Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner declared yesterday that she is not for sale and confirmed that she has made no decision on whether she will run again in her constituency.
"There were a lot of offers on the table and I want to state emphatically for you and for the Bahamian people that Loretta Butler stands on principle and on conviction," said Butler-Turner when asked yesterday about an offer that was made in an attempt to keep her in the Free National Movement (FNM).
"I am not a pawn that can be bought, sold or used."
Butler-Turner pulled out of the FNM leadership race early Friday, hours before voting was set to begin. It was a dramatic turn of events that followed a contentious night at the FNM's convention on Thursday.
Butler-Turner said yesterday, "I went into this race, and I have not changed my narrative, because of the state of our country and the leadership which I believe is lacking the strength and the focus to win a general election.
"I am not for sale and if in fact the leadership of this party feels that they are so secure in their win, then why is it so important to offer me gifts?"
After she pulled out of the race alleging the process had been corrupted, fears heightened that the party would fracture.
In an effort to prevent this from happening, the hierarchy of the party and senior advisors to FNM Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis, offered Butler-Turner a renomination, the post of leader of opposition business in the House of Assembly, a prominent role in the FNM's general election campaign and a senior position in a Minnis Cabinet, should the FNM win the election.
She confirmed that all of these things were indeed offered.
"I was offered many things and I did not accept any," Butler-Turner confirmed yesterday.
"You see, my fight is not for Loretta Butler-Turner. My fight is for the Bahamian people that are looking for that voice, that defender, that courageous warrior. I cannot be bought with gifts. I stand on principle and on conviction and so, I did not accept any gifts that were offered to me."
She said she intimated to the people in the meeting on Friday during which time the offer was made that "it's not about me".
"I was fighting against the process from day one and I still stand by those principles for which I fought. If I were to give up those principles, and to be bought with the gifts that have been offered, I don't know if I could live with myself," Butler-Turner said.
She added, "Neither can I be incentivized."
Asked whether she intends to run in the next election as an FNM, Butler-Turner said yesterday, "I do not know what I intend to do because as far as I know, negotiations are still open."
At a press conference on Friday, Butler-Turner said she does not intend to leave the FNM and indicated that she expects to run again in Long Island.
Butler-Turner confirmed yesterday that offers were also made to Dr. Duane Sands, who had planned to run for deputy leader, but also withdrew from the race, as he and Butler-Turner had planned to run as a team.
The Nassau Guardian confirmed Sands has been assured that he would remain the candidate for Elizabeth. He has also been offered a prominent role in the national campaign, the post of leader of opposition business in the Senate and a senior position
in a Minnis Cabinet.
Butler-Turner could not confirm whether Sands accepted any offers.
He is on vacation.
"We were both in that meeting and like I said, we took a very long time," Butler-Turner said.
"We prayed about it. We were very concerned about the process. We withdrew from the process because of the inconsistencies and the lack of democracy in the process, and I am not about to adhere or follow the gifts that are being offered to overlook my principled position."
Hitting Back
Butler-Turner also responded to Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins, who said on Monday would be "illogical and unacceptable" for those who sought to undermine Minnis to seek re-nominations.
She also responded to former Cabinet Minister Tennyson Wells, who said on Friday that no one in their right would believe Butler-Turner should represent the Bahamian people based on what unfolded at the convention.
"Clearly, Dr. Andre Rollins is out of touch if he doesn't even know that I did not accept the offer of the ratification," she said. "That's the first thing.
"The second thing, I don't think that I need to match wits with Dr. Andre Rollins or Tennyson Wells because in the public's opinion, they will determine who is the more credible of all of us. And so I would just leave that right there."
Pressed on the point about whether she intends to accept a nomination, Butler-Turner said, "The bottom line is this, Andre Rollins is obviously trying to make a case for himself, and I'm not about to get mixed up in that and quite frankly in terms of credibility, I really think he is shot in the feet, and I told you essentially, the Bahamian people will make the decision as to which one of us is more credible."
Butler-Turner and Rollins were among six FNM MPs who forced an early convention.
They had threatened to write to the governor general to have Minnis removed as leader of the Official Opposition.
That plan was set aside after the Central Council of the FNM agreed to move the convention date from November to July.
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