Knowing when to depart

Fri, Aug 22nd 2014, 09:47 PM

Whether Prime Minister Perry Christie likes it or not, the issue of his political future will increasingly be of interest in the months to come. He did not seem too enthused when reporters asked him recently if he will seek another term as prime minister.
"That's not important to me now, [the fact that] people keep on talking about whether I'm running again," he said to reporters at the opening ceremony for the UNESCO Regional Meeting on the Underwater Cultural Heritage at SuperClubs Breezes.
"You know who decides whether I'm running again? Firstly, me and my family. Secondly, the people, the members of Parliament and the political organization throughout the country.
"So I'm not going to be distracted by that now. I see people saying I am running again. That's fine. They are able to say that.
"I am now running to get results from the Progressive Liberal Party government. That's what I'm running for. I am running full speed all the time. I have not taken a day off since the election."
This question should not annoy Christie. The whole country wants to officially know what he intends to do - we think he'll run again.
Christie is 71 years old and has been in frontline politics for 40 consecutive years. What Christie should know, actually, is some of his colleagues in the PLP, from time to time, even ask the media to ask him publicly if he is running again. They too want to know in order to plan their political futures.
While Christie is proud of how long he has been in frontline politics - he mentions it nearly every time he speaks in Parliament - many think it is time for new thinking, new energy and new ideas in the Office of the Prime Minister. Crime and unemployment are high, taxes are going up, there is a mortgage crisis, the price of electricity is so high that many are in darkness. In this context, we have no sensible big ideas from our leader as to how to raise The Bahamas to a better circumstance.
In a recent interview with this newspaper, Bahamas Faith Ministries International President Dr. Myles Munroe suggested that the political leadership in the country should recognize that its time is over and identify suitable replacements.
"Leadership is a relay. It is not a sprint," he said.
"The most important part of a relay is not how fast you run. It is that crucial moment of passing that baton. Leadership will be judged not by how fast or how long or great they ran.
"It is that moment in history when they have to let go of that baton. Nothing can be worse than passing the baton to the next runner, but you are not letting go of it. The next election, to me, is the passing of the baton."
Munroe's reflection echoes what many think around this country. We need energetic and transformative leadership from another generation of Bahamians in order to revive our system of governance. To be clear, youth does not automatically equate to wisdom, and age to exhaustion. It is obvious, though, that a Christie-led government has little new to offer that will make our circumstance better.
"That's a tough moment because there are people who believe [they are] not yet old enough to leave the race," said Munroe.
"Letting it go is tough because, if you enjoy power, if you enjoy notoriety, the respect and the recognition and if you confuse your value with your title...you feel like if you let the baton go, you let your life go."
Munroe left one further gem.
"The next election will prove who is mature and who is immature," he said.
"I'm talking among the fathers. It will determine who has vision and who has ambition. Ambition is normally canvassing for personal progress or personal promotion.
"Vision has to do with the progress of other people. This will test who loves the country or who wants to use the country."
Those words seem very directed at our most senior politician. We hope he reflects on them and does what is best for our Bahamas.

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