By TANEKA THOMPSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
tthompson@tribunemedia.net:
THE Progressive Liberal Party should nominate a by-election candidate in the Elizabeth constituency to fulfil the Opposition's mandate as a viable alternative to the FNM, urged PLP Deputy Leader Philip "Brave" Davis.
His comments came amid reports that the party is split on the by-election argument with several top PLPs said to be against entering the race.
It is reported that some senior members want to conserve the party's resources for the next general election, however Mr Davis feels that unless Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham intends to call a national election this year the PLP should vie for the Elizabeth seat.
"(The PLP) as a major political party, its existence is premised on the fact that it is existing for the purpose of contesting elections. Unless there are some exceptional circumstances existing, you start off on the premise that you will contest and you may be persuaded to not contest but only in exceptional circumstances," he said ahead of last night's public PLP meeting in the Elizabeth constituency to rally its supporters.
"If we are aware that Mr Ingraham will call a general election in the next two to three months, that will be a factor that we will take into account, that will be a compelling factor not to participate," Mr Davis said on the sidelines of yesterday's House Select Committee on Crown Land hearing.
Meanwhile the party has yet to officially select a potential by-election candidate but its National General Council is expected to meet over the next few days to weigh out its options.
Attorneys Ryan Pinder, Craig Butler and Ken Dorsett have expressed interest in the seat but it is unclear if any of these men will be chosen to represent the party. PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts has also been rumoured to join the fray, but Mr Roberts denied these reports.
Said to be the FNM's pick for the by-election is noted surgeon Dr Duane Sands.
The stage for a by-election was set when former MP Malcolm Adderley resigned from the House on Wednesday, days after delivering a one-line resignation letter to the PLP last weekend. The election is scheduled for February.
In an emotional speech, Mr Adderley told the House that the last seven and a half years as MP for Elizabeth were "the worst personal experience" for him. He claimed that party leader Perry Christie "undermined" him as an MP.
Disappointed by Mr Adderley's actions, Mr Davis said he expected more from his former colleague.
He added that Mr Adderley did not handle his departure from the Progressive Liberal Party with the respect and dignity his former party colleagues gave him.
"I do not share Mr Adderley's views on the leadership of the party. I'm disappointed that he was driven to that view and perhaps if he had time to examine, not just Mr Christie's conduct but his own, he may have had a different point of view going forward.
"I would have expected him to have conducted himself differently. I would have expected that because there is no doubt that the Progressive Liberal Party, as a party, quite apart from the individuals that make it up treated Mr Adderley with the respect and dignity that was deserving of a member of Parliament that was elected on a PLP ticket and he ought to have returned the same favour to us."
Despite the loss of Mr Adderley - compounded with the departure of Kennedy MP Kenyatta Gibson a year earlier - Mr Davis said the party remains as strong as ever.
It is rumoured that Mr Adderley will be appointed as a Supreme Court judge by Prime Minister Ingraham in the near future. He has previously worked as a public prosecutor, acting magistrate and a supreme court judge for one year.
He is the second MP in almost 13 years to resign as an MP -- the last being Sir Lynden Pindling when he retired from front-line politics in 1997.
January 08, 2010
tribune242
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Malcolm Adderley's Resignation: Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Perry Christie on the defensive
By CANDIA DAMES ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
Progressive Liberal Party Leader Perry Christie flew on the defensive last night, charging that former Elizabeth MP Malcolm Adderley has a back room deal in his back pocket to become a Supreme Court judge, and accusing the prime minister of blurring the separation of powers of the judiciary, the executive and the Parliament.
Addressing a PLP rally at Doris Johnson Senior High School in the Elizabeth constituency last night, Christie repeated that he was not only disappointed in Adderley's decision to resign, but also in the way he went about making his exit from the party and from Parliament.
"My disappointment, I have to tell you, is a very personal one," Christie said.
"My colleagues and many others from the Elizabeth constituency will tell you that I was the one person who stood between Malcolm and the forces within the PLP who fought hard to deny him the re-nomination in the 2007 general election, not because they did not like him but because they honestly felt, as indeed many of the people in Elizabeth felt, that he had been a complete failure as an MP from 2002 when he was first elected to 2007.
"However, after Malcolm and other wonderful people of Elizabeth came to me over and over — and I can use the word begging for my intervention and for my support — I as a leader of the Progressive Liberal Party decided that he was deserving of another chance and that he was not beyond redemption. So even though I ended up taking some heavy blows from my own colleagues for doing so, I put my faith and my confidence in Malcolm Adderley and I saw that he was re-nominated."
In his resignation speech in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Adderley was highly critical of the leadership of the PLP, making it clear that he had no confidence in it and saw no vision from it.
But last night, Christie said, "Malcolm Adderley did not have a problem with Perry Christie when he was on his knees a little more than two years ago begging me to let him run again, asking me to lift him up and help him out. In fact, I was a very good man then, and a good leader. But all of you now see what a difference two years can make, especially when spiders are busy weaving their tangled web, and you all know who the spider is."
He said the reason Adderley gave for his exit from the PLP is disingenuous.
"Malcolm knows full well that is not the reason he left the PLP and that is not the reason why he resigned from Parliament," Christie said.
"On the contrary, he has resigned from the PLP and from Parliament for one, single, simple reason. He has a back room deal in his back pocket to become a judge of the Supreme Court, a back room deal that was made in secret and I told the Bahamian people to just stay tuned for an announcement that he will be made a judge, and it is only a short time away and per chance, if they are listening to us as we talk, and they want to change their mind, they would be doing the right thing."
He charged that this "back room deal" preceding the appointment to the Supreme Court bench raises another critical point that should be of great concern to Bahamians.
"In recent months we have seen the judiciary of this country placed on the alter of political battering," Christie said. "First, one FNM Cabinet minister and attorney general (Claire Hepburn) gave up her post and in short order was made a judge of the Supreme Court.
"More recently, another FNM Cabinet minister and attorney general was appointed chief justice (Sir Michael Barnett) almost within a matter of days of giving up his Cabinet post. Now, just a few weeks later, we have another politically engineered back room deal under which a sitting member of Parliament is induced to leave his party, so that he can be sanitized, so that he can become a judge of the Supreme Court."
Christie charged that this kind of constitutional "battering" is completely contrary to constitutional principles and represents a stain on the reputation of the judiciary as an organ of government that should be beyond political engineering and gamesmanship.
He said that unlike the current administration, he as prime minister never interfered with or sought to influence the selection of judges by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission.
"It is therefore so very lamentable that Hubert Ingraham is determined to deviate from that standard and policy of non-interference," Christie added.
"And what he is doing today is dangerous. It is blurring what we call the separation of powers that is so vital to the integrity of our system of constitutional governance."
He said the first and most important quality any judge should bring to the bench is impartiality.
"But listening to Malcolm's litany of resentment in the House of Assembly yesterday you really have to ask yourself whether he should not go through a cooling off period before he formally applies to go on the bench," Christie said.
"No man is supposed to go on the bench carrying that kind of emotional baggage. It is therefore incumbent upon the Judicial and Legal Services Commission to carefully scrutinize the whole speech that Malcolm made in the House of Assembly and determine whether the point I made is a valid point and worthy of consideration, whether now is really the right time to put on the high court someone who is clearly hurting over injuries, real or imagined, from the leadership of one of the two main political parties of the country.
"[This] demands the attention of those who are responsible, because clearly it brings into question whether the applicant would have the necessary degree of impartiality and the necessary lack of bias."
Christie said the Judicial and Legal Services Commission must not allow itself to be "railroaded" by anybody.
"It must do what is right and best for the judicial system of our country," he said.
Adderley's resignation from the House of Assembly means that a by-election will have to be called in Elizabeth.
Christie announced that the PLP's candidates committee will be called into session tonight so the party can begin the process of choosing a candidate to run in Elizabeth. He said the candidate may not necessarily be chosen from among the people already campaigning in the constituency.
Among those interested in running on the PLP's ticket are attorneys Ryan Pinder and Craig Butler. Both men addressed last night's rally.
January 8, 2010
thenassauguardian
Progressive Liberal Party Leader Perry Christie flew on the defensive last night, charging that former Elizabeth MP Malcolm Adderley has a back room deal in his back pocket to become a Supreme Court judge, and accusing the prime minister of blurring the separation of powers of the judiciary, the executive and the Parliament.
Addressing a PLP rally at Doris Johnson Senior High School in the Elizabeth constituency last night, Christie repeated that he was not only disappointed in Adderley's decision to resign, but also in the way he went about making his exit from the party and from Parliament.
"My disappointment, I have to tell you, is a very personal one," Christie said.
"My colleagues and many others from the Elizabeth constituency will tell you that I was the one person who stood between Malcolm and the forces within the PLP who fought hard to deny him the re-nomination in the 2007 general election, not because they did not like him but because they honestly felt, as indeed many of the people in Elizabeth felt, that he had been a complete failure as an MP from 2002 when he was first elected to 2007.
"However, after Malcolm and other wonderful people of Elizabeth came to me over and over — and I can use the word begging for my intervention and for my support — I as a leader of the Progressive Liberal Party decided that he was deserving of another chance and that he was not beyond redemption. So even though I ended up taking some heavy blows from my own colleagues for doing so, I put my faith and my confidence in Malcolm Adderley and I saw that he was re-nominated."
In his resignation speech in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Adderley was highly critical of the leadership of the PLP, making it clear that he had no confidence in it and saw no vision from it.
But last night, Christie said, "Malcolm Adderley did not have a problem with Perry Christie when he was on his knees a little more than two years ago begging me to let him run again, asking me to lift him up and help him out. In fact, I was a very good man then, and a good leader. But all of you now see what a difference two years can make, especially when spiders are busy weaving their tangled web, and you all know who the spider is."
He said the reason Adderley gave for his exit from the PLP is disingenuous.
"Malcolm knows full well that is not the reason he left the PLP and that is not the reason why he resigned from Parliament," Christie said.
"On the contrary, he has resigned from the PLP and from Parliament for one, single, simple reason. He has a back room deal in his back pocket to become a judge of the Supreme Court, a back room deal that was made in secret and I told the Bahamian people to just stay tuned for an announcement that he will be made a judge, and it is only a short time away and per chance, if they are listening to us as we talk, and they want to change their mind, they would be doing the right thing."
He charged that this "back room deal" preceding the appointment to the Supreme Court bench raises another critical point that should be of great concern to Bahamians.
"In recent months we have seen the judiciary of this country placed on the alter of political battering," Christie said. "First, one FNM Cabinet minister and attorney general (Claire Hepburn) gave up her post and in short order was made a judge of the Supreme Court.
"More recently, another FNM Cabinet minister and attorney general was appointed chief justice (Sir Michael Barnett) almost within a matter of days of giving up his Cabinet post. Now, just a few weeks later, we have another politically engineered back room deal under which a sitting member of Parliament is induced to leave his party, so that he can be sanitized, so that he can become a judge of the Supreme Court."
Christie charged that this kind of constitutional "battering" is completely contrary to constitutional principles and represents a stain on the reputation of the judiciary as an organ of government that should be beyond political engineering and gamesmanship.
He said that unlike the current administration, he as prime minister never interfered with or sought to influence the selection of judges by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission.
"It is therefore so very lamentable that Hubert Ingraham is determined to deviate from that standard and policy of non-interference," Christie added.
"And what he is doing today is dangerous. It is blurring what we call the separation of powers that is so vital to the integrity of our system of constitutional governance."
He said the first and most important quality any judge should bring to the bench is impartiality.
"But listening to Malcolm's litany of resentment in the House of Assembly yesterday you really have to ask yourself whether he should not go through a cooling off period before he formally applies to go on the bench," Christie said.
"No man is supposed to go on the bench carrying that kind of emotional baggage. It is therefore incumbent upon the Judicial and Legal Services Commission to carefully scrutinize the whole speech that Malcolm made in the House of Assembly and determine whether the point I made is a valid point and worthy of consideration, whether now is really the right time to put on the high court someone who is clearly hurting over injuries, real or imagined, from the leadership of one of the two main political parties of the country.
"[This] demands the attention of those who are responsible, because clearly it brings into question whether the applicant would have the necessary degree of impartiality and the necessary lack of bias."
Christie said the Judicial and Legal Services Commission must not allow itself to be "railroaded" by anybody.
"It must do what is right and best for the judicial system of our country," he said.
Adderley's resignation from the House of Assembly means that a by-election will have to be called in Elizabeth.
Christie announced that the PLP's candidates committee will be called into session tonight so the party can begin the process of choosing a candidate to run in Elizabeth. He said the candidate may not necessarily be chosen from among the people already campaigning in the constituency.
Among those interested in running on the PLP's ticket are attorneys Ryan Pinder and Craig Butler. Both men addressed last night's rally.
January 8, 2010
thenassauguardian
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) MPs react to Malcolm Adderley's resignation
By BRENT DEAN ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ brentldean@nasguard.com:
Several prominent Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) MPs have expressed disappointment at the decision by Malcolm Adderley to resign his Elizabeth constituency seat.
"Well, it is always disappointing when you would lose a colleague in any circumstances really," said PLP MP for Yamacraw Melanie Griffin. Her constituency borders Elizabeth.
She expressed further disappointment that "fences could not be mended" between the party and Adderley for the betterment of the people of Elizabeth.
"But Elizabeth knows that Yamacraw has always been there for them. We have done our best to support them and we'll always be there," she said.
PLP Deputy Leader Philip Brave Davis said Adderley had regularly told them that he was a PLP. "And we always thought he would remain a PLP," added Davis, who is also the Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP.
Davis said that if Adderley considered himself a PLP he could have remained with the organization despite having differences with its leadership.
"Well, you never want to lose a member... but you respect the decision that's made by our colleague. Malcolm and I were pretty close – we got along very well," said West End and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe.
"In fact when I was minister of Tourism I appointed him the chairman of the Gaming Board. So we had a wonderful relationship."
Wilchcombe, who is also leader of opposition business, added that despite the loss of a member, the PLP moves on.
"The party obviously will reminisce on his contribution, but we are moving toward what we have to do in the future and we're not going to be distracted by any departure," he said.
"The Progressive Liberal Party has a lot of work to do. The party has to now look at its message in the years moving forward. We have to look at our messengers – all – all who represent the constituencies and we have to determine how we're going to proceed."
It is expected that the Elizabeth by-election will be held in February.
It is still unclear if the PLP will contest the by-election. The party has said it lacks funds and that the process surrounding Adderley's resignation is problematic.
The opposition has accused the government and prime minister of offering Adderley a post as a Supreme Court justice, threatening the separation between the branches of government.
January 8, 2010
thenassauguardian
Several prominent Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) MPs have expressed disappointment at the decision by Malcolm Adderley to resign his Elizabeth constituency seat.
"Well, it is always disappointing when you would lose a colleague in any circumstances really," said PLP MP for Yamacraw Melanie Griffin. Her constituency borders Elizabeth.
She expressed further disappointment that "fences could not be mended" between the party and Adderley for the betterment of the people of Elizabeth.
"But Elizabeth knows that Yamacraw has always been there for them. We have done our best to support them and we'll always be there," she said.
PLP Deputy Leader Philip Brave Davis said Adderley had regularly told them that he was a PLP. "And we always thought he would remain a PLP," added Davis, who is also the Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP.
Davis said that if Adderley considered himself a PLP he could have remained with the organization despite having differences with its leadership.
"Well, you never want to lose a member... but you respect the decision that's made by our colleague. Malcolm and I were pretty close – we got along very well," said West End and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe.
"In fact when I was minister of Tourism I appointed him the chairman of the Gaming Board. So we had a wonderful relationship."
Wilchcombe, who is also leader of opposition business, added that despite the loss of a member, the PLP moves on.
"The party obviously will reminisce on his contribution, but we are moving toward what we have to do in the future and we're not going to be distracted by any departure," he said.
"The Progressive Liberal Party has a lot of work to do. The party has to now look at its message in the years moving forward. We have to look at our messengers – all – all who represent the constituencies and we have to determine how we're going to proceed."
It is expected that the Elizabeth by-election will be held in February.
It is still unclear if the PLP will contest the by-election. The party has said it lacks funds and that the process surrounding Adderley's resignation is problematic.
The opposition has accused the government and prime minister of offering Adderley a post as a Supreme Court justice, threatening the separation between the branches of government.
January 8, 2010
thenassauguardian
Malcolm Adderley bows out – free at last
Tribune242 Editorial:
YESTERDAY, after seven and a half long years of being buffeted by a cruel political storm, the leaking little dingy, mv SS Elizabeth dropped anchor, and her disillusioned captain stepped ashore -- a beaten, but a free man at last.
In July, 2007 Elizabeth MP Malcolm Adderley -- through a story about a leaking little dingy -- shared with Bahamians how his party had shunned him, even threw up road blocks to engineer his defeat as the PLP candidate for Elizabeth in the May election of that year.
"This dingy," Mr Adderley told the House of Assembly two months after his election victory, "had holes from front to back. It had no sail; it had no motor; it did not even have a rudder, but, far away from Elizabeth I was lost at sea. At the time the sea was raging, the waves were blowing and there were those on the shore who were anxiously awaiting with baited breath to see the motor vessel SS Elizabeth sink. Despite the tremendous courage of the crew on the mv Elizabeth, there were times when they became discouraged because of the cries of those from Elizabeth. But those who stood on the shore looking from without ... Yes, sir, it was not an easy voyage."
At the time when reporters were trying to interview Mr Adderley to find out his political future, we predicted that this was his farewell speech and that it would only be a matter of time before he, like the late Cecil Wallace Whitfield and the Dissident Eight many years before, would be breathing a sigh of relief. "Free at last, my soul is free at last!" were the departing words of Sir Cecil as he walked out of the House and the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling.
Mr Adderley recalled the early days of the PLP, a party, he said, that had the "distinction of being built by the blood, sweat and tears of hardworking men and women of humble beginnings, but proud of their commitment to uplift the well being and standard of the people."
It was a party that had a dream. It was a dream that, despite what our detractors will say today, even The Tribune believed in and supported. But the party lost its way. It wasn't long before it espoused the dream of one man -- and it was more than one dared to suggest that there might be another way, another dream.
As Mr Adderley told the House yesterday the souls of those who had sacrificed so much to build their party would ache as a "result of the venom and ill will that is displayed almost on a daily basis on any member who tries to correct its ills."
Gutter politics had entered the arena. Victimisation was the party's battle cry during the Pindling era; vicious character assassination was the way to eliminate an adversary. Party members were even expected to compromise their consciences for "the Chief." The late Carlton Francis, who had contributed so much to his party and his leader, discovered in his dying days how it felt to be mocked and thrown on the political pyre because there came a day when he decided to follow his conscience and not his leader. Who will ever forget the night that Sir Lynden, speaking from a public platform, spotted the dying man, pointed him out to the crowd and scoffed that there went a three-piece suit, but all he could see was suit. It was true that on Mr Francis' shrunken frame all one could see was a baggy suit, but what cruelty, especially from a nation's leader. That was the depth to which the party had fallen -- under Pindling there were many "nights of the long swords" and scrapping in the gutter.
In 2002 Mr Perry Christie won a one term election on the promise that he was leading the "New PLP." It wasn't long before it was realised that the style of execution might have been different, but the same bitter, viciousness was being conducted in the open. While Mr Adderley maintained a dignified silence, the party's hatchetmen were about their dirty work -- in the words of Mr Adderley -- constantly and perpetually "undermining the duly elected Member of Parliament in total disregard and blatant disrespect of the will of the people of Elizabeth."
His greatest anger was levelled at the party's leader who apparently did nothing to discourage those who were actively campaigning to unseat him in his Elizabeth constituency -- "brazenly knocking on doors, even dispensing T-shirts, groceries, even handing out Mother's Day gifts and cards, indicating to constituents that they were the party's choice for 2012."
If Mr Christie expected Mr Adderley to remain a loyal party supporter -- as he claimed he did-- then he should have taken note when Mr Adderley in 2007 ran up the red flag on the SS Elizabeth informing him that there were dangerous shoals ahead threatening to wreck both of them. Mr Christie, true to form, chose to ignore the warning, obviously waiting for time to heal all and relieve him of the bother. It is always amazing when the inevitable happens, Mr Christie innocently rolls his eyes and appears to be taken by surprise.
Mr Adderley has stepped aside for the sake of his people in Elizabeth, who he acknowledged needed a representative who had the full support of the party he represented. Mr Adderley did not have that support.
This weekend Mr Christie and his party will have to look at the collective damage they have wrought and decide what road they will take into the future.
January 07, 2010
tribune242
YESTERDAY, after seven and a half long years of being buffeted by a cruel political storm, the leaking little dingy, mv SS Elizabeth dropped anchor, and her disillusioned captain stepped ashore -- a beaten, but a free man at last.
In July, 2007 Elizabeth MP Malcolm Adderley -- through a story about a leaking little dingy -- shared with Bahamians how his party had shunned him, even threw up road blocks to engineer his defeat as the PLP candidate for Elizabeth in the May election of that year.
"This dingy," Mr Adderley told the House of Assembly two months after his election victory, "had holes from front to back. It had no sail; it had no motor; it did not even have a rudder, but, far away from Elizabeth I was lost at sea. At the time the sea was raging, the waves were blowing and there were those on the shore who were anxiously awaiting with baited breath to see the motor vessel SS Elizabeth sink. Despite the tremendous courage of the crew on the mv Elizabeth, there were times when they became discouraged because of the cries of those from Elizabeth. But those who stood on the shore looking from without ... Yes, sir, it was not an easy voyage."
At the time when reporters were trying to interview Mr Adderley to find out his political future, we predicted that this was his farewell speech and that it would only be a matter of time before he, like the late Cecil Wallace Whitfield and the Dissident Eight many years before, would be breathing a sigh of relief. "Free at last, my soul is free at last!" were the departing words of Sir Cecil as he walked out of the House and the Cabinet of former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling.
Mr Adderley recalled the early days of the PLP, a party, he said, that had the "distinction of being built by the blood, sweat and tears of hardworking men and women of humble beginnings, but proud of their commitment to uplift the well being and standard of the people."
It was a party that had a dream. It was a dream that, despite what our detractors will say today, even The Tribune believed in and supported. But the party lost its way. It wasn't long before it espoused the dream of one man -- and it was more than one dared to suggest that there might be another way, another dream.
As Mr Adderley told the House yesterday the souls of those who had sacrificed so much to build their party would ache as a "result of the venom and ill will that is displayed almost on a daily basis on any member who tries to correct its ills."
Gutter politics had entered the arena. Victimisation was the party's battle cry during the Pindling era; vicious character assassination was the way to eliminate an adversary. Party members were even expected to compromise their consciences for "the Chief." The late Carlton Francis, who had contributed so much to his party and his leader, discovered in his dying days how it felt to be mocked and thrown on the political pyre because there came a day when he decided to follow his conscience and not his leader. Who will ever forget the night that Sir Lynden, speaking from a public platform, spotted the dying man, pointed him out to the crowd and scoffed that there went a three-piece suit, but all he could see was suit. It was true that on Mr Francis' shrunken frame all one could see was a baggy suit, but what cruelty, especially from a nation's leader. That was the depth to which the party had fallen -- under Pindling there were many "nights of the long swords" and scrapping in the gutter.
In 2002 Mr Perry Christie won a one term election on the promise that he was leading the "New PLP." It wasn't long before it was realised that the style of execution might have been different, but the same bitter, viciousness was being conducted in the open. While Mr Adderley maintained a dignified silence, the party's hatchetmen were about their dirty work -- in the words of Mr Adderley -- constantly and perpetually "undermining the duly elected Member of Parliament in total disregard and blatant disrespect of the will of the people of Elizabeth."
His greatest anger was levelled at the party's leader who apparently did nothing to discourage those who were actively campaigning to unseat him in his Elizabeth constituency -- "brazenly knocking on doors, even dispensing T-shirts, groceries, even handing out Mother's Day gifts and cards, indicating to constituents that they were the party's choice for 2012."
If Mr Christie expected Mr Adderley to remain a loyal party supporter -- as he claimed he did-- then he should have taken note when Mr Adderley in 2007 ran up the red flag on the SS Elizabeth informing him that there were dangerous shoals ahead threatening to wreck both of them. Mr Christie, true to form, chose to ignore the warning, obviously waiting for time to heal all and relieve him of the bother. It is always amazing when the inevitable happens, Mr Christie innocently rolls his eyes and appears to be taken by surprise.
Mr Adderley has stepped aside for the sake of his people in Elizabeth, who he acknowledged needed a representative who had the full support of the party he represented. Mr Adderley did not have that support.
This weekend Mr Christie and his party will have to look at the collective damage they have wrought and decide what road they will take into the future.
January 07, 2010
tribune242
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) leader Perry Christie denies undermining character of Malcolm Adderly
By ALISON LOWE
Tribune Staff Reporter
alowe@tribunemedia.net:
PLP leader Perry Christie yesterday refuted accusations that he undermined or attacked the character of Malcolm Adderley, saying his behaviour towards the former MP was characterised by "extreme patience, extreme tolerance and sympathetic understanding."
Mr Christie claimed that he and the PLP as a whole exercised "forbearance" towards Mr Adderley even as the MP for Elizabeth - who spoke in parliament yesterday to announce his resignation from politics after resigning from the PLP over the weekend - displayed "what the country regarded as an attitude of indifference" towards his fellow PLPs.
He spoke of how he personally supported Mr Adderley as he sought a nomination in the 2007 general election, to the extent of investing "personal resources" in his candidacy.
"It would be disingenuous for me to state that I am not disappointed by this course of action now taken by the MP for Elizabeth.
"It would be more than disingenuous of me if I were to profess not to be disappointed in the manner in which the course of action unfolded, not only today but in the days and weeks that preceded today.
"But what must be absolutely clear is that the MP for Elizabeth is his own man and he must order himself in the way he feels he should," Mr Christie told parliament.
The PLP leader's defensive comments came as he faced the second round of accusations in a year - the first coming from Kennedy MP Kenyatta Gibson, who quit the PLP and joined the FNM in 2009 - that he has "viciously" belittled one of his own MPs, undermining their position as a representative.
Days after resigning from the PLP, Mr Adderley reasoned in parliament yesterday that his "difficult decision" to quit politics altogether was informed by his belief that the constituents of Elizabeth "deserve better" than an MP who cannot properly represent them because he has been undermined by a lack of support from his party's leadership.
The ex-MP, whose resignation took effect yesterday at 5.30pm, said he and his family suffered the "worst personal experience (they had) ever faced" during the seven and a half years he was an MP as his relationship with Mr Christie went from bad to worse.
He claimed he suffered "vicious politics and hatred" from those "wretched beings outside the boundary" of his constituency and was unable to do what he would have liked for his constituents during Mr Christie's tenure as prime minister.
As with Kenyatta Gibson when he quit the PLP in 2008, Mr Adderley revealed long-standing concerns about Mr Christie's ability to lead and suggested that the PLP leader had engaged in behind-the-scenes tactics against those with whom he had disagreements.
Responding to Mr Adderley, Mr Christie instead painted a picture of an MP who had lost interest in his party and constituents and whose decision to leave politics had more to do with his own political deal-making than consideration of the best interests of his constituents.
It has been rumored but not confirmed that Mr Adderley is in short order due to accept an appointment, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, as a Supreme Court judge and he has been accused of being embittered by Mr Christie's failure to give him a Cabinet post during the previous PLP administration.
Mr Christie said: "The truth is we all know that this is not the end of the story and indeed the proverbial penny hasn't yet dropped. We wait to see those acts in the drama that has already been scripted but not yet played out. There is more to this than meets the eye. We all stand alert pending a major announcement yet to come."
The PLP leader said that in the wake of Mr Adderley's resignation, which leaves Elizabeth without a representative, the party will be carrying out consultations both with the people in that area and "the relevant (party) councils" to determine the way forward.
Some political insiders have suggested that the party may not see it as worthwhile to field a candidate in the by-election that will now result from Mr Adderley's departure given the hefty cost of doing so and the possibility they may lose the seat anyway.
Mr Christie added: "I can assure the nation that we are in no way deterred by the events that have unfolded. We will not be deflected from our work which . . . has always been for the betterment of the Bahamian people."
January 07, 2010
tribune242
Tribune Staff Reporter
alowe@tribunemedia.net:
PLP leader Perry Christie yesterday refuted accusations that he undermined or attacked the character of Malcolm Adderley, saying his behaviour towards the former MP was characterised by "extreme patience, extreme tolerance and sympathetic understanding."
Mr Christie claimed that he and the PLP as a whole exercised "forbearance" towards Mr Adderley even as the MP for Elizabeth - who spoke in parliament yesterday to announce his resignation from politics after resigning from the PLP over the weekend - displayed "what the country regarded as an attitude of indifference" towards his fellow PLPs.
He spoke of how he personally supported Mr Adderley as he sought a nomination in the 2007 general election, to the extent of investing "personal resources" in his candidacy.
"It would be disingenuous for me to state that I am not disappointed by this course of action now taken by the MP for Elizabeth.
"It would be more than disingenuous of me if I were to profess not to be disappointed in the manner in which the course of action unfolded, not only today but in the days and weeks that preceded today.
"But what must be absolutely clear is that the MP for Elizabeth is his own man and he must order himself in the way he feels he should," Mr Christie told parliament.
The PLP leader's defensive comments came as he faced the second round of accusations in a year - the first coming from Kennedy MP Kenyatta Gibson, who quit the PLP and joined the FNM in 2009 - that he has "viciously" belittled one of his own MPs, undermining their position as a representative.
Days after resigning from the PLP, Mr Adderley reasoned in parliament yesterday that his "difficult decision" to quit politics altogether was informed by his belief that the constituents of Elizabeth "deserve better" than an MP who cannot properly represent them because he has been undermined by a lack of support from his party's leadership.
The ex-MP, whose resignation took effect yesterday at 5.30pm, said he and his family suffered the "worst personal experience (they had) ever faced" during the seven and a half years he was an MP as his relationship with Mr Christie went from bad to worse.
He claimed he suffered "vicious politics and hatred" from those "wretched beings outside the boundary" of his constituency and was unable to do what he would have liked for his constituents during Mr Christie's tenure as prime minister.
As with Kenyatta Gibson when he quit the PLP in 2008, Mr Adderley revealed long-standing concerns about Mr Christie's ability to lead and suggested that the PLP leader had engaged in behind-the-scenes tactics against those with whom he had disagreements.
Responding to Mr Adderley, Mr Christie instead painted a picture of an MP who had lost interest in his party and constituents and whose decision to leave politics had more to do with his own political deal-making than consideration of the best interests of his constituents.
It has been rumored but not confirmed that Mr Adderley is in short order due to accept an appointment, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, as a Supreme Court judge and he has been accused of being embittered by Mr Christie's failure to give him a Cabinet post during the previous PLP administration.
Mr Christie said: "The truth is we all know that this is not the end of the story and indeed the proverbial penny hasn't yet dropped. We wait to see those acts in the drama that has already been scripted but not yet played out. There is more to this than meets the eye. We all stand alert pending a major announcement yet to come."
The PLP leader said that in the wake of Mr Adderley's resignation, which leaves Elizabeth without a representative, the party will be carrying out consultations both with the people in that area and "the relevant (party) councils" to determine the way forward.
Some political insiders have suggested that the party may not see it as worthwhile to field a candidate in the by-election that will now result from Mr Adderley's departure given the hefty cost of doing so and the possibility they may lose the seat anyway.
Mr Christie added: "I can assure the nation that we are in no way deterred by the events that have unfolded. We will not be deflected from our work which . . . has always been for the betterment of the Bahamian people."
January 07, 2010
tribune242
Thursday, January 7, 2010
House of Assembly Bahamas: Malcolm Adderley's resignation speech in full
"Mr Speaker,
Members of Parliament,
It is my belief that politics is about persons coming together to achieve common goals for the good of the people they represent.
In order for the group to survive there must be respect, honesty, transparency and decency towards one another. In order for progress to be achieved, there must be some real fundamental bonding with each other - and a vision as to what that group needs to achieve in order to capture the dream to which people aspire.
Mr Speaker, when I was invited to enter the political arena some time in the year 2001, I had a vision of being a part of an organisation that my father, a humble taxi driver (taxi no. 4) was a proud and faithful member of since its inception. I reluctantly agreed to enter politics but felt it was a noble cause. Over the years, my reluctance became sheer love for this new career path - especially as I came to know the people of Elizabeth.
Sir, I never once expected fame or fortune when I entered politics. Service to country was not new to me. In earlier years, I had served in the capacity of a prosecutor in the Attorney General's Office for four years; as an acting magistrate on several occasions; I served as the first president of the newly established Bahamas Industrial Tribunal for two years; and as a justice of the Supreme Court for a year - all at no significant remuneration.
I should add, sir, that before I left the Supreme Court bench I was invited to become a permanent judge and could have been a judge years ago had I wished. But I declined and returned to my own law chambers.
So to trivialise this matter by saying that this is about my not having been given a Cabinet seat is frightening, because it shows a mentality that is totally out of touch with reality. The Cabinet was chosen in 2002. This is now 2010 - why would I stay for seven and a half years afterwards if in fact I was "puffed up" over not being in Mr Christie's Cabinet.
Mr Speaker, the Elizabeth Constituency has some 4,000 constituents. Since the 2007 election , I have spoken to many of my supporters in Elizabeth indicating to them the possibility of my departure from the political arena depending on the direction in which my party chose to go.
Over the past few days Mr Speaker, the noise in the market has become quite vociferous. But, sir, I invite those who are not a part of the great constituency which I have been privileged to represent, not to mind the noise in the market.
You see, we in Elizabeth know what time it is. That noise is not coming from the decent people of Elizabeth. The noise is coming from the same direction that it came from prior to my nomination in 2007.
The people of Elizabeth are intelligent, decent, independent minded and have been calling me to tell me what they have been telling me since 2007 - we support you whatever you do.
Mr Speaker, ever since my election to this honourable House in 2002, my relationship with the leadership of my party has been strained. Seven and a half years later that relationship has worsened. From then to now has been the worst personal experience that my family and I have ever faced. I took the insults, the disrespect, the negative gossip, the careful and calculated undermining that has been the hallmark of my political journey.
But through it all I took the blows, never flinching, never allowing it to make me lose my focus of what my responsibilities were to the people of Elizabeth. The interesting thing, sir, is that is that none of this came from the good people of Elizabeth. In fact, it came from those outside Elizabeth, who obviously feared anyone who could think and had an independent view - and most of all, refused to be led by mediocrity.
In fact, sir, if it were not for the support and encouragement of the good people of Elizabeth, I would have succumbed long ago to the vicious politics and hatred that was hatched by those wretched beings outside the boundary of the great constituency of Elizabeth by those whom one would least expect to do so.
But the history of my political journey is well documented in the account I gave during my first speech in this House, after the 2007 election, of the journey of the famous dingy boat "Elizabeth". And so, Mr Speaker, I need not relate it once again.
Mr Speaker, I have tried my best to serve the good people of Elizabeth. We had good and bad times together. During the years 2002 to 2007 I sought but could not obtain the much needed assistance for the people of Elizabeth; nor could I provide the much needed infrastructure. Nevertheless, Elizabeth supported me. I am happy that between 2007 and 2009 as a result of the contribution of the government members of parliament, I have been able to refurbish two existing parks and construct four new parks for the people of Elizabeth - so that families can take their children for recreational activities at their leisure. I am happy that Elizabeth Estates park has had additional construction recently added with the addition of a walking track, a softball diamond and a brand new modern toilet facility for men and women.
I am indeed pleased that I was able to donate to the Elizabeth Children's Home beautiful furniture to add to the comfort of the children and the staff in the home and also to the Thelma Gibson Primary School two state-of-the-art eno-active boards that will go a long way to promote and assist the advancement of the learning process of the dear children of the school.
Even as I speak, a computer lab is being established for the children of Elizabeth as a result of the contribution of the government made to each constituency.
Mr Speaker, during my tenure in this House, I have come to love the years of door-to-door campaigning, the greetings and discussions with the beautiful people of Elizabeth - I shall surely miss this wonderful and rewarding experience.
The people of Elizabeth over the years have shown me the warmth and love that is crucial for survival in the type of politics that I had to deal with from those who wished me ill.
I can attest to this by drawing your attention to the events leading up to the 2007 election.
Mr Speaker, if one ever doubted that there is a God above...I can testify that there is -- I am living example of this -- and God is good. Whom God bless, no man can curse. In the 2007 general election -- despite what has been said I was fighting two formidable giants.
Not only did I have to deal with the formidable, well organised, well-equipped political genius of the then opposition leader...regardless to what you have heard and will hear in the future, I was exposed to the forces of my own party.
The only thing I had was my personal ambition and a determination to conquer both forces -- and like the Biblical shepherd boy David -- the Almighty God stood by my side and gave me victory. Praise be to God!
Mr Speaker, despite all of this I took it like a man -- never wavering, but kept my focus. I must confess however, sir, that it has not been easy. It has been even more difficult for my family. And as they say, sir...enough is enough!
Mr Speaker, immediately after the recent election, I met with my family and close political friends. Together, it was agreed that I should allow time to pass to see whether there would be any improvement in my relationship with the leadership. It was felt that after a two year period of mid-term would be a reasonable point to assess my political future. It would be a good time for me to know the position and notify the people of Elizabeth whether I would be seeking a third term in office.
Mr Speaker, the decision I make today, no doubt, is one of the most difficult decisions that I have ever made. The fact of the matter, sir, is that my love for politics does not matter. It is not about me. In life, we are mere vehicles that God sometimes uses to achieve worthwhile objectives.
What is important -- is that the people of Elizabeth deserve better...much better. I decided that this constant and perpetual undermining of the duly elected Member of Parliament in total disregard and blatant disrespect of the will of the people of Elizabeth....this contrived and calculated creation of confusion in Elizabeth had to stop and that the time to address them is now.
Mr Speaker, which other constituency held by the official opposition after the 2007 election other than Kennedy and Elizabeth were there persons being actively encouraged to campaign against us with a view to becoming the parties candidate in the 2012 election, brazenly knocking on doors, even dispensing T-shirts, groceries, even handing out Mother's Day gifts and cards, indicating to constituents that they were the party's choice for 2012.
Mr Speaker, we are now in mid-term. I am on time. I have reviewed the period from May 2007 to December 2009...a period of two and a half years. Nothing has changed. In fact, it has worsened. The point is, sir, that there is still too many issues that separate the leadership of the party and I.
The record will show that my future as a member of the Progressive Liberal Party has always been dim. Time would not have allowed me to believe that there would have been a new day...a change of attitudes, a change of good will for all concerned.
I simply cannot bury my head in the sand, like the proverbial ostrich and pretend that all is well. The people of Elizabeth need as their representative, someone who has the full support of the party which he represents.
The leadership of the party at its recent convention was given an almost unanimous vote of confidence by the membership...I know what it is like to be subject to that leadership. I have had it for seven and a half years. I have always expressed my deep concern about the lack of vision of the leadership and that has not changed. The reality is, sir, that the people have spoken and I have to respect their voice.
Accordingly, sir, it has been said that when a member of an organisation finds that he cannot support its leadership -- then the honourable thing for that member to do is resign. So, after many months, days and nights of painful deliberations, I found that I had no other choice than to tender my official resignation to the chairman of the party effective January 1st, 2010.
The Progressive Liberal Party is a party that has the distinction of being built by the blood, sweat and tears of hardworking men and women of humble beginnings but proud of their commitment to uplift the well-being and standard of the people.
Men and women like my late parents, Malcolm Adderley, Sr and Elaine Adderley, like so many of their era, played a significant role in bringing the Progressive Liberal Party to its zenith and made it the most powerful force in our great Bahamaland. Regrettably, if they were alive today their hearts and souls would ache to see the state of the party today as a result of the venom and ill will that is displayed almost on a daily basis on any member who tries to correct its ills.
Mr Speaker, as I said before, politics is not about one individual. It is about what is in the best interest of the people that we serve. As a result, there is no benefit to the people of Elizabeth for me to sit in this house as the independent member for Elizabeth.
Mr Speaker, issues have been raised as to my loyalty because of the position I have taken. In order to remove all doubts as to who the wonderful people of Elizabeth want to represent them...I have decided to remove myself from the political stage and allow the people of Elizabeth in their wisdom to decide who they would wish to be their spokesman.
And so, sir, with the greatest respect and humility, I hearby tender my resignation to this honourable house as the Member of Parliament for the Elizabeth constituency effective at 5.30pm today.
Mr Speaker, I thank the officers and members of the Progressive Liberal Party for having allowed me to carry the banner of the party in the last two general elections.
I thank the staff of the Honourable House for their support, goodwill and professionalism displayed towards me during my tenure as the Member of Parliament.
I thank all of my colleagues in this Honourable House and wish you well in your future endeavours. Let me assure each and every one of you that I hold no animosity whatsoever.
To all those beautiful, loyal, decent, loving people of the great constituency of Elizabeth -- who despite all -- has shown me love and supported me through thick and thin, especially Marsha Curry, Cynthia Cox, Verona Woodside, Elizabeth Collie, Lillymae Thompson, John "Commander" Higgs, Annamae Forbes, Mrs Cash, Cindy Moss, Keisha Rodgers, Sidney Strachan and many many more. I extended my heartfelt thanks and will forever be indebted to you. You stood by me through all the storms and sheltered me from harm. I love you all and may God continue to bless you.
To William "Bill" Wallace who played an integral role in my election of 2002; to Donna Smith, who unselfishly joined our historical team in my election of 2007 and played an integral part in it, I extend my sincere gratitude.
To Calvin Davis, who from the election of 2002 to now, has stood by my side -- whose support I find impossible to quantify, I express my eternal gratitude.
Mr Prime Minister! My gratitude to you, sir! for your statesmanship in rising above petty politics in allowing me to continue to serve the people of the Bahamas as Chairman of the Gaming Board under your watch for the past two and a half years. This is a position I thoroughly enjoyed as it allowed me to serve the Bahamian people in a small, but meaningful way.
To my fellow directors, the officers and employees of the gaming board, I thank you for your support, it has been truly a worthwhile experience.
To my wife, Daphne, and our five children (who are present in the House today) -- Eamon, Engedi, Evan, Misty and Mia -- you are my strength, my inspiration and my gift from God -- I love you all.
Finally, Mr Speaker!
As I leave these honourable chambers I am pleased to see that the landscape of Bahamian politics is changing. For I am happy to say -- for the better.
The young people of Elizabeth and other constituencies can no longer be persuaded by bully tactics and ghetto politics. Sir, they demand and deserve better Mr Speaker. A new day is dawning for the wonderful people of the Bahamas. One in which the guideline is integrity and honesty.
I pray, Mr Speaker, that God will give me the strength and the wisdom to continue to serve the people of the Bahamas in any other capacity with integrity and character as I have tried to serve the wonderful people of Elizabeth -- as their duly elected Member of Parliament for the past seven and a half years.
May God Bless you all.
May God Bless this Honourable House
And May God Bless the people of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
Thank you and God speed."
Malcolm E Adderley, Jr
Resignation address
January 6, 2010.
tribune242
Members of Parliament,
It is my belief that politics is about persons coming together to achieve common goals for the good of the people they represent.
In order for the group to survive there must be respect, honesty, transparency and decency towards one another. In order for progress to be achieved, there must be some real fundamental bonding with each other - and a vision as to what that group needs to achieve in order to capture the dream to which people aspire.
Mr Speaker, when I was invited to enter the political arena some time in the year 2001, I had a vision of being a part of an organisation that my father, a humble taxi driver (taxi no. 4) was a proud and faithful member of since its inception. I reluctantly agreed to enter politics but felt it was a noble cause. Over the years, my reluctance became sheer love for this new career path - especially as I came to know the people of Elizabeth.
Sir, I never once expected fame or fortune when I entered politics. Service to country was not new to me. In earlier years, I had served in the capacity of a prosecutor in the Attorney General's Office for four years; as an acting magistrate on several occasions; I served as the first president of the newly established Bahamas Industrial Tribunal for two years; and as a justice of the Supreme Court for a year - all at no significant remuneration.
I should add, sir, that before I left the Supreme Court bench I was invited to become a permanent judge and could have been a judge years ago had I wished. But I declined and returned to my own law chambers.
So to trivialise this matter by saying that this is about my not having been given a Cabinet seat is frightening, because it shows a mentality that is totally out of touch with reality. The Cabinet was chosen in 2002. This is now 2010 - why would I stay for seven and a half years afterwards if in fact I was "puffed up" over not being in Mr Christie's Cabinet.
Mr Speaker, the Elizabeth Constituency has some 4,000 constituents. Since the 2007 election , I have spoken to many of my supporters in Elizabeth indicating to them the possibility of my departure from the political arena depending on the direction in which my party chose to go.
Over the past few days Mr Speaker, the noise in the market has become quite vociferous. But, sir, I invite those who are not a part of the great constituency which I have been privileged to represent, not to mind the noise in the market.
You see, we in Elizabeth know what time it is. That noise is not coming from the decent people of Elizabeth. The noise is coming from the same direction that it came from prior to my nomination in 2007.
The people of Elizabeth are intelligent, decent, independent minded and have been calling me to tell me what they have been telling me since 2007 - we support you whatever you do.
Mr Speaker, ever since my election to this honourable House in 2002, my relationship with the leadership of my party has been strained. Seven and a half years later that relationship has worsened. From then to now has been the worst personal experience that my family and I have ever faced. I took the insults, the disrespect, the negative gossip, the careful and calculated undermining that has been the hallmark of my political journey.
But through it all I took the blows, never flinching, never allowing it to make me lose my focus of what my responsibilities were to the people of Elizabeth. The interesting thing, sir, is that is that none of this came from the good people of Elizabeth. In fact, it came from those outside Elizabeth, who obviously feared anyone who could think and had an independent view - and most of all, refused to be led by mediocrity.
In fact, sir, if it were not for the support and encouragement of the good people of Elizabeth, I would have succumbed long ago to the vicious politics and hatred that was hatched by those wretched beings outside the boundary of the great constituency of Elizabeth by those whom one would least expect to do so.
But the history of my political journey is well documented in the account I gave during my first speech in this House, after the 2007 election, of the journey of the famous dingy boat "Elizabeth". And so, Mr Speaker, I need not relate it once again.
Mr Speaker, I have tried my best to serve the good people of Elizabeth. We had good and bad times together. During the years 2002 to 2007 I sought but could not obtain the much needed assistance for the people of Elizabeth; nor could I provide the much needed infrastructure. Nevertheless, Elizabeth supported me. I am happy that between 2007 and 2009 as a result of the contribution of the government members of parliament, I have been able to refurbish two existing parks and construct four new parks for the people of Elizabeth - so that families can take their children for recreational activities at their leisure. I am happy that Elizabeth Estates park has had additional construction recently added with the addition of a walking track, a softball diamond and a brand new modern toilet facility for men and women.
I am indeed pleased that I was able to donate to the Elizabeth Children's Home beautiful furniture to add to the comfort of the children and the staff in the home and also to the Thelma Gibson Primary School two state-of-the-art eno-active boards that will go a long way to promote and assist the advancement of the learning process of the dear children of the school.
Even as I speak, a computer lab is being established for the children of Elizabeth as a result of the contribution of the government made to each constituency.
Mr Speaker, during my tenure in this House, I have come to love the years of door-to-door campaigning, the greetings and discussions with the beautiful people of Elizabeth - I shall surely miss this wonderful and rewarding experience.
The people of Elizabeth over the years have shown me the warmth and love that is crucial for survival in the type of politics that I had to deal with from those who wished me ill.
I can attest to this by drawing your attention to the events leading up to the 2007 election.
Mr Speaker, if one ever doubted that there is a God above...I can testify that there is -- I am living example of this -- and God is good. Whom God bless, no man can curse. In the 2007 general election -- despite what has been said I was fighting two formidable giants.
Not only did I have to deal with the formidable, well organised, well-equipped political genius of the then opposition leader...regardless to what you have heard and will hear in the future, I was exposed to the forces of my own party.
The only thing I had was my personal ambition and a determination to conquer both forces -- and like the Biblical shepherd boy David -- the Almighty God stood by my side and gave me victory. Praise be to God!
Mr Speaker, despite all of this I took it like a man -- never wavering, but kept my focus. I must confess however, sir, that it has not been easy. It has been even more difficult for my family. And as they say, sir...enough is enough!
Mr Speaker, immediately after the recent election, I met with my family and close political friends. Together, it was agreed that I should allow time to pass to see whether there would be any improvement in my relationship with the leadership. It was felt that after a two year period of mid-term would be a reasonable point to assess my political future. It would be a good time for me to know the position and notify the people of Elizabeth whether I would be seeking a third term in office.
Mr Speaker, the decision I make today, no doubt, is one of the most difficult decisions that I have ever made. The fact of the matter, sir, is that my love for politics does not matter. It is not about me. In life, we are mere vehicles that God sometimes uses to achieve worthwhile objectives.
What is important -- is that the people of Elizabeth deserve better...much better. I decided that this constant and perpetual undermining of the duly elected Member of Parliament in total disregard and blatant disrespect of the will of the people of Elizabeth....this contrived and calculated creation of confusion in Elizabeth had to stop and that the time to address them is now.
Mr Speaker, which other constituency held by the official opposition after the 2007 election other than Kennedy and Elizabeth were there persons being actively encouraged to campaign against us with a view to becoming the parties candidate in the 2012 election, brazenly knocking on doors, even dispensing T-shirts, groceries, even handing out Mother's Day gifts and cards, indicating to constituents that they were the party's choice for 2012.
Mr Speaker, we are now in mid-term. I am on time. I have reviewed the period from May 2007 to December 2009...a period of two and a half years. Nothing has changed. In fact, it has worsened. The point is, sir, that there is still too many issues that separate the leadership of the party and I.
The record will show that my future as a member of the Progressive Liberal Party has always been dim. Time would not have allowed me to believe that there would have been a new day...a change of attitudes, a change of good will for all concerned.
I simply cannot bury my head in the sand, like the proverbial ostrich and pretend that all is well. The people of Elizabeth need as their representative, someone who has the full support of the party which he represents.
The leadership of the party at its recent convention was given an almost unanimous vote of confidence by the membership...I know what it is like to be subject to that leadership. I have had it for seven and a half years. I have always expressed my deep concern about the lack of vision of the leadership and that has not changed. The reality is, sir, that the people have spoken and I have to respect their voice.
Accordingly, sir, it has been said that when a member of an organisation finds that he cannot support its leadership -- then the honourable thing for that member to do is resign. So, after many months, days and nights of painful deliberations, I found that I had no other choice than to tender my official resignation to the chairman of the party effective January 1st, 2010.
The Progressive Liberal Party is a party that has the distinction of being built by the blood, sweat and tears of hardworking men and women of humble beginnings but proud of their commitment to uplift the well-being and standard of the people.
Men and women like my late parents, Malcolm Adderley, Sr and Elaine Adderley, like so many of their era, played a significant role in bringing the Progressive Liberal Party to its zenith and made it the most powerful force in our great Bahamaland. Regrettably, if they were alive today their hearts and souls would ache to see the state of the party today as a result of the venom and ill will that is displayed almost on a daily basis on any member who tries to correct its ills.
Mr Speaker, as I said before, politics is not about one individual. It is about what is in the best interest of the people that we serve. As a result, there is no benefit to the people of Elizabeth for me to sit in this house as the independent member for Elizabeth.
Mr Speaker, issues have been raised as to my loyalty because of the position I have taken. In order to remove all doubts as to who the wonderful people of Elizabeth want to represent them...I have decided to remove myself from the political stage and allow the people of Elizabeth in their wisdom to decide who they would wish to be their spokesman.
And so, sir, with the greatest respect and humility, I hearby tender my resignation to this honourable house as the Member of Parliament for the Elizabeth constituency effective at 5.30pm today.
Mr Speaker, I thank the officers and members of the Progressive Liberal Party for having allowed me to carry the banner of the party in the last two general elections.
I thank the staff of the Honourable House for their support, goodwill and professionalism displayed towards me during my tenure as the Member of Parliament.
I thank all of my colleagues in this Honourable House and wish you well in your future endeavours. Let me assure each and every one of you that I hold no animosity whatsoever.
To all those beautiful, loyal, decent, loving people of the great constituency of Elizabeth -- who despite all -- has shown me love and supported me through thick and thin, especially Marsha Curry, Cynthia Cox, Verona Woodside, Elizabeth Collie, Lillymae Thompson, John "Commander" Higgs, Annamae Forbes, Mrs Cash, Cindy Moss, Keisha Rodgers, Sidney Strachan and many many more. I extended my heartfelt thanks and will forever be indebted to you. You stood by me through all the storms and sheltered me from harm. I love you all and may God continue to bless you.
To William "Bill" Wallace who played an integral role in my election of 2002; to Donna Smith, who unselfishly joined our historical team in my election of 2007 and played an integral part in it, I extend my sincere gratitude.
To Calvin Davis, who from the election of 2002 to now, has stood by my side -- whose support I find impossible to quantify, I express my eternal gratitude.
Mr Prime Minister! My gratitude to you, sir! for your statesmanship in rising above petty politics in allowing me to continue to serve the people of the Bahamas as Chairman of the Gaming Board under your watch for the past two and a half years. This is a position I thoroughly enjoyed as it allowed me to serve the Bahamian people in a small, but meaningful way.
To my fellow directors, the officers and employees of the gaming board, I thank you for your support, it has been truly a worthwhile experience.
To my wife, Daphne, and our five children (who are present in the House today) -- Eamon, Engedi, Evan, Misty and Mia -- you are my strength, my inspiration and my gift from God -- I love you all.
Finally, Mr Speaker!
As I leave these honourable chambers I am pleased to see that the landscape of Bahamian politics is changing. For I am happy to say -- for the better.
The young people of Elizabeth and other constituencies can no longer be persuaded by bully tactics and ghetto politics. Sir, they demand and deserve better Mr Speaker. A new day is dawning for the wonderful people of the Bahamas. One in which the guideline is integrity and honesty.
I pray, Mr Speaker, that God will give me the strength and the wisdom to continue to serve the people of the Bahamas in any other capacity with integrity and character as I have tried to serve the wonderful people of Elizabeth -- as their duly elected Member of Parliament for the past seven and a half years.
May God Bless you all.
May God Bless this Honourable House
And May God Bless the people of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
Thank you and God speed."
Malcolm E Adderley, Jr
Resignation address
January 6, 2010.
tribune242
Malcolm Adderley blasts the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP)
Former PLP Elizabeth MP - Malcolm Adderley said he reached his breaking point with the PLP, which prompted him to resign from the Progressive Liberal Party and House of Assembly after he endured years of "insults" and outright disrespect by his own PLP party members
By KRYSTEL ROLLE ~ Guardian Staff Reporter ~ krystel@nasguard.com:
Former Elizabeth MP Malcolm Adderley said yesterday he reached his breaking point, which prompted him to resign from the Progressive Liberal Party and House of Assembly after he endured years of "insults" and outright disrespect by his own party members.
Adderley, who spoke in the House of Assembly for a final time, said after seven and a half years under the PLP's leadership, he came to the "painful" conclusion that "enough is enough".
"I decided that this constant and perpetual undermining of the duly-elected member of Parliament in total disregard and blatant disrespect of the will of the people of Elizabeth... this contrived and calculated creation of confusion in Elizabeth had to stop and that the time to address them is now," Adderley said.
"Mr. Speaker, which other constituency held by the official opposition after the 2007 election other than Kennedy and Elizabeth were there persons being actively encouraged to campaign against us with a view to becoming the party's candidate in the 2012 election — brazenly knocking on doors, even dispensing T-shirts, groceries, even handing out Mother's Day gifts and cards, indicating to constituents that they were the party's choice for 2012?"
Adderley is the second PLP MP to resign from the party after the 2007 general election. Kennedy MP Kenyatta Gibson crossed the floor two years ago and harshly criticized PLP leader Perry Christie.
Adderley denied that his resignation had anything to do with injured pride. It had been rumored that he had been harboring ill feelings towards the leadership of the PLP after Christie failed to appoint him to the Cabinet when the PLP was in power.
Adderley said he did not base his decision on that.
"So to trivialize this matter by saying that this is about my not been given a Cabinet seat is frightening because it shows a mentality that is totally out of touch with reality. The Cabinet was chosen in 2002. This is now 2010. Why would I stay for seven and a half years afterwards if in fact I was puffed up over not being in Mr. Christie's Cabinet?" he asked.
Turning to the issue of his loyalty and whether he had joined with the Free National Movement, Adderley said, "In order to remove all doubts as to who the wonderful people of Elizabeth want to represent them, I have decided to remove myself from the political stage and allow the people of Elizabeth in their wisdom to decide who they would wish to be their spokesman."
Adderley's resignation from the House became effective at 5:30 p.m. yesterday, and set in motion a process that will lead to a by-election which is expected to be held next month.
Adderley said since his election in 2002, his relationship with the party's leadership has been strained and has steadily worsened through the years.
"From then to now has been the worst personal experience that my family and I have ever faced. I took the insults, the disrespect, the negative gossip, the careful and calculated undermining that was the hallmark of my political journey. But through it all, I took the blows, never flinching."
Adderley also said for years he was forced to fight two sources.
"Not only did I have to deal with the formidable, well organized, well equipped political genius of the then opposition leader (Hubert Ingraham), regardless to what you have heard and will hear in the future, I was exposed to the forces of my own party."
He said he does not enjoy the support of the leadership of the party, adding that it would be unfair to the constituents that he represented to continue on in the way that he was.
"The leadership of the party at its recent convention was given an almost unanimous vote of confidence by the membership," Adderley said. "I know what it is like to be subject to that leadership. I have had it for seven and a half years. I have always expressed my deep concern about the lack of vision of the leadership and that has not changed."
He said he cannot support the leadership of the party and therefore did the "honorable thing" by tendering his resignation.
"So after many months, days and nights of painful deliberations, I found that I had no other choice than to tender my official resignation to the chairman of the party."
Following the 2007 election, Adderley continued to serve as chairman of the Gaming Board. At 64, he is expected to become a Supreme Court justice.
There is speculation that Dr. Duane Sands will be the FNM's candidate for the Elizabeth constituency by-election, but the party has made no announcements in this regard.
It is still unclear whether the PLP will run anyone in the seat, but party chairman Bradley Roberts said several people, including attorneys Ryan Pinder and Craig Butler, have expressed an interest in running on the PLP's ticket.
January 7, 2010
thenassauguardian
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