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
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.
