Nassau, Bahamas — Bahama Press thought it right and proper to hold our judgment on the Elizabeth By-Election until a ruling was handed down by the Justices in the Election Court. They have spoken and now so will we deliver our edict on the whole matter weighing all presentations carefully free from bias.
The day Perry Christie appointed Obie ‘SNITCH’ Wilchcombe to the committee to elect Leo Ryan Pinder we felt trouble was the road ahead for the PLP. Christie, we believe in his weak judgment as leader of the PLP, failed to understand you shouldn’t appoint a loser to organize campaigns. As weak as we perceive Christie to be, we are sure and certain had he taken the reigns of the campaign brutal assaults would have been laid upon the FNM. This is the first thing we needed to get off our chests as we sat quiet all through these Elizabeth events.
Secondly, we can confirm Duane Sands was a bad candidate. How could a professional doctor, who must deal with people on a daily basis, be heard calling people in Elizabeth ‘Greedy’ as was reported in the Tribune. We had concerns with those sentiments from the beginning and note here a snobbish personality has no place in Bahamian politics!
Bahamas Press was also concerned with the level of political trickery and treachery seen in Elizabeth on and before the February poll. Government leaders found the need to craft ‘vicked’ political intimidation on the over 4,000 plus registered residents.
- 1) The public purse was used extensively and shamefully in an attempt to BUY the people of Elizabeth.
- 2) Cabinet meetings were held in Elizabeth regularly leading up to polling day.
- 3) FNM operatives untrained in election procedures were appointed as presiding officers at polling stations.
- 4) Every Cabinet minister was in Elizabeth on Election Day neglecting the people’s business. They were all hanging around the doors in Lizzy intimidating voters.
- 5) Ministers Brent Symonette and Tommy Turnquest stood guard for almost 41 hours cajoling poll workers, eying the returning officer and manhandling the recount exercise. Could you imagine that? The Bahamas must be the laughing stock of the region to allow such to happen.
And as a result in the end what did we see? We saw Jack Thompson the Returning Officer for the poll ‘vickedly’ bent as he succumbed to the pressure before him. It is purported that Jack is hitting raw bourbon, which carries his name, ‘Jack Daniels’. He now appears to be a broken man.
On the PLP end, we saw the infighting, lack of cohesion and unpurified support for the candidate and an almost invisible face of the leader who only months before was on every television and radio station in the country protecting his leadership post.
Christie engaged chaotic losers to run Ryan’s campaign who seem to hope he would lose. Some we are told, never returned polling information into polling centers of the party and failed to canvass their assigned sections of the community. And some MPs never raised their voices one note to advise PLPs to vote for Pinder. They gave no money, raised no money and in their dark unanswered prayers sought defeat for the man endorsed by BP. We will deal with these unsavory characters soon.
The PLP campaign masters offered not a single press support on where they were going or what they were doing to effectively alert their bewildered followers. Had not Pinder grab the reigns of his machine, Duane Sands would have been confirmed the winner on polling day.
Our final point on this Elizabeth episode deals with Errol Bethel. Bahamas Press found the Parliamentary Commissioner GUILTY for the chaos and mayhem Bahamians now face with their electoral process.
- 1) He failed to correct and fix the errors pointed out by the Election Court in the Pinewood ruling.
- 2) He failed to oversee the competent training of officials within his department.
- 3) He failed to make sure persons registered were properly transferred.
- 4) His office had disallowed the proper vetting of constituents particularly in the case of voter “F” knowing full well that she resided in the Elizabeth constituency.
- 5) Errol Bethel is tired, incapable, outdated and to put it bluntly has been used up enough by Christie and Ingraham. Bethel must be sent home IMMEDIATELY and not serve another day on the public purse. He has failed the Bahamian people and should be fired by them for failing to protect the last tenant of our sovereign country, REAL DEMOCRACY!
Finally we say it is a good thing to see the people of Elizabeth sitting pretty with a new VOICE IN PARLIAMENT. The protracted delay was unnecessary. Hubert Ingraham is still the Prime Minister of the Bahamas and Perry Christie is still leader of the Opposition. WHAT A SHAME WE ARE STILL STUCK WITH THESE TWO MONGRELS! The election meant nothing; changed nothing, did nothing but wasted public time and money.
Errol Bethel should be fired! The FNM has no SHAME for the wastage they delivered and the PLP needs CHANGE! However, despite all this, we are happy to now know Leo Ryan Pinder has a new voice in the country and we are pleased to see finally he has cut Papa ‘bahind’!
And by the way where is SELFISH MALCOLM ADDERLEY? He too has no SHAME!
No sorry Awakened I said my statements about Perry in reference to Russell Johnson’s post which was praising him like he was a major contributor to Ryan’s win. Awakened your very quick to bring out statement which shows that your BIAS. Ryan won he won simple as that. Ingraham statement was that he would not go to election court I just said it simple as that but you quick to jump on me like I’m anyway or form praising Mr. Ingraham. IT WAS A STATEMENT HE MADE I DIDNT implement that it was in the Constitution or bible. But I guess you didnt INTERPRET what I said effectively. I’m sure if they do a poll stating did 1500+ people voted for Ryan based upon his party leader it would be a very slim margin. It was all based upon Ryan’s message and vision not based upon Perry Christie. Not to CONFUSE YOU any more yes the leader contribute a little to SOME VOTERS but I doudt it was a BIG CONTRIBUTOR.
Amazing how things change so rapidly. The old PLP now quickly becoming the Young PLP. Tell Ryan congradulations. Perry making some big moves with these young folks. Rumors going round that Bahamas Issues’ – Delroy Meadows has even joined the party. Makes you wonder what Perry gat up his sleeves. A 5 points win?? Come on.
Truth, you are very disingenuous, you congratulate Pinder, then you turn around and hit Perry, for what?, they won their seat, the leader takes the credit for that, if the FNM had won, Hubert would be credited for that I bet, ….ya’ll need to stop being so “NIGGERLY”, ya’ll gat Hubert on the brain eh?, and you can’t get over the beatin’, election are won whenever and wherever they are won, Hubert don’t make the laws on where elections are won, ask George Bush where elections are won, the FNM lost this one, they were pimp slapped are not ready, HAI has lost his mojo, and no one else in the FNM has any, and again saying or writing something down does not make it true, the Justiceses have the last word on the results “Truth” not you, how long were you a judge?, where did you study Law?, I didn’t think so!.
Congradulation to Pinder. But I just want to put this on the record. The court should have NOT count 2 of the 5 voters. I wouldve hundred percent agree with the court if they did take out 2 out of the 5 votes cast for Pinder. I was expecting a ONE point vote for PINDER. The court excuse for count 2 of those votes are UN-EXCUSABLE. Its not the duty of the registrar to lecture any voters on where to vote or how to vote. I think if the voters had any type of common sense they wouldve look in the newspaper to see whether or not their names was on it LIKE THEY SUPPOSE TOO and then this wouldnt be a issue. BUT OTHER Than that theres no need for Ingraham to go to a next court. Elections are won on the ground and not in the courts. CONGRATULATIONS PINDER. and FYI Russell Johnson Perry Christie had NOTHING to do with Pinders’ win and if you ask me they lost a plenty voters if you compare it with 2007 election results so yeah lol SILENCE that one!
Christie beat PAPA and was at the helm of the campaign for the PLP team.The PLP were in Lizzy as it was a mandate on the relevance of the PLP party.PAPA sought to mashup Christie so that the dissidents in the PLP to Christies rule would again try to force him out.Well Paul Moss haul tail and now this victory solidifies Christies control of our great party.I told regular readers to this site that I would be here with concise arguments but now that the bye election is over I go on vacation this weekend until after Easter.The PLPs campaign was not error free but it will serve as a precursor for training towards the Gen Elects.Contrary to your report PLPs were on board and those not there like Paul Moss just dont have the guts for politics.10/10 the Bible 10 and see you after Easter even though I will monitor this site just in case.
BP give right where right is due.No matter what you say about PC a win is a win is a win.Hats of to Ryan Pinder and the people of Elizabeth.They now have a young and vibrant voice in the house.Way to go Lizzy.Mr. Ingraham should hang his head in disgrace, after spending millions of the tax payers money, just to try and win a seat.The people of Elizabeth is more intelligent than that.This is only the beginning of the end for Papa and the FNM.A new day has dawn in the Bahamas.
Well said my bruddha. I wish half of us were as fair as you are!
BP let met make this point clear right off the bat. As you know, I AM NO FAN OF OBIE, but a win is a win. It was a close race and regardless of how it came about, no one will remember that process come tomorrow morning. Like my grandmother use to say, no one remembers how the conch was beaten when they eating it, lol.
I disagree with you on Dr Sands being a bad candidate. I think he was a good candidate but his timing to run was bad because the mood of the country is turning against HAI and the FNM. They have handled this recession poorly and this loss, regardless of the margin, will only feed the growing discontent in the country towards PAPA and his band of smurfs.
PAPA was looking to gauge his support, well he didnt like the results, but he got what he was looking for!
But it still amazes me how you wont give credit where credit is do. Stop trying to discredit this win by PC and those involved. Say what you want, but PC and the Lizzy Branch choose Ryan, Obie lead the charge to elect him and Ryan won a race as a virtual unknown and the underdog. The court has now ruled, thus the win cant be denied. I know how you feel towards PC and Obie, but even a clock is right twice a day!
Concerning Earl Bethel, i agree with you on this 100%. He should have been fired a long time ago. This man has not made the department any better since he has been at the helm. After every election we hear the same ole complaints.
Only in the Bahamas does our civil servants do crap and keep their job!
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