EDITOR, The Tribune.
The Progressive Liberal Party government is a mess. They wasted our money on travel. They wasted it on contracts to PLP fat cats. They caused our electricity bills to be dead high. Now they can’t keep the lights or water on in Nassau.
We need this government to go. We need them to go now.
I am so pleased that the Free National Movement is having a leadership contest. As you are aware, I am no fan of the party’s current poet-comedian leader, Michael Pintard.
In my opinion Mr Pintard has been a lot of “not that much” as leader of the FNM. He’s boring. He does not excite voters. Many Bahamians don’t even know who he is.
He lost even worse than our 2021 general election defeat when it was time for him to test himself in the West End by-election. His cut-hip was nearly double what happened to the FNM in the pandemic election.
Mr Pintard’s camp think that the people, the voters, hate Dr Hubert Minnis. Therefore, he should remain leader, as Dr Minnis can’t win an election. That is a myth.
Dr Minnis had the hardest five-year term as Bahamian prime minister in our country’s history. He had the worst hurricane ever followed six months later by the pandemic, which lasted for the rest of his term.
Doc fought hard for his people. He spent the money to help rebuild Abaco. He spent money to give social assistance during the pandemic.
People were upset at some of the COVID restrictions. But, people also understood that as a doctor, Dr Minnis was trying to save lives.
He was not being mean. He was not being unkind. He was trying to keep his people safe.
Bahamians don’t hold anger for too long. The FNM was voted out in 2002 and back in again 2007. Perry Christie was chased out in 2007 and was back in 2012.
We judge parties based on the here and now.
Doc tried his best in a difficult situation. He is not hated by Bahamians.
In fact, he is thought of well by many for his pre-politics life, through which he delivered hundreds and hundreds of babies as one of the country’s senior obstetricians.
Dr Minnis also gave tremendous social assistance as prime minister through his pre-school programme and his free UB and BTVI initiatives.
Dr Minnis could win a general election. He is tough. He is not afraid of the PLP. He confronts them in Parliament all the time by himself as the MP for Killarney.
That’s the type of leader the FNM needs. People listen to Doc. They follow Doc. They discuss what Doc is doing and saying.
Voters aren’t interested in anything related to Michael Pintard.
Dr Minnis deserves another term to finish his agenda. We need a leader the people will listen to.
The poet-comedian has failed. He has the worst problem in politics: Voters are indifferent to him.
The FNM should return to Doc. He won for us before. He could win again.
THE MACKEY STREET MAN
Nassau,
May 21, 2024.
Comments
joeblow 3 weeks, 2 days ago
... I would rather get COVID than have Minnis as PM again! Arrogant, despicable human being!
moncurcool 3 weeks, 2 days ago
And Minnis excites people? This comment has to be a joke. Then again, a blind supporter would say anything without thinking.
Mr. Pintard doesn't think the voters hare Minnis, the voters themselves have expressed. If Minnis comes back, FNMs will stay home again.
This myth needs to stop. Hubert Ingahm came to power in 1992 with a country for sale and a broken economy. less than a year later he had to deal with Hurricane Andrew. ANd look what he produced in 5 years. Minnis just was a plain dictator with and was about himself. If he had listened to the advice of his won people, he would have fair way better in his 5 years.
moncurcool 3 weeks, 2 days ago
If that is not the biggest joke. Please note that in 2012 people voted against Christie, and not for Minnis.
And that is the problem. It should not be about Minnis agenda, but about what is best for the country after dialogue with the people.
And I stopped listening to Minnis when he stopped having press conference and wanted to only do national addresses so he would not have to answer questions from the press.
Minnis needs to stay out of leadership. Hope Pintard beats the pants off of him and send him into retirement.
Honestman 3 weeks, 1 day ago
You are right on the money with all your points moncurcool.
sheeprunner12 3 weeks, 2 days ago
Can anyone who comments on this page honestly say that they are convinced that Pintard & Co. can/will lead the FNM to victory in 2026?????
If they truly believe that Pintard & Co. can, then state the reasons for your POV.
We know (for sure) that Minnis has already done that in 2017 ...... 35-4
DaGoobs 3 weeks, 1 day ago
Wrong sir/madam. It was Perry Christie/PLP 4 and FNM 35. Minnis had little to do with the result and if the electorate had paid heed to Loretta Butler Turner and others, in hindsight people already had a forecast of what the FNM under Minnis would be. Remember that in 2012, the FNM didn't have much choice on who would be its leader after Hubert Ingraham resigned following his election defeat. Minnis with his money seemed like a viable option but failed miserably when he had the opportunity. He did nothing to merit a second chance. Better to ride or die with Pintard than revert to Minnis.
LastManStanding 3 weeks, 1 day ago
The thing with you Minnis supporters is that you conveniently ignore the 32-7 spanking he took 4.5 years later. That is an outright rejection that cost the FNM several strongholds that were unthinkable for the PHellP to carry in the past. Even Perry had the common sense to retire from politics after he took his similar spanking in '17.
There is still a decent chunk of time left until the next election, but as it stands I think it is going to be the closest one since '07 as long as Pintard remains leader of the FNM. Davis is not nearly as unpopular as Minnis and Perry were, but neither has he done anything to inspire a lot of turnout for him. Pintard hasn't shown himself to be the next coming of Ingraham, but putting Minnis to head the FNM is just giving Brave a next 5 years considering how stink he is in the eyes of the public. Pintard is the least bad out of a bunch of bad FNM candidates, and should at least have his shot at an election. A good politician would have let Pintard had his chance and then try again for power if he took a big loss, but Minnis has not displayed political aptitude during any of his time in or out of power.
Porcupine 3 weeks, 2 days ago
We keep looking for political leaders who will do us right. Who will produce them? Will they fall from the sky? This letter to the editor is proof that we will get nowhere in our lifetimes. For the better part of our short history, we have failed our country. It is not just a handful of politicians who have helped themselves, "by reason of employment" in this country. We the people are suffering a deadly disease of dishonesty, lack of integrity, deplorable work ethics, willful ignorance, unChristian behaviour, and an "I do not care" attitude in nearly all aspects of our society, especially within the government. This is a cultural failing that will take decades to resolve, if it is supplanted with good parenting and a government that supported families and our youth. But, we don't.
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