By CANDIA DAMES ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
While stressing that the Free National Movement has a leader whom he supports wholeheartedly, Bamboo Town MP Branville McCartney confirmed yesterday that he is interested in vying for the leadership of the party down the road.
McCartney's admission in an exclusive interview with The Nassau Guardian was not at all surprising, as he is viewed by some observers as a leadership hopeful sometime after the retirement of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
Asked about his interest in the leadership position, he said, "We do have a leader at this time."
McCartney expanded, "What I think the prime minister has done, he has a complement of men in and outside of his Cabinet, in the FNM, who can take over this country and take it to another level. I think I can be one of them. But he has quite a number of them, quite a number. I'm just only one."
McCartney also stressed that his leadership aspirations had nothing to do with his decision to resign from the Cabinet of Hubert Ingraham, and said his focus at this time is on serving his constituents of Bamboo Town.
"I did not want to let the prime minister down. I did not want to let the people of Bamboo Town down and more importantly, I did not want to let The Bahamas down so I did my best while I was there," he said in an interview at his home as his wife, Lisa, looked on.
"...I honestly believe at this stage that I can make more of a difference outside of Cabinet."
McCartney moved onto the political scene when the FNM was under the leadership of Tommy Turnquest, and said he had worked for two years in the St. Thomas More constituency before Ingraham became leader again and asked him to serve in Bamboo Town. While seeking an FNM nomination, McCartney was a strong anti-crime advocate, and some supporters had hoped he would eventually become minister of national security.
While he said yesterday he did not feel that he was serving to his full potential as minister of state for immigration, McCartney said there had not been another portfolio he was eyeing.
"I don't feel at this time I would have been an asset to the country sitting in the Cabinet as an immigration minister of state, because I don't think at this time I would have been effective and if I get into anything, whatever I get into, I want to be effective. I think I've been effective to a certain stage, but I don't think I would be effective moving on," he said.
"When you're in Cabinet you are bound by confidentiality; that is our oath, that is what we promise. You have to tow the party line more so as a Cabinet minister. I would like to speak out more on crime. I would even like to speak out more on immigration. I want to speak out on what is right and not based on party lines. My conviction comes first as to how I feel as a young Bahamian first and I honestly care about my country, the future of my country. "
McCartney said while he believes he is one of the people who could one day lead the FNM, Ingraham is today the right man for the job.
"He is my prime minister. If it were not for the prime minister I would not have had the opportunity to sit in his Cabinet in those two very, very vital ministries," he said.
"He has shown faith in me in that regard. I have also learned a lot from the prime minister. There's no doubt that the prime minister, Hubert Alexander Ingraham, is the best man for the job at this time. He is no doubt the best leader that we have had for our party and he remains that way today... I respect him, I support him. He has my full, full support."
McCartney also said he has a great deal of respect for Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, the substantive minister of immigration. He said he was grateful for Symonette's guidance and learned much from him.
Some observers have speculated that McCartney's resignation on Sunday was part of a wider move to position himself to eventually become leader of the FNM.
Asked to respond to this, he repeated, "We have a prime minister. I want to make myself clear. I still support the prime minister. We have a sitting prime minister as it stands now and as of this date, he is still the best person for the job."
Again making it clear that he has no interest in joining the Progressive Liberal Party, McCartney added, "The FNM is still the best party for this country. There's no doubt about it. Sitting in Cabinet has confirmed that to me over and repeatedly almost on a weekly basis, that the FNM, in my view, has the best interest [of the Bahamian people at heart]. There's nothing perfect. We have our difficulties like anything else, but when it comes down to the running of the country, out of the two parties, FNM hands out."
He said while he has many friends in the Progressive Liberal Party and respects them, "I am an FNM. I don't want persons to get the wrong impression about me going to the PLP. That is not my position. I am going to support the FNM in any which way I can so that they are the next government of The Bahamas whenever the prime minister decides to call the election. I have faith in that party. I have faith in the leadership."
While McCartney stressed repeatedly that he respects the prime minister and his leadership style, he admitted that he had not been privy to the decision to transfer (now former) Deputy Director of Immigration Roderick Bowe to head the defence force.
He also admitted to The Guardian that he had no prior knowledge of the shift in the immigration policy following the January earthquake in Haiti. McCartney said he learned of the change in policy when the prime minister announced it to the media.
" I would have perhaps gone about it a different way. I probably would have waited a little longer to look at the situation, but I respect the prime minister's decision," he said.
Asked about the prime minister's public reversal of the Department of Immigration's decision to have tents and other supplies on hand to prepare for any possible influx of undocumented Haitian nationals in light of the earthquake, McCartney added, "I would have waited to see how the situation in Haiti panned out before making certain decisions."
McCartney — an attorney by profession — said his decision to leave the Cabinet at this time has nothing to do with the state of his finances.
"I got into politics 17 years after becoming a lawyer. This year is my 20th year. I turned 40 four days after I was elected. I made sure that when I got into politics I did not have to work and if I had to work, I had a very smart wife next to me who would pay my bills," he said with a chuckle. "Finances were not a problem. I made a commitment that my children can go to school, go to college prior to me entering the political arena.
"...Even my funds I made as a minister and MP — I'm not even sure how much that is — but everything went into my constituency, from a minister and an MP, whatever that salary is, those funds went into Bamboo Town. The number of programs we have in Bamboo Town, they don't come free."
McCartney said now that he has more time on his hands, he plans to spend even more of it in Bamboo Town.
"We're going to take it to different, new level now," he said.
"Bamboo Town is going to be the blueprint of all constituencies. You've got my word on that."
March 02, 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.
