Perry Christie - like Hubert Ingraham ...has the chance to write his last chapter... ...Time will pass quickly ...and Christie will soon have to make his choices known

Changing political fates

A restless Bahamian electorate is becoming harder to read

BY BRENT DEAN
Guardian Associate Editor
brentldean@nasguard.com

After the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) victory in May 2002, Bahamians were in love with their new leader.

Perry Christie could do no wrong.

When he mounted rally podia to the sound of R. Kelly’s “The Storm is Over Now” in that campaign, he was like a loved prophet coming to bring new times to a tired but hopeful people.  He won that general election by a landslide margin.

Five years later Christie and his PLP were defeated.

The man who defeated him was his friend and the prime minister from 1992 to 2002.  Hubert Ingraham came back as the anti-Christie.

While Christie, he argued, was lazy and inadequate, another Ingraham-led government would restore order to The Bahamas.  Ingraham won the 2007 general election.

Five years later, the man who was not good enough to lead was good enough again.  Christie was reinstated as prime minister.

The mood of the electorate in the modern Bahamas is very different than in the Pindling years.  Then, one well-loved leader was able to govern for 25 consecutive years.  Now we have had two consecutive one-term governments, and this latest crew of leaders has run into headwind.

The referendum loss for the PLP, despite the party officially saying it was not on a side, came after it won the 2010 Elizabeth by-election, the 2012 general election and the 2012 North Abaco by-election.  A declaration of upset came so soon after many expressions of support.

Politics and electorate of today

With an electorate now willing to change its mind so quickly, politicians should not take anything for granted.  They should also not misread their mandates.

The 2007 Free National Movement (FNM) government and the current PLP government each won just under 50 percent of the vote in the respective elections that brought them to office.  Both had comfortable margins, but not the overwhelming support that is needed to move controversial policies or legislation alone.

This may have been the fundamental problem with the gambling referendum.  A party with less than 50 percent of the support of the people moved forward with a vote on a divisive issue to a volatile electorate against established stakeholders such as the church.  Considering the modern Bahamian electorate as the same as the Pindling voters would cause miscalculation.

Fewer and fewer Bahamians love the PLP or the FNM.  Fewer and fewer Bahamians believe that our political class has the best interest of the people at heart.  There is suspicion and anger.  There is a belief that many simply want to lead in order to dispense the assets of the state to friends, lovers and associates.

The people are not innocent victims in this, however.  Assuming politicians to be modern pirates seeking loot, many Bahamians align themselves with whomever just for the time in order to get their contacts or their jobs.  Cynicism has set in.

When enough people feel they have not gotten theirs from the crew they voted for, they send for the others only to facilitate self-interest.

Navigating treacherous waters

The current mood of voters presents an interesting set of problems for the people who run the ‘Gold Rush’ administration.

For Christie, if he intends to retire before the end of this term it is easy and simple.  Wait for his full pension and then ride off into the sunset an even richer man – one who will always be taken care of by the state.  Politically speaking, he needs to do nothing but sit and wait.

But for the group including Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis and Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe, men who want to be prime minister, it is crucial that the method is found to satisfy enough members of a cynical electorate to ensure the PLP wins again.

If Christie does go before the end of this term – and I don’t just assume he will – he may find the wannabe prime ministers in his Cabinet increasingly at odds with him.  A departing Machiavellian leader has no real interest in the future of the crew he leaves behind when all of his interests are already taken care of.  He can do as he pleases in his final days, making moves that are not necessarily in the best interest of them.

The would-be heirs will increasingly want to have a more direct hand in policymaking and governance if Christie is leaving because they want to ensure the party can win again, extending their time on the throne.

As the months go by, these men will want to know if the chief is going or staying.  They know that it cannot be assumed that the PLP will just win again, even though the FNM is without money and elements of the Ingraham fan club are tearing down the current party leader, Dr. Hubert Minnis.

To the potential PLP PMs the governing party needs successes.  The governing party does not need debacles such as the failed referendum.

Ingraham’s end may scare the future leaders of the PLP.  He publicly confirmed late in his term that he would run again and seek to be prime minister a fourth time.  Misreading his mandate from 2007 and full of belief that he was loved, Ingraham ran again in tough times and was rejected.  That rejection also swept out many senior FNMs.  Carl Bethel, Tommy Turnquest, Dion Foulkes, Desmond Bannister, just to name a few, may too have been retired for good with Ingraham.

When the boss just does what he wants, he can destroy you too.

Time

It feels like the general election was just a few weeks ago.  It actually is nearing a year since that clash.

These years of the PLP mandate will pass quickly.  And with each passing month, for those who seek to lead the PLP and The Bahamas, it will become increasingly urgent for them to know what Christie intends to do and when he intends to do it.

Our prime ministers are politically all-powerful in their parties.  They can’t be voted out internally.

I wonder what goes on in the mind of the prime minister.  I wonder whether he is tired and wants no more, or if he likes it so much that he just can’t give it up.  I wonder if he supports Brave Davis, his law and business partner, or if he seeks to hand the throne to another.  I even wonder if he has come to conclusions on these matters yet.  Only Christie can answer.

Christie is a wise politician who has seen it all.  He has witnessed up close how in recent years the fates of politicians have changed so dramatically so soon.

He, like Ingraham, has the chance to write his last chapter.  Time will pass quickly and Christie will soon have to make his choices known.

February 11, 2013

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

...whatever they called him during his 15 years as prime minister ...Hubert Ingraham did much for this country - The Bahamas ...and for all Bahamians... ...He should be a true inspiration to Bahamian youth who now know that regardless of their backgrounds ...they can also aspire to great heights

A Tribute To Hubert Alexander Ingraham

Tribune 242 Editorial




IF from a log cabin in the backwoods of Kentucky the sixteenth president of the United States could step forth, there was no reason why 203 years later Cooper’s Town, Abaco, could not produce from similar circumstances the second prime minister of the Bahamas.

 

The two men had much in common. “I walk slowly,” said Abraham Lincoln, “but I never walk backwards.”

 

Hubert Alexander Ingraham, born in Pine Ridge Grand Bahama, in 1947, could have said the same.

 

Both men had much in common. Lincoln’s parents were illiterate. His mother died when he was nine, and his stepmother took him under her wing and encouraged him to read. Reading material was scarce and Lincoln walked for miles just to borrow a book.

 

Hubert Ingraham, was left with his grandparents in Abaco when he was a toddler, while his mother found work in Nassau. He grew up in a four-room wooden house with his grandparents and an uncle, and slept on a pallet on the floor with his two cousins. He got his first pair of shoes when he was 10 and didn’t learn how to use a knife and fork until he was 17. His grandfather taught him how to fish, his grandmother insisted on education — and every bit of learning he could get he got at the sleepy little town’s all-age school, where he became a monitor at 12 and a pupil teacher at 14.

 

When at 17 she felt he was ready to go to town to further his education, he wanted to become a teacher, she determined that he was to be a lawyer and a lawyer he became. Lincoln, who with his backwoods accent, made his living by manual labour and – like Hubert Ingraham – had to acquire social skills as he went along, also became a lawyer.

 

His grandmother instilled in him his courage and determination, she crafted his principles, taught him to raise his gaze above the horizon — believing that if he aimed for the stars, he might reach the tree tops. He did not let “Mama Lizzie” down. He was her boy and between his love and respect for her and his mother “Dama” he was determined to raise the lot of women in our society.

 

The UBP gave women the vote in 1962. When in 1992 Hubert Ingraham went to the polls to remove his mentor, Sir Lynden Pindling, from the seat of power, women started to come into their own.

 

During his administration, Mrs Janet Bostwick, a former minister in his government, states in an article in a special supplement in today’s Tribune:

 

“And, he is an FNM hero because he brought women front and centre in each government which he led, paying attention to all the issues that concern Bahamian women most especially health, education, social development and equality before the law.”

 

He placed women to head important ministries in his government — Attorney General, Health, Education, Foreign Affairs, Social Development, Transport, Public Service, and Immigration. During his administration Dame Ivy Dumont became the first woman Governor General, and Dame Joan Sawyer, was the first woman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

 

He believed deeply in democracy — and for democracy to be equally enjoyed by all Bahamians. He was criticised by his own party for his refusal to discriminate against Bahamians who were not FNM. There are still those in his party who do not understand that all the spoils should not go to the victor. At least Hubert Alexander Ingraham did not believe in the victor walking away with everything — nor did old Abe Lincoln.

 

He also believed in freedom of speech. And one of the first things that he did on becoming prime minister of the Bahamas was to open the airwaves to the private sector. The Tribune was given the first private radio licence for 100 JAMZ. Since then there have been many private radio licences and many talk shows, where Bahamians can express their opinions, no matter how wise or foolish.

 

No longer do Bahamians, like Fred Mitchell, have to fly to Miami to buy air time to get their views across to the Bahamian public. Today they have many outlets right here at home and they certainly use them.

 

Mr Ingraham has been the brunt of much of their criticism — but this is the price of free speech. We are certain that he does not like it. We are also certain that untruths make him squirm — in fact send him into a boiling temper — but we are also certain that he would never be vindictive, or retaliate by denying work permits to newspapers. He would probably agree with Winston Churchill who said: “I am always in favour of the free press but sometimes they say quite nasty things.” As for Abe Lincoln, he felt it important “to let the people know the facts, and the country will be safe.”

 

They laughed at his accent, they called him the “Delivery Boy,” his nickname was Hughbiggity – Sir Lynden dismissed him as a one-term prime minister – but whatever they called him during his 15 years as prime minister he did much for this country and for all Bahamians. He should be a true inspiration to Bahamian youth who now know that regardless of their backgrounds they can also aspire to great heights.

 

September 07, 2012

 

Tribune242 Editorial

 

Caribbean Blog International

 

One thing that should be understood... is that the Free National Movement (FNM) is not a dead horse... ...After the 1997 general election – when Hubert Ingraham and the FNM won 57.6 per cent of the vote with a turnout of 92 per cent – commentators were convinced that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) was headed straight for "the boneyard." ...The victory was so great that concerns were raised about the future of our two-party democracy ... even The Tribune feared the FNM would be so powerful that it could “lose its balance”

Looking To A Future After Ingraham

TOUGH CALL

By Larry Smith

SO Hubert Alexander Ingraham has been forced to exit, stage left – and just as his personality cult was kicking in big time.

A few days ago, a documentary “chronicling the life, upbringing, and achievements of the prime minister” began airing on television. The film focuses on “Ingraham’s inspirational journey from humble beginnings to the highest public office in service of the people”.

We hear that the impetus for this project came from the FNM's campaign consultants, but in my view it was entirely inappropriate for a sitting prime minister. That’s the sort of propaganda thing Lynden Pindling did without batting an eye when I was a junior writer at the Bahamas News Bureau in the 1970s and 80s. It’s not the sort of thing I would have expected Hubert Ingraham to endorse in the 21st century.

Unfortunately, the film climaxed an out-of-control “Papa” campaign played out to the tune of “Simply the Best” that had to have turned off some voters. I can understand the FNM’s fixation on the papa theme. They tried to turn a derisive label into a term of support (as they had successfully done with Pindling’s earlier taunt about Ingraham being a “delivery boy”). But I think the current effort was way over the top and backfired badly when combined with “Ingraham fatigue”.

Of course, Ingraham has been down and out before – in 2002, when the entire FNM cabinet was wiped out. But this time there will be no return – age and circumstance will see to that. It will be up to the FNM rump in the House of Assembly to choose a new leader from the nine, mostly new, MPs left standing. Dr Hubert Minnis and Loretta Butler Turner stand out from this reduced line-up.

In addition to doing the right thing and resigning as party leader, Ingraham also said he would not take up his North Abaco seat, throwing the FNM into an immediate leadership quandary at a point when most of the party’s second tier leaders – like Tommy Turnquest, Carl Bethel, Dion Foulkes and Zhivago Laing – have been turfed out. Presumably, their political careers are now over.

Ironically (and sadly for some), Ingraham’s retirement from public life came only one day after he asked the Bahamian people to give him a final chance to complete “the work of my lifetime”, by re-electing the FNM to a fourth non-consecutive term.

The prime minister was known to be grooming Abaconians to eventually replace him in the constituency that has elected him seven times before, but a potential successor may not have much interest in contesting a bye-election under the current circumstances. And although Hubert Minnis will likely become leader of the opposition in parliament, it is still unclear who the FNM Council will settle on as party leader.

One thing that should be understood is that the FNM is not a dead horse. After the 1997 election – when Ingraham and the FNM won 57.6 per cent of the vote with a turnout of 92 per cent – commentators were convinced that the PLP was headed straight for "the boneyard." The victory was so great that concerns were raised about the future of our two-party democracy – even The Tribune feared the FNM would be so powerful that it could “lose its balance”.

And within days of the election, Sir Lynden added to the PLP’s despair by stepping down after 32 years as party leader. That was only five years after the party had suffered its first and only major defeat in a quarter century of absolute ascendancy under Pindling’s leadership. But it was only five years before it won a stunning landslide upset in 2002.

Back then, an electorate of 145,000 gave Christie’s PLP 51.7 per cent of the vote to the FNMs 40.8 per cent, with a turnout of 89 per cent.

Only seven FNM MPs retained their seats. And to make matters worse, three FNMs who had split with the party over the leadership struggle were returned as independents, an unprecedented turn of events.

Nevertheless, Ingraham was able to lead the party to a hard-fought victory in 2007 despite unprecedented prosperity.

The complete 2012 election results were not available when this was written. They will require careful parsing over the next several days, but one factor stands out sharply at this stage. The DNA, formed just a year ago after Bran McCartney’s rift with Ingraham, drew more than 10,000 votes and effectively threw several seats to the PLP, without itself coming close to winning a single constituency.

As one insider put it, “in the 2007 election, 10 seats were decided by less than 100 votes. When you add the DNA to that mix the 2012 result is what you get”.

That may be putting it too strongly. But FNM supporters could be forgiven for considering this election as eerily reminiscent of the party’s internecine wars of the 1970s and 80s, which kept them out of power until 1992.

So the DNA’s singular achievement may have been its role in driving Hubert Ingraham into retirement. At the same time, it has forced the FNM to deal head on with its leadership succession. And we should remember that the lop-sided seat spread (28 to 10) doesn't reflect the same degree of disparity in terms of actual votes. In other words, the FNM still commands huge support throughout the country, and only a few percentage points divide the two parties.

The other consequence is that Perry Christie (who refused to bow out gracefully after his 2007 defeat) has been given a new lease on his political life, and the PLP has managed to reschedule its inevitable leadership struggle into the vague medium-term future. Still, it is very likely that Christie will be in the same boat as Ingraham once was once his term draws to a close.

Ingraham’s swan song as prime minister was a time of immense progress and much-needed infrastructural investment. But the fall-out from the Great Recession also made it a time of economic stress for average Bahamians, who expressed their discomfort by voting in sufficient numbers against the party in power.

Christie’s response at the PLP’s Clifford Park victory rally on Monday night was to remark on the “wonderful journey we've been on”, to note that “the storm is now over”, and to promise that his government would actually “perform” this time.

This election could be considered “a choice between the devil you know, and the devil you know who don't do nothing,” as one wag put it. But Ingraham's hardline style trumped Christie's lackadaisical record in the minds of many voters this time around.

If there is one conclusion we can draw from this election, it is this: “Both political parties have their good times and bad times, only they have them at different times.”

That is a quote from the American writer Will Rogers, referring to American politics.

Now let’s see what happens with BTC and BPC.

May 09, 2012

tribune242

Caribbean Blog International

There is no wound so painful as man's ingratitude... ...We fully understand, but deeply regret Mr. Hubert Ingraham's decision to say to his people -- thank you, but no thank you, I have served you well, I can take no more

Bahamas Has Lost A Great Leader

tribune242 editorial


 

BAHAMIANS went to the polls yesterday and showed the depth of their ingratitude to a man who had dedicated 35 selfless years to their service. Hubert Ingraham was a man who had taken over a country that had become a pariah among nations. A country regarded by the world as a "nation for sale", where drug lords flourished. The public treasury was bankrupt, Bahamians were out of work, the island had fallen to third world status with crumbling infrastructure -- the situation seemed hopeless in 1992.

But that year, as leader of the FNM, Mr Ingraham defeated the late Sir Lynden Pindling's PLP, and started the task of rebuilding a country that had little going for it. His first task was to reinvigorate the tourist industry - all government owned hotels were failing. His first success at restructuring was to attract the Kerzner interests back to the Bahamas - they had earlier taken a look and walked away. This conquest culminated in the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island. Further investment quickly followed. Gradually the "nation for sale" tag appeared less often in newspaper articles about the Bahamas, until it eventually disappeared.

Mr Ingraham served two terms as prime minister (1992-2002) before being defeated by his former law partner, PLP Opposition Leader Perry Christie, who served for one term before being beaten by the FNM. Mr Ingraham was returned to power.

Shocked by the defeat, the PLP commissioned a firm of experts to investigate and try to discover what went wrong. The perception of corruption and weak leadership in the PLP were their conclusions.

Unfortunately for Mr Ingraham, but most fortunately for the Bahamas, it was Mr Ingraham who guided the ship of state when the world economy crashed, sweeping every country before it, including the Bahamas.

It was Mr Ingraham's tenacity, level head, farsight, and hard work that kept the Bahamas' economy from imploding as did the economies of so many other, larger, and more prosperous countries. Certainly times were tough for Bahamians -- loss of jobs and of homes -- but he did his best to cushion the blow. Compared to other countries, which were exploding in civil unrest all around us -- Greece being the prime example -- the Bahamas was weathering the storm. We do not think that a PLP government could have done the job.

One only has to look around the country, now on the verge of an economic comeback, to see the accomplishments of the Ingraham government, which had tremendous plans for the future if given another five years by the Bahamian people. But that was not to be.

There is no wound so painful as man's ingratitude. We fully understand, but deeply regret Mr Ingraham's decision to say to his people -- thank you, but no thank you, I have served you well, I can take no more.

Although his constituents re-elected him yesterday, he not only resigned as leader of his party, but he also decided not to take his seat in the House of Assembly.

Many think this was a grave mistake, but having been through this over 50 years ago with another outstanding man - who sacrificed his life and almost lost his business only to be rejected by the very people for whom he had made the sacrifices - we understand Mr Ingraham's decision.

In 1956, Sir Etienne Dupuch, publisher of this newspaper, standing on the floor of the House, was threatened with arrest for moving a Resolution to end racial discrimination in public places in the Bahamas. By the end of that week hotels announced that discrimination in their establishments was over. Other public places followed. Shortly afterwards Sir Etienne was defeated in a general election as the representative in the House of Assembly for the Eastern district. He was replaced by a plumber.

However, despite yesterday's loss, if one takes time to study the results it is obvious that constituencies were lost by only a few votes.

Yesterday we drove around various constituencies, including Grants Town. The stories we heard of vote buying in various places were mind-boggling. Some were told by the very persons who had been solicited, one of whom had succumbed.

We heard the stories of men who were offered bribes of $5,000, $10,000, as high as $15,000, to take off their red shirts, reject their FNM candidate and convince other FNM supporters to do the same.

We heard of a group of young men, who were only interested in money, not in the good of their country or the future of their families, who told the FNM candidate that they had planned to vote for him, but, so sorry, they could not turn down the substantial bribe. We heard of instances of yellow shirts being presented with money wrapped inside as an inducement to take off the red and put on the yellow. FNM's stood on the sidelines and watched. Names were called of the persons they claim were handing out the money.

We urge FNM's to stand up and - yes, once more for the sake of their country -- expose this evil. If not we shall all be guilty of silently acquiescing in a corrupt society. Are we to return so soon to being a "nation for sale"?

We at The Tribune thank Mr Ingraham for his many years of service to an ungrateful country, whose people we are certain will soon regret their decision.

We hope he will now enjoy his private life with his wife, children and grandchildren - also his favourite pastime -- fishing in this country's beautiful waters.

May 08, 2012

tribune242 editorial

Caribbean Blog International

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham accuses Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Perry Christie of being a lobbyist for the Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC)... which wants to drill for oil in Bahamian waters

Ingraham: Christie is an oil lobbyist

Ingraham attacks PLP’s ‘Bahamians first’ pledge

By Candia Dames
Guardian News Editor
candia@nasguard.com

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham last night turned up the heat on Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Perry Christie, accusing him of being a lobbyist for the Bahamas Petroleum Company (BPC), which wants to drill for oil in Bahamian waters.

Christie has acknowledged that the oil company has benefited from legal advice he has given as a consultant for Davis & Co., the law firm of PLP Deputy Leader Philip Brave Davis, which represents BPC.

At a rally in Rock Sound, Eleuthera, Ingraham spun the PLP’s ‘Bahamians first’ campaign theme, telling the crowd, “For me, putting Bahamians first is a solemn duty.

“It is not a slogan I throw around in order to win votes.  Putting Bahamians first is a duty I have sworn to uphold each time I placed my hand on the Bible and promised to abide by the constitution and protect the interests of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”

The prime minister added, “If Perry Christie really wanted to put you and every other Bahamian first, he would not have agreed to become a paid consultant for a foreign oil company.  This has cast doubt on where his true allegiance will be when it’s decision time.”

Ingraham said his (Ingraham’s) only interest is the interest of Bahamians.

Christie has said he provides advice to the law firm and is not a consultant for BPC directly.  When asked about the issue last week, Christie told The Nassau Guardian, “If there is an issue they need advice on, whether or not they need someone to speak to the issue of environmental impact [studies], the issue of whether or not in my judgment a matter is worthy for the government to approve, whether or not an application is ready, whether or not they should employ and who should go on the board of directors, whatever views they ask of the firm, in the event that firm regards it as necessary, they would consult me on it. Those are the services I provide.”

But Ingraham said last night the service Christie is providing is called lobbying.

“Is it a mere coincidence that a foreign oil company decided to hire as consultants and pay handsomely, the two most senior leaders of the Official Opposition, and potentially two senior leaders of the executive branch in the country in which they are seeking to drill for oil?” he asked.

He told voters they must decide whether they find Christie’s actions acceptable.

“There must be no question or appearance of the possibility of a grave conflict of interest, or the potential for secret deals which can compromise the individual who serves as your prime minister,” Ingraham said.

The prime minister told voters that they should have no doubt where he stands on this issue.

“A government led by me will not agree to any drilling for oil in The Bahamas until all necessary and appropriate regulations are in place, and until we are fully and competently in a position to regulate such activity, so as to protect our environment and that of the world’s ocean beyond from harmful and risky activity in our country and in our waters,” Ingraham said.

“...We are not now in a position to regulate and oversee drilling operations in our waters.  My greatest obligation is to do what I think is the right thing to do at any given time to protect the best interests of you, the Bahamian people, and that of future generations.

“I will not take any deliberate action to cause harm to our country, regardless of the promised financial reward for a select few consultants and legal representatives.  We in the FNM do not go that way.  We accept that we are different, distinctly different from them.”

Ingraham also said Jerome Gomez, the PLP candidate for Killarney, was BPC’s resident country manager before it set up its own office in The Bahamas.

The prime minister told the crowd that elections in difficult economic times demand that leadership be a principal issue.

“These are times for strong and decisive leadership; leadership that will make the tough choices.  This is no time for wavering and waffling,” he said. “This is no time for talk and more talk.  This is a time for action.

“I offer you on behalf of the Free National Movement proven leadership.  I offer you accountable and transparent government.  I offer you clean hands.  I pledge again to you a government that will deliver.”

Apr 26, 2012

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham says: ...Bain and Grants Town MP Dr. Bernard Nottage failed to use more than half of the $100,000 allowance Members of Parliament were given access to for constituency projects... ...In Centreville and Farm Road, during the height of the global recession ...their MP Perry Gladstone Christie couldn’t get around to spending his full allocation of money

Ingraham says Nottage failed to access full constituency allowance

By Krystel Rolle
Guardian Staff Reporter
krystel@nasguard.com

Bain and Grants Town MP Dr. Bernard Nottage failed to use more than half of the $100,000 allowance members of Parliament were given access to for constituency projects, according to Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.

Ingraham previously made a similar revelation about Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Perry Christie.

The prime minister reiterated that claim at a Free National Movement (FNM) rally on Wednesday.

“When we made available $100,000 to each MP to spend to improve their constituency, most MPs got to work for their people,” Ingraham said.

“In Centreville and Farm Road, during the height of the global recession, their MP Perry Gladstone Christie couldn’t get around to spending his full allocation of money.

“He left more than one half of that money unspent. His sad excuse is he was still planning a whole year after the money was made available. I tell you he’s never ready.”

Ingraham added: “The same thing could be said for B.J. Nottage. He couldn’t figure out what to spend his money on either so he left more than half of his money unspent. It seems Bain Town and Grants Town don’t need any small capital project.”

Christie acknowledged in 2010 that he had some difficulty with his constituency allowance.

He explained that after consultation with his constituents he was determining how best to spend the funds.

He said he had plans to expand three parks in the constituency and construct bathrooms at two of the parks.

Calls to Nottage were not answered up to press time last night.

Apr 21, 2012

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

...in the face of a general election — I have decided to rate the Free National Movement's (FNM’s) best and worst Cabinet Ministers from 2007 to 2012... in Hubert Ingraham's Cabinet

Best of the FNM Cabinet

By ADRIAN GIBSON
 ajbahama@hotmail.com


IN this increasingly hyper-partisan and thorny political environment—in the face of a general election—I decided to rate the  FNM’s best and worst ministers from 2007 to 2012, measuring the  ministerial performances of each and rating them on a scale from one to  five. Last week’s YMV column listed the one-star, bottom-tier ministers who I felt had mismanaged the sky-high expectations of the Bahamian  people.

Although a mixed crew of personalities comprises the Cabinet, whilst  there are/were weaklings and acutely despondent, chronic underachievers  in the executorial assemblage, there are first-rate go-getters and hard workers who have given praiseworthy service.

Frankly, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham will not be rated among his portfolio of ministers. I will discuss him and  his legacy at a later  date. However, he has offered firm leadership and has proven himself as a political Einstein who relies on good common sense and his political  capital during rough times.

Although he initially appeared shorthanded in terms of his Cabinet  selections, PM Ingraham seemingly projected the image of at least  having his glass half full. Consistent with his political DNA (no pun intended), the PM does not employ a reckless or impetuous approach to  the decision-making process, making concrete decisions so that the country could’ve battled the gloomy economic recession. Frankly, he has  had the political will to make unpopular, sober-minded decisions in the  best interest of the country.

By and large, PM Ingraham has correctly renegotiated land deals that  were out-and-out land grabs, modernised the country’s infrastructure, fostered the entrepreneurial spirit whilst also creating a shareholding  society, assisted the poor and downtrodden and brought some semblance  of transparency and integrity back to government, thereby heightening investor confidence and methodically exposing the ministerial inconsistencies of the previous administration. Moreover, the PM has effectively stabilized and managed the country’s affairs even as the country faced what, only a few years ago, seemed to be insurmountable  economic odds.

Undoubtedly, history will record him as the Bahamas’ best Prime  Minister thus far.

In rating Mr Ingraham’s best Cabinet ministers, I’ve decided to  utilize a tier system, placing the best of the best major portfolio ministers in tier one. Tier one represents those ministers whose  performances were absolutely outstanding whilst tier two represents those ministers who rendered “good-to-very good” performances.

 Tier One

The fifth best minister is DPM Brent Symonette, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Immigration. First, I must give kudos to Mr Symonette for  correcting the deplorable incidents of overcrowding at the passport  office and for quickly implementing machine-readable e-passports. In the past, I have criticised Mr Symonette as having performed grimly as a minister, however his effectiveness of late has been duly noted.

Unlike his former junior minister, Mr Symonette has been a quiet and smooth operator, never exhibiting any groundless braggadocio or  showmanship.

At Foreign Affairs, the DPM has been superb, having negotiated  numerous OECD-pleasing Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEAs)  without a hitch; facilitated an agreement that allows Bahamians to travel to European countries without the headache of signing up and waiting for a Schengen visa; overseen the speedy processing of immigration matters and the cessation of the silly practice where Bahamians returning home were required to fill-out an immigration form; supervised the smooth transition of Chinese workers coming to the Bahamas to build the stadium, roads, docks/bridges and BahaMar; and managed to foster the settlement of a maritime border issue between the Bahamas and Cuba after about 50 years (Paul Adderley, the former Attorney General, and others had been attempting to resolve the issue since king hammer was a hatchet). Under Mr Symonette, the illegal immigration situation was efficiently confronted, without him once having to impersonate anyone and don an immigration officer’s uniform.

Even more, there hasn’t been any escapes from the Detention Centre in recent time and, even with its infrastructural improvements, the Detention Centre is no longer seen as a residence—he has hurriedly facilitated the repatriation of illegal migrants.

Of late, Mr Symonette has seen to it that the immigration policies of the Bahamas have been enunciated and the immigration department has seemingly adopted a more proactive approach centred on deterrence.

Seemingly, the department has allotted resources to properly educating foreigners on legal ways to access this country—e.g. the campaign in Haiti.

Frankly, there seems to have been a deepening of trade relations between the Bahamas, Europe and North America and the creation of stronger alliances and a stronger commitment to addressing common issues, such as inter-jurisdictional crimes and drug trafficking. I would like to see better multilateral cooperation between small island states in the hemisphere on environmental matters, particularly since larger countries prefer dealing with smaller countries in blocs.

That said, Mr Symonette has been somewhat unfairly dogged by allegations of conflict of interest, particularly as it relates to the road works. This has not distorted his quiet consistency in his ministry and, moreover, he has represented the country well at diplomatic events.

Larry Cartwright, the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources and a Long Islander (home town boy!), has actively pushed the development of agriculture. He roars into the fourth spot. Mr Cartwright is an unpretentious, hands-on minister who participates in each project, from the planning stages to implementation. The outgoing MP for Long Island has, with limited resources, been progressively promoting farming and economic diversification alongside BAIC chairman Edison Key. Mr Cartwright and Mr Key have brought substance to BAIC and have made farming a real agenda item, as opposed to merely paying lip service.

During the past five years, the agriculture minister and Mr Key have been attempting to reverse 70 years of farm decline, whilst seeking to address inefficiencies in produce distribution and marketing and correcting the unfavourable shipping conditions that cause spoilage during transport.

Under Larry Cartwright, a fruit tree planting project – where two farmers were contracted to "moss" 15,000 persian lime plants and mango, avocado and sugar apple trees imported for sale to farmers at cost – was initiated; provisional greenhouses for schools and a school garden programme; implemented an embryo transplant programme; promoted agribusiness expos; implemented the backyard gardening initiative (with lessons and a start-up kit); purchased farm tractors for North Andros; established a weekly farmers market at GRAC; continued the "feeder farm" roads and land clearing programme for Family Island farmers, 50 per cent of which is subsidized by government; instituted duty exemption on all imported items being utilized by registered farmers and fishermen for job-related tasks; overseen the refurbishment of packing houses, the abattoir and the produce exchange in Freeport as well as ongoing renovation of the Produce Exchange on New Providence; established a fresh produce market on Gladstone Road; established marine protected areas in Abaco, the Berry Islands and Exuma; has pressed for legislation to regulate Cooperatives; has sought to ensure that fishermen and the Bahamas’ natural resources are protected from bald-faced poachers by seeking the engagement of the Defence Force in high priority fishing areas; has given new life to cottage industries and sought to empower entrepreneurs from island to island in to create an authentic Bahamian souvenir experience; and pushed for the passage of a new animal control bill to control stray and roaming animals and also sanction their owners.

Moreover, as a farmer himself, the minister's recognition of the urgent need to resurrect agriculture and fisheries has, in conjunction with FAO consultants, led to the creation of the first five-year development plan for agriculture and fisheries.


Overall, Mr Cartwright simply performed his job without much fanfare and did well.

Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace—Minister of Tourism and Aviation (MOTA)—has reinvigorated his ministry’s approach to marketing and developing our tourism product, boosting morale that was at an all-time low in the wake of Neko Grant’s disastrous reign whilst also recapturing and expanding upon market share. Mr Vanderpool-Wallace is a highly respected, regional tourism guru whose performance, particularly over the last two years, has breathed life into sluggish tourism numbers. He has advanced sustainable tourism, targeting new markets and nurturing wider market share—incorporating a focus on regional and Latin American tourism and airlift. I’m pleased to see that greater emphasis has been placed on deepening the Bahamas’ appeal to corporate, religious and sports groups as well as medical tourists.

In the past, I complained that there wasn’t any sustainable promotion of domestic and foreign tourism throughout the archipelago. I called for the promotion of the collection of islands as different, unique destinations and the minister has shared that vision and seemingly sought to focus heavily upon that.

Just this week, the tourism minister has virtually brought Bahamasair a new lease on life, having the MOTA and Bahamasair coordinate on tourism while restoring Bahamasair’s local/international credibility.


To the minister's credit, he has overseen the implementation of a 1-800 toll free line that is operated by Bahamians, created the Bahamas.com website, has revitalized and jumpstarted the BahamaHost programme and implemented a companion fly-free promotion to boost the tourism industry on the Out Islands.

Today, the redevelopment of Bay Street is another feather in the tourism minister’s cap, in addition to increasing airlift to the Bahamas during a recessionary period.

John Delaney, the Attorney General, comes in at number two as he has attempted to correct much of the malignant neglect of his office by previous office holders. Mr Delaney is an affable chap who has superbly managed and implemented an aggressive legislative agenda with a view to carrying out speedier trials and alleviating the backlog of cases in our molasses-like legal system. The administration of justice under John Delaney is on an upward spiral with progressively more suspected criminals being tried in 18-24 months.


Moreover, his administration has proposed and seen to the establishment of magistrates courts on various Family Islands, has overseen the construction of a remand court at the prison and has seen to the improvement of the courts' infrastructure and the administration of justice/legal system with the building and refurbishment of new court buildings (e.g. Nassau Street, Ansbacher building).

Competent justice initiatives have be undertaken since many violent criminals take comfort in knowing that a matter would likely not be brought to court or, after a considerable time lapses, that they would be granted bail.

Moreover, Mr Delaney has taken initiative relative to the recruitment, payment and tenure of judges; the recruitment and hiring of attorneys to quickly move criminal matters along and deal with issues such as trade reform; and, purportedly, offering incentives to a few experienced and brilliant local lawyers to leave their practices – even if shortly – to sit on the Bench.

He handled the squabbles within the AG's office, relative to the Director of Public Prosecutions saga, with dignity.


There is a tie for the number one spot—shared by Desmond Bannister and Dr Hubert Minnis.


Desmond Bannister, the Minister of Education (MOE), has shown humility and pureness of purpose in addressing the issues plaguing the education system. Once Carl Bethel was bounced from the Cabinet and Mr Bannister was given an opportunity to shine, he provided a morale boost from the ministry/department and, through worthwhile initiatives, is earning the confidence of the nation. He seems cool under pressure, exhibiting the political will to make tough decisions.

Who else was thinking about smoking out persons illegally registered to vote in a constituency in which they didn’t reside long before the general election? Mr Bannister had the guts to press for a cleaner register and decided that one doesn’t have to wait until after the election to go to the election court—instead addressing the issue pre-election.


Mr Bannister has brought much of the critical management needed to coordinate and bring the MOE to a point where the organization and its employees have strictly defined roles. Moreover, he has cleaned up corruption and eliminated the notion by certain high-ranking officers that they were running their very own little fiefdoms.


The minister is wisely carrying out early repairs and preparations for school openings in September. Indeed, there is also a need for the training and re-training of teachers. Frankly, the ministry must align the curriculum with the development needs of the country in order to imbue a strong sense of self, speak to nation-building, address the question of self-reliance and entrepreneurship, teach the Constitution, etcetera.

Mr Bannister has established a sexual complaints unit; a boys mentoring programme; implemented consistent standards for graduation ceremonies in all public schools; held a back-to-school parent seminar; sought to clearly define the grading system for national exams; revised guidelines for hiring new teachers; established scholarship programmes and increased scholarship awardees; conducted an in-house audit; and implemented cost cutting measures such as requiring staff to leave government vehicles parked at the Ministry after office hours. Mr Bannister has also followed through on his pledge to personally oversee school repairs and construction before paying a dime. Upon appointment, he met with security officers to address shortages and security concerns at schools.

During Mr Bannister’s administration, several schools have either been completed or refurbished.  Health Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is the other top minister sharing the number one billing. Dr Minnis has modernized and reformed the healthcare system in the Bahamas. Dr Minnis—one part of the M & M (Minnis & Maynard) election team—is also set to put an “Old Testament political beat down” on his challengers for the Killarney seat during the upcoming election.

I have personally found him to be an upstanding, man of his word.  The health minister has modernized the hospital, overseeing improvements at PMH and the Rand in Grand Bahama whilst initiating e-medicine, which is an innovative, technological advancement for an archipelagic nation where critically ill Family Islanders may be in dire need of immediate healthcare.

During his tenure, Dr Minnis effectively addressed disgruntled nursing staff and their union as well as issues such as insufficient supplies and equipment and medicinal shortages at the hospital's pharmacy.

Dr Minnis must be credited with instituting insurance for nurses, proactively tackling the swine flu epidemic, the remodelling at accident and emergency, renovations to the emergency room at the Rand Hospital (Grand Bahama) and generally showing an interest in PMH's staff and the wider public. He has also overseen the passage of a national prescription drug plan, which has assisted Bahamians with accessing much-needed medication.

Other pluses for Dr Minnis include the reduction of the infant mortality rate during his administration; the early detection of epidemics (dengue, malaria) and the ensuing immediate deployment of health professionals throughout the archipelago; and his encouragement of exercise and healthy lifestyles among citizens who are increasingly becoming overweight.

Tier Two

Lastly, the ministers in the tier two category are all good ministers. In this category, Works Minister Neko Grant (who has the distinction of being on both the best and worst lists), Minister of the Environment Earl Deveaux and Minister of Labour and Social Services Dion Foulkes make up the last of the FNM Cabinet’s brightest ministers.

The above mentioned ministers will be highlighted at the end of next week’s column, where I would offer my reasons as to why they make the list.


 Caribbean Blog International