FNMs needed no more examples that their party is in shambles, with arrows coming from every conceivable direction, further eroding its already fragile public image.

But they got one more embarrassing example over the weekend with the emergence of a letter penned by C. A. Smith, among the most senior of FNMs who also served as a Cabinet minister and later as The Bahamas' ambassador to Washington, D.C.

He is well respected, and has served both party and country admirably.

As such, more is expected of him.

The letter was unfortunate if for no other reason than the completely false claim by Smith that former Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes is Simon, the author of the weekly Nassau Guardian column Front Porch.

Smith claimed in his nearly 2,000-word letter that the former governor general used a nom de plume to assassinate his character, and he appealed to Sir Arthur to avoid the epithet on his grave recording that, despite his wonderful achievements in life, he died as "Simon the coward".

As managing editor, I informed Smith on Saturday that Sir Arthur is not Simon, and Simon is not Sir Arthur.

He did not want to say where he got the information from that Simon is Sir Arthur's nom de plume.

Smith said after Sir Arthur's letter to the editor is published denying that he is Simon then he will respond.

It is not good for FNMs to see such a respected, senior figure launching such a scathing public attack on one of the party's founding fathers.

A quick phone call to Sir Arthur would have saved Smith public embarrassment.

In the open letter to his "friend and brother", Smith said, "Dear Sir Arthur (oops Simon), it pains me to publicly respond to your vicious and unwarranted attack on my character in your opinion column in The Nassau Guardian of June 2, 2016 by suggesting that my right to have and to share a political view that differs from yours in my support of [Dr. Hubert Minnis] as leader of the FNM is motivated by the hope for personal benefit and/or gain."

Smith also wrote, "In ascribing an improper motive to my decision to support Minnis because it differs from yours is nothing short of character assassination and gutter journalism, which is unacceptable coming from someone of your long-earned reputation."

In the column in question, Simon opined: "It is the Minnis-backers like Maurice Moore, C. A. Smith and Tennyson 'The Oligarch' Wells, a merchant of greed, who are acting like those PLPs who helped to bolster Pindling's power so they could continue to benefit from his reign.

"Moore and others are betraying their own roots and the proud legacy of the FNM. They have become like those they once opposed. Little should be expected of Wells. Moore and Smith are the more deeply disappointing."

When he spoke to National Review on Saturday, Smith, who is 79, asked rhetorically, "What can someone give me to cause me to make my decisions?"

We understand Smith wanting to defend himself, but he has caused embarrassment to himself by wrongly pointing the finger at Sir Arthur in this matter.

As a former governor general, a former high commissioner to the United Kingdom and a statesman, Sir Arthur, now 88, is careful not to be dragged into the political fray.

He released a brief statement on Saturday saying what we at The Nassau Guardian already know -- that he is not Simon.

"I should be grateful if you would, by publishing this letter, let your readers know that I am not the writer of Front Porch," Sir Arthur wrote.

"In fact, I have not written a column for any newspaper since 2010 when I became governor general. When I used to write To The Point for The Tribune it was under my name."

We asked Smith what message he thinks his very scathing open letter to Sir Arthur sends to FNMs and the general public.

"If you look at the history of the FNM since the elections of two years ago, many more senior members in the party than I am have come out against one another and they are the movers, the shakers, the decision-makers of the party, and I am talking about the leadership," he said.

Smith insisted his letter was not an attack on Sir Arthur.

"All I have done is laid the historical facts to indicate quite frankly that the bearers of the flame have to be those who have been in the struggle, continued in the struggle throughout its history and remain committed to the same struggle and the cause," he said.

Attack
But it is hard to see his letter to Sir Arthur as anything but an attack -- and an unwarranted one at that.

It is bad enough that the party is in turmoil with six of its MPs publicly expressing no confidence in the leader.

But the decision of one of the most senior FNMs, Smith, to take a knife at Sir Arthur, a venerated figure in the party and nationally, sends a signal to FNMs that they are in deep mess -- very deep mess.

Smith accused Sir Arthur of violating his own conscience, and of attacking him "on my God-given right to hold a view that differs from yours".

He said Sir Arthur had engaged in gutter journalism.

"The place to elect a leader is in convention, not in the newspaper," Smith wrote.

"The era of coup d'etat is over and should never ever be contemplated in a democratic organization.

"For the record, it is my considered opinion that the six MPs and others, who by their public utterances and ill-considered actions, are seeking to hijack the FNM party by continuing to undermine a duly elected leader have confirmed to me that they have little or no respect for the party's constitution, its elected leaders, the officers and members of their constituency associations, our party supporters and the general public."

Just over two weeks ago, six FNM MPs told Minnis that if he did not agree to a date for an early convention, they would write to the governor general and have him removed as leader of the Official Opposition.

The party's Central Council agreed a week later to move the convention from November to next month.

Simon concluded in the June 2 column that the six "are true keepers of the flame".

But Smith wrote, "To my mind the treacherous actions of the six also call into question their respect for The Bahamas' constitution and our Bahamian people in their blind campaign to remove Dr. Minnis at all costs."

However, The Bahamas' constitution, under Article 82(4), provides for opposition MPs to express no confidence in their leader.

Smith described the behavior of the anti-Minnis MPs as "undemocratic, self-serving and nonsensical".

He said this behavior falls far short of the legacy, traditions and commitment to democracy which are the true hallmarks of the true keepers of the flame -- "a flame which, by the way, you (Sir Arthur) along with others ignited, and which they are now busy incessantly throwing water on while publicly bemoaning, concealing and denying their despicable leaks and threats".

Smith also told Sir Arthur, "... you must be acutely aware of the dangerously destructive path being followed by the six, which if pursued will only lead to a breakup and split from the FNM party as has happened on at least two occasions within living memory."

Smith wrote, "Their threats and undemocratic bullying and public bickering and constant leaks of internal party business to the press is killing the hope of the majority of Bahamians who yearn for a desperately needed change from this cruel, inhumane and deviously corrupt PLP administration."

He also warned against cannibalization within the FNM.

"The lesson for all of us who claim to be children of Sir Cecil and keepers of the flame is to check our egos and personal agendas at the door of the convention in July and come prepared for wise and tolerant dialogue," Smith said.

He told Sir Arthur he expects "nothing less than an unreserved public apology from you".

But given how off-base Smith was in his attack on Sir Arthur, it would clearly be more appropriate if he, Smith, is the one issuing an apology.

True keepers of the flame are men and women of honor, and honor requires recognizing when you are at fault, or are wrong in your conclusions, and expressing regret for the same.

Thank you for the history lesson, Mr. Smith, but you have the wrong person arrested.

Candia Dames, Guardian Managing Editor

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