Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Darron Cash said yesterday that Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins' "days are numbered" in the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and added that the FNM would welcome him.
Rollins' political future came into question on Wednesday after he slammed Prime Minister Perry Christie during the value-added tax (VAT) bill debate in the House of Assembly and called for new political leadership in the country.
"I commend Mr Rollins for his willingness to be straight with the people. His days are numbered in the PLP but he can be assured that he has a place in the FNM," said Cash.
"A key phrase that will follow Perry Christie is 'betrayal of trust' because his word has counted for so little since he returned to office in 2012. Most notable among those whom this Prime Minister has betrayed is that generation of young people he deceived into voting for him on the basis the he would support and invest in them. Those closest to him, like Andre Rollins and [Marco City MP] Greg Moss and [Bamboo Town MP] Renward Wells know the extent to which Mr. Christie has paid only lip service to young leaders."
During the VAT debate, Rollins accused the prime minister of threatening Moss and himself.
"The political threats uttered by the prime minister and minister of finance this morning (Wednesday) left me with one impression, and that is we need new political leadership in The Bahamas," said Rollins.
"When a leader and minister of finance, and prime minister could take a debate as important and critical to the pockets and wallets of the Bahamian people, a debate as critical as that, where he could spend most of his contribution threatening members of this side, it is evidence that we need new leadership.
"He spent more time, Mr. Speaker, and energy trying to threaten us, to scare us, rather than give hope and comfort to a public that is leery of the impact of VAT on their lives and that of their families. We have to be concerned Mr. Speaker."
Following Rollins' attack on Christie, who was not present in the House at the time, Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Works Philip Brave Davis said Rollins "crossed the line" and suggested he expects his resignation as Gaming Board chairman.
It was unclear if Rollins had resigned yesterday.
But Cash said he agrees with Rollins that there needs to be new political leadership.
"Mr. Rollins' damning speech in the House is symptomatic of what PLPs have in common with the majority of Bahamians," Cash said. "We all know that Mr. Christie has passed both his sell by and use by dates and it is time for the PM to move into retirement and enjoy the foreign travel that he has come to love."
Rollins spoke out against Christie as he expressed anger over the fact that Christie used a majority of his communication to "threaten" backbenchers for their dissenting views, instead of providing "hope and comfort" to Bahamians who are concerned about the impact of VAT.
Cash said yesterday that he is not surprised that Christie has resorted to using threats.
"The damning statements from Mr. Rollins also point to the clear frustration that new generation PLP leaders feel about the do nothing style of leadership provided by Mr. Christie," he said.
"Unlike in the FNM where young leaders had a genuine opportunity to impact government policy, Mr. Rollins now understands that in Christie's PLP, they are merely window dressing and the 'old guard all for me baby' entrenched interests still control the ebb and flow of the PLP. I know that for a go-getter like Rollins and Greg Moss that must be unbearably painful."
Moss also criticized Christie for issuing "threats" to those who went against the party stance.
He said Christie's way of thinking is harmful to democracy.
During debate on the constitutional referendum bills earlier this week, Rollins also blasted the Christie administration for using young politicians as "tokens" to help win the election.
He said the PLP is not open to independent thinkers.
"If we take strong views and we suffer for it, then so be it," Moss said on Tuesday.
Rollins resigned as party whip on Wednesday after expressing opposition to two of the four constitutional amendment bills the government hopes to advance to referendum.
Christie said the move was the right thing to do.

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