After reading The Punch's May 8 headline story of Progressive Liberal Party MP for Fort Charlotte Dr. Andre Rollins and four other MPs allegedly being in secret talks with Democratic National Alliance (DNA) officials with the view of joining that party, the saying that politicians make strange bedfellows crossed my mind.
In addition to Rollins, the front page article said two PLP MPs and two Free National Movement MPs are also in secret dialogue with DNA officials.
According to this story, the DNA's stock rose due to Super Value owner Rupert Roberts joining the party last week. I think Roberts only joined the DNA because the PLP was unable to make good on its election pledges to the members of the Coconut Grove Business League.
Frankly, as a successful entrepreneur with a keen business acumen, I'm very surprised that Roberts believed what was promised during the campaign trail.
As for Rollins, I'm not the least bit surprised that his stock has plummeted in the two years he has been an MP. As Gaming Board chairman, he has locked horns with Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) President John Pinder when he terminated three Gaming Board workers and suspended another.
I understand that Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe and Prime Minister Perry Christie had to intervene in the BPSU stand-off with Rollins in the termination matter. I think that the BPSU has in the neighborhood of 5,000 paying members and another 10,000 non-paying members. Rollins' inability or unwillingness to engage in level-headed negotiations with this powerful union could come back to haunt the PLP. In this regard, he is clearly a liability to that party.
Rollins also demonstrated a propensity to not toe the party line when he stated last November that he will not support the PLP's Gaming Bill due to its discriminatory elements.
He also has had his share of verbal spats with FNM leader Dr. Hubert Minnis in the House. And then there was the near fisticuffs between Rollins and FNM deputy leader Loretta Butler-Turner, when the latter slapped him for putting his hand on her.
The Punch alleges that Rollins expects to be dropped by the PLP and that he is not too popular in his constituency. Based on his well-publicized antics in the House, one needn't be a political scientist to see the hand writing on the wall.
For what it's worth, Rollins has brought very little to the PLP in terms of political capital. He has failed to live up to the pre-election hype as one of the highly touted members of the new generation of PLP leaders.
This is all the more reason why I'm struggling to understand the logic in the DNA courting him. If The Punch's story of him wanting to run in Long Island as a DNA standard-bearer is true, then this is a telltale sign that Branville McCartney isn't the shrewd political strategist that some have made him out to be. What possible chance would Rollins have of winning in Long Island?
If he has been a major disappointment in just two years in Fort Charlotte, who's to say he won't be a letdown in Long Island?
Is the DNA into recycling political retreads? And further, both Rollins and McCartney have very strong personalities. That is a recipe for constant political squabbling between the two.
The DNA must think long and hard, if it is indeed true that its leaders are in talks with Rollins. I don't see this as a good fit at all.
- Kevin Evans
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