PLP chief 'offended' by Christie remarks
tribune242:
PLP CHIEF Melissa Sears quit her job as vice chairman because she was "offended" by verbal remarks made by party leader Perry Christie, The Tribune learned last night.
As speculation mounts surrounding her departure, it is being reported that she decided to resign following a meeting in Grand Bahama.
According to sources very close to the matter, Mr Christie was in Grand Bahama to rally the party's machinery sometime earlier this month. At this meeting, it was claimed, he made the point that he had "no time" for Ms Sears -- who was in earshot of the remark.
Although the comment was admittedly "harsh", one PLP source explained that the party leader was sending the message that he was aware of Ms Sears' alleged allegiance to other would-be leaders within the organisation.
"She was a known anti-Christie during the PLP convention and even before that. So he had to let her know that he was aware of that fact. In this (political) climate you have to do what you have to do," the source added.
When contacted for comment on the matter, PLP chairman Bradley Roberts said he doubted that Mr Christie would make such a remark, and directed The Tribune to speak to the party leader directly.
However, repeated attempts to reach Mr Christie proved unsuccessful, and messages left were not returned up to press time last night.
While Ms Sears' alleged allegiance to one faction or the other is not known officially, it has been reported that she was a staunch supporter of PLP deputy leader challenger Obie Wilchcombe who came to her defence in yesterday's Tribune.
In that article, Mr Wilchcombe said Ms Sears was an "outstanding young woman" who still has a career in politics.
"She is an outstanding orator and has her hands around the issues facing people. She believes in people and has committed herself to helping the least amongst us. Her decision does not mean her political life is over or her relationship with the PLP," said the West End and Bimini MP.
However, a former leadership candidate during the PLP's 51st National Convention in 2008, Paul Moss, said the PLP has to address the fact that the party is losing good and qualified persons "left, right, and centre."
Having resigned from the PLP himself, Mr Moss asked the public to question why "good partisan people" are incapable of having a voice and even staying with the party.
"The party's inability to have introspection to prepare itself moving forward to being the alternative to the government, they have not done that. They are trying to win at all costs. And I don't think that is going to work, even against a third party," he said.
April 27, 2010
tribune242
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 PLP chairman Bradley Roberts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PLP chairman Bradley Roberts. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest: 'PLP operatives' registering illegally in Elizabeth
By Candia Dames ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
With the by-election in Elizabeth just over two weeks away, campaigners upped their efforts over the weekend to win over voters and locate people who registered in the constituency since Malcolm Adderley won the seat in 2007.
According to Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest, some of the 700-plus new people on the voter's register for Elizabeth are Progressive Liberal Party operatives who do not live in the constituency.
Turnquest, who is also the minister responsible for the Parliamentary Registration Department, told The Nassau Guardian yesterday, "I don't know that the department can identify them.
"I have identified them as PLP operatives, and I can assure you that as an FNM (Free National Movement) campaign worker for this election, we will not allow them to vote.
"What I do also say is that the Parliamentary Registration Department and its workers have gone out throughout the constituency knocking on doors to identify persons in the constituency who are on the register, so they have also been trying to find out those people who do not live in the area."
PLP chairman Bradley Roberts said yesterday he knows of no PLP operative who has registered in Elizabeth who does not live there.
Roberts also said he is not aware of any FNM operative who has registered in the constituency but lives somewhere else.
"I understand that they (PLP campaign teams) are finding some people who we haven't been able to find before. They are still doing their work in trying to locate all of them," Roberts said.
Turnquest said he doubts that the problem of people from other constituencies having registered to vote in Elizabeth is widespread.
"There are just over 700 persons (who are new to the Elizabeth register); there are about 340-odd persons that have transferred in; there are about 360-odd that are new voters and there are a number of persons who are on the register who would have moved out more than six months ago," he said.
"They just haven't taken any initiative to take their name off the register. That doesn't mean that they're going to show up to vote. They are not legally entitled to vote in the by-election and I will presume that the vast majority of them have no intention of showing up to vote and breaking the law."
The Elizabeth-by election comes two years after the Pinewood Election Court challenge uncovered significant flaws in the parliamentary registration system.
The justices of the Election Court said the case had exposed "the most egregious failures in the parliamentary system."
"The parliamentary commissioner failed, for whatever reason, to ensure the integrity of the registration process in Pinewood," the ruling said.
"...This case also revealed that far too many Bahamians are willing to take an oath without regard to truth and their promises before Almighty God."
Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel has said repeatedly that his department is doing all it can to ensure the integrity of the system as the first by-election in the country in a dozen years approaches.
Turnquest acknowledged yesterday that some challenges may arise because some of the Elizabeth streets are not named, but insisted that the Parliamentary Registration Department is committed to ensuring the integrity of the system.
Monday February 1, 2010
thenassauguardian
With the by-election in Elizabeth just over two weeks away, campaigners upped their efforts over the weekend to win over voters and locate people who registered in the constituency since Malcolm Adderley won the seat in 2007.
According to Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest, some of the 700-plus new people on the voter's register for Elizabeth are Progressive Liberal Party operatives who do not live in the constituency.
Turnquest, who is also the minister responsible for the Parliamentary Registration Department, told The Nassau Guardian yesterday, "I don't know that the department can identify them.
"I have identified them as PLP operatives, and I can assure you that as an FNM (Free National Movement) campaign worker for this election, we will not allow them to vote.
"What I do also say is that the Parliamentary Registration Department and its workers have gone out throughout the constituency knocking on doors to identify persons in the constituency who are on the register, so they have also been trying to find out those people who do not live in the area."
PLP chairman Bradley Roberts said yesterday he knows of no PLP operative who has registered in Elizabeth who does not live there.
Roberts also said he is not aware of any FNM operative who has registered in the constituency but lives somewhere else.
"I understand that they (PLP campaign teams) are finding some people who we haven't been able to find before. They are still doing their work in trying to locate all of them," Roberts said.
Turnquest said he doubts that the problem of people from other constituencies having registered to vote in Elizabeth is widespread.
"There are just over 700 persons (who are new to the Elizabeth register); there are about 340-odd persons that have transferred in; there are about 360-odd that are new voters and there are a number of persons who are on the register who would have moved out more than six months ago," he said.
"They just haven't taken any initiative to take their name off the register. That doesn't mean that they're going to show up to vote. They are not legally entitled to vote in the by-election and I will presume that the vast majority of them have no intention of showing up to vote and breaking the law."
The Elizabeth-by election comes two years after the Pinewood Election Court challenge uncovered significant flaws in the parliamentary registration system.
The justices of the Election Court said the case had exposed "the most egregious failures in the parliamentary system."
"The parliamentary commissioner failed, for whatever reason, to ensure the integrity of the registration process in Pinewood," the ruling said.
"...This case also revealed that far too many Bahamians are willing to take an oath without regard to truth and their promises before Almighty God."
Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel has said repeatedly that his department is doing all it can to ensure the integrity of the system as the first by-election in the country in a dozen years approaches.
Turnquest acknowledged yesterday that some challenges may arise because some of the Elizabeth streets are not named, but insisted that the Parliamentary Registration Department is committed to ensuring the integrity of the system.
Monday February 1, 2010
thenassauguardian
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) chairman Bradley Roberts predicts money will determine Elizabeth by-election victor
By CANDIA DAMES ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
Whether the Progressive Liberal Party will run a candidate in the Elizabeth by-election is a matter the party will decide at a later date, PLP chairman Bradley Roberts said yesterday, adding that the party does not now have a great deal of funds to invest in such a process.
The by-election will come as a result of the resignation of current MP Malcolm Adderley from the House of Assembly. Adderley also resigned from the Progressive Liberal Party on Saturday.
"We have a process in our party that we will be obliged to follow and in going through that process, a determination will be made and recommendations will be brought to the National General Council of the party who will make the final determination," he said.
Despite reports from party insiders, Roberts also said he was not aware of any plan that was afoot to expel Adderley from the party.
Some political pundits have described Adderley's resignation on Saturday as a preemptive strike. According to party insiders, the PLP was getting ready to expel him.
Roberts said yesterday, "If that is so, I have no knowledge of that whatsoever. Nothing has come to my attention in that regard. Some remarks I made recently may have caused the matter to come to a head."
Last week, the PLP chairman predicted that the matter would reach conclusion soon.
Asked if he is confident the party would win the seat should it contest it, Roberts said yesterday, "Personally, Bradley Roberts is a very optimistic person and at this time in the history of our Bahamas with the economy being in the state that it is in, the amount of suffering that has been going on, it is not an unknown quantity that there are things that take place that the Free National Movement are experts at doing and that will obviously play a very, very strong and influential part in the outcome of the election. In other words, people generally vote nowadays in the interest of their bellies as opposed to the interest of what is true and what is right.
"It means then, in my opinion, that the outcome will be determined by who invests the greatest amount of funds in the process."
Following the 2007 general election, PLP leader Perry Christie said one of the main reasons the Free National Movement won was that it outspent the Progressive Liberal Party. It is widely known that the PLP emerged from that election financially strapped.
Roberts said yesterday that several PLPs — including attorneys Ryan Pinder and Craig Butler — have expressed an interest in running on the party's ticket in Elizabeth.
Adderley, a former acting Supreme Court justice, is expected to become a judge following his departure from the House. His resignation takes effect at the end of the day on Wednesday.
Asked why the PLP leadership did not take action against Adderley, Roberts said that is a question that would have to be asked of the chairman who served before him.
He said since he has been chairman, "We've had other things that we've been preoccupied with and Malcolm was certainly not a priority in this chairman's estimation. I had personally written off Malcolm Adderley a long time ago."
In a statement issued yesterday, the FNM said it respects the personal decision made by Adderley to sever his political affiliation with the opposition.
"Such a decision is not lightly made and obviously must reflect a deeply thought-out, personal determination on his part," the statement said.
"The Free National Movement does not have the benefit of knowing the inmost reasons behind Mr. Adderley's resignation from the PLP. However, one has only to read and consider the vilification and bile which was spewed in the hysterical PLP press response to venture a guess as to why Mr. Adderley, and perhaps others, may no longer want to be associated with what that organization has become under the leadership of Perry Christie and Bradley Roberts."
The party also thanked Adderley for agreeing to continue to serve as chairman of the Gaming Board after the 2007 general elections.
"We understand that Mr. Adderley is willing to continue in the service of his country as a justice of the Supreme Court, a position for which he is well qualified, especially at a time when there is urgent need for qualified Bahamian judges willing to serve," the statement said. "If that is so, we highly commend him. We note that he has previously served in this position in an acting capacity while his political persuasion was well known."
thenassauguardian
Whether the Progressive Liberal Party will run a candidate in the Elizabeth by-election is a matter the party will decide at a later date, PLP chairman Bradley Roberts said yesterday, adding that the party does not now have a great deal of funds to invest in such a process.
The by-election will come as a result of the resignation of current MP Malcolm Adderley from the House of Assembly. Adderley also resigned from the Progressive Liberal Party on Saturday.
"We have a process in our party that we will be obliged to follow and in going through that process, a determination will be made and recommendations will be brought to the National General Council of the party who will make the final determination," he said.
Despite reports from party insiders, Roberts also said he was not aware of any plan that was afoot to expel Adderley from the party.
Some political pundits have described Adderley's resignation on Saturday as a preemptive strike. According to party insiders, the PLP was getting ready to expel him.
Roberts said yesterday, "If that is so, I have no knowledge of that whatsoever. Nothing has come to my attention in that regard. Some remarks I made recently may have caused the matter to come to a head."
Last week, the PLP chairman predicted that the matter would reach conclusion soon.
Asked if he is confident the party would win the seat should it contest it, Roberts said yesterday, "Personally, Bradley Roberts is a very optimistic person and at this time in the history of our Bahamas with the economy being in the state that it is in, the amount of suffering that has been going on, it is not an unknown quantity that there are things that take place that the Free National Movement are experts at doing and that will obviously play a very, very strong and influential part in the outcome of the election. In other words, people generally vote nowadays in the interest of their bellies as opposed to the interest of what is true and what is right.
"It means then, in my opinion, that the outcome will be determined by who invests the greatest amount of funds in the process."
Following the 2007 general election, PLP leader Perry Christie said one of the main reasons the Free National Movement won was that it outspent the Progressive Liberal Party. It is widely known that the PLP emerged from that election financially strapped.
Roberts said yesterday that several PLPs — including attorneys Ryan Pinder and Craig Butler — have expressed an interest in running on the party's ticket in Elizabeth.
Adderley, a former acting Supreme Court justice, is expected to become a judge following his departure from the House. His resignation takes effect at the end of the day on Wednesday.
Asked why the PLP leadership did not take action against Adderley, Roberts said that is a question that would have to be asked of the chairman who served before him.
He said since he has been chairman, "We've had other things that we've been preoccupied with and Malcolm was certainly not a priority in this chairman's estimation. I had personally written off Malcolm Adderley a long time ago."
In a statement issued yesterday, the FNM said it respects the personal decision made by Adderley to sever his political affiliation with the opposition.
"Such a decision is not lightly made and obviously must reflect a deeply thought-out, personal determination on his part," the statement said.
"The Free National Movement does not have the benefit of knowing the inmost reasons behind Mr. Adderley's resignation from the PLP. However, one has only to read and consider the vilification and bile which was spewed in the hysterical PLP press response to venture a guess as to why Mr. Adderley, and perhaps others, may no longer want to be associated with what that organization has become under the leadership of Perry Christie and Bradley Roberts."
The party also thanked Adderley for agreeing to continue to serve as chairman of the Gaming Board after the 2007 general elections.
"We understand that Mr. Adderley is willing to continue in the service of his country as a justice of the Supreme Court, a position for which he is well qualified, especially at a time when there is urgent need for qualified Bahamian judges willing to serve," the statement said. "If that is so, we highly commend him. We note that he has previously served in this position in an acting capacity while his political persuasion was well known."
thenassauguardian
The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) lashes out over the resignation of Malcolm Adderley from the PLP and the House of Assembly
By CANDIA DAMES ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:
The Progressive Liberal Party yesterday let off a volley of stinging criticisms against the governing Free National Movement on the heels of the resignation of Malcolm Adderley from the PLP and the House of Assembly, accusing it of undermining the administration of justice in the country.
"Let Malcolm Adderley serve out his political term," the party said in a detailed statement.
"Do not strike deals behind closed doors, especially those that undermine confidence in the judiciary. Do not impose the cost of a by-election upon Bahamians who are struggling to pay school fees, mortgages, rent, utilities and to buy groceries. The PLP and Bahamians everywhere hope the FNM will stop this madness."
The PLP released the statement after it emerged that Adderley resigned from the Progressive Liberal Party and from the House of Assembly where he is a second-term member of Parliament for Elizabeth. The Guardian understands that Adderley tendered his resignation to House Speaker Alvin Smith on Saturday and also sent a one-line letter of resignation to PLP chairman Bradley Roberts.
His resignation as an MP comes after many months of speculation as Adderley continued to serve as chairman of the Gaming Board when the Free National Movement was elected in 2007, and has been inactive in the PLP's parliamentary caucus.
Adderley's resignation as an MP is effective the end of the day on Wednesday and he is expected to become a Supreme Court judge.
The PLP yesterday accused the Free National Movement of "continued abuses of power and destruction of our institutions", claiming that such "abuses" are "heaping unbearable and irreparable damage upon the backs of Bahamians."
The party went as far as to accuse the government of sparking a record-breaking murder count in 2009 "due to political interference in the appointment of the commissioner of police" Reginald Ferguson, who retires today.
"Commissioner (Ellison) Greenslade was to have been appointed in 2007. The FNM appointed Reginald Ferguson so that his pension could be 'fixed up'," the PLP alleged. "The brother of the then chairman of the FNM and Hubert Ingraham's 'boy' was fixed up while Bahamians paid the price of crime spiraling out of control, tourists were attacked, cruise ships told their passengers not to go on tours, investors left The Bahamas, financial services continued to face steep decline and Bahamians were held hostage in their homes."
Adderley's resignation from Parliament means that a by-election is imminent.
"This means that the people of The Bahamas who are faced with the worst economy and the highest misery index in living memory will now be further burdened with the cost of a by-election in Elizabeth, which will amount to more than $1 million," the PLP stated.
"It means that the FNM is giving as political gifts the position of Supreme Court justice, thereby attacking the institution of an independent judiciary. It also means that the FNM would have determined to ignore the findings of the Election Court pointing out the lack of integrity of the Register of Voters. By any yardstick, the FNM would be holding an election on a register that has a question as to proper scrutiny [and this] will be striking at the very root of democracy.
"The PLP will determine whether to participate in this madness would be supporting an immoral and constitutional travesty."
The party also charged that the government has committed an act of "blatant discrimination" against Justice Cheryl Albury by refusing to extend her service.
"If Justice Albury's tenure was extended, the Bahamian people will simply pay her salary and not a pension at this time. In refusing the extension of Justice Albury's tenure while negotiating a behind the scenes political deal, for the appointment of Malcolm Adderley as a judge and the extension of his tenure before he is even appointed, the FNM would be adding another salary, pension and other perks onto the backs of an already overburdened Bahamian public."
The PLP claimed the government intends to hold a by-election in Elizabeth to determine its level of popularity. The party charged that this "is an abuse of power, tramples upon our laws and is a naked attack upon the institution of a free and fair electoral process."
The by-election in Elizabeth will be the first to be held in the country since the September 1997 by-election in South Andros, which was held after the late former prime minister Sir Lynden Pindling resigned from front-line politics.
In the 2007 general election, Adderley won the Elizabeth seat by only 45 votes, defeating the FNM's Elma Campbell, 1,940 to 1,895.
January 04, 2010
thenassauguardian
The Progressive Liberal Party yesterday let off a volley of stinging criticisms against the governing Free National Movement on the heels of the resignation of Malcolm Adderley from the PLP and the House of Assembly, accusing it of undermining the administration of justice in the country.
"Let Malcolm Adderley serve out his political term," the party said in a detailed statement.
"Do not strike deals behind closed doors, especially those that undermine confidence in the judiciary. Do not impose the cost of a by-election upon Bahamians who are struggling to pay school fees, mortgages, rent, utilities and to buy groceries. The PLP and Bahamians everywhere hope the FNM will stop this madness."
The PLP released the statement after it emerged that Adderley resigned from the Progressive Liberal Party and from the House of Assembly where he is a second-term member of Parliament for Elizabeth. The Guardian understands that Adderley tendered his resignation to House Speaker Alvin Smith on Saturday and also sent a one-line letter of resignation to PLP chairman Bradley Roberts.
His resignation as an MP comes after many months of speculation as Adderley continued to serve as chairman of the Gaming Board when the Free National Movement was elected in 2007, and has been inactive in the PLP's parliamentary caucus.
Adderley's resignation as an MP is effective the end of the day on Wednesday and he is expected to become a Supreme Court judge.
The PLP yesterday accused the Free National Movement of "continued abuses of power and destruction of our institutions", claiming that such "abuses" are "heaping unbearable and irreparable damage upon the backs of Bahamians."
The party went as far as to accuse the government of sparking a record-breaking murder count in 2009 "due to political interference in the appointment of the commissioner of police" Reginald Ferguson, who retires today.
"Commissioner (Ellison) Greenslade was to have been appointed in 2007. The FNM appointed Reginald Ferguson so that his pension could be 'fixed up'," the PLP alleged. "The brother of the then chairman of the FNM and Hubert Ingraham's 'boy' was fixed up while Bahamians paid the price of crime spiraling out of control, tourists were attacked, cruise ships told their passengers not to go on tours, investors left The Bahamas, financial services continued to face steep decline and Bahamians were held hostage in their homes."
Adderley's resignation from Parliament means that a by-election is imminent.
"This means that the people of The Bahamas who are faced with the worst economy and the highest misery index in living memory will now be further burdened with the cost of a by-election in Elizabeth, which will amount to more than $1 million," the PLP stated.
"It means that the FNM is giving as political gifts the position of Supreme Court justice, thereby attacking the institution of an independent judiciary. It also means that the FNM would have determined to ignore the findings of the Election Court pointing out the lack of integrity of the Register of Voters. By any yardstick, the FNM would be holding an election on a register that has a question as to proper scrutiny [and this] will be striking at the very root of democracy.
"The PLP will determine whether to participate in this madness would be supporting an immoral and constitutional travesty."
The party also charged that the government has committed an act of "blatant discrimination" against Justice Cheryl Albury by refusing to extend her service.
"If Justice Albury's tenure was extended, the Bahamian people will simply pay her salary and not a pension at this time. In refusing the extension of Justice Albury's tenure while negotiating a behind the scenes political deal, for the appointment of Malcolm Adderley as a judge and the extension of his tenure before he is even appointed, the FNM would be adding another salary, pension and other perks onto the backs of an already overburdened Bahamian public."
The PLP claimed the government intends to hold a by-election in Elizabeth to determine its level of popularity. The party charged that this "is an abuse of power, tramples upon our laws and is a naked attack upon the institution of a free and fair electoral process."
The by-election in Elizabeth will be the first to be held in the country since the September 1997 by-election in South Andros, which was held after the late former prime minister Sir Lynden Pindling resigned from front-line politics.
In the 2007 general election, Adderley won the Elizabeth seat by only 45 votes, defeating the FNM's Elma Campbell, 1,940 to 1,895.
January 04, 2010
thenassauguardian
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