Former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette is open to running for leader of the Free National Movement (FNM). But Symonette stressed in an interview with National Review on Saturday that he fully supports the leadership of Dr. Hubert Minnis. Amid the talk of a looming FNM convention and who might be the leadership contenders, we asked Symonette whether there is any truth to reports that he is eyeing the leadership.
"I am interested in the betterment of The Bahamas," said Symonette, adding that the Christie administration is in "free fall". "The betterment of The Bahamas [would be achieved] by returning an FNM government in the next general election in The Bahamas because [Prime Minister Perry] Christie and his group continue to mess up and destroy the future of our country and the future of generations unborn. If that requires me to come back, so be it."
Minnis announced on Friday that the party has agreed to hold a convention by the end of November. Symonette said he is comfortable with a convention taking place anytime before then. He turned his focus to the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), saying, "They've postponed their convention because they have their problems.
"[Deputy Prime Minister Philip] Brave Davis is snipping at Perry Christie's heels every day. Don't mind him not appearing in the newspaper. They're all fighting to see who will succeed Mr. Christie, but they all realize that they have to use him to get into the next election and then they'll do what they have to do. Well, the FNM tried that and they lost. So, beware."
While in opposition, Christie told us that he was interested in being re-elected prime minister and would step down at the half-way mark. But ahead of the 2012 election, with the taste of power on his lips, he had a change of heart, announcing that he would serve a full term. His decision stifled the leadership ambitions of Davis and others in the PLP.
Now the man who claimed he only wanted another half term if elected in 2012 is going once again for the whole hog.
Christie announced last year that he intends to run again for leader of the PLP, and he is fully confident that he would win. He has stacked the deck in his favor with hundreds of PLP stalwarts loyal to him.
On Saturday, Davis, in a chat with National Review, said he is not snipping at Christie's heels.
"He should take care of their business and leave our business to us," said Davis, referring to Symonette.
The last FNM convention was in November 2014, when the party hosted a one-day event. The PLP has not had a convention in seven years. It had planned to have one last November, but canceled it, saying one would be inappropriate as the national focus was on providing relief in the wake of Hurricane Joaquin. The PLP's constitution mandates an annual convention.
Asked whether the PLP was being undemocratic by not holding a convention since 2009, Davis said, "That was a decision of the party not to have it. It was not any one man's decision. The party is anxious for another one."
He said because the party agreed not to have a convention there was nothing undemocratic about the fact one has not been held in so long. Symonette said he believes the FNM's focus needs to be on highlighting what he views as failed governance.
"The main issue is we need to get this country back on track; stop the political rhetoric and nonsense that they are all talking in the general public," he said. "Stop building up the hype and hope that is clearly not there after three years and deliver what Bahamians need, because Bahamians are suffering; many Bahamians are suffering. The ease of doing business in this country has gone catastrophically wrong. We're being taxed out of existence.
"We have a [proposed National Health Insurance] that we don't know what we're getting into. Meanwhile, the prime minister is barreling full speed ahead without consultation. Mr. Christie has always said he is good at consultation. It is very clear on this one he hasn't. He's just bulldozing his way through."
We pointed out to Symonette that the FNM at this time is in disarray.
He shot back, "So is the PLP. So I'm not too worried about the FNM. We've got a lot of time to get our house in order and I think we can prove to the Bahamian people that we are the next government and viable government for The Bahamas."
The former deputy prime minister said a lot of what is happening with the FNM is being "hyped by the press".
"There's obviously some disagreement between some members of the FNM and that's healthy," he said.
Symonette said the view that he and others in the Ingraham cabinet never voiced any opposition to Hubert Ingraham is simply unfounded. He said the difference now is that criticisms or concerns about the current leadership and the state of the party are being voiced in public. He said he is hopeful the recent council meeting of the FNM settled a lot of issues.
"We discussed them like any normal people would sit around and discuss the issues, and I think the FNM is moving towards that," Symonette said. "They had a council meeting the other night and I think the progress will happen from there."
We also asked Symonette whether he is pleased with Minnis' performance as leader. He responded, "Dr. Minnis has been the leader of the opposition. He has my full support. I read a lot of his stuff. He says people are trying to undermine him and everything else like that. He got elected fairly and squarely at the last convention, and he is the leader of the party. If someone wants to challenge him, that is democracy at its best."
Dilemma
Many FNMs recognize that they have a dilemma. They have a wonderful opportunity to unseat Christie and the PLP. Christie is no longer a palatable option for the electorate, though he seemingly does not get this. But the FNM was left in shambles when Ingraham abruptly resigned as leader of the party on the night of the May 7, 2012 general election. The party was bloodied and bruised, securing just nine of 38 seats. Political newcomers held most of the nine seats.
Minnis, Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner and Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant were the only former ministers who won their seats. Ingraham also won his seat but announced he would resign from frontline politics. Thus, the options for leader were severely limited.
Leadership was thrust upon Minnis, who has worked to hold the party together during some of its darkest days. But he is not politically savvy, lacks the ability to rein in his troops, and is uninspiring. Even his re-election in 2014 was not enough to unite the party and take the spotlight off his weaknesses. With election season approaching, FNMs recognize that they are running out of time to reach finality on the leadership question.
Many FNMs remain unsure about Butler-Turner. But many believe their chances at victory would be strengthened with her as leader. Others have floated the option of Brent Symonette as leader, but this, too, might be a big gamble for the party.
In what then Prime Minister Ingraham called a "graceful" exit, Symonette, at the time MP for St. Anne's, announced in early 2012 that he was retiring from frontline politics with a sense of gratitude. But it would not come as a surprise to many that he might be mulling a leadership bid at this time.
The FNM would have much to consider in deciding whether to replace the underperforming Minnis with Symonette. Symonette faces several possible impediments. It would be difficult to shake the legacy of his father, Sir Roland Symonette, who was premier during the pre-majority rule government that headed a regime that denigrated Bahamians on the basis of race and deprived them of equal opportunity for advancement and the full participation in the economy and the society. This would be a very difficult legacy to overcome and one that would no doubt be used by the PLP in an election campaign.
One political observer opined yesterday: "White leadership for The Bahamas will have to come from a younger generation of white Bahamians who have existed as equals to black Bahamians all their lives. Brent and his ilk have come from a legacy that was always one where they sat atop black folks. I don't see how one can turn that off."
Symonette will also continue to be haunted by the 2001 conflict of interest matter involving the Airport Authority, where he was chairman.
During his tenure as chairman, the authority awarded a contract to a paving company in which Symonette has a financial interest. He resigned over the matter. Ingraham's reported assessment of Symonette way back in 2003 -- as revealed in a U.S. Embassy cable made public by Wikileaks -- might also be resurrected.
When he sat down with a U.S. Embassy official, Ingraham reportedly outlined who he thought would make up the new FNM leadership team, and dismissed any chance of Symonette being a part of it due to his "personality and lack of appeal" outside the bounds of his wealthy constituency. Ingraham denied that race had anything to do with this assessment, the cable claimed.
Despite the issues that could dog him in any bid for leader of the FNM, or leader of government, we could see Symonette moving in and challenging Minnis. He has certainly always left that option open. With Minnis' leadership abilities in question, it might not be difficult for Symonette to be convinced. Whether voting delegates would agree is another question entirely.
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