Dear Editor,
I saw a photograph on Facebook today that showed a happy group of Free National Movement supporters and officials, presumably at the recent council meeting where they firmed up plans for the upcoming convention set for late November. I was particularly pleased to see a smiling Frank Watson, who really looked well, and who obviously appeared happy with his successor in Killarney, Dr. Hubert Minnis.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words and the word seems to be, as the pictures suggest, that veteran FNMs are in full support of Dr. Minnis as the leader of the party.
Two and a half years ago, the FNM suffered a devastating defeat at the polls and what was left of the party selected Minnis to lead the healing process, and by all accounts he and his minority members of the house have been doing a creditable job.
In the last two months, Minnis and his legislative team have turned up the heat, scoring point after point on Prime Minister Perry Christie's administration for its lack of integrity, its incompetence and simple ineptness. Christie came to power believing his bloated majority was an excuse to push anything down the throat of the Bahamian people, but Minnis said it's not going to happen.
The prime minister called for a referendum on gambling but Minnis stood with the religious leadership of this country and a majority of voters who said "no". Christie legalized the illegal web-shops and this country will pay a heavy price for that decision.
Minnis voted against passage of the current budget because of its concealed expenditures on salaries, perks and contracts for consultants, mostly friends and lovers.
Minnis has exposed the ill preparation for the implementation of a VAT system. This administration has yet to explain to the Bahamian people, how VAT will really work. Nearly every employer group and financial consultant now agrees with Minnis' observation - that VAT is going to be a nightmare for the Bahamian people, resulting in higher prices and the lowering of the living standard for working class Bahamians.
Minnis exposed the ongoing wastage at BAMSI in Andros, and again, Bahamians have yet to hear how a school for 50 students should cost $20 million or how it is going to change agriculture in this country.
Minnis totally frustrated the prime minister on the ill prepared and ill presented bill on the referendum, to the point that Bernard Nottage, minister for national security and leader of government business in the House, is now wandering the halls trying to blame anyone but the PLP for this bill which is going to die a slow death in committee.
Say what they will, Minnis is changing the face of politics in this country. In meeting with voters in Exuma, Cat Island and in Harbour Island last week, Minnis articulated a new political frame of reference for a changing Bahamas.
Agitators in and out of the FNM wanted a convention, they have one although the detractors now say it was a snap decision. Minnis has called for more openness in government and in the political party system, well we have a challenge to political leadership in the form of Loretta Butler-Turner.
This is the first time in Bahamian party politics that the leadership and officers of a political party will be elected in an open and honest fashion, that will feature officials campaigning, both to party members and to members of the public.
The PLP should try this - oh yes I forgot, they pushed their convention timetable down the road, "out or respect for the referendum process". Who are they trying to fool? We all know by now that there will be no referendum under this government.
Christie is running out of time and the bet is on whether he will last the full term. The Bahamian voters have had it with lofty rhetoric with little action.
They turned back on the swag of another FNM leader.
The new Bahamian electorate is showing daily that what they want is the measured, thoughtful, honest and considered leadership of a Dr. Minnis who brought himself up the hard way and who doesn't need to cut deals.
There is a popular song making the round called, "Doctor, the country is sick". How appropriate. I hope it gets a lot of play at Christie's unpopular and ill thought out carnival next year.
- M. Thompson

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