Prime Minister Perry Christie yesterday spoke about the challenges and responsibilities of his leadership, noting that even as he tries to work in the best interest of Bahamians, he has to deal with his own colleagues who "bitch and complain".
"... Many times when some of my colleagues begin to bitch and complain, I ask them, I say 'Suppose you were me?' They curse me every day, and when they get tired of cursing me, they curse my wife and my daughter, my children," Christie said.
"They even curse (my special needs son) Adam, and Adam can't hurt a fly, but this is what this is all about.
"You have a leader with big shoulders, one who understands governance in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and one who wears his integrity right in the open.
"This is now the time."
Christie was addressing a meeting of the New Providence Women's Branch of the PLP at the party's headquarters on Farrington Road. He said he started his campaign for the Progressive Liberal Party's leadership bid, over the weekend.
The party will hold its first convention in more than seven years from January 24-26. Alfred Sears, the PLP's candidate for Fort Charlotte, intends to challenge Christie for the leadership.
"As I move around, everyone should know, unmistakably know, that I am not so much preparing for any contest at the convention, I'm preparing for the next general election," Christie said.
"We have invested too much energy, too much creativity, introduced new policy innovations to modernize this country, for us to squander the opportunity to win the next general election and go on to serve the best interest of the people of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas."
Sears has expressed confidence in his ability to win.
Christie, meanwhile, has indicated he has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon, and intends to lead the PLP into the general election this year.
In 2010, he had indicated that if the PLP won in 2012, he would give up the leadership at the middle of the term. But he backed off that commitment in the lead-up to the last election.
Speaking on Majority Rule Day, the prime minister said, "To those of you who aspire, we recognize that, just as Sir Lynden Pindling passed the baton to Hubert Ingraham, and then it was eventually passed to myself, the baton will be passed.
"The only thing I can tell you is, at the right time."
Christie said yesterday he began his campaign in South Eleuthera where his mother's roots are.
"You know, over the years that I stood here with you, all through the winter months of opposition, all through from the mountain top of victory, we were in this room, sharing experiences, praying, hoping, committing ourselves to the development of our country and the upliftment of our people," he said.
"We formed a partnership.
"Now on the eve of going in convention to signal to the country how very strong we are, we have to pause and give you another opportunity to determine how you want to present, to determine whether or not when you vote [who will be the next leader of the party]."
Christie said he will travel to Ocean Cay today for the groundbreaking of a new development. "... But because I am in a contest, I have to break away and fly to another part of The Bahamas... to present myself to the people there before they come to convention by way of courtesy to let them know that this is me."
The prime minister said last week his government has done an "outstanding" job and deserves to be re-elected. He believes the PLP will be able to make an acceptable case for why it should continue to govern The Bahamas.
Yesterday, he said, "I am secure in the knowledge that we have an excellent government doing excellent work for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas."
Christie said he and Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis will be ratified along with the party's remaining candidates at the meeting of the National General Council on January 19.
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