Dear Editor,

Do you follow the American system of electing a president? It usually begins with a potential candidate for that position making a formal announcement that it is his or her intention to seek the position of president of the United States. It is a long and tedious process (normally lasting 18 months) involving an organization of primaries (as they are called), rallies, news releases, press conferences, donors, a series of debates, "pressing the flesh" and even a cadre of dedicated paid staff and volunteers, who are all part of a coordinated effort with the ultimate goal in mind to elect a president.

Just recently the Americans were engaged in such a process over the last year and a half, which culminated in Donald J. Trump being chosen as president-elect of that country. Before that fateful day Americans were sufficiently exposed to the kind of man Trump was (and is), and they were apparently satisfied that they would be comfortable with him leading America for the next four years. I will refrain from commenting on the choice the Americans made during that election, but I will say that they cannot complain that they were not given the chance to get to know Trump before election day (November 8, 2016).

Editor, it is not a part of my modus operandi to compare the American system of electing a president with our system of electing a prime minister, as our systems are totally different, with one not necessarily being better than the other. But in this case I think the comparison is warranted.

I have already pointed out to you that the process in America could take as long as 18 months. My question to you is this: How long does it take here in The Bahamas? If you remember, Hubert Ingraham was a well-known political figure before he became leader of the opposition back in 1990. However, as you would recall, we Bahamians only got to know him in a (party) leadership role when he ascended to that office. And we got to know Ingraham well enough until August of 1992 when we were satisfied with our knowledge of him and elected the Free National Movement (FNM), the party he led, to govern this country. Ingraham was subsequently chosen by his parliamentary colleagues to be prime minister of The Bahamas

What about our present Prime Minister Perry G. Christie? If you would recollect, he too was a very well-known political figure in Bahamian society before he ascended to party leadership prominence years before he was promoted by the Bahamian people to the prime ministership back in 2002. And let us not forget our first illustrious prime minister, the late Sir Lynden O. Pindling. He was arguably the most well known of all our party leaders in opposition before he climbed the ladder of success, finally reaching the premier's post in 1967. But, we Bahamians knew him very well before he was sworn in.

Now with a general election (which is imminent in this country sometime in 2017), can we say that we well know the present leader of the opposition in the Bahamas Parliament, Dr. Hubert A. Minnis? Minnis has been holding that position for a considerable amount of time now, and has successfully endeared himself to some of the Bahamian populace, and has acquitted himself to be seriously considered as a competent candidate for the seat of prime minister of the country. However, not all Bahamians are convinced that Minnis is sufficiently prepared to lead The Bahamas for five years even though he has been at the helm of the FNM for a long period of time. But, that is what this process is designed to calculate. It is designed to cause Bahamians to scrutinize all the relevant idiosyncrasies of any candidate for the occupation of prime minister before he or she takes up the mantle.

With regard to the leadership of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), they have announced their intention to hold a convention (the first in seven years) during January of next year. And as you well know, at these conventions every post in the party machinery is open for contest, including the leader's office. Christie has already announced that he intends to seek after that position which he now already occupies. But, (not so newcomer) Alfred Sears has indicated that he too would seek after Christie's job come convention time.

Be that as it may, in my humble opinion, Sears has been placed, and subsequently finds himself, at a serious disadvantage because of the decision of the PLP hierarchy to conduct inner party elections during the January convention. Even though Sears is a well-known political character on the national stage, he has not been given the opportunity to reintroduce himself to the Bahamian audience as an individual who is capable of leading the party, and maybe even rising to fill the prime minister's place. It is my humble opinion that Sears waited too long for his intentions to be made known (the hiatus of PLP conventions notwithstanding).

And so, it would be my humble advice to Sears to do all that is within his power (financial disbursements, newspaper and magazine advertisements, press releases, press conferences, rallies, solicitations, hiring of staff, drafting volunteers, requesting debates, "pressing the flesh" and any other conducts) over the next several months to attempt to persuade the Bahamian people of his capacity to lead this nation despite Christie's vast amount of experience.

- Marvin G. Lightbourn

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