A parked car

Sun, May 1st 2016, 12:32 PM


From left: Dr. Andre Rollins, Dr. Hubert Minnis, Dr. Duane Sands

Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins has asked his Free National Movement (FNM) colleagues to support the appointment of the FNM's candidate for Elizabeth, Dr. Duane Sands, to the Senate to coincide with the swearing in of Monique Gomez to amplify the Official Opposition's voice in the National Health Insurance (NHI) debate.

"I have been advised that Senator Kwasi Thompson does not intend to offer himself for election at the next general election," Rollins wrote FNM Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis. "I firmly believe that it is essential that we move to have every Senate seat occupied by individuals who will be running for the FNM in the next general election. Time is of the essence and we must take the fight to the PLP. Having Dr. Sands join Ms. Gomez will satisfy all of these objectives."

Gomez received her instruments of appointment at Government House just over a week ago. She replaces Michael Pintard, the former FNM chairman, in the Senate.

Pintard resigned on March 21 amid furor over an alleged murder for hire plot claim made against Lyford Cay resident Peter Nygard.

When he axed the politically appealing Heather Hunt from the Senate last year, Minnis claimed it was in keeping with his policy to rotate senators, but many suspected it was because Hunt was not playing on Minnis' team.
Hunt worked in the law offices of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and supported former FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner in the party's leadership race in 2014.

Like Hunt, Thompson, the former Pine Ridge MP, was appointed to the Senate in May 2012. But unlike Hunt, he has not fallen victim to Minnis' so-called rotation policy.

In recommending to the leader that Thompson be removed and Sands be appointed, Rollins said in his recent communication to Minnis that it would "raise the public's perception that the FNM is seriously readying itself to contest the general election".

"In this vein, I respectfully urge you to take note of the increasing prominence of NHI in the political discourse and the importance, therefore, in having members in both houses (of Parliament) who possess the institutional experience to speak to this critical issue," Rollins wrote.

He also said, "It is important to note that the Senate is considered to have utility for political parties interested in increasing the public's familiarity with persons the party intends to offer as general election candidates.

Several parliamentary colleagues expressed support for Rollins' recommendation.

Butler-Turner wrote, "I personally thank Dr. Rollins for his cogent submission and recommendation. Obviously, this is neither the first or even second time that this recommendation has been proposed. However, the echoing of this now by one of our newest members certainly demonstrates widespread unity of thought in what I believe has happened in the absence of collaboration within our group.

"For what it is worth, I trust that objective and sober consideration be given."

Hubert Chipman, the St. Anne's MP, also backed the recommendation.

Chipman wrote, "I must say, this is nothing new, but I thank Andre for [bringing] it forward again. It's been over two years since these same recommendations were made. I think it's time to rethink our position. We are in a parked car going nowhere. We often hear about needing unity in the party.

"We can only unite if we are prepared to listen and be honest with each other. Members of Parliament are in complete darkness and if we are to unite, we need to be transparent and support each other to avoid having to correct oversights in [the] future.

"Mr. Leader, I urge you to listen to the voices that matter."

Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn wrote: "I would support that proposal and the urgency of the matter."

And South and Central Abaco MP Edison Key added, "Let the record reflect that I am in full support of the recommendation by Dr. Rollins and the sooner, the better."

Rollins' recommendation is certainly a noteworthy one. It will be interesting to see whether Minnis accepts Rollins' and his colleagues' recommendation to remove Thompson and appoint Sands to the Senate.

Sands previously served as a senator. He tried twice to win the Elizabeth seat -- in the 2010 by election, when he lost to the PLP's Ryan Pinder by a razor-thin margin; and again in 2012 when Pinder won the seat again.

Several weeks ago, Sands was again ratified as the FNM's candidate for Elizabeth. In 2014, he lost his bid to become deputy leader of the FNM. Though he holds no parliamentary position and no position within the party's council, Sands has remained a relevant and sober voice in the national political sphere. He has great intellectual timber, but many believe he has an inability to "connect" to people. While Sands' problem has not been competence, but "connectability", that can be equally fatal for a politician, particularly one like him who has no wins under his belt.

An important quality in a leader is showing that he or she can win something. But Sands' political flaws are not as apparent in the public sphere as some others' in the FNM. He is not a retail politician but on display in public spheres he can be quite attractive. He exudes confidence and agility in his discourse. He doesn't fumble and doesn't look weak even when he cedes ground on a point made.

Undoubtedly, Minnis would be in even more serious trouble if Sands were in the House of Assembly. For sure, Sands would be an important asset to the Official Opposition in the Senate. But Minnis might be too threatened by Sands to make such a move.

No doubt, the leader would not view it as being in his personal, political interests to grant Sands any more exposure.
Between 2002 and 2005, the party's then leader sat in the Senate -- though it was widely felt that Tommy Turnquest was unable to be as effective a leader as he could have been had he won his seat in 2002.

We all know the story well, in 2005 the FNM returned Hubert Ingraham to the leadership position. But the point here is that although Minnis might feel emboldened in his position, given his widespread support in the party's council, he might not wish to invite discussion about a possible Sands leadership if Sands were to sit in the Senate once again.

Yes, Sands could not capture the deputy leadership position in 2014, but times have changed for the FNM.

It has gotten worse as an opposition. It is deeply fractured. This reality was reflected in Chipman's comments. It is telling that he described the FNM as a "parked car going nowhere" and said MPs are "in complete darkness" when he wrote to his colleagues. Those statements reflect a party in deep, deep trouble at a time when it should be united, energized and poised for victory.

Many have come to the realization that heading into the next general election with Minnis at the helm is a bigger gamble than initially thought. Minnis has not improved as leader and so the leadership conversation continues. It would be surprising if the leader chooses to appoint Sands to the Senate as recommended by his colleagues.

Rollins has accurately pointed to the need for the FNM to raise the public's perception that it is seriously readying itself to contest the next general election.

We do not know whether Minnis was comfortable with this observation from Rollins, whom he brought into the party to save himself from what had been a pending bid by members of the parliamentary caucus last fall to pull the rug from beneath his feet. It is also noteworthy that several parliamentary colleagues have registered their desire to see Sands in the Senate. From their correspondence, this seems to have been a long-standing recommendation to the leader.
Again, Chipman noted it has been over two years since the recommendation was made, and Butler-Turner noted that "this is neither the first or second time that this recommendation has been proposed".

In the last two years, Minnis has made several Senate picks -- Pintard, Lanisha Rolle and Monique Gomez have all been chosen by him to serve in the upper chamber. As leader of the Official Opposition it is certainly his prerogative to decide which names to advance to the governor general to fill Senate seats. Many will be watching to see if he accepts Rollins' suggestion on bringing Sands into the parliamentary team as the party readies itself for the quickly approaching campaign season.

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