The Editor
Bahamas Press
28 th September 2021
Dear BP,
After the recent FNM debacle at the polls many Bahamians expected former PM Minnis to resign as leader of the party. This was the precedent set by former Prime Ministers Pindling, Ingraham and Christie and indeed any commonwealth country PM whose party lost at the polls. Yet to date he clings on and appears to have
persuaded misguided members of the FNM council to let him.
Politics.stackexchange states the precedents in the Westminster System. “ If their party loses a general election, they resign, although not always instantly. Gordon Brown remained Prime Minister for several days after the 2010 General Election, because no party had a majority of seats, and it took time to form the Conservative- LibDem coalition”. Former Prime Minister Minnis who has developed a penchant for
calling for the resignations of others shows how much of hypocrite he is by refusing to resign. For an example after the failed PLP referendum Minnis had this to say. “Dr. Minnis said not only should Mr. Christie resign, but every member of the government who played a major role in pushing the referendum.”
“David Cameron shows the kind of leadership that we want Perry Christie to possess. In our prime minister’s case, he has had the people rebuke his leadership and vision, twice, resoundingly with referendum failure and he does nothing. He does nothing but continue to try to cling onto power”.
Minnis of course did not follow his own recommendation after the massive loss of his government at the polls; rather, he does nothing but cling onto power. If Bahamians expected any other response from Minnis they have not been keeping track of his behaviour over the past 10 years. This former prime minister has no regard for process, tradition or parliamentary convention. He believes that rules do not apply to him but, they apply to everybody else.
Between 2014 and 2016 as leader for the opposition Minnis called on various PLP Ministers to resign. In one case he called for the entire PLP cabinet to resign. Now faced with the consequences of his party’s loss at the polls he hangs grimly on and for what? Minnis no longer has any relevance in Bahamian politics nor do his
sycophants and book lickers who miraculously survived the recent election bloodbath. Through his behaviour Minnis has shown Bahamans the exact kind of PM they never want to see hold that esteemed office again; divisive, uncouth aloof, meanspirited, cruel, dismissive, hard-headed,lacking in character and a dissembler.
So, Hubert Alexander Minnis in the immortal words of Oliver Cromwell : “You have sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go.”
Sincerely
Michael J. Brown
