Dear Editor,

On July 14 you printed a letter to the editor from a Committed FNM. Is that FNM committed to staying in opposition or committed to the failure of the Free National Movement (FNM) party? They said that the FNM is having difficulty getting a candidate for North Abaco and that Hubert Ingraham should stay on as the representative. First of all, no one kicked Hubert Ingraham out of the House of Assembly or the FNM party. He decided to quit. I recall when he came out of retirement last time, saying they wanted him back and asked him to return. So the committed FNM must have been one of those people who asked him back last time, so I don't expect them to support anyone else but Hubert Ingraham and all of his political operatives.
No one man makes any party. There will be an FNM party after Hubert Ingraham just as it survived after Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield, same as there will be a Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) after Sir Lynden Pindling and Perry Christie. People need to accept that the organization will survive as long as the remaining people have the same goal. However, if there are more 'committed' FNMs like the one who wrote this article, the party is in deep trouble because they will destroy themselves before the next general election.
Supporters like Kevin Evans and the Committed FNM are trying to resurrect the political careers of the same political rejects the Bahamian people voted out on more than one occasion. Look at the track record of Tommy Turnquest and Dion Foulkes. Not only did voters reject them this time, but they were defeated before. They were not the dream team to lead the FNM into victory then and they are in a worse position to lead the party now. Carl Bethel has been in political exile for a while now. Not only was he defeated in the last election but his own party rejected him as chairman.
The Committed FNM feels that Loretta Butler-Turner is doing well in her role in opposition. At least she is better organized now than when Melanie Griffin was ripping her apart about her own ministry. Loretta Butler-Turner can argue a point to the gates of hell because she is good at being loud and boisterous, but she lacks organization and content. When confronted with the organized ministerial attacks of the then Shadow Minister Melanie Griffin, Loretta Butler-Turner would resort to below the belt personal attacks describing Melanie as uneducated. She may not have attended the best schools as you Mrs. Turner, but she sure did a better job as minister of social services. Many people think that Turner, though an eloquent speaker, lacks focus and is very disorganized. I wonder how Ingraham coped with her style, which is polar opposite to his? That must have been challenging for him.
Dr. Hubert Minnis, whose style is similar to Ingraham's in terms of organization, promptness and focus, will have his hands full with Turner, who will try her best to undermine and displace his leadership. Dr. Minnis has already led a conclave for the wounded FNM party to provide the vision for the organization moving forward. He seems dedicated to bringing more focus and improvements to the party. He seems focused on mentorship and leadership roles for the youth and women in the party, which would be attractive for those joining the party. If he brings the machinery and methodology of the FNM Killarney branch, with its pro-active communication, use of technology and his new style of politics to the FNM party, they will be well positioned to win the next government.
So Committed FNM, that is your leader you are dissing. You should be ashamed of yourself, causing this type of embarrassment to your party. Show you can be really supportive of the new leaders of the FNM. And, would the real committed FNMs stop writing destructive articles that air the dirty laundry and instead turn their attacks on the PLP who is laughing at these articles as we fight among each other.

- Concerned FNM

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