Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Michael Pintard yesterday condemned former FNM Cabinet minister Tennyson Wells' "flippant, ill-considered, baseless and unjustified attack" on Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn. Wells told The Nassau Guardian last Friday that Lightbourn's opposition to FNM Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis' plan to develop Over-the-Hill properties was "a racist view". But Lightbourn said he is not opposed to Minnis' plan.
Pintard said he was "shocked and dismayed" to read Wells' remarks. The FNM chairman said while Lightbourn has "caused this writer some sleepless nights for statements made that should never have been uttered publicly", his behavior is nowhere near what Wells suggested in his comments.
"I am hopeful that he (Wells) would rethink and withdraw the unfortunate insinuation," Pintard said in a statement. After all, both of them are likely to be in the trenches together helping to unseat the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP)."
Pintard and Minnis initially declined to comment on the matter when contacted on Monday.
Pintard said yesterday, "This flippant and ill-considered comment is false and unhelpful. As a former Cabinet minister, Mr. Wells must understand the strong emotions such a statement could potentially stir up in people of all ethnicities. Given his renewed support for the FNM, Mr. Wells would be much more helpful concentrating exclusively on critiquing the PLP's mismanagement of our Bahamas and recommending ways to help elevate our nation, which is the primary focus of the Free National Movement.
"While we welcome him and thousands of Bahamians who share the view that a Christie-Davis led government is bad for The Bahamas, we do not welcome or take lightly baseless and unjustified attacks on members of our team. The use of the word racist to describe an alleged opinion of Lightbourn is wrong on so many levels."
Wells told The Guardian that he supports Minnis as leader of the FNM. He said he believes the Killarney MP is gaining traction in the country daily.
On Monday, Minnis said he is "very grateful" that Wells has publicly supported him.
Pintard said yesterday that the FNM is "satisfied that Richard Lightbourn is not a racist".
"We do not tolerate and would not tolerate racists," he said. "There is nothing in the day-to-day behavior or utterances that supports that Richard has a racist bone in his body. Secondly, to the best of my knowledge, Mr. Lightbourn supports the leader's vision for the revitalization of urban centers notwithstanding any differences in the details of how this is achieved. Thirdly, early differences of opinion on policy matters, which exist in all organizations and among the closest of allies, may be due to many different reasons. Therefore, it is sad that Tennyson Wells would resort to race baiting by speculating that the reason for Richard's initial difference of opinion on a policy matter is race based."
Misuse
Pintard said the FNM has led many efforts to build a multicultural society and has fought to "empower disenfranchised Bahamians of African decent while not seeking to disenfranchise Bahamians of European decent".
"Unlike the PLP, we do not believe that it is acceptable to misuse race as a basis for drumming up support for a cause or as a means of alienating anyone," he said. "We are not like the PLP. While we are not where we ought to be, The Bahamas has come a long way in race relations and can't afford to lose ground now. We are proud of all our members and supporters, those of all hues, and we ask them and all right thinking Bahamians to join us in a magnificent effort to lift up our nation to new heights of prosperity, equity and unity."
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