Dear Editor,

Many have claimed that Dr. Hubert Minnis lacks oratory skills and therefore is unfit to be leader of the FNM or, for that matter, to be leader of this country. While it is true that he is not the orator that Perry Christie is; neither is he as tenacious as Hubert Ingraham appeared to be; nor is he as charismatic as Sir Lynden Pindling; he has managed to hold the FNM together during what I term to be the worst years of the party.

I have been a supporter of this great party since its formation during the days of the "Free PLP" and I have over those years witnessed many a fight and disagreement amongst the leadership. The difference, however, was that those persons were true FNMs and despite the differences were determined to take the party forward and achieve a singular goal, which is to become the government of this great nation and lead our people in a direction that was intended when the majority began to rule this nation.

The founding fathers (as we refer to them) then recognized that the Pindling-led government had lost its vision and no longer cared for the wellbeing of the masses, but only the select few. As a result of this, they took the original dream of the PLP and fought to keep it alive and relevant so that all persons were made relevant to our growth and development. This is the dream that Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield spoke of when he made his famous keynote speech at the PLP's convention.

Sadly for many, and gladly for some, in 1992 he was no longer available to lead us to that place and as a result we allowed ourselves to be led by one who himself never bought into that dream, but rather saw an opportunity to realize his own ambitions to lead the country and took advantage of the opportunity. I say that not to by any means suggest that his was not a great effort and that he did not do well for the country, but rather to highlight that his was not the fulfillment of the dream of the founding fathers but more the living of his dream and singular mission.

We saw in him a version of the PLP style of leadership that again favored the few at the expense of the many. But we as true FNMs were so glad to be known as the government, we accepted it and moved with the flow, though privately many of us did not see what we dearly believed in as the true purpose for the formation of the FNM. The label placed on the government was FNM and we were proud to see that label, so we accepted the bastardized FNM dream for this nation.

We also saw that as soon as it seemed that our then leader was not to be in the position that he wanted to he quickly abandoned us, refusing to lead a non-governing party. Not just once did he do this, but he did so twice and without remorse.

Along comes Minnis, who inherited a broken party, wrapped his arms around it and fought like hell to keep it together and make it viable. One can only ask why would he make such sacrifice when from day one his parliamentary colleagues all waited behind him with political daggers raised, hoping for an opportunity to stab him and not be recognized as the one to do it. But he persevered and refused to give up or give in. That is the spirit that gave rise to the FNM and that is the spirit that will eventually, for the first time in the political history of this nation, allow the dream of the men who formed this great party to be lived out.

We are again, after all these years, in sight of the promised land that we were made to believe existed for us. A land where all Bahamians were equal in the eyes of the government; where all Bahamians were made to play a part in the growth and development of this nation; and where we once again learn to love, respect and care for each other not because we have, but because some of us have not.

Minnis has shown me that he has taken up that dream and is determined to see it finally lived out, and for that reason I support him and all his efforts. No, you may never hear him utter a word that inspires and excites you but his actions will always be with our collective best interest at the very core. He does not desire to wear the title of prime minister, but rather to be the prime minister who directs the efforts of the government to the direction this country should be taken. His leadership will help us to see exactly what was intended when the party was first formed.

I call on all those who now call themselves FNMs, particularly those who were brought into the party since 1992 as followers of Ingraham, to catch hold of that dream and recognize that this is not the "Free PLP" anymore but the Free National Movement - the party that seeks to better that lives of all, without exception.

- Frankly The Best

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