Dr. Duane Sands
FREE National Movement (FNM) Senator Dr. Duane Sands said the delay to appoint him to the upper chamber, despite countless calls by “respected persons” within the party, shows that the organisation’s current leadership is not focused on putting the “best effort forward”.
He was responding to questions from The Tribune after former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham told reporters on Thursday that he had recommended Dr. Sands’ appointment for the past four years. Dr. Sands said he was “amazed and confused all in one breath” by the revelation.
Sources in the party have suggested that the move to name Dr. Sands to the Senate had been “tossed about” but was delayed for some time out of fear that appointing the surgeon would give him a stronger platform to challenge the current leadership duo at the party’s upcoming convention.
One Central Council representative, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the internal belief for several months has been that the party was doing what it could to push people “all on board with (Dr. Minnis)” while “slowing the advancement of all those that aren’t a sure thing”.
When asked about this, Dr. Sands chuckled and said: “It is time we get beyond this. We in the FNM have a job before us. We have a government doing very little to improve our country. You have to keep their feet to the fire. You have to put the right persons in place to ensure that we can emerge victorious come election time.
“We have to do what is necessary to work as a team and that has always been my point when I have had any discussion with any and everyone associated with this great party. Personally, I don’t have an issue with Dr. Minnis or the Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest. From early on in this process I have held to the belief that skills - fundamentally sound individuals in specific areas - would have to play key roles in moving this party forward.
“If you look around, the bashing and criticising isn’t being encouraged by this side. Personally, I don’t think the FNM has had an effective team concept developed to this point. It could be because Dr. Minnis sees some of us as challengers or however you describe it. But as a leader, it is your job to walk into the room and get everyone on the same page and moving in one direction.”
Dr. Sands said the public is “hoping and praying” for a united FNM. He said that his push to be deputy leader was started with that very goal in mind - uniting the party and advancing the best possible platform ahead of the 2017 general election. He added that he has always viewed both Dr. Minnis and Mr. Turnquest as strong contributors to the party. However, he said he believed the duo had become consumed with the internal fight and have lost sight of the bigger goal.
Dr. Sands said that fact was painstakingly clear during the recent budget debate, a platform he said Dr. Minnis could have used to “hammer a failing government”, but instead, he opted to “sell his brand”.
“I think the idea that you are operating as your own hype-man has always been shown as a marketing flaw. That is what he became on that day. He used a national stage to do something he could have done behind closed doors. I think the timing was certainly bad.”
Asked how he foresaw the party moving forward, Dr. Sands said as “a team of rivals”.
“I have said this before: we don’t have to like each other to get this task done. But we do need to break this divisive spirit and do what is best for our supporters and for our country. This has gone too far. The FNM should be way beyond this and we need to start the process of fixing these issues.”
In an email chain that was leaked in early May, Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins urged Dr. Minnis to remove Kwasi Thompson from the Senate and appoint Dr. Sands in his place.
According to the leaked emails, Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman and Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn all backed Dr. Rollins’ comments.
Dr. Sands was appointed to the Senate in mid-May after then Senator Lanisha Rolle resigned.
The FNM’s convention is scheduled for July 27 to 29. Dr. Sands has said he will run for the post of deputy leader on a ticket with Mrs. Butler-Turner, who will vie for leader.
By Ricardo Wells, Tribune Staff Reporter
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