FNM and PLP prepare for an election
tribune242 editorial
ON MONDAY, Prime Minister Ingraham announced the appointment of the Constituencies (Boundaries) Commission, which is expected to make its recommendations to Parliament by the end of this year with voters' cards ready for issue by early in the New Year.
By October 7, 134,000 voters had already registered in the 41 electoral constituencies for the 2012 election. They are still registering. However, the Boundaries Commission now has sufficient numbers to study the shifts in population in the various constituencies, and make recommendations to government on how the boundaries should be drawn for this election.
The Constitution provides for a minimum of 38 House members. Presently there are 41 (one extra seat added by the PLP in 2007), and so, if the population shifts warrant it, at least three constituencies can be eliminated and merged.
What a difference five years can make with a decisive prime minister at the helm.
At this time five years ago, then Prime Minister Perry Christie was still dithering. He had not yet announced the close of the register, because of the poor turnout of citizens. By November 2006 just over 63,000 voters had registered in New Providence out of a projected 120,000 voters.
According to Mr Christie, he could not close the register because Bahamians were not registering fast enough, which resulted in him not being able to appoint a Boundaries Commission to decide electoral boundaries.
On March 22, 2007 Mr Christie said that there were compelling reasons why the work of the commission had to be delayed, which had nothing to do with inaction by the commission or the government.
"Instead," he said, "the delay, regrettably as it was, was the direct result of the very slow process of Bahamians registering to vote."
By comparison, Mr Ingraham announced this week that by the first week in January 2012 the Parliamentary Registration Department is expected to start the distribution of voters' cards. By the same time five years ago Mr Christie was still begging Bahamians to register so that the Commission could make a decision on the boundaries.
Apparently, Mr Christie refused to recognise that many Bahamians are very much like him -- slow to decide and even slower to act. Although Mr Christie was advised to announce a closure date early in 2006 for the 2007 election -- as Mr Ingraham had done earlier this year for the 2012 election -- he refused to do so. He was told that the only way to get Bahamians to move was to fix a date -- the floodgates would open, and registration offices would be filled. This seemed to take an extra long time for Mr Christie to compute and so three months before the 2007 election the Boundaries Commissioners were still floundering -- still nothing to report. It was only on the morning of March 19, 2007 - two months before the election - that Mr Christie presented the House with the Boundaries report.
It did not take a genius to predict that the 2007 election was going to be one of confusion. Up to that point political candidates were not even certain of their districts. First Bahamians were blamed because they were too slow to register. And naturally at the end of the day, someone else had to be blamed for the inevitable confusion that was to follow when voting did start. Naturally, the poor Parliamentary Commissioner, through no fault of his own, had to be the fall guy for the indecision at the top.
Here it was March 19, 2007 with Mr Christie standing before the House with the Boundaries Commissions report to be presented. One of the Commissioner's signatures was missing -- that of Brent Symonette, the only Opposition member on the committee. Mr Symonette had refused to sign because the PLP members had shunted him aside, treating his opinion with complete contempt. This will not happen this year as Mr Symonette, again appointed to the Commission, is one of the two members representing the government.
At this point in 2007, the Constitution was closing in on Mr Christie. If he didn't do his famous two-step shuffle quickly, on May 22 Parliament would automatically dissolve itself without him.
It was a huffing and a puffing to the finish line, which was eventually announced for May 2. The results were inevitable - the FNM won 23 of the 41 seats with the PLP winning the other 18. And now five years later Bahamians face a new election with a decisive man at the top. It is now up to the electorate to decide whether they are going to entrust their future to a leader of indecision, or one of decision.
It is only a matter of months before Bahamians are called upon to make that decision.
October 12, 2011
tribune242 editorial
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.
Showing posts with label 2007 general election Bahamas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2007 general election Bahamas. Show all posts
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
WikiLeaks: 2007 U.S. Embassy diplomatic cables on the 2007 general election in The Bahamas
Cables examined 2007 PLP loss
CANDIA DAMES
NG News Editor
thenassauguardian
candia@nasguard.com
As politicians in The Bahamas craft their strategies ahead of the next general election, an examination of U.S. diplomatic cables on the 2007 poll may prove instructive.
One May 2007 cable said the Progressive Liberal Party held many advantages going into that election.
“It was a well-financed incumbent, held 29 of the 40 seats in Parliament, and boasted of a strong economy, job growth, and billions of dollars in new investments,” wrote a U.S. Embassy official.
“However, the PLP made a tactical error by focusing the election on the personalities of the two party leaders.
“Unlike former Prime Minister (Perry) Christie, (FNM leader Hubert) Ingraham is decisive — so much so that many blamed the FNM's 2002 election defeat on ‘Hubiggety’ Ingraham's imperial attitude.
“By focusing on personality, the PLP allowed the FNM to hammer away at the themes of trust and efficiency.”
It is not clear which official wrote that particular cable, but the name of Brent Hardt, then charge d’ affaires, is attached.
The cable noted that Ingraham, also known as ‘The Delivery Boy,’ is famous for his blunt honesty and his ability to deliver on his promises.
“This contrasted favorably for voters with Christie's reputation for tardiness, lack of control over his ministers, and inability to make tough decisions.”
The U.S. Embassy official wrote that the PLP's campaign theme —"So Said, So Done" — only served to highlight its own lack of action on outstanding electoral promises.
The cable said the FNM's theme — "It's About Trust" — resonated with a populace frustrated by Christie's scandal-plagued MPs, and the FNM buttressed this theme with pledges of open government and anti-corruption legislation.
The FNM's victory came also from its superior party organization, the cable said.
“In a 2005 conversation with the charge, PLP chairman Raynard Rigby had praised Ingraham's skills as a grassroots campaign organizer and predicted a tough fight for the PLP if Ingraham resumed party leadership,” the cable wrote.
“Rigby's prediction came true, as the FNM's party machinery was the driving force during the election. FNM constituency workers were electronically connected to headquarters and its detailed electronic maps and databases, with clear plans for house-to-house outreach and a unified approach to national advertising.”
The cable added, “Even on election day, FNM election workers coordinated like cogs in a well-oiled national machine while PLP workers labored, constituency by constituency, with little evident coordination.”
In a pre-election meeting, Ingraham told the embassy that Christie was a likable man and gifted speaker, but he was the last person you would want to organize a government.
“The prime minister's office was notorious inside and outside the government for its inefficiency and disorder,” the cable said.
“The PLP's inability to organize itself effectively for the election clearly flowed from the top.
“In fact, Christie's indecisiveness kept him from calling an early election, when the FNM was in leadership crisis and Ingraham still had one foot in retirement.
“Instead he waited until the last possible moment and thereby allowed Ingraham and the FNM the maximum time to get their feared organizational machinery in gear.”
The cable said demographic shifts also played a key role in the election.
“Traditional PLP seats in the low-income center of New Providence and traditional FNM seats on the beachfronts were fairly secure for each party,” it said.
“However, as The Bahamas has developed and as income and education levels have risen, constituents have moved from the traditional PLP areas into new middle-class areas.”
This shift has expanded the potential FNM base and eroded traditional loyalty to the PLP as the party of independence among those who view the FNM agenda as better suited to middle-class sensibilities, the cable said.
As a result, the FNM took most of the battleground districts with mixed constituencies, it added.
Another key demographic change was the large increase in young and first-time voters who are less tolerant of traditional Caribbean handout politics and want their representatives to deliver good governance, it added.
In fact, perceptions of poor PLP performance in government dogged PLP candidates, the embassy official wrote.
“While the FNM candidates discussed their plans to develop local government and improve services, the PLP candidates were forced to defend their sketchy record,” the cable said.
“In many cases, constituents were fed up with poor trash collection, bad roads, and perceived indifference of the parliamentary representatives to their concerns.”
According to the cable, these three winning factors — demographic shifts, national party organization and a focus on good governance —framed an election of differing campaign styles and parties with differing core values.
“The PLP is still the party of Lynden Pindling, the father of Bahamian independence whose later years were tarnished by allegations of drug-related corruption,” the embassy official wrote.
Rooted in the working-class neighborhoods of The Bahamas and quick to evoke issue of race, the PLP continued to campaign in the Pindling era style of perks for constituents, the cable said.
“The FNM victory reflects a politically maturing Bahamas, focused on modern governance and a more integrated, national approach to politics that clearly attracted younger and middle-class voters towards the party.”
The official noted that the 2007 race was the closest in decades and said “the PLP is well positioned to be a strong opposition in Parliament.”
Jun 20, 2011
thenassauguardian
CANDIA DAMES
NG News Editor
thenassauguardian
candia@nasguard.com
As politicians in The Bahamas craft their strategies ahead of the next general election, an examination of U.S. diplomatic cables on the 2007 poll may prove instructive.
One May 2007 cable said the Progressive Liberal Party held many advantages going into that election.
“It was a well-financed incumbent, held 29 of the 40 seats in Parliament, and boasted of a strong economy, job growth, and billions of dollars in new investments,” wrote a U.S. Embassy official.
“However, the PLP made a tactical error by focusing the election on the personalities of the two party leaders.
“Unlike former Prime Minister (Perry) Christie, (FNM leader Hubert) Ingraham is decisive — so much so that many blamed the FNM's 2002 election defeat on ‘Hubiggety’ Ingraham's imperial attitude.
“By focusing on personality, the PLP allowed the FNM to hammer away at the themes of trust and efficiency.”
It is not clear which official wrote that particular cable, but the name of Brent Hardt, then charge d’ affaires, is attached.
The cable noted that Ingraham, also known as ‘The Delivery Boy,’ is famous for his blunt honesty and his ability to deliver on his promises.
“This contrasted favorably for voters with Christie's reputation for tardiness, lack of control over his ministers, and inability to make tough decisions.”
The U.S. Embassy official wrote that the PLP's campaign theme —"So Said, So Done" — only served to highlight its own lack of action on outstanding electoral promises.
The cable said the FNM's theme — "It's About Trust" — resonated with a populace frustrated by Christie's scandal-plagued MPs, and the FNM buttressed this theme with pledges of open government and anti-corruption legislation.
The FNM's victory came also from its superior party organization, the cable said.
“In a 2005 conversation with the charge, PLP chairman Raynard Rigby had praised Ingraham's skills as a grassroots campaign organizer and predicted a tough fight for the PLP if Ingraham resumed party leadership,” the cable wrote.
“Rigby's prediction came true, as the FNM's party machinery was the driving force during the election. FNM constituency workers were electronically connected to headquarters and its detailed electronic maps and databases, with clear plans for house-to-house outreach and a unified approach to national advertising.”
The cable added, “Even on election day, FNM election workers coordinated like cogs in a well-oiled national machine while PLP workers labored, constituency by constituency, with little evident coordination.”
In a pre-election meeting, Ingraham told the embassy that Christie was a likable man and gifted speaker, but he was the last person you would want to organize a government.
“The prime minister's office was notorious inside and outside the government for its inefficiency and disorder,” the cable said.
“The PLP's inability to organize itself effectively for the election clearly flowed from the top.
“In fact, Christie's indecisiveness kept him from calling an early election, when the FNM was in leadership crisis and Ingraham still had one foot in retirement.
“Instead he waited until the last possible moment and thereby allowed Ingraham and the FNM the maximum time to get their feared organizational machinery in gear.”
The cable said demographic shifts also played a key role in the election.
“Traditional PLP seats in the low-income center of New Providence and traditional FNM seats on the beachfronts were fairly secure for each party,” it said.
“However, as The Bahamas has developed and as income and education levels have risen, constituents have moved from the traditional PLP areas into new middle-class areas.”
This shift has expanded the potential FNM base and eroded traditional loyalty to the PLP as the party of independence among those who view the FNM agenda as better suited to middle-class sensibilities, the cable said.
As a result, the FNM took most of the battleground districts with mixed constituencies, it added.
Another key demographic change was the large increase in young and first-time voters who are less tolerant of traditional Caribbean handout politics and want their representatives to deliver good governance, it added.
In fact, perceptions of poor PLP performance in government dogged PLP candidates, the embassy official wrote.
“While the FNM candidates discussed their plans to develop local government and improve services, the PLP candidates were forced to defend their sketchy record,” the cable said.
“In many cases, constituents were fed up with poor trash collection, bad roads, and perceived indifference of the parliamentary representatives to their concerns.”
According to the cable, these three winning factors — demographic shifts, national party organization and a focus on good governance —framed an election of differing campaign styles and parties with differing core values.
“The PLP is still the party of Lynden Pindling, the father of Bahamian independence whose later years were tarnished by allegations of drug-related corruption,” the embassy official wrote.
Rooted in the working-class neighborhoods of The Bahamas and quick to evoke issue of race, the PLP continued to campaign in the Pindling era style of perks for constituents, the cable said.
“The FNM victory reflects a politically maturing Bahamas, focused on modern governance and a more integrated, national approach to politics that clearly attracted younger and middle-class voters towards the party.”
The official noted that the 2007 race was the closest in decades and said “the PLP is well positioned to be a strong opposition in Parliament.”
Jun 20, 2011
thenassauguardian
Sunday, June 19, 2011
WikiLeaks cables: Perry Christie, the opposition leader planned to resign from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) if it was unsuccessful in its Election Court challenges that followed the 2007 general election - according to a U.S. Embassy diplomatic cable written in 2008
Cable: Christie considered resigning
BY CANDIA DAMES
NG News Editor
thenassauguardian
candia@nasguard.com
U.S. Embassy official says 'backstabbing' plagued PLP govt
Opposition Leader Perry Christie told a U.S. Embassy official that he planned to resign from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) if the party was unsuccessful in its Election Court challenges that followed the 2007 poll, according to a diplomatic cable written in 2008.
The official wrote that Christie indicated that “he would stay on only as long as the PLP had a realistic chance of being named the victor in the contested seats.”
It is unclear which embassy official wrote the cable, but then Ambassador Ned Siegel’s name is at the end of the document.
Following the 2007 general election, the PLP through its defeated candidates challenged three seats: Pinewood, Marco City and Blue Hills.
It lost both the Pinewood and Marco City challenges. The Blue Hills challenge was dropped.
Leslie Miller, who ran for the PLP in Blue Hills, said he considered the challenge a waste of time, as elections are not won in court.
After the Pinewood loss, and Kenyatta Gibson’s resignation from the PLP, the American diplomat speculated in the 2008 cable that Christie was about to step down.
“For the foreseeable future, the PLP will be distracted and consumed with its ongoing internal disarray and lack of direction,” the official wrote.
“The party convention, if and when it is held, may not resolve even the leadership crisis....With this defection (Gibson) and the FNM victory in the first court challenge, it is likely that Christie will now step aside unless the factionalism is so strong that no consensus can be reached on a successor.”
In the 2008 cable, the embassy official wrote, “Gibson’s resignation is a big nail in Perry Christie’s political coffin.
“It will intensify pressure for Christie to step aside for new leadership. It also eases political pressure on the FNM, which is expecting to win ongoing court challenges to three seats by the PLP.”
The embassy official expressed the view that Gibson’s “attack” on Christie after his resignation from the party was ironic given that he was one of the MPs involved in a high-profile fight in the Cabinet Office while the PLP was in office.
“Christie’s unwillingness to replace Gibson fed the image of his indecisiveness as a leader, and of the PLP as a party without internal discipline,” the cable said.
“Christie no doubt feels personally betrayed for having stood by Gibson only to have Gibson bite his hand.”
The cable added: “The resignation has laid bare the fractional lines in the party, with the party’s official website now being used to criticize other members, and those members in turn publicly criticizing the party’s own website.”
The embassy official wrote that Gibson’s resignation undermined the PLP leadership’s post-election strategy of contesting the three seats.
“The resignation, which was accompanied by a blistering exchange with the PLP leadership, is a blow to the embattled PLP leader, former Prime Minister Perry Christie.”
The official opined at the time that Gibson’s resignation was certain to reopen debate about Christie’s record and the need for strategic changes following the PLP’s “shock election defeat” in May 2007.
“The unexpected resignation has bared to the public the infighting and backstabbing that had plagued the PLP during its time in office and has only intensified following the PLP’s loss,” the cable said.
“The turnabout in parliamentary fortunes eases pressure on the FNM government as it struggles to deal with daunting challenges of crime and stagnating tourism numbers.”
The U.S. Embassy official also wrote that Gibson’s surprise resignation not only upset the PLP’s post-election strategy, but further undermined the already “weak position of PLP leader Perry Christie who, like the rest of the party, was reportedly blindsided by the news.”
The official noted in that 2008 cable that Gibson’s resignation came only days after the PLP’s spokesman on foreign affairs, Fred Mitchell, sought to downplay in a media statement the liklihood of any leadership challenges at the next PLP convention.
“On the contrary, Gibson’s strategically timed announcement on the eve of the anniversary of the PLP’s achievement of Majority Rule in 1967 added insult to injury by upstaging the party’s commemoration,” the official said.
“It has also intensified questions about Christie’s viability as opposition leader.”
But at the party’s convention in 2009, Christie crushed his opponents, winning more than 80 percent of the votes cast for party leader.
RELIEF FOR EMBATTLED FNM
The 2008 cable characterized Kenyatta Gibson’s resignation as a relief for the “embattled Free National Movement”.
“Striking like a thunderbolt out of a clear blue sky, news of Gibson’s resignation came just in time to become the top story on evening news broadcasts and morning newspaper headlines, pushing all other current affairs aside,” the official wrote.
The cable added that the media splash handed the FNM a bit of unexpected relief after months of pressure from negative crime stories and unfavorable tourism numbers, coupled with stinging opposition attacks over both.
“The FNM’s presumed courtship of another MP whose allegiance to the PLP may be shaky, Malcom Adderley, may also return to center stage,” the official wrote.
“Speculation about Adderley’s loyalties returned to the forefront recently after Prime Minister Ingraham reappointed him to a two-year position as chairman of the Gaming Board, the sole PLP member to hold on to such a position after the May 2007 elections.
“While the urgency of such an effort might wane, the prospects for another defection cannot be ruled out.”
Adderley resigned from the PLP and Parliament in early 2010, triggering the Elizabeth by-election, which was won by the PLP’s Ryan Pinder.
In a recent interview with The Nassau Guardian, Christie said some of what the American diplomats attributed to him was inaccurate, and their characterization of him as weak and indecisive was also wrong.
Christie said the leak of the cables is a lesson to public officials that they need to be more disciplined in how they deal with foreign diplomats.
Christie added that he had no concerns that the cables would negatively affect him politically.
Jun 17, 2011
thenassauguardian
BY CANDIA DAMES
NG News Editor
thenassauguardian
candia@nasguard.com
U.S. Embassy official says 'backstabbing' plagued PLP govt
Opposition Leader Perry Christie told a U.S. Embassy official that he planned to resign from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) if the party was unsuccessful in its Election Court challenges that followed the 2007 poll, according to a diplomatic cable written in 2008.
The official wrote that Christie indicated that “he would stay on only as long as the PLP had a realistic chance of being named the victor in the contested seats.”
It is unclear which embassy official wrote the cable, but then Ambassador Ned Siegel’s name is at the end of the document.
Following the 2007 general election, the PLP through its defeated candidates challenged three seats: Pinewood, Marco City and Blue Hills.
It lost both the Pinewood and Marco City challenges. The Blue Hills challenge was dropped.
Leslie Miller, who ran for the PLP in Blue Hills, said he considered the challenge a waste of time, as elections are not won in court.
After the Pinewood loss, and Kenyatta Gibson’s resignation from the PLP, the American diplomat speculated in the 2008 cable that Christie was about to step down.
“For the foreseeable future, the PLP will be distracted and consumed with its ongoing internal disarray and lack of direction,” the official wrote.
“The party convention, if and when it is held, may not resolve even the leadership crisis....With this defection (Gibson) and the FNM victory in the first court challenge, it is likely that Christie will now step aside unless the factionalism is so strong that no consensus can be reached on a successor.”
In the 2008 cable, the embassy official wrote, “Gibson’s resignation is a big nail in Perry Christie’s political coffin.
“It will intensify pressure for Christie to step aside for new leadership. It also eases political pressure on the FNM, which is expecting to win ongoing court challenges to three seats by the PLP.”
The embassy official expressed the view that Gibson’s “attack” on Christie after his resignation from the party was ironic given that he was one of the MPs involved in a high-profile fight in the Cabinet Office while the PLP was in office.
“Christie’s unwillingness to replace Gibson fed the image of his indecisiveness as a leader, and of the PLP as a party without internal discipline,” the cable said.
“Christie no doubt feels personally betrayed for having stood by Gibson only to have Gibson bite his hand.”
The cable added: “The resignation has laid bare the fractional lines in the party, with the party’s official website now being used to criticize other members, and those members in turn publicly criticizing the party’s own website.”
The embassy official wrote that Gibson’s resignation undermined the PLP leadership’s post-election strategy of contesting the three seats.
“The resignation, which was accompanied by a blistering exchange with the PLP leadership, is a blow to the embattled PLP leader, former Prime Minister Perry Christie.”
The official opined at the time that Gibson’s resignation was certain to reopen debate about Christie’s record and the need for strategic changes following the PLP’s “shock election defeat” in May 2007.
“The unexpected resignation has bared to the public the infighting and backstabbing that had plagued the PLP during its time in office and has only intensified following the PLP’s loss,” the cable said.
“The turnabout in parliamentary fortunes eases pressure on the FNM government as it struggles to deal with daunting challenges of crime and stagnating tourism numbers.”
The U.S. Embassy official also wrote that Gibson’s surprise resignation not only upset the PLP’s post-election strategy, but further undermined the already “weak position of PLP leader Perry Christie who, like the rest of the party, was reportedly blindsided by the news.”
The official noted in that 2008 cable that Gibson’s resignation came only days after the PLP’s spokesman on foreign affairs, Fred Mitchell, sought to downplay in a media statement the liklihood of any leadership challenges at the next PLP convention.
“On the contrary, Gibson’s strategically timed announcement on the eve of the anniversary of the PLP’s achievement of Majority Rule in 1967 added insult to injury by upstaging the party’s commemoration,” the official said.
“It has also intensified questions about Christie’s viability as opposition leader.”
But at the party’s convention in 2009, Christie crushed his opponents, winning more than 80 percent of the votes cast for party leader.
RELIEF FOR EMBATTLED FNM
The 2008 cable characterized Kenyatta Gibson’s resignation as a relief for the “embattled Free National Movement”.
“Striking like a thunderbolt out of a clear blue sky, news of Gibson’s resignation came just in time to become the top story on evening news broadcasts and morning newspaper headlines, pushing all other current affairs aside,” the official wrote.
The cable added that the media splash handed the FNM a bit of unexpected relief after months of pressure from negative crime stories and unfavorable tourism numbers, coupled with stinging opposition attacks over both.
“The FNM’s presumed courtship of another MP whose allegiance to the PLP may be shaky, Malcom Adderley, may also return to center stage,” the official wrote.
“Speculation about Adderley’s loyalties returned to the forefront recently after Prime Minister Ingraham reappointed him to a two-year position as chairman of the Gaming Board, the sole PLP member to hold on to such a position after the May 2007 elections.
“While the urgency of such an effort might wane, the prospects for another defection cannot be ruled out.”
Adderley resigned from the PLP and Parliament in early 2010, triggering the Elizabeth by-election, which was won by the PLP’s Ryan Pinder.
In a recent interview with The Nassau Guardian, Christie said some of what the American diplomats attributed to him was inaccurate, and their characterization of him as weak and indecisive was also wrong.
Christie said the leak of the cables is a lesson to public officials that they need to be more disciplined in how they deal with foreign diplomats.
Christie added that he had no concerns that the cables would negatively affect him politically.
Jun 17, 2011
thenassauguardian
Monday, May 16, 2011
Prominent Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) members want several PLP Members of Parliament to not receive nominations to run in the next general election
PLPs move to block nominations... Christie asked to make ‘bold’ decisions
By CANDIA DAMES
Guardian News Editor
candia@nasguard.com
Three prominent members of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) are appealing to party leader Perry Christie to ensure that several PLP Members of Parliament do not receive nominations to run in the next general election, claiming the party might be guaranteed a loss with them on the ticket.
Former parliamentarian George Smith, former PLP chairman Raynard Rigby, and Philip Galanis, who coordinated the party’s campaign in 2007, wrote to Christie recently and suggested the party could not win at the polls if it runs Shane Gibson (Golden Gates); Vincent Peet (North Andros), Obie Wilchcombe (West End and Bimini) and V. Alfred Gray (MICAL).
The party has not yet announced any candidates for those constituencies but there is a widely held view inside and outside the PLP that the incumbents will seek re-election.
Smith, Rigby and Galanis also suggested to Christie that former Minister Leslie Miller, who has already been ratified by the National General Council of the PLP for Blue Hills, be removed from the ticket.
“We also hold the view that the candidacy of Anthony Moss and Picewell Forbes must be carefully reviewed based on the need to have competent and capable candidates, worthy of service in the Cabinet of The Bahamas,” the men wrote.
In the letter, dated May 5, 2011, the prominent PLPs also pointed to the Greenberg Quinlan Rosner report, completed in 2007 after the party’s defeat at the polls.
The researchers hired by the PLP concluded that the PLP faced four fundamental challenges: Expanding the party's base; cleansing the party's reputation; conveying former Prime Minister Perry Christie's leadership qualities and advancing a progressive social agenda.
A majority of Bahamian voters surveyed by the internationally-renowned research group said they did not vote for the PLP because they perceived Christie to be a weak and indecisive leader.
The researchers — who reportedly surveyed more than 1,200 people — also concluded that the PLP lost in part because of perceptions that its government was scandal-ridden.
Smith, Rigby and Galanis said this “disturbing” perception must be addressed and it must be evident in the candidates selected.
“We also hold the view that the party and its leadership must seek to restore the confidence that the people lost in the party,” the authors of the letter added.
“...We are confident that the Bahamian people will see you as a different kind of leader if you act now to safeguard the interest of the party.
“In fact, the Bahamian people elected the PLP, under your leadership in 2002, because you took a principled position and publicly declared that you preferred to lose doing what was right rather than to win doing what was wrong.
“It is our view that this same approach must be employed by you during the upcoming election so that the Bahamian people can be convinced that your leadership will be transforming.”
Most of the MPs named in the letter have all come under fire at some point in various controversies that have ensnared the party.
Gibson resigned from Christie’s Cabinet in early 2007 after The Tribune newspaper printed photographs of him in an intimate embrace with the late actress Anna Nicole Smith. He was accused by the Free National Movement (FNM) of fast-tracking the residency application of Smith, who had become a close family friend.
However, Gibson was still nominated for the 2007 election and was re-elected.
However, the Greenberg report pointed to the Anna Nicole controversy as one of the reasons for the PLP’s defeat in 2007.
Around the same time as that debacle was grabbing headlines, another minister was embroiled in what some termed a significant scandal.
Peet — who was once a young minister in the Cabinet of the late former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling — faced a whirlwind of controversy after information came to light that his driver stole a substantial sum of money from his bedroom closet. At the time of the theft, he was minister of labor and immigration in the Christie Cabinet.
Peet sued Hubert Ingraham as leader of the FNM for comments he made at several rallies over the money-in-the-closet incident. However, there is no evidence the lawsuit went anywhere.
More recently, Wilchcombe was questioned by police in connection with the alleged attempted extortion of American actor John Travolta.
The MP was never charged with a crime and was one of the witnesses in the case against his friend and business partner, attorney Pleasant Bridgewater, who at the time was a PLP senator.
Many observers believe the incident hurt Wilchcombe’s chances of becoming deputy leader of the party. Many observers inside and outside the PLP also believe he could never make a successful bid at the leadership.
Prior to the Travolta matter, Wilchcombe had been widely viewed as a likely successor to Christie.
The alleged plot was reportedly hatched in January 2009, not long after Travolta’s teenage son died on Grand Bahama.
In October that year, Forbes, the South Andros MP, declared while on stage at a PLP convention that Bridgewater was a free woman.
But the jury in the case was still deliberating. Senior Justice Anita Allen (now Court of Appeal president) declared a mistrial in the case.
In an unrelated matter, Gray threatened to sue The Tribune and the Punch over certain allegations relating to his alleged conduct.
These matters have long faded from the headlines, but Smith, Rigby and Galanis believe they could come back to haunt the PLP during the approaching campaign season.
“WEAK AND INDECISIVE”
In the run-up to the 2007 general election, the FNM, using a string of alleged scandals in the then-governing party to bolster its case, pointed to Christie's perceived "weak and indecisive" leadership style.
The three authors of the letter to Christie believe this perception has not gone away.
They wrote: “We also cannot lose sight of the fact that there is a growing perception that you are indecisive.
“This is a perception that the FNM will attempt to use as their advantage. We have already seen signs of their use over the past few weeks.
“Faced with this reality, it is our considered view that to defeat the impact of the FNM’s characterizations of your style of leadership, bold decisions must be made about the party’s ticket in the next election.
“This will allow you to speak to the intellectual and moral depth of the team and to demonstrate to the public that those who have (and continue to have) a negative perception were dropped from the ticket, a bold decision that you made as leader.
“To show your strength as leader, you must act with boldness and the public will see that you understood what our defeat in 2007 was about.”
Explaining why they believe the Miller nomination should be withdrawn, Smith, Rigby and Galanis pointed to the recent controversy in which Miller found himself when the Department of Customs initially refused to release one of his containers.
Customs Comptroller Glenn Gomez had said documentation needed to clear the container was incorrect and he also claimed that Miller, a prominent businessman, owed the department a substantial sum of money.
Miller told The Nassau Guardian at the time that there were errors with the invoices. The container was eventually released after payment was made.
He also strongly denied he owed a substantial amount in duties.
Still, the authors of the letter believe this situation could reflect poorly on the party in the campaign.
Referring to Miller, Gibson, Peet, Wilchcombe and Gray, the three prominent PLPs wrote to Christie: “We also fully appreciate the fact that these men served in your Cabinet.
“This makes the decision more important as it is likely that upon the party’s return to the government, you are more likely than not to extend to them similar postings.”
They added, “It is our considered view that the cloud and perception that encircle them are too much for the party to address during an intense and fiercely divided campaign.
“As you know, the good of one man should never overshadow the good of the thousands of supporters who expect us to do all in our power to secure the party’s victory.
“This must be our sacred approach to the selection and identification of our standard bearers in this election cycle.”
Referring to Moss and Forbes, the letter writers said, “We have been led to understand that these men have lost considerable influence and ground in their respective constituencies and the party must ensure that their presence on the ticket will not lead to defeats in these areas.
“Exuma and South Andros are valuable to the party in forming the next government and therefore all efforts must be employed to ensure that our base is galvanized behind these incumbents, otherwise the party must begin the search for new ‘winning’ candidates.”
The party has already ratified the candidacy of attorney Arnold Forbes for Mount Moriah, but Smith, Rigby and Galanis also advised Christie that this decision ought to be reviewed.
May 16, 2011
thenassauguardian
By CANDIA DAMES
Guardian News Editor
candia@nasguard.com
Three prominent members of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) are appealing to party leader Perry Christie to ensure that several PLP Members of Parliament do not receive nominations to run in the next general election, claiming the party might be guaranteed a loss with them on the ticket.
Former parliamentarian George Smith, former PLP chairman Raynard Rigby, and Philip Galanis, who coordinated the party’s campaign in 2007, wrote to Christie recently and suggested the party could not win at the polls if it runs Shane Gibson (Golden Gates); Vincent Peet (North Andros), Obie Wilchcombe (West End and Bimini) and V. Alfred Gray (MICAL).
The party has not yet announced any candidates for those constituencies but there is a widely held view inside and outside the PLP that the incumbents will seek re-election.
Smith, Rigby and Galanis also suggested to Christie that former Minister Leslie Miller, who has already been ratified by the National General Council of the PLP for Blue Hills, be removed from the ticket.
“We also hold the view that the candidacy of Anthony Moss and Picewell Forbes must be carefully reviewed based on the need to have competent and capable candidates, worthy of service in the Cabinet of The Bahamas,” the men wrote.
In the letter, dated May 5, 2011, the prominent PLPs also pointed to the Greenberg Quinlan Rosner report, completed in 2007 after the party’s defeat at the polls.
The researchers hired by the PLP concluded that the PLP faced four fundamental challenges: Expanding the party's base; cleansing the party's reputation; conveying former Prime Minister Perry Christie's leadership qualities and advancing a progressive social agenda.
A majority of Bahamian voters surveyed by the internationally-renowned research group said they did not vote for the PLP because they perceived Christie to be a weak and indecisive leader.
The researchers — who reportedly surveyed more than 1,200 people — also concluded that the PLP lost in part because of perceptions that its government was scandal-ridden.
Smith, Rigby and Galanis said this “disturbing” perception must be addressed and it must be evident in the candidates selected.
“We also hold the view that the party and its leadership must seek to restore the confidence that the people lost in the party,” the authors of the letter added.
“...We are confident that the Bahamian people will see you as a different kind of leader if you act now to safeguard the interest of the party.
“In fact, the Bahamian people elected the PLP, under your leadership in 2002, because you took a principled position and publicly declared that you preferred to lose doing what was right rather than to win doing what was wrong.
“It is our view that this same approach must be employed by you during the upcoming election so that the Bahamian people can be convinced that your leadership will be transforming.”
Most of the MPs named in the letter have all come under fire at some point in various controversies that have ensnared the party.
Gibson resigned from Christie’s Cabinet in early 2007 after The Tribune newspaper printed photographs of him in an intimate embrace with the late actress Anna Nicole Smith. He was accused by the Free National Movement (FNM) of fast-tracking the residency application of Smith, who had become a close family friend.
However, Gibson was still nominated for the 2007 election and was re-elected.
However, the Greenberg report pointed to the Anna Nicole controversy as one of the reasons for the PLP’s defeat in 2007.
Around the same time as that debacle was grabbing headlines, another minister was embroiled in what some termed a significant scandal.
Peet — who was once a young minister in the Cabinet of the late former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling — faced a whirlwind of controversy after information came to light that his driver stole a substantial sum of money from his bedroom closet. At the time of the theft, he was minister of labor and immigration in the Christie Cabinet.
Peet sued Hubert Ingraham as leader of the FNM for comments he made at several rallies over the money-in-the-closet incident. However, there is no evidence the lawsuit went anywhere.
More recently, Wilchcombe was questioned by police in connection with the alleged attempted extortion of American actor John Travolta.
The MP was never charged with a crime and was one of the witnesses in the case against his friend and business partner, attorney Pleasant Bridgewater, who at the time was a PLP senator.
Many observers believe the incident hurt Wilchcombe’s chances of becoming deputy leader of the party. Many observers inside and outside the PLP also believe he could never make a successful bid at the leadership.
Prior to the Travolta matter, Wilchcombe had been widely viewed as a likely successor to Christie.
The alleged plot was reportedly hatched in January 2009, not long after Travolta’s teenage son died on Grand Bahama.
In October that year, Forbes, the South Andros MP, declared while on stage at a PLP convention that Bridgewater was a free woman.
But the jury in the case was still deliberating. Senior Justice Anita Allen (now Court of Appeal president) declared a mistrial in the case.
In an unrelated matter, Gray threatened to sue The Tribune and the Punch over certain allegations relating to his alleged conduct.
These matters have long faded from the headlines, but Smith, Rigby and Galanis believe they could come back to haunt the PLP during the approaching campaign season.
“WEAK AND INDECISIVE”
In the run-up to the 2007 general election, the FNM, using a string of alleged scandals in the then-governing party to bolster its case, pointed to Christie's perceived "weak and indecisive" leadership style.
The three authors of the letter to Christie believe this perception has not gone away.
They wrote: “We also cannot lose sight of the fact that there is a growing perception that you are indecisive.
“This is a perception that the FNM will attempt to use as their advantage. We have already seen signs of their use over the past few weeks.
“Faced with this reality, it is our considered view that to defeat the impact of the FNM’s characterizations of your style of leadership, bold decisions must be made about the party’s ticket in the next election.
“This will allow you to speak to the intellectual and moral depth of the team and to demonstrate to the public that those who have (and continue to have) a negative perception were dropped from the ticket, a bold decision that you made as leader.
“To show your strength as leader, you must act with boldness and the public will see that you understood what our defeat in 2007 was about.”
Explaining why they believe the Miller nomination should be withdrawn, Smith, Rigby and Galanis pointed to the recent controversy in which Miller found himself when the Department of Customs initially refused to release one of his containers.
Customs Comptroller Glenn Gomez had said documentation needed to clear the container was incorrect and he also claimed that Miller, a prominent businessman, owed the department a substantial sum of money.
Miller told The Nassau Guardian at the time that there were errors with the invoices. The container was eventually released after payment was made.
He also strongly denied he owed a substantial amount in duties.
Still, the authors of the letter believe this situation could reflect poorly on the party in the campaign.
Referring to Miller, Gibson, Peet, Wilchcombe and Gray, the three prominent PLPs wrote to Christie: “We also fully appreciate the fact that these men served in your Cabinet.
“This makes the decision more important as it is likely that upon the party’s return to the government, you are more likely than not to extend to them similar postings.”
They added, “It is our considered view that the cloud and perception that encircle them are too much for the party to address during an intense and fiercely divided campaign.
“As you know, the good of one man should never overshadow the good of the thousands of supporters who expect us to do all in our power to secure the party’s victory.
“This must be our sacred approach to the selection and identification of our standard bearers in this election cycle.”
Referring to Moss and Forbes, the letter writers said, “We have been led to understand that these men have lost considerable influence and ground in their respective constituencies and the party must ensure that their presence on the ticket will not lead to defeats in these areas.
“Exuma and South Andros are valuable to the party in forming the next government and therefore all efforts must be employed to ensure that our base is galvanized behind these incumbents, otherwise the party must begin the search for new ‘winning’ candidates.”
The party has already ratified the candidacy of attorney Arnold Forbes for Mount Moriah, but Smith, Rigby and Galanis also advised Christie that this decision ought to be reviewed.
May 16, 2011
thenassauguardian
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Tommy Turnquest: ...the high level of violent crime in the country does not mean the governing Free National Movement (FNM) has failed in its anti-crime efforts
Turnquest: Govt has not failed on crime
By CANDIA DAMES
NG News Editor
candia@nasguard.com
In the lead-up to the 2007 general election, concerns about the high level of violent crime were high on the Free National Movement (FNM) party’s list of talking points.
At a rally on April 27, just days before the vote, then FNM leader Hubert Ingraham pointed out that Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) leader Perry Christie had declared a week before the 2002 election that “any government which couldn’t get crime under control had no right to brag about anything else.”
“Now he’s going all over the country bragging about the little record they do have,” Ingraham told rally-goers that night.
“They didn’t bring crime under control and they did very little else. The PLP, which offered so much on the issue of crime, couldn’t even buy police new vehicles on time.
“Now they tell us they have a new major four-point crime plan. Where was that plan in the last couple of years?”
During the campaign, Ingraham and the FNM vowed strong action against crime.
The FNM won the election four years ago yesterday. The PLP’s record was not enough to win it re-election.
Today, crime and the fear of crime remain high.
But Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest said yesterday that the high level of violent crime in the country does not mean the FNM has failed in its anti-crime efforts.
“We accept that crime is at an unacceptable level,” he said.
“We accept the fact that crime is a major issue in the country today, that as the government of The Bahamas it’s our responsibility to take the lead and to lead the way in the fight against crime.
“But our crime situation is multi-faceted. There are a lot of social problems that we have to deal with and that we continue to deal with.
“It’s not just a matter of providing additional resources to the police, which we have done. It’s also dealing with those social issues which we are addressing.
“It’s also dealing with the challenges within the judicial system which we are also dealing with. So it’s not the fact that we have failed in regard to it; I don’t think we have failed at all.
“I think we have to ensure that those hardened criminals who continue to beat our judicial system are put behind bars.”
In a statement slamming the FNM government on its fourth anniversary in office yesterday, the PLP pointed to the high murder rate, and added, “The FNM claims to have a plan for crime, but during the prime minister’s national address (last week) he promised to get back to the Bahamian people on his plan for crime.
“This is proof positive that the issues that are most important to the Bahamian people are not the priorities of the FNM government.
“Further, on their watch the fear of crime has increased so much so that people are afraid to leave their homes. Whatever measures the FNM government has taken were ineffective in arresting this scourge that threatens our national security and continued economic viability.”
Turnquest said of the 43 murders that have been recorded so far this year, 23 were as a result of conflicts and retaliation.
“When you look at those statistics you have to put this whole crime scenario in proper context,” he said.
Asked if the Ingraham administration has been aggressive enough in dealing with the crime problem, Turnquest said, “We have been extremely aggressive. While we haven’t been very talkative about it, we’ve been very steadfast in getting things done.
“That’s been our focus.”
He said the government has provided the necessary resources for law enforcement officers and the necessary infrastructure for the judiciary.
“We continue to be very focused,” Turnquest said. “Our strategy continues to be very resourceful, to be very focused.”
PLP’s 2007 CRIME PLAN
In its crime plan released right before the 2007 general election, the PLP promised to involve all stakeholders — the security forces, political organizations, central and local government and government agencies, civil society, and residents through island-wide consultations — on the appropriate elements needed for the implementation of its National Crime Prevention Programme.
The party pledged that within six months of a second term in office it would position the police force to be "more preemptive in the fight against crime in the 21st Century."
"We will make available the additional capital resources for effective police and defense forces," the party’s Action Agenda said.
"We will provide them with the necessary resources to ensure their modernization by the provision of cutting edge technology to assist with criminal investigation and communication tools."
The PLP also promised in its Action Agenda that the police force would receive an expanded fleet of patrol cars and officers along with the requisite resources to support 24-hour a day patrolling in the 25 districts of New Providence.
Additionally, it pledged to expand the number of police stations on Family Islands and in New Providence to ensure increased police presence.
"We will upgrade the system and response rate for calls to the police emergency numbers by ensuring that the ratio of cars to the mobile unit is appropriate and by providing the required amount of multi-purpose vehicles," the Action Agenda said.
The PLP also pledged to provide the necessary resources to continue the illegal drug fight.
The party further promised that if elected to a second term, it would: expand community-policing; encourage the establishment of additional community neighborhood watch programs; identify areas of potential conflict in communities and establish strategic alliances with the church; strengthen and promote the Witness Protection Program; and ensure a reduction in domestic violence.
The Action Agenda said the PLP would also introduce legislation to establish an Armed Forces Complaints Agency to monitor and investigate complaints against police, the defence force and the other uniformed agencies.
At the time of the document’s release, then Prime Minister Perry Christie said, "Ours is the only plan that offers innovative and viable strategies, and real hope, for conquering this menace (crime) once and for all."
5/3/2011
thenassauguardian
By CANDIA DAMES
NG News Editor
candia@nasguard.com
In the lead-up to the 2007 general election, concerns about the high level of violent crime were high on the Free National Movement (FNM) party’s list of talking points.
At a rally on April 27, just days before the vote, then FNM leader Hubert Ingraham pointed out that Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) leader Perry Christie had declared a week before the 2002 election that “any government which couldn’t get crime under control had no right to brag about anything else.”
“Now he’s going all over the country bragging about the little record they do have,” Ingraham told rally-goers that night.
“They didn’t bring crime under control and they did very little else. The PLP, which offered so much on the issue of crime, couldn’t even buy police new vehicles on time.
“Now they tell us they have a new major four-point crime plan. Where was that plan in the last couple of years?”
During the campaign, Ingraham and the FNM vowed strong action against crime.
The FNM won the election four years ago yesterday. The PLP’s record was not enough to win it re-election.
Today, crime and the fear of crime remain high.
But Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest said yesterday that the high level of violent crime in the country does not mean the FNM has failed in its anti-crime efforts.
“We accept that crime is at an unacceptable level,” he said.
“We accept the fact that crime is a major issue in the country today, that as the government of The Bahamas it’s our responsibility to take the lead and to lead the way in the fight against crime.
“But our crime situation is multi-faceted. There are a lot of social problems that we have to deal with and that we continue to deal with.
“It’s not just a matter of providing additional resources to the police, which we have done. It’s also dealing with those social issues which we are addressing.
“It’s also dealing with the challenges within the judicial system which we are also dealing with. So it’s not the fact that we have failed in regard to it; I don’t think we have failed at all.
“I think we have to ensure that those hardened criminals who continue to beat our judicial system are put behind bars.”
In a statement slamming the FNM government on its fourth anniversary in office yesterday, the PLP pointed to the high murder rate, and added, “The FNM claims to have a plan for crime, but during the prime minister’s national address (last week) he promised to get back to the Bahamian people on his plan for crime.
“This is proof positive that the issues that are most important to the Bahamian people are not the priorities of the FNM government.
“Further, on their watch the fear of crime has increased so much so that people are afraid to leave their homes. Whatever measures the FNM government has taken were ineffective in arresting this scourge that threatens our national security and continued economic viability.”
Turnquest said of the 43 murders that have been recorded so far this year, 23 were as a result of conflicts and retaliation.
“When you look at those statistics you have to put this whole crime scenario in proper context,” he said.
Asked if the Ingraham administration has been aggressive enough in dealing with the crime problem, Turnquest said, “We have been extremely aggressive. While we haven’t been very talkative about it, we’ve been very steadfast in getting things done.
“That’s been our focus.”
He said the government has provided the necessary resources for law enforcement officers and the necessary infrastructure for the judiciary.
“We continue to be very focused,” Turnquest said. “Our strategy continues to be very resourceful, to be very focused.”
PLP’s 2007 CRIME PLAN
In its crime plan released right before the 2007 general election, the PLP promised to involve all stakeholders — the security forces, political organizations, central and local government and government agencies, civil society, and residents through island-wide consultations — on the appropriate elements needed for the implementation of its National Crime Prevention Programme.
The party pledged that within six months of a second term in office it would position the police force to be "more preemptive in the fight against crime in the 21st Century."
"We will make available the additional capital resources for effective police and defense forces," the party’s Action Agenda said.
"We will provide them with the necessary resources to ensure their modernization by the provision of cutting edge technology to assist with criminal investigation and communication tools."
The PLP also promised in its Action Agenda that the police force would receive an expanded fleet of patrol cars and officers along with the requisite resources to support 24-hour a day patrolling in the 25 districts of New Providence.
Additionally, it pledged to expand the number of police stations on Family Islands and in New Providence to ensure increased police presence.
"We will upgrade the system and response rate for calls to the police emergency numbers by ensuring that the ratio of cars to the mobile unit is appropriate and by providing the required amount of multi-purpose vehicles," the Action Agenda said.
The PLP also pledged to provide the necessary resources to continue the illegal drug fight.
The party further promised that if elected to a second term, it would: expand community-policing; encourage the establishment of additional community neighborhood watch programs; identify areas of potential conflict in communities and establish strategic alliances with the church; strengthen and promote the Witness Protection Program; and ensure a reduction in domestic violence.
The Action Agenda said the PLP would also introduce legislation to establish an Armed Forces Complaints Agency to monitor and investigate complaints against police, the defence force and the other uniformed agencies.
At the time of the document’s release, then Prime Minister Perry Christie said, "Ours is the only plan that offers innovative and viable strategies, and real hope, for conquering this menace (crime) once and for all."
5/3/2011
thenassauguardian
Sunday, December 26, 2010
...the Christie government made a secret deal to sell 49 per cent of BTC on credit to an unknown foreign entity called Bluewater Ventures
The secret deal to steal BTC
By LARRY SMITH
JUST before the 2007 general election, the Christie government made a secret deal to sell 49 per cent of BTC on credit to an unknown foreign entity called Bluewater Ventures. The electorate wasn't aware a deal had been struck and didn't know the terms, although official talks had been ongoing for two years.
Bluewater described itself as "a private equity firm specializing in turnarounds and investments in the media and telecommunications sectors." It was set up in 2003 by John Gregg, an American who worked for a couple of European cable companies. Based in the Channel Islands, an offshore financial centre, its actual shareholders have never been identified.
Soon after the election, ex-finance minister James Smith urged the new FNM government to close the Bluewater deal, arguing that there would never be a better one. According to a confidential Bluewater document relating to the sale, BTC's own business plan for 2007-2009 valued the company at $333 million, meaning that a 49 per cent stake should have been worth about $163 million.
But as has since been revealed, the net cash to government from the secret PLP deal would have been only $150 million. Bluewater would have paid another $40 million (interest-free) years after the sale, but this money would have come from BTC's own revenues. The deferred payments were a significant and hidden discount on the price to this unknown foreign entity.
It is common knowledge that BTC's value as a mobile monopoly has been heavily eroded by poor management and new technologies. For example, it took just a few years for voice over internet services like Vonage to turn BTCs long-distance calling into a losing business.
Other providers now control most of the local VoIP market - despite the face-saving introduction in 2006 of BTC's competing Vibe service. And experts have long predicted that WiFi phones connected to a computer with Internet access will disrupt BTC's still-lucrative mobile business over time.
According to the confidential 2007 Bluewater document, other factors that affect BTC's value include exorbitant rates that would be impossible to maintain in a competitive market; the high risk of hurricanes crippling the network; and capital spending that is far greater than earnings.
"A true valuation analysis of BTC must assume that rates, and hence (earnings) will have to be lowered in the near term," the document said. "And just two years ago BTC saw its cash flow for the year virtually wiped out and submitted insurance claims close to $50 million. It is our understanding that insurers refused to honour many of these claims.
"BTC's capital expenditures have historically been higher than comparable companies. In fact the BTC business plan for 2007-2009 puts capex at a rate significantly higher than (earnings). From an investor's perspective, the need for such high spending to maintain the network is a red flag."
Several years ago, former BTC president Leon Williams boasted that the corporation had spent $353 million on capital development over a five-year period, and Bluewater reported that BTC's business plan called for another half-billion-dollar spend over the ensuing three years, compared to $429 million in projected earnings.
In spelling out the rationale for the proposed acquisition, the 2007 Bluewater document painted a dismal picture of BTC, calling the corporation's business plan inconsistent, contradictory, lacking in detail and offering nothing for its three main stakeholders - consumers, the government and employees.
Bluewater pointed out that BTC doesn't even consider improving its lousy service or cutting its outrageously high prices, and fails to justify in any way the introduction of costly new products and services. In fact, BTC's plans assumed no dividends at all for the government - just a never-emptying cookie jar for management, union leaders and staff.
Why would Bluewater pay for a minority stake in such a poorly-run state operation? Well, principally because the PLP deal would have extended BTC's profitable cellular monopoly for up to six years - while letting it offer equally profitable extra services like video. In other words, BTC would have continued as a government-owned monopoly for a very long time. And the Bluewater sale was a smoke-screen trying to hide that fact.
The deal was that a 49 per cent stake in BTC would be priced at $260 million, but Bluewater would pay only $220 million up front while keeping all of BTC's cash in the bank (about $70 million at the time). At the end of the five-year cellular monopoly, Bluewater would have paid a further $35 million, and a final $5 million in the sixth year after the sale. This was what Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham referred to shortly after taking office as "selling BTC on credit."
Even a horse's ass can see there is absolutely no comparison between a secretive instalment plan concocted with an unknown buyer with no financial or operating history, and the $210 million (plus taxes) up front purchase price agreed with Cable & Wireless - a long-established telecoms firm with revenues of over $1 billion and a long-standing operating record in several countries. So the astonishing propaganda emanating from PLP leaders on this issue should be taken with a large bicarbonate of soda. Their strategy is simply to repeat enough rubbish frequently enough so that the rubbish starts to seem believable. That, unfortunately, is the standard of political discourse in this country.
There is no other difference between the PLP and the FNM record on this issue. Both parties while in government have said they wanted to sell BTC to a foreign entity as a matter of policy to help pay down the national debt, and to modernise the Bahamian telecoms sector. The only difference has been the architecture of the deal.
You be the judge.
What do you think?
Send comments to: larry@tribunemedia.net
Or visit www.bahamapundit.com
December 22, 2010
By LARRY SMITH
JUST before the 2007 general election, the Christie government made a secret deal to sell 49 per cent of BTC on credit to an unknown foreign entity called Bluewater Ventures. The electorate wasn't aware a deal had been struck and didn't know the terms, although official talks had been ongoing for two years.
Bluewater described itself as "a private equity firm specializing in turnarounds and investments in the media and telecommunications sectors." It was set up in 2003 by John Gregg, an American who worked for a couple of European cable companies. Based in the Channel Islands, an offshore financial centre, its actual shareholders have never been identified.
Soon after the election, ex-finance minister James Smith urged the new FNM government to close the Bluewater deal, arguing that there would never be a better one. According to a confidential Bluewater document relating to the sale, BTC's own business plan for 2007-2009 valued the company at $333 million, meaning that a 49 per cent stake should have been worth about $163 million.
But as has since been revealed, the net cash to government from the secret PLP deal would have been only $150 million. Bluewater would have paid another $40 million (interest-free) years after the sale, but this money would have come from BTC's own revenues. The deferred payments were a significant and hidden discount on the price to this unknown foreign entity.
It is common knowledge that BTC's value as a mobile monopoly has been heavily eroded by poor management and new technologies. For example, it took just a few years for voice over internet services like Vonage to turn BTCs long-distance calling into a losing business.
Other providers now control most of the local VoIP market - despite the face-saving introduction in 2006 of BTC's competing Vibe service. And experts have long predicted that WiFi phones connected to a computer with Internet access will disrupt BTC's still-lucrative mobile business over time.
According to the confidential 2007 Bluewater document, other factors that affect BTC's value include exorbitant rates that would be impossible to maintain in a competitive market; the high risk of hurricanes crippling the network; and capital spending that is far greater than earnings.
"A true valuation analysis of BTC must assume that rates, and hence (earnings) will have to be lowered in the near term," the document said. "And just two years ago BTC saw its cash flow for the year virtually wiped out and submitted insurance claims close to $50 million. It is our understanding that insurers refused to honour many of these claims.
"BTC's capital expenditures have historically been higher than comparable companies. In fact the BTC business plan for 2007-2009 puts capex at a rate significantly higher than (earnings). From an investor's perspective, the need for such high spending to maintain the network is a red flag."
Several years ago, former BTC president Leon Williams boasted that the corporation had spent $353 million on capital development over a five-year period, and Bluewater reported that BTC's business plan called for another half-billion-dollar spend over the ensuing three years, compared to $429 million in projected earnings.
In spelling out the rationale for the proposed acquisition, the 2007 Bluewater document painted a dismal picture of BTC, calling the corporation's business plan inconsistent, contradictory, lacking in detail and offering nothing for its three main stakeholders - consumers, the government and employees.
Bluewater pointed out that BTC doesn't even consider improving its lousy service or cutting its outrageously high prices, and fails to justify in any way the introduction of costly new products and services. In fact, BTC's plans assumed no dividends at all for the government - just a never-emptying cookie jar for management, union leaders and staff.
Why would Bluewater pay for a minority stake in such a poorly-run state operation? Well, principally because the PLP deal would have extended BTC's profitable cellular monopoly for up to six years - while letting it offer equally profitable extra services like video. In other words, BTC would have continued as a government-owned monopoly for a very long time. And the Bluewater sale was a smoke-screen trying to hide that fact.
The deal was that a 49 per cent stake in BTC would be priced at $260 million, but Bluewater would pay only $220 million up front while keeping all of BTC's cash in the bank (about $70 million at the time). At the end of the five-year cellular monopoly, Bluewater would have paid a further $35 million, and a final $5 million in the sixth year after the sale. This was what Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham referred to shortly after taking office as "selling BTC on credit."
Even a horse's ass can see there is absolutely no comparison between a secretive instalment plan concocted with an unknown buyer with no financial or operating history, and the $210 million (plus taxes) up front purchase price agreed with Cable & Wireless - a long-established telecoms firm with revenues of over $1 billion and a long-standing operating record in several countries. So the astonishing propaganda emanating from PLP leaders on this issue should be taken with a large bicarbonate of soda. Their strategy is simply to repeat enough rubbish frequently enough so that the rubbish starts to seem believable. That, unfortunately, is the standard of political discourse in this country.
There is no other difference between the PLP and the FNM record on this issue. Both parties while in government have said they wanted to sell BTC to a foreign entity as a matter of policy to help pay down the national debt, and to modernise the Bahamian telecoms sector. The only difference has been the architecture of the deal.
You be the judge.
What do you think?
Send comments to: larry@tribunemedia.net
Or visit www.bahamapundit.com
December 22, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Shane Gibson: a “puppet of the privileged”
Gibson named in secret U.S. files
By BRENT DEAN
Deputy News Editor
thenassauguardian
brentldean@nasguard.com
Former immigration minister described as ‘puppet of the privileged’
Former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Immigration Minister Shane Gibson was described as a “puppet of the privileged” by the United States Embassy in The Bahamas in a diplomatic cable leaked by Wikileaks regarding the Anna Nicole Smith scandal.
“The Anna Nicole scandal has recast Gibson as puppet of the privileged rather than defender of the common people of The Bahamas,” said the cable called ‘Hurricane Anna Nicole Wreaks Havoc in The Bahamas’.
The document was dated November 15, 2006 and it was classified by then Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Nassau Dr. Brent Hardt. The British newspaper The Guardian published two cables on the scandal yesterday.
The embassy’s characterization of Gibson as a “puppet of the privileged” results from his decision to fast track the permanent residency permit of Smith, who resided in The Bahamas before her death on February 8, 2007 in Florida.
Gibson resigned a few weeks later after pictures were published in The Tribune of him and Smith in an intimate embrace on Smith’s bed at the Eastern Road home she resided in.
The publishing of those pictures is believed to have contributed to the PLP’s loss at the May 2, 2007 general election. Referring to the PLP, the embassy said the party was “wounded” by the incident.
“Several months into her Bahamian residency, American B-list celebrity and regular entertainment television fixture Anna Nicole Smith has changed the face of Bahamian politics. Not since Category 4 Hurricane Betsy made landfall in 1965 has one woman done as much damage in Nassau,” said the cable.
The embassy noted that Gibson’s political career had been wrecked as a result of the scandal.
“The sordid details of Anna Nicole's private life inspire readers to pick up a paper, and when they do they read about a government bending the rules for personal benefit and the privileged elite. The Anna Nicole affair has severely damaged Shane Gibson's political career, tarnishing one of the PLP's brighter stars,” said the cable.
The Free National Movement (FNM) was reportedly gleeful as a result of the scandal engulfing the PLP. The cable said that during a meeting with an unnamed FNM cental committee member, the member reported that polling in Gibson's constituency foretold “a clear FNM victory in coming elections”.
In a second cable from the embassy dated March 6, 2007, called ‘Cabinet Minister Resigned Over Photos with Anna’, the embassy again refers to information it received from an FNM contact. The cable was also listed as classified by Dr. Hardt.
“According to a source in the FNM's leadership, even before the photographs of Gibson in bed with Smith, the FNM would have focused its campaign in part on transparency and corruption in the ruling party,” said the cable.
“The FNM had alleged irregular visa issuances, lack of transparency in financial accounts, and possible corruption in a government housing development. Some observers feel that the PLP's delay in calling elections was intended to diffuse concerns over these allegations, and that the renewed focus on Gibson and Smith ensured further delay before elections are called.”
The embassy was of the view that the scandal would provide the FNM with critical ammunition against the PLP during the campaign.
“The Gibson-Anna Nicole scandal gives the FNM just the focus it hoped for in a campaign already designed to question the PLP's integrity. Whether such a strategy can overcome a relatively strong economy, job growth and an increase in social programs under the PLP is uncertain,” said the cable.
After Gibson’s resignation there were questions about his political future, considering that the scandal was harming the PLP. The embassy noted Gibson was well protected by his affiliation with Mt. Tabor Bishop Neil Ellis. Gibson is a member of Mt Tabor.
“Regardless, it must be frustrating to the PLP that Gibson continued his relationship with Smith against party advice after the scandal first broke in the fall. Regardless of party grumbling about Gibson, his strong constituency support – he won his seat by a landslide in 2002 and he enjoys the patronage of political heavyweight Bishop Neil Ellis – will ensure that Gibson stays in the PLP's plans,” said the cable.
The cables also reveal that the embassy does not think highly of Bahamian journalists.
“While easy to discount the tabloid journalism surrounding these issues, it is encouraging that the local press – too often cautious with government and lacking strong in investigative journalism – has been able to help hold a powerful member of the government accountable...,” said the cable.
12/22/2010
thenassauguardian
By BRENT DEAN
Deputy News Editor
thenassauguardian
brentldean@nasguard.com
Former immigration minister described as ‘puppet of the privileged’
Former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Immigration Minister Shane Gibson was described as a “puppet of the privileged” by the United States Embassy in The Bahamas in a diplomatic cable leaked by Wikileaks regarding the Anna Nicole Smith scandal.
“The Anna Nicole scandal has recast Gibson as puppet of the privileged rather than defender of the common people of The Bahamas,” said the cable called ‘Hurricane Anna Nicole Wreaks Havoc in The Bahamas’.
The document was dated November 15, 2006 and it was classified by then Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Nassau Dr. Brent Hardt. The British newspaper The Guardian published two cables on the scandal yesterday.
The embassy’s characterization of Gibson as a “puppet of the privileged” results from his decision to fast track the permanent residency permit of Smith, who resided in The Bahamas before her death on February 8, 2007 in Florida.
Gibson resigned a few weeks later after pictures were published in The Tribune of him and Smith in an intimate embrace on Smith’s bed at the Eastern Road home she resided in.
The publishing of those pictures is believed to have contributed to the PLP’s loss at the May 2, 2007 general election. Referring to the PLP, the embassy said the party was “wounded” by the incident.
“Several months into her Bahamian residency, American B-list celebrity and regular entertainment television fixture Anna Nicole Smith has changed the face of Bahamian politics. Not since Category 4 Hurricane Betsy made landfall in 1965 has one woman done as much damage in Nassau,” said the cable.
The embassy noted that Gibson’s political career had been wrecked as a result of the scandal.
“The sordid details of Anna Nicole's private life inspire readers to pick up a paper, and when they do they read about a government bending the rules for personal benefit and the privileged elite. The Anna Nicole affair has severely damaged Shane Gibson's political career, tarnishing one of the PLP's brighter stars,” said the cable.
The Free National Movement (FNM) was reportedly gleeful as a result of the scandal engulfing the PLP. The cable said that during a meeting with an unnamed FNM cental committee member, the member reported that polling in Gibson's constituency foretold “a clear FNM victory in coming elections”.
In a second cable from the embassy dated March 6, 2007, called ‘Cabinet Minister Resigned Over Photos with Anna’, the embassy again refers to information it received from an FNM contact. The cable was also listed as classified by Dr. Hardt.
“According to a source in the FNM's leadership, even before the photographs of Gibson in bed with Smith, the FNM would have focused its campaign in part on transparency and corruption in the ruling party,” said the cable.
“The FNM had alleged irregular visa issuances, lack of transparency in financial accounts, and possible corruption in a government housing development. Some observers feel that the PLP's delay in calling elections was intended to diffuse concerns over these allegations, and that the renewed focus on Gibson and Smith ensured further delay before elections are called.”
The embassy was of the view that the scandal would provide the FNM with critical ammunition against the PLP during the campaign.
“The Gibson-Anna Nicole scandal gives the FNM just the focus it hoped for in a campaign already designed to question the PLP's integrity. Whether such a strategy can overcome a relatively strong economy, job growth and an increase in social programs under the PLP is uncertain,” said the cable.
After Gibson’s resignation there were questions about his political future, considering that the scandal was harming the PLP. The embassy noted Gibson was well protected by his affiliation with Mt. Tabor Bishop Neil Ellis. Gibson is a member of Mt Tabor.
“Regardless, it must be frustrating to the PLP that Gibson continued his relationship with Smith against party advice after the scandal first broke in the fall. Regardless of party grumbling about Gibson, his strong constituency support – he won his seat by a landslide in 2002 and he enjoys the patronage of political heavyweight Bishop Neil Ellis – will ensure that Gibson stays in the PLP's plans,” said the cable.
The cables also reveal that the embassy does not think highly of Bahamian journalists.
“While easy to discount the tabloid journalism surrounding these issues, it is encouraging that the local press – too often cautious with government and lacking strong in investigative journalism – has been able to help hold a powerful member of the government accountable...,” said the cable.
12/22/2010
thenassauguardian
Saturday, December 11, 2010
The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) secret attempt to sell BTC to Blue Water Ventures before the 2007 election
The PLP and their Blue Water 'secrets'
tribune242 editorial
THE PLP seems to be a party always anxious to distance itself from its own unimpressive past --unless, of course, it has deliberately cultivated a memory that takes a convenient leave of absence when a situation gets too hot to handle.
Whichever way one looks at it, PLP leaders are being disingenuous to suggest that government is failing to disclose information on its negotiations with Cable & Wireless for the 51 per cent purchase of BTC for $210 million.
They have forgotten their own secrecy in their attempt to sell BTC to Blue Water Ventures before the 2007 election when they were defeated at the polls.
At the time --2006-2007 -- much was written and speculated about this secrecy. It was only after the FNM came to power that the public eventually knew what had gone on behind those closed doors.
Today Bahamians know more at this early stage in the negotiations about what is proposed with Cable & Wireless than anyone ever knew from the PLP about their negotiations with Blue Water.
The Tribune reported in January, 2007, after all other bidders were locked out so that the PLP government could continue to woo Blue Water, that "the secrecy and lack of transparency ... has caused some frustrations, not only among other potential leaders such as C&W, but members of the Bahamian financial community and some BTC staff."
It was suggested that the Christie government was unlikely to conclude BTC's privatisation before the 2007 election, which was closing in on it. The reason given was concern for the considerable number of votes tied up in BTC's estimated 1,200 workers and their relatives. "A privatisation, especially one that resulted in redundancies, could be unpopular at election time," The Tribune was told. And so today, although the party probably won't admit it, even they recognised that to succeed, redundancies were necessary. It was probably another reason for the secrecy.
And, as we said, in this column yesterday, no matter who takes over BTC -- even an astute Bahamian business group -- staff has to be trimmed for the sake of good business.
BTC has been on the auction block for the past 11 years. In 2007 The Tribune reported that the best offer that was received in 2003 was when BahamasTel consortium, backed by Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase, bid $130 million for a 49 per cent stake. At the time it valued the company at just over $260 million.
However, by 2007, it was clear that BTC had dropped even further in value, faced with competition from IndiGo Networks' fixed line, Voice over IP and Cable Bahamas on Internet. Once it loses its cellular monopoly, it will be difficult to even give it away.
BTC has stood like a colossus astride this country, stifling its economic growth.
James Smith, in those years minister of state for finance, could only tell us week after week that the government-appointed committee had completed its work for privatisation and had submitted its recommendations to Cabinet. This was the highest that the veil, which concealed their "secret," was ever lifted. From then on there was silence.
Mr Smith said that "a world class, efficient telecommunications sector" was required for both the tourism and the financial services industry.
And in a tone of resigned desperation, he admitted that "all the time spent looking at other (privatisation) players has basically allowed this existing dinosaur to entrench itself."
And it is into this "entrenched dinosaur" that the government is trying to breath new life to give it a chance to be of benefit to the country.
So much time and energy is being taken up with the wishes of the unions and the politicians that little thought is being given to the Bahamian people, who for years have had to pay high prices for inferior service.
The "dinosaur" has suffocated this country for much too long, Bahamians now need some breathing space to grow and prosper. They deserve better service, lower prices and more choices and a telecommunications company that will not only do them proud but will be a profitable investment.
A unionist has suggested that Bahamian consumers should be included in the debate as to whether Cable and Wireless should be the lead partner in a new BTC that will give them better service, and lower prices.
It is a good idea. The unionists might not like what they hear.
December 10, 2010
tribune242 editorial
tribune242 editorial
THE PLP seems to be a party always anxious to distance itself from its own unimpressive past --unless, of course, it has deliberately cultivated a memory that takes a convenient leave of absence when a situation gets too hot to handle.
Whichever way one looks at it, PLP leaders are being disingenuous to suggest that government is failing to disclose information on its negotiations with Cable & Wireless for the 51 per cent purchase of BTC for $210 million.
They have forgotten their own secrecy in their attempt to sell BTC to Blue Water Ventures before the 2007 election when they were defeated at the polls.
At the time --2006-2007 -- much was written and speculated about this secrecy. It was only after the FNM came to power that the public eventually knew what had gone on behind those closed doors.
Today Bahamians know more at this early stage in the negotiations about what is proposed with Cable & Wireless than anyone ever knew from the PLP about their negotiations with Blue Water.
The Tribune reported in January, 2007, after all other bidders were locked out so that the PLP government could continue to woo Blue Water, that "the secrecy and lack of transparency ... has caused some frustrations, not only among other potential leaders such as C&W, but members of the Bahamian financial community and some BTC staff."
It was suggested that the Christie government was unlikely to conclude BTC's privatisation before the 2007 election, which was closing in on it. The reason given was concern for the considerable number of votes tied up in BTC's estimated 1,200 workers and their relatives. "A privatisation, especially one that resulted in redundancies, could be unpopular at election time," The Tribune was told. And so today, although the party probably won't admit it, even they recognised that to succeed, redundancies were necessary. It was probably another reason for the secrecy.
And, as we said, in this column yesterday, no matter who takes over BTC -- even an astute Bahamian business group -- staff has to be trimmed for the sake of good business.
BTC has been on the auction block for the past 11 years. In 2007 The Tribune reported that the best offer that was received in 2003 was when BahamasTel consortium, backed by Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase, bid $130 million for a 49 per cent stake. At the time it valued the company at just over $260 million.
However, by 2007, it was clear that BTC had dropped even further in value, faced with competition from IndiGo Networks' fixed line, Voice over IP and Cable Bahamas on Internet. Once it loses its cellular monopoly, it will be difficult to even give it away.
BTC has stood like a colossus astride this country, stifling its economic growth.
James Smith, in those years minister of state for finance, could only tell us week after week that the government-appointed committee had completed its work for privatisation and had submitted its recommendations to Cabinet. This was the highest that the veil, which concealed their "secret," was ever lifted. From then on there was silence.
Mr Smith said that "a world class, efficient telecommunications sector" was required for both the tourism and the financial services industry.
And in a tone of resigned desperation, he admitted that "all the time spent looking at other (privatisation) players has basically allowed this existing dinosaur to entrench itself."
And it is into this "entrenched dinosaur" that the government is trying to breath new life to give it a chance to be of benefit to the country.
So much time and energy is being taken up with the wishes of the unions and the politicians that little thought is being given to the Bahamian people, who for years have had to pay high prices for inferior service.
The "dinosaur" has suffocated this country for much too long, Bahamians now need some breathing space to grow and prosper. They deserve better service, lower prices and more choices and a telecommunications company that will not only do them proud but will be a profitable investment.
A unionist has suggested that Bahamian consumers should be included in the debate as to whether Cable and Wireless should be the lead partner in a new BTC that will give them better service, and lower prices.
It is a good idea. The unionists might not like what they hear.
December 10, 2010
tribune242 editorial
Friday, October 29, 2010
Picewell Forbes is reportedly beginning to lose considerable ground in his South Andros constituency
PICEWELL FORBES 'LOSING GROUND IN CONSTITUENCY'
tribune242
ALTHOUGH winning his seat by the largest margin out of any candidate in the 2007 general election, Picewell Forbes, the PLP's Member of Parliament for South Andros, is reportedly beginning to lose considerable ground in his constituency.
As a first time MP for the area, Mr Forbes's financial woes have been known for some time - and with a general election less than two years away it appears as if this factor is not being overlooked by his competitors.
Reports suggest that the former MP for the area, Whitney Bastian, still wants to represent the constituency, and with his financial prowess, he could prove to be a considerable obstacle for Mr Forbes.
Political sources claim that Andros - more so than any other seat in the Bahamas - is one area where a candidate without substantial amounts of money cannot be expected to win.
The Tribune source said: "Let me tell you, in Andros you have to dig in your pocket from the time you land until you fly out of there.
"It's like that mindset was established years ago when Sir Lynden (Pindling) was representing them, so it's hard to break that - no matter who you are.
"And it doesn't matter if your MP is doing a good job or not.
"He or she could be in there every other week, walking up and down, shaking hands, kissing babies, attending every funeral, wedding, and pastoral anointing, and yet be voted out because they are unable to provide a contract for their generals."
Attempts to reach Mr Forbes for comment were unsuccessful.
October 27, 2010
tribune242
tribune242
ALTHOUGH winning his seat by the largest margin out of any candidate in the 2007 general election, Picewell Forbes, the PLP's Member of Parliament for South Andros, is reportedly beginning to lose considerable ground in his constituency.
As a first time MP for the area, Mr Forbes's financial woes have been known for some time - and with a general election less than two years away it appears as if this factor is not being overlooked by his competitors.
Reports suggest that the former MP for the area, Whitney Bastian, still wants to represent the constituency, and with his financial prowess, he could prove to be a considerable obstacle for Mr Forbes.
Political sources claim that Andros - more so than any other seat in the Bahamas - is one area where a candidate without substantial amounts of money cannot be expected to win.
The Tribune source said: "Let me tell you, in Andros you have to dig in your pocket from the time you land until you fly out of there.
"It's like that mindset was established years ago when Sir Lynden (Pindling) was representing them, so it's hard to break that - no matter who you are.
"And it doesn't matter if your MP is doing a good job or not.
"He or she could be in there every other week, walking up and down, shaking hands, kissing babies, attending every funeral, wedding, and pastoral anointing, and yet be voted out because they are unable to provide a contract for their generals."
Attempts to reach Mr Forbes for comment were unsuccessful.
October 27, 2010
tribune242
Thursday, August 12, 2010
To Branville McCartney: Son, you must first learn how to follow before you can lead, or - You must learn how to obey before you can give orders
Learn how to follow before attempting to lead
tribune242 editorial
AT A TIME when this country needs all of its citizens to focus on pulling together to ride out a turbulent economic storm many have not ceased to be distracted by election fever.
Since the 2007 election hardly a day has passed without a reminder that the focus is -- not on the economy - but on the 2012 election. From what we hear -- other than a political clique, mainly PLPs who are yet to concede their 2007 defeat, and a group of young, inexperienced Turks in both parties who want to push their leaders out and take over -- the majority of Bahamians are sick of the political sabre rattling. They are worried about losing their jobs, their homes, paying school fees and utility bills -- at times like these the politicians are an unnecessary distraction.
The latest concern this week is that the FNM might not hold its promised national convention this year -- not because of tight party funds -- but because lawyer Branville McCartney might challenge Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham for the leadership.
According to a letter writer to The Tribune, signed by one who says he is an "FNM supporter to change", Mr Ingraham is a man who says what he means and means what he says. The letter writer knows that being a man of his word is Mr Ingraham's sensitive button and in his letter he is pushing it hard with much flattery.
Says the "supporter for change": "We all came to know Mr Ingraham to be a man to his word, in fact FNM came to respect him since he was a man who spoke truth and lived up to his word. We know him to be a man who 'said what he means and mean what he says'. So since he promised, live on TV, that we will meet in convention on November 4, we expect him to continue to be the man who spoke truth. The question of funding for the convention is a mute point because Mr Ingraham could have anything he wants done, when he wants it. The Eastern Road will comply."
It is true, Mr Ingraham is a man of his word. However, he is not a fool, and even a man of his word has enough sense to lower his sails and change tack when a situation changes and he realises it would be folly to stick to a promise made in better times. The letter writer is obviously depending on the Eastern Road to finance a few days of shaking colourful pom-poms, spouting a lot of hot air from a platform, stuffing themselves with free food and enjoying fun nights in hotel rooms. Eastern Road residents are mainly business people whose first consideration will be on the economic constraints necessary for the times in which we now find ourselves. If they are the ones expected to fund this useless bash, we hope they will lock down their coffers, go home and direct their spare cash to where it can be of more use -- helping the jobless among us. These are serious days, and a convention at such a time would be out of order. It is now time that some of these young Turks got some sense and settled down to getting some experience in nation building before continuing their useless chatter about what they are going to lead.
Mr Branville McCartney, a lawyer, is the man being pushed to the fore in the FNM ranks. There is a group who are playing to his ego and trying to make him believe that he is the future saviour of this country. He might well be. We know nothing about him except the usual curriculum vitae issued to the press, and the fact that for a short time he served, but later resigned from the Ingraham cabinet. However, we now invite him to think back on the days of Julius Caesar riding in triumph through Rome's ancient city. While the crowds shouted "Hail Caesar!" the little dwarf at his side constantly tugged at his tunic, and reminded him: "Remember Caesar, thou art only a man!"
Today Mr McCartney's flatterers are tempting him into believing that he has better insight into the needs of this country, after limited experience in politics, than a man who has had broad experience for more than thirty years, both nationally and internationally. Many interpretations can be put on why Mr McCartney resigned from the Ingraham Cabinet, but it indicates to us that when the going gets rough, or things do not go his way, his inclination is to abandon ship. His day for leadership might come, but in our opinion he is still lightweight in the political arena, and his time is not now.
It might do Mr McCartney well to shut out the noise in the market place and consider the advice given by Hamilcar Barca, a Carthaginian general and statesman, to his famous son Hannibal, who later crossed the Alps on elephants in a useless attempt to defeat Rome: "Son you must first learn how to follow before you can lead."
Another version is: "You must learn how to obey before you can give orders."
August 12, 2010
tribune242 editorial
tribune242 editorial
AT A TIME when this country needs all of its citizens to focus on pulling together to ride out a turbulent economic storm many have not ceased to be distracted by election fever.
Since the 2007 election hardly a day has passed without a reminder that the focus is -- not on the economy - but on the 2012 election. From what we hear -- other than a political clique, mainly PLPs who are yet to concede their 2007 defeat, and a group of young, inexperienced Turks in both parties who want to push their leaders out and take over -- the majority of Bahamians are sick of the political sabre rattling. They are worried about losing their jobs, their homes, paying school fees and utility bills -- at times like these the politicians are an unnecessary distraction.
The latest concern this week is that the FNM might not hold its promised national convention this year -- not because of tight party funds -- but because lawyer Branville McCartney might challenge Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham for the leadership.
According to a letter writer to The Tribune, signed by one who says he is an "FNM supporter to change", Mr Ingraham is a man who says what he means and means what he says. The letter writer knows that being a man of his word is Mr Ingraham's sensitive button and in his letter he is pushing it hard with much flattery.
Says the "supporter for change": "We all came to know Mr Ingraham to be a man to his word, in fact FNM came to respect him since he was a man who spoke truth and lived up to his word. We know him to be a man who 'said what he means and mean what he says'. So since he promised, live on TV, that we will meet in convention on November 4, we expect him to continue to be the man who spoke truth. The question of funding for the convention is a mute point because Mr Ingraham could have anything he wants done, when he wants it. The Eastern Road will comply."
It is true, Mr Ingraham is a man of his word. However, he is not a fool, and even a man of his word has enough sense to lower his sails and change tack when a situation changes and he realises it would be folly to stick to a promise made in better times. The letter writer is obviously depending on the Eastern Road to finance a few days of shaking colourful pom-poms, spouting a lot of hot air from a platform, stuffing themselves with free food and enjoying fun nights in hotel rooms. Eastern Road residents are mainly business people whose first consideration will be on the economic constraints necessary for the times in which we now find ourselves. If they are the ones expected to fund this useless bash, we hope they will lock down their coffers, go home and direct their spare cash to where it can be of more use -- helping the jobless among us. These are serious days, and a convention at such a time would be out of order. It is now time that some of these young Turks got some sense and settled down to getting some experience in nation building before continuing their useless chatter about what they are going to lead.
Mr Branville McCartney, a lawyer, is the man being pushed to the fore in the FNM ranks. There is a group who are playing to his ego and trying to make him believe that he is the future saviour of this country. He might well be. We know nothing about him except the usual curriculum vitae issued to the press, and the fact that for a short time he served, but later resigned from the Ingraham cabinet. However, we now invite him to think back on the days of Julius Caesar riding in triumph through Rome's ancient city. While the crowds shouted "Hail Caesar!" the little dwarf at his side constantly tugged at his tunic, and reminded him: "Remember Caesar, thou art only a man!"
Today Mr McCartney's flatterers are tempting him into believing that he has better insight into the needs of this country, after limited experience in politics, than a man who has had broad experience for more than thirty years, both nationally and internationally. Many interpretations can be put on why Mr McCartney resigned from the Ingraham Cabinet, but it indicates to us that when the going gets rough, or things do not go his way, his inclination is to abandon ship. His day for leadership might come, but in our opinion he is still lightweight in the political arena, and his time is not now.
It might do Mr McCartney well to shut out the noise in the market place and consider the advice given by Hamilcar Barca, a Carthaginian general and statesman, to his famous son Hannibal, who later crossed the Alps on elephants in a useless attempt to defeat Rome: "Son you must first learn how to follow before you can lead."
Another version is: "You must learn how to obey before you can give orders."
August 12, 2010
tribune242 editorial
Friday, July 16, 2010
The economic downturn impacts Government's plans to further develop the country during the Free National Movement's present term in office
Tribune Exclusive: Economic slump hits PM's plans
By ALISON LOWE
Tribune Staff Reporter
alowe@tribunemedia.net:
THE economic downturn that has gripped the country for almost two years has caused the Prime Minister and his Government to "substantially and significantly" scale down plans to further develop the country during the FNM 's present term in office.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said yesterday that appointing a Minister for Grand Bahama Affairs and introducing local government in New Providence are among the initiatives he had planned to undertake before the next general election which have been "postponed."
Mr Ingraham was speaking with The Tribune during an interview at the Cabinet Office yesterday.
Asked to what extent the economic downturn in The Bahamas and the world, which has seen Government revenues fall sharply as import and tourism-related receipts in particular have dropped, impacted plans he had for the country in the 2007 to 2012 term, Mr Ingraham said "significantly, substantially."
"But that's the reality. You take it the way you find it," he added.
Nonetheless, pressed as to what projects or initiatives in particular he would most regret having to postpone, Mr Ingraham stressed that he "hasn't gone yet."
"Circumstances alter cases. We are committed to those things we said we'd do but circumstances have changed. We are in a different environment so we may not be able to do all those things we'd wished to do but we are doing as many as we can as rapidly as we are able to," he said.
Speaking of plans he expressed early on in the present term to appoint a Minister for Grand Bahama who would be able to bring more focused government attention to the northern island and its long-ailing economy, Mr Ingraham said he cannot now go ahead with this plan because of a lack of funds at this time.
"I am seeking to conserve expenditure and that's one of the things I want to do but there are plenty of things I want to do that I am unable to do," he said.
As for the introduction of local government in New Providence, like that which exists throughout the Family Islands, Mr Ingraham said "that too is one of those postponed things."
"But it is desirable, that it should happen. Whether we'll be able to do it in this term I don't know."
Local Government for New Providence was just one of many promises made by the FNM in its Manifesto and election platform for the 2007 general election. Many have been fulfilled, but many others remain outstanding. Among them, key projects such as the establishment of a National Library, a National Forensic Institute with a DNA lab, establishing a Consumer Protection Agency and constructing new schools to meet the demands of growing communities.
Referring to the advantages of the Local government he would like to see introduced in New Providence, Mr Ingraham said it would be a "more efficient and responsive form of government" that would reduce delays for communities in getting problems addressed by precluding the need to wait for central government to process the situation.
"I don't think you should have to wait for the Ministry of Works to come and fix the pothole in the road, or the street light is out or if you need a license in the area in which you live...(instead) you'd have the local representative you elected to the Council, you'd see him in the foodstore and you'd be able to say 'Listen man...'."
"In places like Green Turtle Cay it's working very well. I was there a few weeks ago and the local district council showed me the post office there and they said you know this part is rotten and needs to be changed etcetera, we've got the materials but we don't have any money, we think it's going to cost about $14,000 to $15,000... so we (central government) were able to help them but they will do the work, they will cause the work to be done," explained the Prime Minister.
July 16, 2010
tribune242
By ALISON LOWE
Tribune Staff Reporter
alowe@tribunemedia.net:
THE economic downturn that has gripped the country for almost two years has caused the Prime Minister and his Government to "substantially and significantly" scale down plans to further develop the country during the FNM 's present term in office.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said yesterday that appointing a Minister for Grand Bahama Affairs and introducing local government in New Providence are among the initiatives he had planned to undertake before the next general election which have been "postponed."
Mr Ingraham was speaking with The Tribune during an interview at the Cabinet Office yesterday.
Asked to what extent the economic downturn in The Bahamas and the world, which has seen Government revenues fall sharply as import and tourism-related receipts in particular have dropped, impacted plans he had for the country in the 2007 to 2012 term, Mr Ingraham said "significantly, substantially."
"But that's the reality. You take it the way you find it," he added.
Nonetheless, pressed as to what projects or initiatives in particular he would most regret having to postpone, Mr Ingraham stressed that he "hasn't gone yet."
"Circumstances alter cases. We are committed to those things we said we'd do but circumstances have changed. We are in a different environment so we may not be able to do all those things we'd wished to do but we are doing as many as we can as rapidly as we are able to," he said.
Speaking of plans he expressed early on in the present term to appoint a Minister for Grand Bahama who would be able to bring more focused government attention to the northern island and its long-ailing economy, Mr Ingraham said he cannot now go ahead with this plan because of a lack of funds at this time.
"I am seeking to conserve expenditure and that's one of the things I want to do but there are plenty of things I want to do that I am unable to do," he said.
As for the introduction of local government in New Providence, like that which exists throughout the Family Islands, Mr Ingraham said "that too is one of those postponed things."
"But it is desirable, that it should happen. Whether we'll be able to do it in this term I don't know."
Local Government for New Providence was just one of many promises made by the FNM in its Manifesto and election platform for the 2007 general election. Many have been fulfilled, but many others remain outstanding. Among them, key projects such as the establishment of a National Library, a National Forensic Institute with a DNA lab, establishing a Consumer Protection Agency and constructing new schools to meet the demands of growing communities.
Referring to the advantages of the Local government he would like to see introduced in New Providence, Mr Ingraham said it would be a "more efficient and responsive form of government" that would reduce delays for communities in getting problems addressed by precluding the need to wait for central government to process the situation.
"I don't think you should have to wait for the Ministry of Works to come and fix the pothole in the road, or the street light is out or if you need a license in the area in which you live...(instead) you'd have the local representative you elected to the Council, you'd see him in the foodstore and you'd be able to say 'Listen man...'."
"In places like Green Turtle Cay it's working very well. I was there a few weeks ago and the local district council showed me the post office there and they said you know this part is rotten and needs to be changed etcetera, we've got the materials but we don't have any money, we think it's going to cost about $14,000 to $15,000... so we (central government) were able to help them but they will do the work, they will cause the work to be done," explained the Prime Minister.
July 16, 2010
tribune242
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tommy Turnquest: New voter register to start in April
By Candia Dames ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
The government is preparing to start a new voter register, and plans to use the latest technology to help ensure that mistakes that arose on the register used for the 2007 general election are kept at an irreducible minimum, according to Tommy Turnquest, the minister responsible for parliamentary elections.
Turnquest said the government will begin a new register in April.
"We will like to ensure that a new register of voters is compiled, one that would show that persons are where they say they live," he said.
The process for a new register will be the first since Election Court judges said two years ago that the Pinewood challenge had exposed "the most egregious failures in the parliamentary system."
That ruling was handed down by Senior Justice Anita Allen and now Senior Justice Jon Isaacs.
At the time of the controversial Pinewood matter, the judges said, "The parliamentary commissioner failed, for whatever reason, to ensure the integrity of the registration process in Pinewood."
Turnquest said the Parliamentary Registration Department will be given the time and resources it needs to do its work right.
"The reason why we want to start early is so that we have sufficient time to ensure that all those potential errors are eliminated to the maximum extent possible," he said.
Turnquest said the department will engage in intense cross checking in its efforts to cut back on mistakes on the new register. He said this attention to detail was evident in the department's work leading up to the February 16 by-election in Elizabeth.
"I think that as a result of what they did, as a result of what the political parties did, a large number of persons who no longer live in Elizabeth didn't show up," he said.
Commenting on the importance of giving the department enough time and resources to do its work, the minister said, "There's nothing more important than having free and fair elections in a democracy. It doesn't matter who you vote for, but it has to be one person, one vote, that you are supposed to vote where you live and only where you live."
As noted previously by Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, Turnquest said it is the primary duty of the prime minister to ensure a clean register and to have free and fair elections.
"And he intends to do so," Turnquest said. "As his minister responsible, it is my duty to ensure that's carried out."
Ingraham said repeatedly during the lead up to and after the recent by-election that whatever is wrong with the current register is the fault of former prime minister Perry Christie.
While stressing that he does not wish to offer any public commentary on what the Election Court judges said in the Pinewood ruling, Turnquest said yesterday he thought it was unfortunate that Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel did not have an opportunity to tell his side of the story during the Pinewood case.
"I try not to comment on decisions of the court for obvious reasons, but I thought the parliamentary commissioner ought to have been given an opportunity to put his position with regard to some of the errors associated with the last general election," the minister said.
"The Parliamentary Elections Act and our constitution accords for a Boundaries Commission that is supposed to meet every five years and is supposed to present a report to Parliament, and that is supposed to be done in sufficient time to allow any changes that have to take place... Unfortunately, prior to the last general election in May 2007, the boundaries report wasn't concluded until the beginning of April, and so they had very little time to make changes and get cards back to persons and have all of that before the May elections."
Turnquest said that as a result many people found themselves registered in the wrong polling divisions and in the wrong constituency.
"And so, I thought it somewhat unfair to chastise the parliamentary commissioner without taking it further to find the root of the problem, and we're going to ensure that at least the root is taken care of this time by making sure that we do it in sufficient time and that the parliamentary commissioner and his staff will have sufficient time to ensure that the register is clean."
Wednesday 10, 2010
thenassauguardian
The government is preparing to start a new voter register, and plans to use the latest technology to help ensure that mistakes that arose on the register used for the 2007 general election are kept at an irreducible minimum, according to Tommy Turnquest, the minister responsible for parliamentary elections.
Turnquest said the government will begin a new register in April.
"We will like to ensure that a new register of voters is compiled, one that would show that persons are where they say they live," he said.
The process for a new register will be the first since Election Court judges said two years ago that the Pinewood challenge had exposed "the most egregious failures in the parliamentary system."
That ruling was handed down by Senior Justice Anita Allen and now Senior Justice Jon Isaacs.
At the time of the controversial Pinewood matter, the judges said, "The parliamentary commissioner failed, for whatever reason, to ensure the integrity of the registration process in Pinewood."
Turnquest said the Parliamentary Registration Department will be given the time and resources it needs to do its work right.
"The reason why we want to start early is so that we have sufficient time to ensure that all those potential errors are eliminated to the maximum extent possible," he said.
Turnquest said the department will engage in intense cross checking in its efforts to cut back on mistakes on the new register. He said this attention to detail was evident in the department's work leading up to the February 16 by-election in Elizabeth.
"I think that as a result of what they did, as a result of what the political parties did, a large number of persons who no longer live in Elizabeth didn't show up," he said.
Commenting on the importance of giving the department enough time and resources to do its work, the minister said, "There's nothing more important than having free and fair elections in a democracy. It doesn't matter who you vote for, but it has to be one person, one vote, that you are supposed to vote where you live and only where you live."
As noted previously by Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, Turnquest said it is the primary duty of the prime minister to ensure a clean register and to have free and fair elections.
"And he intends to do so," Turnquest said. "As his minister responsible, it is my duty to ensure that's carried out."
Ingraham said repeatedly during the lead up to and after the recent by-election that whatever is wrong with the current register is the fault of former prime minister Perry Christie.
While stressing that he does not wish to offer any public commentary on what the Election Court judges said in the Pinewood ruling, Turnquest said yesterday he thought it was unfortunate that Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel did not have an opportunity to tell his side of the story during the Pinewood case.
"I try not to comment on decisions of the court for obvious reasons, but I thought the parliamentary commissioner ought to have been given an opportunity to put his position with regard to some of the errors associated with the last general election," the minister said.
"The Parliamentary Elections Act and our constitution accords for a Boundaries Commission that is supposed to meet every five years and is supposed to present a report to Parliament, and that is supposed to be done in sufficient time to allow any changes that have to take place... Unfortunately, prior to the last general election in May 2007, the boundaries report wasn't concluded until the beginning of April, and so they had very little time to make changes and get cards back to persons and have all of that before the May elections."
Turnquest said that as a result many people found themselves registered in the wrong polling divisions and in the wrong constituency.
"And so, I thought it somewhat unfair to chastise the parliamentary commissioner without taking it further to find the root of the problem, and we're going to ensure that at least the root is taken care of this time by making sure that we do it in sufficient time and that the parliamentary commissioner and his staff will have sufficient time to ensure that the register is clean."
Wednesday 10, 2010
thenassauguardian
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Some PLPs have short memories
tribune242 Editorial:
CALLING FOR electoral reform, Opposition Leader Perry Christie described the weeks leading up to the Elizabeth by-election as "the worst" he'd seen in terms of allegations that FNM members were using their government clout to sway voters. "Up to Monday (the day before the election)," he said, "government was giving people jobs with a clear intention of influencing the vote. That's not proper, ethical or fair."
And this is what Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham had to say about the May 2, 2007 election in which Mr Christie, then the prime minister, lost the government to Mr Ingraham, who was Opposition leader.
On becoming prime minister, Mr Ingraham told his supporters that the 2007 election was the most interfered with election in Bahamian history.
"I am ashamed that on Perry Christie's watch there was more political interference in the electoral process than at any time, even under Pindling," said Mr Ingraham.
It was claimed that $80 million was awarded to contractors "a few months ago and days leading up to the 2007 election."
However, in our opinion the June 19, 1987 general election in the Crooked Island constituency, followed by the November 24, 1989 by-election -- called after the MP elected in the 1987 election was sent to prison for offering a drug court magistrate $10,000 to drop a case before her -- were two of the worst elections that we recall. The late Basil Kelly, who had been MP for the Crooked Island constituency for about 20 years, offered as the FNM candidate in both elections. He lost both.
In last week's Elizabeth by-election the PLP protested the presence of National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest -- who is the minister responsible for Parliamentary Elections -- in the recount room at Thelma Gibson Primary School. However, they forget that in the Crooked Island by-election in 1989, Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling at the end of a Cabinet meeting flew to Crooked Island, ordering all of his Cabinet ministers to get themselves to the island to fight the by-election and watch over the stations. Sir Lynden himself gave all of the Long Cay school children a gift of a hand held video camera with a $400,000 contract going to a PLP council member in the constituency to construct an administrative building. During that by-election Yamacraw MP Janet Bostwick said that the by-election reminded her of 1982 when the PLP took tankers of asphalt to the district and told voters that if they wanted the roads repaired they had to vote for Wilbert Moss. The people voted for Mr Moss and a week after the elections, the equipment was taken away. In the 1989 by-election the people were again told that if they wanted the roads repaired, electricity installed and running water into their homes they had to "walk with Walkine." This, said Mrs Bostwick, was just another PLP ploy to fool voters of that impoverished district. She rightly predicted that after the election the flurry of jobs handed out during the campaign would come to an end.
As Mr Kelly pointed out in his report on the 1987 election one must understand that at the time there were no job opportunities in the entire Crooked Island district except for government employment and one small tourist facility that employed no more than 10 people at any one time. During the 1987 election, he said, these people were given jobs off and on from nomination day until election day weeding the road, as assistant janitresses, assisting in the polls on election day, nurses assistants and "whatever could be dreamt up and paid for out of the Treasury."
Campaigning were two civil servants, school teachers, and the returning officer, who did not openly campaign, but who was "directed by PLP generals throughout the campaign."
The helicopter, ostensibly at the island for the PLP candidates, was "also used to ferry government presiding officers, the returning officer, the mailboat captain, and in fact, picked up the ballot boxes after polling on election day. It was openly admitted by the pilot of the helicopter that this was government's helicopter," wrote Mr Kelly. What everyone wanted to know was whether the Treasury paid for the helicopter.
"There was a new trick that I had never seen before in the form of intimidation," Mr Kelly wrote of the 1987 election. "Voters were told during the campaign by leading PLP generals and civil servants that when a particular voter voted, the presiding officer was instructed to write his signature on the back of his ballot differently to others so that his ballot would be easily identifiable. This way he could tell how that particular voter voted when the ballots were counted, and if the voter did not vote right (in other words, for the PLP) his daughter or whoever was working for government would lose their job."
Throughout that campaign civil servants acted as PLP generals, and the few civil servants who were known FNM supporters were ordered not to vote. Whatever the FNM might have done during the Elizabeth by-election, which Mr Christie claims was "not proper, ethical or fair" cannot be condoned.
But when the PLP held the helm of state, they were absolutely ruthless, particularly in some of these impoverished Family Islands. Now maybe some of them will know what it is like to be on the receiving end. Retribution has come full circle.
February 23, 2010
tribune242
CALLING FOR electoral reform, Opposition Leader Perry Christie described the weeks leading up to the Elizabeth by-election as "the worst" he'd seen in terms of allegations that FNM members were using their government clout to sway voters. "Up to Monday (the day before the election)," he said, "government was giving people jobs with a clear intention of influencing the vote. That's not proper, ethical or fair."
And this is what Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham had to say about the May 2, 2007 election in which Mr Christie, then the prime minister, lost the government to Mr Ingraham, who was Opposition leader.
On becoming prime minister, Mr Ingraham told his supporters that the 2007 election was the most interfered with election in Bahamian history.
"I am ashamed that on Perry Christie's watch there was more political interference in the electoral process than at any time, even under Pindling," said Mr Ingraham.
It was claimed that $80 million was awarded to contractors "a few months ago and days leading up to the 2007 election."
However, in our opinion the June 19, 1987 general election in the Crooked Island constituency, followed by the November 24, 1989 by-election -- called after the MP elected in the 1987 election was sent to prison for offering a drug court magistrate $10,000 to drop a case before her -- were two of the worst elections that we recall. The late Basil Kelly, who had been MP for the Crooked Island constituency for about 20 years, offered as the FNM candidate in both elections. He lost both.
In last week's Elizabeth by-election the PLP protested the presence of National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest -- who is the minister responsible for Parliamentary Elections -- in the recount room at Thelma Gibson Primary School. However, they forget that in the Crooked Island by-election in 1989, Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling at the end of a Cabinet meeting flew to Crooked Island, ordering all of his Cabinet ministers to get themselves to the island to fight the by-election and watch over the stations. Sir Lynden himself gave all of the Long Cay school children a gift of a hand held video camera with a $400,000 contract going to a PLP council member in the constituency to construct an administrative building. During that by-election Yamacraw MP Janet Bostwick said that the by-election reminded her of 1982 when the PLP took tankers of asphalt to the district and told voters that if they wanted the roads repaired they had to vote for Wilbert Moss. The people voted for Mr Moss and a week after the elections, the equipment was taken away. In the 1989 by-election the people were again told that if they wanted the roads repaired, electricity installed and running water into their homes they had to "walk with Walkine." This, said Mrs Bostwick, was just another PLP ploy to fool voters of that impoverished district. She rightly predicted that after the election the flurry of jobs handed out during the campaign would come to an end.
As Mr Kelly pointed out in his report on the 1987 election one must understand that at the time there were no job opportunities in the entire Crooked Island district except for government employment and one small tourist facility that employed no more than 10 people at any one time. During the 1987 election, he said, these people were given jobs off and on from nomination day until election day weeding the road, as assistant janitresses, assisting in the polls on election day, nurses assistants and "whatever could be dreamt up and paid for out of the Treasury."
Campaigning were two civil servants, school teachers, and the returning officer, who did not openly campaign, but who was "directed by PLP generals throughout the campaign."
The helicopter, ostensibly at the island for the PLP candidates, was "also used to ferry government presiding officers, the returning officer, the mailboat captain, and in fact, picked up the ballot boxes after polling on election day. It was openly admitted by the pilot of the helicopter that this was government's helicopter," wrote Mr Kelly. What everyone wanted to know was whether the Treasury paid for the helicopter.
"There was a new trick that I had never seen before in the form of intimidation," Mr Kelly wrote of the 1987 election. "Voters were told during the campaign by leading PLP generals and civil servants that when a particular voter voted, the presiding officer was instructed to write his signature on the back of his ballot differently to others so that his ballot would be easily identifiable. This way he could tell how that particular voter voted when the ballots were counted, and if the voter did not vote right (in other words, for the PLP) his daughter or whoever was working for government would lose their job."
Throughout that campaign civil servants acted as PLP generals, and the few civil servants who were known FNM supporters were ordered not to vote. Whatever the FNM might have done during the Elizabeth by-election, which Mr Christie claims was "not proper, ethical or fair" cannot be condoned.
But when the PLP held the helm of state, they were absolutely ruthless, particularly in some of these impoverished Family Islands. Now maybe some of them will know what it is like to be on the receiving end. Retribution has come full circle.
February 23, 2010
tribune242
Monday, February 22, 2010
Need for election reform
tribune242.com editorial:
PLP Leader Perry Christie has called for election reform, accusing FNM operatives of conducting an unethical by-election in the Elizabeth campaign. He said it was a campaign filled with promises of jobs and offering incentives to voters in exchange for their support.
A seasoned parliamentarian of 30 years, Mr Christie condemned the by-election as "the worst" he had "ever seen it" in terms of allegations that members of the FNM were using their government clout to sway voters. He claimed that on the eve of the by-election, a PLP supporter told him that her daughter had been offered a job by an FNM member, presumably to influence her vote.
Up to Monday, said Mr Christie --the election was on Tuesday-- "government was giving people jobs with a clear intention of influencing the vote. That's not proper, ethical or fair."
At present he said too much was happening "below the radar", elections had to be more transparent. What goes on now is just "not fair," he said.
It would seem that the Opposition leader believes his party has patented election practices that are "below the radar" and that at no election should they be imitated, particularly if it means a defeat for the PLP.
This observation does not mean that we condone unfair electoral practices or that there should not be electoral reform. It is just that it seems ironic that such a complaint should come from the leader of the PLP, a party that in the past 43 years has honed unfair election practices into a fine art.
Let's go back three years to 2007.
Mr Christie, PLP leader, was then the Prime Minister. His first -- and only -- five-year term ended that year and an election was called for May 2, 2007.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham was then the leader of the FNM and headed the official Opposition.
During the 2007 election campaign the FNM also accused the PLP of many unfair practices.
For example, police, Defence Force officers and public administrators always vote before the general public. The day they voted in the 2007 election was government pay day. One police officer told The Tribune that before voting he checked his bank account. He discovered that an extra $150 had been added to his salary. This extra was his pension that had been suspended. He said senior officers also received a lump sum as their pension payment.
It was understood at the time that retired officers on pension, who had returned to the force could not receive both salary and pension while they continued to serve. Their pensions were, therefore, suspended during this working period. However, two weeks before they were to vote they were told that the pension suspension had been lifted. They were paid both their salaries and their pensions on the day they voted.
It was also rumoured that certain government contracts were being hurriedly signed for five-year periods to secure jobs for PLP favourites should the Christie government lose the 2007 election.
About a month before the election it was reported that hundreds of temporary workers had been added to government's payroll.
Civil servants are banned from campaigning for either side during an election, but during the 2007 election -- as in most elections before it --reports were coming into The Tribune from Eleuthera that not only were civil servants campaigning, but they were using government vehicles to do so. The FNM candidate for North Eleuthera complained to the Parliamentary Registrar General Errol Bethel that the North Eleuthera administrator, who was also the assistant returning officer for the 2007 election, was openly campaigning for the PLP candidate.
In the three weeks leading up to the 2007 election, Bahamians were talking about vote buying, intimidation, threats of loss of jobs, pensions and even government housing if they failed to vote PLP.
And where was Mr Christie in the June 19, 1987 Crooked Island by-election that he can honestly say today that the Elizabeth by-election was the worst he had ever seen in terms of allegations that members of the FNM were using their government clout to sway voters? What was the late Sir Lynden Pindling doing when he ordered his whole Cabinet to descend on that isolated constituency, backed up by a Defence Force boat circling the island as further intimidation in the late Basil Kelly's 1987 by-election?
In a four-and-a-half page type written report of that by-election, Mr Kelly said that in one small settlement the mailboat landed an estimated $2,000 to $3,000 worth of groceries. The groceries were issued before the election, $50 worth to every voter. The voters were told that if the PLP got 30 votes or more out of that settlement, they would not have to pay the grocery bill.
Mr Kelly said that this particular settlement was the most isolated in the whole district. They were also told that if the PLP did not get their 30 votes the people's mail boat service would be taken away. The settlement was expected to go 50-50 -- half FNM, half PLP. In the end the district voted 16 FNM, 30 PLP.
If Mr Christie in fact believes that Elizabeth was the worst he has seen then maybe we should continue this discussion in this column tomorrow with quotes from Mr Kelly's report. Surely we can't let our Opposition leader remain uninformed.
February 22, 2010
tribune242
PLP Leader Perry Christie has called for election reform, accusing FNM operatives of conducting an unethical by-election in the Elizabeth campaign. He said it was a campaign filled with promises of jobs and offering incentives to voters in exchange for their support.
A seasoned parliamentarian of 30 years, Mr Christie condemned the by-election as "the worst" he had "ever seen it" in terms of allegations that members of the FNM were using their government clout to sway voters. He claimed that on the eve of the by-election, a PLP supporter told him that her daughter had been offered a job by an FNM member, presumably to influence her vote.
Up to Monday, said Mr Christie --the election was on Tuesday-- "government was giving people jobs with a clear intention of influencing the vote. That's not proper, ethical or fair."
At present he said too much was happening "below the radar", elections had to be more transparent. What goes on now is just "not fair," he said.
It would seem that the Opposition leader believes his party has patented election practices that are "below the radar" and that at no election should they be imitated, particularly if it means a defeat for the PLP.
This observation does not mean that we condone unfair electoral practices or that there should not be electoral reform. It is just that it seems ironic that such a complaint should come from the leader of the PLP, a party that in the past 43 years has honed unfair election practices into a fine art.
Let's go back three years to 2007.
Mr Christie, PLP leader, was then the Prime Minister. His first -- and only -- five-year term ended that year and an election was called for May 2, 2007.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham was then the leader of the FNM and headed the official Opposition.
During the 2007 election campaign the FNM also accused the PLP of many unfair practices.
For example, police, Defence Force officers and public administrators always vote before the general public. The day they voted in the 2007 election was government pay day. One police officer told The Tribune that before voting he checked his bank account. He discovered that an extra $150 had been added to his salary. This extra was his pension that had been suspended. He said senior officers also received a lump sum as their pension payment.
It was understood at the time that retired officers on pension, who had returned to the force could not receive both salary and pension while they continued to serve. Their pensions were, therefore, suspended during this working period. However, two weeks before they were to vote they were told that the pension suspension had been lifted. They were paid both their salaries and their pensions on the day they voted.
It was also rumoured that certain government contracts were being hurriedly signed for five-year periods to secure jobs for PLP favourites should the Christie government lose the 2007 election.
About a month before the election it was reported that hundreds of temporary workers had been added to government's payroll.
Civil servants are banned from campaigning for either side during an election, but during the 2007 election -- as in most elections before it --reports were coming into The Tribune from Eleuthera that not only were civil servants campaigning, but they were using government vehicles to do so. The FNM candidate for North Eleuthera complained to the Parliamentary Registrar General Errol Bethel that the North Eleuthera administrator, who was also the assistant returning officer for the 2007 election, was openly campaigning for the PLP candidate.
In the three weeks leading up to the 2007 election, Bahamians were talking about vote buying, intimidation, threats of loss of jobs, pensions and even government housing if they failed to vote PLP.
And where was Mr Christie in the June 19, 1987 Crooked Island by-election that he can honestly say today that the Elizabeth by-election was the worst he had ever seen in terms of allegations that members of the FNM were using their government clout to sway voters? What was the late Sir Lynden Pindling doing when he ordered his whole Cabinet to descend on that isolated constituency, backed up by a Defence Force boat circling the island as further intimidation in the late Basil Kelly's 1987 by-election?
In a four-and-a-half page type written report of that by-election, Mr Kelly said that in one small settlement the mailboat landed an estimated $2,000 to $3,000 worth of groceries. The groceries were issued before the election, $50 worth to every voter. The voters were told that if the PLP got 30 votes or more out of that settlement, they would not have to pay the grocery bill.
Mr Kelly said that this particular settlement was the most isolated in the whole district. They were also told that if the PLP did not get their 30 votes the people's mail boat service would be taken away. The settlement was expected to go 50-50 -- half FNM, half PLP. In the end the district voted 16 FNM, 30 PLP.
If Mr Christie in fact believes that Elizabeth was the worst he has seen then maybe we should continue this discussion in this column tomorrow with quotes from Mr Kelly's report. Surely we can't let our Opposition leader remain uninformed.
February 22, 2010
tribune242
Elizabeth by-election: FNM wants PLP to put up security for Election Court costs
By Candia Dames ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
The Free National Movement will seek the agreement of the Election Court for the Progressive Liberal Party to be required to put up security for costs, so that if the PLP loses the pending Elizabeth challenge, there would be money to meet its obligation to pay, FNM leader Hubert Ingraham announced yesterday at his first news conference after the hotly-contested by-election.
Ingraham stressed that the FNM fully expects the PLP to lose in court.
"The elites in the PLP seem to prefer court cases over the expressed will of the people," he said.
"It is not enough to talk about the ideals of democracy. A responsible and democratic government is charged with putting in place the measures which help to protect these ideals."
The PLP is preparing to mount an Election Court challenge after a grueling two-day recount resulted in its candidate, Ryan Pinder, receiving 1,499 votes to the 1,501 votes secured by Dr. Duane Sands, the FNM's candidate.
Pinder also got five protest votes that could still impact the outcome of the election, but Ingraham said the FNM has evidence that at least four of the people who voted on colored ballots had no entitlement to vote.
According to Ingraham, the PLP has long found it difficult to accept the will of the people expressed on election day.
"They like to go to court; but they are only satisfied when the court finds in their favor," he told the media and FNM supporters gathered at the party's headquarters on Mackey Street.
He noted that following the 2007 general election the PLP mounted a series of challenges in Election Court that proved unsuccessful.
"All were unnecessary — in Pinewood, in Marco City, and in Blue Hills," Ingraham said. "In none of those cases have the PLP paid the Election Court costs. Not one. This is par for the course.
"It is also part of an entitlement mentality by the PLP that the standards of fair play, common decency and abiding by the rules apply to everyone but themselves. In their minds the decisions of our national institutions may be circumvented or ignored if they are not in keeping with the self-interests of the PLP."
Ingraham reminded that the PLP owes ZNS $236,000.
He said had The Nassau Guardian not exposed this information recently, he would not have discussed it publicly.
"I would have sought to cajole to persuade them to pay, but now it looks like we've got to shame them to pay," Ingraham said.
This amount was incurred by the PLP over two and a half years ago at the last general election, he said.
"Ironically, the money still owed to ZNS is mostly a result of the television broadcast of rallies, which ignored longstanding broadcast rules which the PLP ignored and unilaterally broke," Ingraham charged.
"Further, despite not paying their general election bill they felt they were entitled to more time on ZNS during the Elizabeth by-election. With the extraordinary amount of funds the PLP spent in Elizabeth, they had more than enough funds to pay their other legal debts inclusive of sums owed Bahamasair. That they refused to do so is indicative of their mindset.
"Not paying their court costs and failing to pay ZNS and Bahamasair is a clear abuse of our national institutions. It sends the wrong example on many levels. The PLP are happy to take advantage of these institutions. But they refuse to abide by their decisions as and when it suits their purposes."
Ingraham claimed that the PLP had much more money than the FNM to spend during the Elizabeth by-election campaign and did so.
Ingraham also said when he became leader of the FNM in 1990, one of the early matters that he had to address was the settlement of costs for Election Court challenges mounted by the FNM following the 1987 general election.
"We raised the money and paid the $750,000 costs awarded against us by the court. We did so before the 1992 elections. We paid the monies to Nottage, Miller & Co., their legal representatives," Ingraham said.
"When the courts found in the government's favor on matters involving Sir Lynden Pindling (the now deceased former prime minister), Darrell Rolle and Philip Bethel (former PLP ministers) we, in the FNM government did not hound them to pay because we did not believe that the government should pursue people into bankruptcy."
Ingraham added, "When Sir Lynden Pindling was sued by Sir Kendal Isaacs (former FNM leader) on a matter concerning public disclosure, Sir Lynden insisted that he pay the $100,000 assessed by the courts. I never tire of saying that we are different from them; distinctly different."
He noted that in 2007 the FNM mounted a challenge against the PLP's victory in MICAL and lost.
"We paid costs of almost $225,000 to Davis & Co., the PLP's legal representatives. As a party, we take ownership and responsibility for our Election Court cases," Ingraham said.
"The PLP takes ownership and responsibility for nothing. When they lose an election case, they claim that the individual took the case to Election Court, not the party, and they pay nothing; ignore the debt.
In their world they never lose, cannot lose: The voters make mistakes, the parliamentary commissioner is inefficient, the FNM steals elections and the courts are in error."
Ingraham pointed out that in the case of the 2007 Marco City challenge, the Election Court assessed costs at $1 million.
"They have not paid a red nickel. We have not yet assessed the costs for Pinewood and Blue Hills; be assured however, we will do so," Ingraham said.
"They have a new mantra now. When they lose, they declare victory, tell their supporters that the election isn't over yet; send their operatives to all the radio stations to spill their vile mistruths and half-truths. They drag their matters on for as long as possible, hoping that somehow they will be able to reverse the decision made by the people on election day.
"They did this in 2007 and for more than a year held out to their supporters that victory was just around the corner. They did this cynically because they knew they had lost the 2007 general election fair and square. They knew they were wasting the Election Court's time when attention ought to have been given to serving the people."
Ingraham said the PLP appears now to be on the verge of "this same self-serving, delaying tactic" following the Elizabeth by-election.
"This is not the behavior of democrats," he said.
"Instead, it is the behavior of a PLP elite who manipulate our political system for their own self-aggrandizement and personal benefit. In other words, rather than serving our democratic institutions, the PLP mostly seek to have these institutions serve their personal needs and agendas."
Februray 22, 2010
thenassauguardian
The Free National Movement will seek the agreement of the Election Court for the Progressive Liberal Party to be required to put up security for costs, so that if the PLP loses the pending Elizabeth challenge, there would be money to meet its obligation to pay, FNM leader Hubert Ingraham announced yesterday at his first news conference after the hotly-contested by-election.
Ingraham stressed that the FNM fully expects the PLP to lose in court.
"The elites in the PLP seem to prefer court cases over the expressed will of the people," he said.
"It is not enough to talk about the ideals of democracy. A responsible and democratic government is charged with putting in place the measures which help to protect these ideals."
The PLP is preparing to mount an Election Court challenge after a grueling two-day recount resulted in its candidate, Ryan Pinder, receiving 1,499 votes to the 1,501 votes secured by Dr. Duane Sands, the FNM's candidate.
Pinder also got five protest votes that could still impact the outcome of the election, but Ingraham said the FNM has evidence that at least four of the people who voted on colored ballots had no entitlement to vote.
According to Ingraham, the PLP has long found it difficult to accept the will of the people expressed on election day.
"They like to go to court; but they are only satisfied when the court finds in their favor," he told the media and FNM supporters gathered at the party's headquarters on Mackey Street.
He noted that following the 2007 general election the PLP mounted a series of challenges in Election Court that proved unsuccessful.
"All were unnecessary — in Pinewood, in Marco City, and in Blue Hills," Ingraham said. "In none of those cases have the PLP paid the Election Court costs. Not one. This is par for the course.
"It is also part of an entitlement mentality by the PLP that the standards of fair play, common decency and abiding by the rules apply to everyone but themselves. In their minds the decisions of our national institutions may be circumvented or ignored if they are not in keeping with the self-interests of the PLP."
Ingraham reminded that the PLP owes ZNS $236,000.
He said had The Nassau Guardian not exposed this information recently, he would not have discussed it publicly.
"I would have sought to cajole to persuade them to pay, but now it looks like we've got to shame them to pay," Ingraham said.
This amount was incurred by the PLP over two and a half years ago at the last general election, he said.
"Ironically, the money still owed to ZNS is mostly a result of the television broadcast of rallies, which ignored longstanding broadcast rules which the PLP ignored and unilaterally broke," Ingraham charged.
"Further, despite not paying their general election bill they felt they were entitled to more time on ZNS during the Elizabeth by-election. With the extraordinary amount of funds the PLP spent in Elizabeth, they had more than enough funds to pay their other legal debts inclusive of sums owed Bahamasair. That they refused to do so is indicative of their mindset.
"Not paying their court costs and failing to pay ZNS and Bahamasair is a clear abuse of our national institutions. It sends the wrong example on many levels. The PLP are happy to take advantage of these institutions. But they refuse to abide by their decisions as and when it suits their purposes."
Ingraham claimed that the PLP had much more money than the FNM to spend during the Elizabeth by-election campaign and did so.
Ingraham also said when he became leader of the FNM in 1990, one of the early matters that he had to address was the settlement of costs for Election Court challenges mounted by the FNM following the 1987 general election.
"We raised the money and paid the $750,000 costs awarded against us by the court. We did so before the 1992 elections. We paid the monies to Nottage, Miller & Co., their legal representatives," Ingraham said.
"When the courts found in the government's favor on matters involving Sir Lynden Pindling (the now deceased former prime minister), Darrell Rolle and Philip Bethel (former PLP ministers) we, in the FNM government did not hound them to pay because we did not believe that the government should pursue people into bankruptcy."
Ingraham added, "When Sir Lynden Pindling was sued by Sir Kendal Isaacs (former FNM leader) on a matter concerning public disclosure, Sir Lynden insisted that he pay the $100,000 assessed by the courts. I never tire of saying that we are different from them; distinctly different."
He noted that in 2007 the FNM mounted a challenge against the PLP's victory in MICAL and lost.
"We paid costs of almost $225,000 to Davis & Co., the PLP's legal representatives. As a party, we take ownership and responsibility for our Election Court cases," Ingraham said.
"The PLP takes ownership and responsibility for nothing. When they lose an election case, they claim that the individual took the case to Election Court, not the party, and they pay nothing; ignore the debt.
In their world they never lose, cannot lose: The voters make mistakes, the parliamentary commissioner is inefficient, the FNM steals elections and the courts are in error."
Ingraham pointed out that in the case of the 2007 Marco City challenge, the Election Court assessed costs at $1 million.
"They have not paid a red nickel. We have not yet assessed the costs for Pinewood and Blue Hills; be assured however, we will do so," Ingraham said.
"They have a new mantra now. When they lose, they declare victory, tell their supporters that the election isn't over yet; send their operatives to all the radio stations to spill their vile mistruths and half-truths. They drag their matters on for as long as possible, hoping that somehow they will be able to reverse the decision made by the people on election day.
"They did this in 2007 and for more than a year held out to their supporters that victory was just around the corner. They did this cynically because they knew they had lost the 2007 general election fair and square. They knew they were wasting the Election Court's time when attention ought to have been given to serving the people."
Ingraham said the PLP appears now to be on the verge of "this same self-serving, delaying tactic" following the Elizabeth by-election.
"This is not the behavior of democrats," he said.
"Instead, it is the behavior of a PLP elite who manipulate our political system for their own self-aggrandizement and personal benefit. In other words, rather than serving our democratic institutions, the PLP mostly seek to have these institutions serve their personal needs and agendas."
Februray 22, 2010
thenassauguardian
Friday, January 8, 2010
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
Malcolm Adderley blasts the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP)
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
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
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette responds to Fred Smith's allegations over lawsuit
RESPONDING to allegations made in an affidavit by prominent attorney Fred Smith that FNM officials told him to drop a controversial lawsuit or lose his political dreams, Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette said he does not recall Mr Smith's version of the events.
As reported by The Tribune earlier this week, Mr Smith, QC, a senior partner with Callender's and Co in Grand Bahama filed an affidavit on December, 7 which alleges that the FNM's Candidates Committee told him he would not receive their endorsement for the Pine Ridge constituency in the 2007 general election -- unless he dropped lawsuit against a foreign developer.
At the time, Mr Smith represented the litigants against the Baker's Bay resort development in Guana Cay, Abaco.
Said Mr Symonette when contacted by The Tribune for a reaction to the allegations: "If Mr Smith has made those allegations in an affidavit form -- I don't think the party, the FNM party, is a member of the action in court and so we don't have a forum to deal with it. And if that's what he wishes to put in his affidavit -- (it's) a democratic country he can put it there.
"It's not my recollection of what happened but that's obviously his recollection."
Mr Smith represented the Save Guana Cay Reef Association in a four-year-long legal battle against the $500 million Baker's Bay development. The case was recently rejected by the Privy Council.
The lawyer alleges that money outweighed democracy in the selection of the FNM candidate for the Pine Ridge seat in 2007 -- claiming that the committee was worried that his part in the Guana Cay case would offend the FNM's "powerful financial backers."
Ultimately, another Grand Bahama attorney -- Kwasi Thompson -- was officially nominated for the constituency and was elected as MP for the area.
The affidavit was filed in connection with the argument over who should pay the legal costs in the unsuccessful appeal to the Privy Council launched by Mr Smith on behalf of the SGCRA seeking to have the initial ruling that gave the development the go-ahead in the face of the SGCRA's concerns overturned.
In the affidavit, Mr Smith stated: "My political aspirations and the wishes of the voters in the Pine Ridge Constituency Association were dashed as a result of this case.
"I was elected by the members of the (Pine Ridge Constituency) Association, prior to the last general election in 2007, to be the FNM candidate for the Pine Ridge Constituency. The next stage was for the FNM party candidates' committee to nominate me as the FNM party candidate for the election.
"Despite overwhelming local support I was told at one of the meetings with the committee members that unless I dropped the Guana Cay case, or unless I persuaded my clients to drop the case, I would not be chosen by the committee as the candidate for the next general election."
December 16, 2009
tribune242
As reported by The Tribune earlier this week, Mr Smith, QC, a senior partner with Callender's and Co in Grand Bahama filed an affidavit on December, 7 which alleges that the FNM's Candidates Committee told him he would not receive their endorsement for the Pine Ridge constituency in the 2007 general election -- unless he dropped lawsuit against a foreign developer.
At the time, Mr Smith represented the litigants against the Baker's Bay resort development in Guana Cay, Abaco.
Said Mr Symonette when contacted by The Tribune for a reaction to the allegations: "If Mr Smith has made those allegations in an affidavit form -- I don't think the party, the FNM party, is a member of the action in court and so we don't have a forum to deal with it. And if that's what he wishes to put in his affidavit -- (it's) a democratic country he can put it there.
"It's not my recollection of what happened but that's obviously his recollection."
Mr Smith represented the Save Guana Cay Reef Association in a four-year-long legal battle against the $500 million Baker's Bay development. The case was recently rejected by the Privy Council.
The lawyer alleges that money outweighed democracy in the selection of the FNM candidate for the Pine Ridge seat in 2007 -- claiming that the committee was worried that his part in the Guana Cay case would offend the FNM's "powerful financial backers."
Ultimately, another Grand Bahama attorney -- Kwasi Thompson -- was officially nominated for the constituency and was elected as MP for the area.
The affidavit was filed in connection with the argument over who should pay the legal costs in the unsuccessful appeal to the Privy Council launched by Mr Smith on behalf of the SGCRA seeking to have the initial ruling that gave the development the go-ahead in the face of the SGCRA's concerns overturned.
In the affidavit, Mr Smith stated: "My political aspirations and the wishes of the voters in the Pine Ridge Constituency Association were dashed as a result of this case.
"I was elected by the members of the (Pine Ridge Constituency) Association, prior to the last general election in 2007, to be the FNM candidate for the Pine Ridge Constituency. The next stage was for the FNM party candidates' committee to nominate me as the FNM party candidate for the election.
"Despite overwhelming local support I was told at one of the meetings with the committee members that unless I dropped the Guana Cay case, or unless I persuaded my clients to drop the case, I would not be chosen by the committee as the candidate for the next general election."
December 16, 2009
tribune242
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