Lynden Pindling became premier of The Bahamas in 1967. He remained our first minister until 1992. That year, after being in power for 25 years, he was defeated by Hubert Ingraham and the Free National Movement (FNM). Pindling ran again in 1997 and was defeated again. He died in 2000.
Hubert Ingraham was the FNM leader in 2002, though Tommy Turnquest was leader-elect. The FNM lost that election. Ingraham came back and won in 2007 as FNM leader. He lost the 2012 election, at which point he retired. Ingraham and his supporters gave serious consideration to a leadership bid at the FNM convention last year. The decision was made at the last minute to pull back. Despite all his faults, Dr. Hubert Minnis had a majority of the FNM's voting delegates. If he did not, Ingraham likely would have returned.
Christie won in 2002; lost in 2007; and won again in 2012. He is going into his fourth election as leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). He is 73 and has been in frontline politics for 40-plus years. Because of his age, long service and poor performance as prime minister, many wonder when Christie will leave politics and retire. We have been consistent. We do not think he ever will voluntarily. Christie will fight to remain prime minister and leader of the PLP for as long as he lives. What he said on Majority Rule Day was laughable.
"As one generation goes out, a new generation comes in," Christie said.
"(Former Prime Minister) Hubert Ingraham, I thank you for all you've been able to do for the cause of this country.
"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."
No baton was passed. Sir Lynden clung to power and had to be defeated twice. Cancer took his life a few years later.
Ingraham was defeated in 2012 and still considered a comeback last year. Minnis holding a solid majority of voting FNMs prevented that.
What has been established in our young democracy is a culture where leaders only leave when they are defeated in general elections. No one yet has walked away while in power. Christie will not walk away.
Be it at this election or the next, the Bahamian people will have to send him home for good. Then, the PLP will have to forcefully remove him from the post of party leader. No levelheaded Bahamian thinks Christie will pass any baton to anyone at any time. Christie needs to stop saying nonsensical things in public. The Bahamian people know he will never give up power.
Your end, prime minister, will come at their hands. It will be a painful loss. They will overwhelmingly reject you at the polls. Then those who are around you because you have power will abandon you, bowing before the new leader in search of favors and things.
So, we shall see when it is that the Bahamian people have had enough. We hope it is sooner rather than later.

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