambasting his so-called “Gussie Mae” delegation, a colloquial term for overweight.
He suggested he was unmoved by criticism.
“You’ll always have criticism,” he said at a press briefing at Lynden Pindling International Airport.
“One thing I’ve learned, when I was head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Princess Margaret Hospital, I always told all heads below me, I say if ever you pleasing 100 percent of the people you are a weak leader because it means you are bending to each and every one; you cannot. If you do it you are weak. If you are making the correct decision then someone must be upset.”
Regarding the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in the United Kingdom, Dr Minnis said: “There would have been complaints about the size of my delegation. CHOGM comprised of not just the prime ministers’ meeting; there were a series of several meetings and people presented The Bahamas’ position to try to sell The Bahamas in some form or fashion. There would have been investment meetings for which members of the Chamber of Commerce would have been present and members of my government also; there would’ve been a women’s forum where matters were discussed with respect to women; youth forum and therefore it was essential that youth members from The Bahamas would have been there.”
Asked if Bahamians have too high expectations about what benefits these trips should produce, Dr Minnis said: “The beauty of these particular trips is Bahamians have access to just about everything throughout so now I think they have a better understanding of knowledge of what’s happens at these events so I think you’ll find that people’s view and outlook would be somewhat different.”
Dr Minnis said he met with leaders of Panama, Canada, the United Kingdom and Singapore during his trips. The leader of Panama told him that country’s Copa Airlines is looking to increase its flights to The Bahamas by three while the leader of Singapore agreed to assist this country with technology digitisation, he said. He said he also spoke with US Vice President Mike Pence, requesting assistance in the fight against illegal immigration, though he wouldn’t reveal Mr Pence’s response to his requests.
Dr Minnis has said he would release information about the travels of his Cabinet and the associated costs of the most recent trips, although it remains unclear when the information will be released. He has previously released travel costs associated with a government trip to Texas in the United States.
Comments
birdiestrachan 6 years ago
The wise will understand the fool has no need to know. Quote. doc does not comprehend.. lost, and confused he is indeed.
DDK 6 years ago
There was and will continue to be criticism if Minnis and Co. do not reign in spending as promised while campaigning. We keep waiting for transparency. I believe they hope that by the time they find someone who can add up their travel expenses, IF they bother to keep them, The People will have forgotten and moved on to something else.......... Why do we have to go all the way to the U.K. to hold a women's or youth forum? Do we not pay the Ministry off Tourism who spend long dollars to promote The Bahamas? The problem is not The PM's meetings with other Heads of State. It is the inordinate size of the groupies who have to be flown, housed and fed. The People are working two and three jobs to make ends meet, while the power keeps going off like clockwork............
TalRussell 6 years ago
Ma Comrades, Who all accompanied PM Minnis on yet another one his done traveled on many foreigner trips away from colony..... let's put it this way. The PM's delegation with public purse footing the bills all their expenses - including limousines drive them around - plus they mealtimes - would be equal to near the entire population Great Ragged Island in the colony Bahamaland which has dwindled from a population of 479 in 1942 to less than 68 today.( Why make up lies about this bunch money wasteful Imperial red shirts charged governing over we islanders }. Where in hell is we Revolution?
.............////https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2Q2M...">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2Q2M...
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years ago
More and more voters are finally waking up to the fact that they got bamboozled by the Dimwitted Doc in the last general election. The level of resentment towards him is rising with each passing day, and he must sense this....unless of course he is truly politically tone deaf as some have suggested.
OMG 6 years ago
So what is the alternative-- oh yes the tried and tested corruption], mismanagement of funds and on and on. The truth is that this country is on the brink of financial no return and the pill to swallow by the public is going to be very bitter. And yet the people who caused this, Christie, Davies, Fweddy and their followers have made their money and couldn't gove a damn and better still they will never be made accountable.
sheeprunner12 6 years ago
Size matters ........ But if it is not fulfilling its purpose, then it is meaningless (in all matters)
Can the PM defend the purpose for all of the delegation members????? ........ Will we continue to see positive effects of the work of the delegations in Peru and London????
The problem with the PLP delegations is they spent up our money, but we saw NO results ....... As simple as more flights from Panama and a British HC in Nassau is already results.
bogart 6 years ago
Roc wid Doc did articulate his point on curruption and despite some who want to cover up it as talking down it is a revealing change that he calls a spade a spade and intemds to do away with corruption.
We want to attract investors to build and they mist be fully assured as must be every country there that just like Singapore we will not tolerate corruption and will pursue perpetrators to thd fullest extent of law.
sheeprunner12 6 years ago
We cannot foolishly compare ourselves to Singapore, Cayman, New Zealand etc. ............. Our experiences over the past 50 years have created the present situation that has rendered us "a unique challenge" ...... We NOW have to deal with what we have created for ourselves since 1967....... and it is not a pretty sight to behold.
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