Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham has been condemned by one of his own... Branville McCartney

FNM blasts ‘attack on PM’
By KRYSTEL ROLLE
Guardian Staff Reporter
krystel@nasguard.com


PLP says PM Ingraham was condemned by one of his own


Bamboo Town MP Branville McCartney’s assertion that Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham lacks compassion was described yesterday by Free National Movement (FNM)Chairman Carl Bethel as an attack and “political posturing.”

“There is no question that such an attack upon the prime minister is totally without any foundation and must be viewed as merely the manifestation of a personal agenda,” said Bethel in a statement.

Bethel was responding to comments made by McCartney while he was a guest Tuesday on the Star 106.5 FM radio talk show ‘Jeffrey’ with host Jeffrey Lloyd.

At the time McCartney predicted that the FNM would be challenged at the next general election, in part because of Ingraham’s lack of compassion toward the Bahamian people.

“At this stage, I’d certainly want [the FNM] to succeed, but we have our challenges,” said McCartney. “We seem to not be connected to the people, from the leader straight down. [We’re] showing a lack of compassion and not listening to the people,” he said.

When pressed by Lloyd, McCartney added: “The prime minister is the leader of the FNM. The buck stops with the prime minister. Yes, there’s a lack of compassion — probably not intentionally. Perhaps that’s just the way he is. That type of governance was necessary in 1992. In 2011 and 2012, I don’t think it is.”

Bethel said McCartney’s assessment was incorrect.

“Indeed, compassion is a virtue best expressed by actions, not words; and the prime minister throughout his political career has always shown great compassion for others,” he said.

“His policy initiatives, infrastructural improvements, stimulus packages, assistance with electricity bills, social spending, unemployment insurance and educational innovations in these tough times all speak louder than words of the prime minister’s compassion.”

Bethel said many people in the FNM were surprised at McCartney’s comments, as McCartney has always had the right to express concerns about compassion, or the lack thereof, at party council meetings.

“Indeed, Mr. McCartney attended the Central Council meeting of the party last week and had every opportunity to voice his feelings to his colleagues, peers, and those party officers and activists who he hopes to lead someday. He said nothing about compassion even though he spoke about other issues,” he said.

Bethel added that the prime minister’s personal journey from the “bowels of dire poverty” in his childhood to the heights of achievement for the Bahamian people as a “visionary” and “compassionate” leader is well-known.

He is of the view that Ingraham’s love and compassion for the Bahamian people is second to none.

“There may be policy differences which divide politicians, but any attack based upon an alleged lack of compassion is nothing short of political posturing,” said Bethel.

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts also issued a statement yesterday on McCartney’s remarks on Tuesday.

“The prime minister clearly stands condemned by one of his own,” Roberts said. “Who will be the next to step forward and to be frank and honest with the Bahamian people? McCartney’s projections that the FNM will face great challenges in the coming general election are correct. We indeed need change Bahamas.”

2/3/2011

thenassauguardian

Bahamas Blog International

Supporters of Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Senator Tommy Turnquest along with some FNM Action Group members Attack Hubert Ingraham

FNMs Attack Ingraham

By Candia Dames

candiadames@hotmail.com

Nassau, The Bahamas

October 10, 2005

Supporters of Free National Movement Leader Senator Tommy Turnquest, including some members of the FNM Action Group, have launched what has amounted to a campaign to block the return of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham as leader of the party.

"Hubert Ingraham ‐ you are still the most hated man in this country and the people will remind you of it if you go back on your word and challenge Tommy Turnquest as leader," said a letter forwarded to the press by supporters of Senator Turnquest over the weekend.

The scathing letter blames Mr. Ingraham for certain "failures", but does not acknowledge that Senator Turnquest was also a part of the Cabinet when those alleged failures occurred.

The letter came more than a week after FNM MP's secured the support of the party's Central Council to have Mr. Ingraham replace Alvin Smith as the FNM's parliamentary leader.

The vote has resulted in a fierce internal battle in the party as observers wait to see if Mr. Smith will resign as leader of the Official Opposition.

Oswald Marshall, chairman of the Action Group, who commented on the matter on Saturday, said he doubts Mr. Ingraham will become the parliamentary leader.

"I don't expect Ingraham [to return]," Mr. Marshall added. "They had some kind of idea that they would push Ingraham to the front of the party by getting him to take over leadership (in the House).  I think they polluted that process and I understand that he is not doing that anymore.  The council members [who voted against the move] felt that this was a prelude to Ingraham taking over the party."

The letter from Senator Turnquest's supporters reminds council members who supported Mr. Ingraham's return that it was the former prime minister "who botched the referendum" in 2002.

The letter continues: "It was Hubert Ingraham that promoted and left PLP's in office while you the FNM controlled the government.

"It was Hubert Ingraham that destroyed the financial services sector through the enactment of ill-advised legislation;

"It was Hubert Ingraham that bludgeoned Batelco by giving packages to existing management and staff who were performing and performing well; "It was Hubert Ingraham that had all of the major unions up in arms through his policies and action;

"It was Hubert Ingraham who expelled senior men in the FNM who had been with the party way before he was on the scene."

The letter says, "Men such as Tennyson Wells and Pierre Dupuch, loyal supporters of ideals of the party, were discarded by Hubert Ingraham."

Although it was a claim former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson denied when he appeared on the Love 97 programme, "Jones and Company" just over a week ago.

Supporters of Senator Turnquest also accused Mr. Ingraham of operating "on his own terms without regard to his ministers."

The letter also accused the former prime minister of doing as he wished without reference to the concerns of the Bahamian electorate.

"He did not listen and the people just as they fell in love with him in 1992 and 1997 - hated him in 2002 and consequently voted the FNM out.  That is why we lost by the margins we did, it said."

The letter added, "Now Mr. Ingraham seeks to use the FNM once more for his own selfish gain by sending his hatchet men such as Frank Watson, Hubert Minnis, Brent Symonette and those less than men parliamentarians to say the party needs him.

"No way, do we need Hubert Ingraham to lead this party.  We have a leader of our own; one bred in the party - who paid his dues and has risen to the leadership position."

The letter continues, "We have reached an important milestone in the FNM when history will judge our actions as we prepare for the election in 2006 or 2007.  Do we [want to] embrace a new leader who will take care of FNM's in a fair way or do we bring back a rejected man?

"Tommy Turnquest may not be perfect in everyone's eye, but he is 100 percent FNM."

When he spoke with The Bahama Journal on Thursday, Senator Turnquest said he had "no idea" whether Mr. Ingraham will become the new parliamentary leader as the other FNM MP's wish.

But he reiterated that the former prime minister has assured him that he has no plans to again seek the leadership post of the FNM. 

Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Tommy Turnquest says that He is Not Troubled by Opposition within or outside His Party

Tommy On Defensive

By Candia Dames

candiadames@hotmail.com

Nassau, The Bahamas

27 April 2005

Amid reports that he is facing fierce opposition from within his own party, Free National Movement Leader Tommy Turnquest called a press conference on Tuesday to reassure FNM's that all is well in the party.

Mr. Turnquest told reporters that he is confident that he has the full support of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and that as far as he is aware Mr. Ingraham, despite reports, is not interested in returning as leader of the party.

"We in the FNM will not allow our political opponents to capitalize on make-believe issues in our party," said Mr. Turnquest, who added that he is not troubled by opposition within or outside his party.

"They want desperately to take the focus off their incompetence, ineffectiveness and inefficiency.  We must continue to reveal their total ineptitude as a government.  The old, pompous, all-for-me nature of the PLP is back and we must resolve to rid our country of this rudderless, incompetent and unfocused government.  This is the focus of the FNM ‐ nothing more, nothing less."

The FNM leader called the press conference to respond to a Bahama Journal article published on Monday under the headline "FNM's Want Tommy Out."

That story revealed that an advisory council of the party headed by former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson has advised Mr. Turnquest that there are many FNM's who want him out and Mr. Ingraham back in as leader.

On Tuesday, Mr. Turnquest refused to discuss the findings of the advisory council with reporters, saying that, "It is unfortunate that some people seem to have taken [the appointment of the council] as a sign of crisis in leadership in our party."

He said, "As the duly elected leader of the FNM, I am working to ready our party to compete fiercely in the next general election.  On a daily basis, I am meeting with persons who have expressed a desire to be an FNM candidate in the next election, a process I hope to complete very soon so that we might begin to put them in place."

Mr. Turnquest also urged party supporters to "be strong so we may finish strong."

"The work that we must do is crucial," he said.  "Our nation is in the hands of incompetent drifters.  They have failed to live up to many of their promises.  Our people are hurting.  Our country is directionless.  We are being misled by those who govern us.  They are working to enrich themselves, their families and their cronies."

Mr. Turnquest was flanked by his deputy, Sidney Collie; FNM Chairman Carl Bethel; Montagu MP Brent Symonette; Senator Tanya McCartney; and Loretta Butler Turner, who was a candidate in the last general election.

Leader of the Official Opposition Alvin Smith and a handful of FNM supporters also showed up to support the FNM leader.

There was, however, no member of the advisory council present at the press conference.

On Monday, former FNM Cabinet Minister Tennyson Wells, now an independent MP, told The Bahama Journal that the fact that Mr. Turnquest had to appoint that council indicates that the party is in "disarray."

But Mr. Turnquest said the FNM has never been more united.

When asked whether he had an image problem, he said that he had no idea what it means to have an image problem.

Mr. Wells has said that the key problem with Mr. Turnquest is his image and that the very people who supported his bid for leadership in 2000 are the ones trying to overthrow him as leader.

Former Cabinet Minister Algernon Allen, meanwhile, said that there was treachery afoot.

Mr. Turnquest dismissed those statements.

"In May 2002, I sat at this very table and offered my resignation to the highest authority in his party," Mr. Turnquest said at the press conference at FNM headquarters.  "I was asked to remain until the next national convention which I did.  I then offered myself for leadership and I was elected as leader.

"I really can do no more than that, but if I continue to look over my shoulder or behind my back, I'd be constantly focused on that rather the real prize which is ahead and that is defeating the PLP and making sure that we return this country back to where it ought to be." 

Tommy Turnquest says He Does Not Consider Hubert Ingraham to be a Threat to His Leadership of the Free National Movement (FNM)

Turnquest: Ingraham No Threat

By Candia Dames

candiadames@hotmail.com

Nassau, The Bahamas

10/05/2004

Free National Movement Leader Tommy Turnquest said on the Love 97 Radio Programme 'Jones and Company' Sunday that former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham is no threat to him.

While addressing a group of administrative professions in Freeport, Grand Bahama last month, Mr. Ingraham referred to his departure from frontline politics as a "hiatus" and said it could stay that way as long as those who are now in office advance The Bahamas and its people.

Mr. Turnquest said, "I did not consider it to be a threat against me.  I do not consider Mr. Ingraham to be a threat to my leadership.  Mr. Ingraham is a former leader, a former prime minister.  He remains a sitting MP as an FNM MP in our parliament.

"He is very supportive of me and my leadership and I don't in the slightest way feel threatened by him or by his remarks.  He said that people said when I was prime minister that I talked too much and I didn't listen enough.  Now they're saying I'm not saying enough, perhaps I'll get it right one day."

Mr. Turnquest said a lot of people try to pit him against Mr. Ingraham, but he said, "I'm not going there".

"I'm comfortable with my leadership, I'm comfortable with his position," he added.  "There are persons in the FNM who have tried to get Mr. Ingraham to come back.  I believe that those persons are not prepared to work as hard as we have to work in order for us to gain the government.

"They see Mr. Ingraham as a person who did it before and feel that if he came back we would just automatically win.  Well, that's not going to happen.

When asked by the show's host, Wendall Jones, whether Mr. Ingraham was a cloud over his leadership, Mr. Turnquest said, "Mr. Ingraham is a very dominating personality in terms of Bahamian politics.  Lots of persons either love him or hate him, but Mr. Ingraham in my view, and I believe in the view of the majority of FNM's, will not become leader of the FNM again."

Mr. Jones then asked, "Wouldn't it be better for you as leader of the FNM for him to retire from frontline politics and give you advice rather than being, as some people say, meddlesome?"

Mr. Turnquest responded, "I don't consider Mr. Ingraham meddlesome in my leadership.  Some people believe that Mr. Ingraham is going to come back or wants to come back as leader of the FNM and prime minister of The Bahamas.  I do not share that view.  I believe that Mr. Ingraham has a passion for the political scene in The Bahamas.  He's in the parliament.

"Mr. Ingraham didn't want to run in the last election in North Abaco, but he ran and won his seat and thankfully so...I'm not sure that we can win a bye election in North Abaco at this time and until I'm sure about that, I don't see any reason to ask Mr. Ingraham to step down."

He added, "Mr. Ingraham serves a very useful purpose for me being in the House of Assembly and the House of Assembly is where the action is.  I do not have a seat in the House of Assembly."

Mr. Jones then asked, "Aren't you upstaged by his presence?"

"I don't feel upstaged," Mr. Turnquest responded.  "I am comfortable as the leader of the FNM."

When asked whether Mr. Ingraham was more responsible that any other politician in the FNM for the defeat of the party in the last general elections, the FNM leader said Mr. Ingraham has to accept a degree of responsibility for the FNM defeat.

But he said, "I believe that the blame game as to who is responsible for us losing is not important in terms of us moving forward.

"I have now done an analysis in terms of the reasons as to why we have lost.  I use that analysis now as the basis of my strategy of us winning the next election and so I don't intend to make or let the FNM make the same mistakes we made in the election campaign of 2002...in fact, I intend to have learnt sufficiently from those mistakes and from any successes we may have had in order for the FNM to be successful in the next general elections."

He then reiterated that he does not feel undermined by Mr. Ingraham.

Prime Minister Perry Christie, who was a guest on the same show a week earlier, was also asked to respond to comments made by Mr. Ingraham in Grand Bahama.

He said, "One of the interesting and intriguing questions for The Bahamas will be whether Hubert Ingraham and a Perry Christie representing both sides of the political spectrum will square up against each other and quite frankly to the real politician in both of us, it is more than intriguing.

"It's one of those things that you have become very curious over.  I don't know though whether that is something that is real for Mr. Ingraham.  He indicated to the country that he wanted to do two terms.  He had two terms.  He's in retirement now and it takes a major set of facts to converge for him, I think, to make a decision to move forward.  But that's neither here nor there, that's an FNM problem."

The prime minister then added, "I quite frankly do not believe and I cannot anticipate from my point of view that the FNM will beat my party in the next election even though we're two and a half years away at least from a general election.

"My job is to ensure that my party complies with its programme that it presented to the Bahamian people and remain relevant to the Bahamian people and I have to be satisfied that if we do those things that we would win, no matter who is the leader of the other side."