BEFORE a meeting of Free National Movement executives to map the way forward for the party, a high-ranking council member is blaming Cabinet ministers for not “challenging” former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on positions he took.

There will be an FNM executive meeting held today and a council meeting tomorrow where, according to one council member, party leader Dr Minnis and another FNM member of Parliament-elect will be asked to resign.

The Tribune was told a decision will be made on who succeeds Dr Minnis as party leader and a list made of the best candidates to run in a possible by-election.

“We lost because we fell out of touch with the Bahamian people,” the council member said. “What is worse is that the Cabinet sat there week after week in front of Dr Minnis and refused to tell him how unpopular his positions were in terms of governance, that he was falling out of touch with the people and that they were generally unhappy with his leadership. They just sat there, thinking of themselves and not putting him in check.”

The council member asked to remain anonymous in order to speak candidly about internal party matters.

“Worst of all is that we neglected our real party supporters. We did not address outstanding matters with them and we pushed them to the side like we did not need them. They repaid the favour by not going to the polls.”

The FNM insider also wants Long Island MP-elect Adrian Gibson to resign his seat.

Mr Gibson was ensnared in a controversy ahead of the general election involving contracts issued by the Water and Sewerage Corporation during his time as executive chairman. Mr Gibson has denied any wrongdoing and was one of seven FNM candidates who won their races last week.

After conceding the party’s defeat on Thursday, Dr Minnis announced his intent to stay on as leader of the party and the official opposition. The FNM council member said he does not think the Killarney MP-elect has wide support.

“Dr Minnis has been calling around since election night asking for support to stay on as leader,” the council member continued. “Many people have told us that he has called and made promises of Senate seats and the likes. I don’t think he is going to get the support he needs. He has to face us and he has to resign. Feelings may be hurt, but the place must be gutted out.

“We are not going to allow Dr Minnis or anyone else who has upset our supporters or the wider public, to continue on with affiliation to this party to cause more upset. In the FNM we stand for certain things and we have obviously let our supporters down. We have allowed this party to take on a different look and personality that is foreign to us and we must now seek to move away from that image and regain what we were.”

The party insider said the FNM has moved away from its core ideals and now has supporters who have migrated from the Progressive Liberal Party “hungry for contracts.”

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