Mr. Desmond Bannister (DB)
Legal advisor to Richard Johnson and confidant of former Competent Authority Hubert Minnis
Dear Mr. Bannister,
Bannister Letter Paragraph 1: I spent a considerable amount of time this weekend contemplating the issues that are currently impacting our beloved party, and consequently felt compelled to write to you.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 1): Mr Bannister Some of us have been agonizing for the last 2 years about our Party and have been compelled to get intimately involved in the affairs of our party and not just when it suits our narrow political objective as you are.
Bannister Letter Paragraph 2: We are both passionate about the F.N.M., which as you know was formed by a group of courageous Bahamian patriots who risked everything in order to fight tyranny in the interest of ensuring that the Bahamian people could end cronyism and prejudice in public life. Our founding fathers and those who followed them suffered through discrimination, vicious and violent attacks, and heavy handed persecution as they took the principled stance that the Bahamian people deserved and were entitled to caring and transparent leadership.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 2): Mr Bannister If you believed this then why since November of 2021 have you been missing from involvement with “your beloved party” and the FIRST TIME you attended a central Council meeting was when you got word that the Party’s Central Council was poised to take disciplinary actions against Richard Johnson for violent disruptive speech and actions in multiple meetings (Constituency Associations, Party Conclave, Church Services & National Council).
The 2ND TIME was when you tried to negotiate a settlement between our beloved Party and Richard Johnson and the Party rejected two of the terms ( RJ would NOT be vice Chair at large and that the FNM would NOT pay half of his legal cost(which moved from the $500k in damages he sought to approximately $5K in legal cost). Your leaders made it clear that they would not pay one cent towards costs for the horrible decision to sue the FNM. Apart from recent comments on BPL & the Shanty Town you have been missing in action. The THIRD TIME you raised your head is this unprincipled press release(disguised as a letter) faking concern for the welfare of our Party pushing for a Convention.
Bannister Letter Paragraph 3: Through the years our party has provided a clear beacon of hope for our beloved country. We have stood for freedom of expression in all of its manifestations when others would have done their best to intimidate our fellow citizens into silence. Through many turbulent decades the party has fought for the rights of the Bahamian people, and earned their admiration, respect and support.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 3): Yet as Cabinet Minister and later DPM you remained silent while Hubert Minnis ostracized Ingraham who gave him one of the safest FNM seats; You were silent when HAM marginalized almost everyone who offered constructive but firm criticism; Silent when he forced or facilitated the resignation of Ministers who he either saw as a threat or became an irritant to him because they no longer worshipped him.
Desmond you enabled Minnis when he moved away from sensible FNM housing policies, the empowerment of women, the celebration of our proud history. Now you wish to remember our history since Minnis name is called less.
You were silent when Minnis single handedly made nation altering decisions despite sensible objections by many (in and out of the Party). Where was your concern for the dissenting voices and differences of opinions when such persons were locked out or marginalized or reputations savaged because they dared to disagree with the Competent Authority. You paused from brown nosing long enough to applaud his heavy handedness against our own and against your friend on the other side who all but saved your life.
Do you recall that we lost 4 Ministers, 2 Parliamentary Secretaries, At least 3 Chairman’s in high profile rows during our 4 years and few months time under the Competent Authority HAM?
Bannister Letter Paragraph 4: The blatant and violent attack on one of our members outside F.N.M. headquarters on Thursday night threatens to undo decades of progress. Our party has always condemned political violence. In our beloved Bahamas no person, least of all an executive of the party, should be subjected to politically inspired attacks on their person.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 4): As a senior member of the bar you know better than to draw conclusions without the facts. Your naked political objective to harm the reputation of your former colleagues could be the only reason you assume that such an attack(if not staged) was politically motivated. To even think someone would resort to clumsy violence to silence a paid Minnis operative who has limited impact is sad and sick. FNMs do not value RJ the way you, Minnis, Renward, Carl and the PLP do. He just ran for the Trustee position in Golden Isles constituency elections and was rejected by voters. Mr Bannister you intentionally did not ask the obvious questions:
- Could the attack have been staged?
- If not staged by RJ and his twin OA Could the attacker be associated with the dozens of Bahamians RJ and his twin Omar have maligned and vilified for years with their vile mercenary posts and rantings?
- Could it have been one of the guys RJ has begged for funds or owed money to for a loan or services received?
Desmond your FNM leaders WOULD NOT have been stupid enough to send a grown man to an FNM location where your team had ZNS stationed to slap your spokesperson (who squealed for Omar). The FNM could have easily paid Richard lil bit more than Minnis pays then he would have turned on Minnis the way he did when he supported Loretta. Or the FNM could have given him a contract the Way Mckell did at Beaches and Parks (B&P) and he would have dropped Minnis like how he dropped the B&P vendors he claimed to represent. Or the FNM coulda secure an apartment for the near homeless RJ who is being drip fed by Minnis who is still flush with 2021 election funds. Or they could have silenced him by keeping him supplied with his favorite happy meals.
Bannister Letter Paragraph 5: The recent constant discordant and hostile public airing of disagreements within the party together with litigation among party Executives; allegations of unconstitutional interference in Constituency Associations; and the perceived failure of our party to support a sitting Member of Parliament as he faces criminal prosecution before the courts have all combined to negatively impact public confidence in our ability to lead. The vocal public enmity among loyal party supporters clearly hamper the ability of the F.N.M. to be considered as a serious alternative to the governing party just when they appear to be conceding the next general election to us through their blatant miscues and alleged acts of malfeasance.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 5): Mr Bannister the discord in the FNM and the legal wrangling in the courts involving our members are largely fueled and manufactured by Minnis, Bannister and Co- Former leaders jonesing to return to the trough to feast on unchecked power; to feast on donor’s generosity; to benefit from repairs of childhood homestead; to have the power to determine who eats well; to facilitate promotions where a select group (especially slim ladies) supersedes others as they rapidly climb the public service ladder or populate multiple paid boards (I can go on and be far more specific).
You and others with your mindset and moral constitution have sown seeds of discord and fanned the flames of disunity. You wish to create the image of chaos and disorder in order to convince the country that you or your proxy represent the solution. But the Devil is a liar! and your team is a close 2nd.
Bannister Letter Paragraph 6: We will both appreciate that the primary purpose of a political party is to win elections and to form the Government. In this context I consider the words of the theologian and philosopher Ivan Illich that “Leadership does not depend on being right” as instructive for us. Whether or not party leaders consider that they are right in the decisions that they have taken, a thirty-four percent turnout of supporters in the recent by-elections midway through the Government’s term in office begs us to seriously consider other perspectives.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 6): Negro please. Fresh of co-parenting one of the worst national elections (2021) run in our country’s history with possibly the largest number of stay home voters (especially FNMs) you have the nerve to reference a by election in a PLP stronghold(West GB & Bimini) while you presided over the general election where we lost multiple safe FNM seats. Plus you (flushed with money) lost your seat and your co-conspirator and dictatorial leader (appearing in every commercial) lost over 2,500 votes.
By the way, was North Abaco a safe FNM seat that we contested 2012 and lost under Minnis?
Bannister Letter Paragraph 7: In the circumstances, I am respectfully urging you to call a National Convention for the party at the earliest possible date. Any Convention will be a referendum on your leadership, but all political Conventions are referenda on political leadership. If you cannot retain that leadership post after more than two years serving in that capacity, then this is simply not your time. Once a Convention is held and party members have been permitted to participate in free and fair leadership elections, the party leader will emerge with a national mandate on behalf of the F.N.M. Members will appreciate that they have had the opportunity to freely campaign and vote for their chosen candidates during a national Convention. The losing candidates will be bound by the party’s mandate to coalesce with and support the elected party leadership team. The F.N.M. will then have in excess of two years to earn the confidence of the Bahamian people once again, and to regain the Government.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 7): We used to admire the precision of your speech, the carefulness of your preparation and the strength of your arguments. Now you are a shadow of your former self. In these circumstances I respectfully urge you to pay attention to your health, rebuild your legal practice, hold onto your love ones and on occasion provide advice to our party after careful consideration and prayers. I’m not clairvoyant or a prophet but believe your best days in politics are behind you. You still have contributions you have made that can be counted as a part of a goodly heritage and legacy. But the more you scheme and plot the more you haemorrhage the little credibility you have left.
Convention will come when the Council of the FNM decides and your jonesing and defaming will make very little difference with that timeline.
Bannister Letter Paragraph 8: To delay calling a Convention will diminish confidence in your leadership. Party members will question your confidence in remaining party leader, as well as your ability to raise the requisite amount of funds that will be required to hold a Convention and to successfully contest a General election.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 8): You and Minnis (who you have very little confidence in) are obviously trying to bully the leaders who y’all can’t stand and can’t believe ended up in charge. Well mother flip, what a turn of events. Your attempt at reverse psychology is weak. You fallin off.
By the way on the point of ability to raise money for general election- You and Minnis raised PLENTY money in the lead up to 2021 but your candidates saw very little of it for the election (staved for funds) and y’all left the Party with Bills that dem boys y’all are attacking are busy paying dem bills off.
Furthermore, monies were raised thus far for two conventions (2012 and 2022), One by election, ongoing Party expenses, outreach efforts and paying down your debts.
The truth is your team’s mantra is “ we will sink the ship if we’re not in charge of it.” Your chief spokesperson RJ said y’all would hand the election to Davis if the present leaders stay.
With or without you the FNM will continue to rebuild, improve, hold the government accountable, and by the grace of God, will return to government in 2026 or Sooner.
Bannister Letter Paragraph 9: Simon Sinek has famously provided the guidance that “LEADERS ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE THE COURAGE TO GO FIRST, TO PUT THEMSELVES AT PERSONAL RISK TO OPEN A PATH FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW”. Putting your position of leadership at risk during a national Convention will inspire Bahamians. Whether you win or lose, you will be no considered a true leader through your voluntary vulnerability, and for being seen to put the party and the Bahamian people first.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 9): Since I know you lack courage to stay engaged each time you get election Cut Hip in an election I will not address what Simon said. Instead I will quote Maury .. …Desmond.. when it comes to disgusting lying Richard, Omar and Pam you & Minnis are the parents.
Bannister Letter Paragraph 10: Should you win, your mandate cannot be subjected to legitimate questioning. Should you not win at Convention, you will still be elevated in the lore of the nation, to use Lord Denning’s categorization, with “bold spirits” such as Sir Cecil, rather than as a “timorous soul”. The country recognizes that even though he never became Prime Minister, Sir Cecil’s efforts contributed mightily to our eventual victories at the polls. He may not have gotten there with us, but his contributions unquestionably helped to lead us to the promised land in 1992.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 10): From the time the FNM leadership won in 2021 and 2022 you and your co-parent didn’t accept them and y’all too old to change so our expectations of y’all is is as low as the voting population confidence in y’all comeback.
Bannister Letter Paragraph 11: In contrast, holding on to leadership without facing competition will weaken your leadership mandate, and your ability to win a general election will be open to question.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 11): The Present FNM leadership will lead us to victory and have earned the right give it their best effort along with all right thinking FNMs and Bahamians.
Bannister Letter Paragraph 12: Mr. Leader, for the sake of clarity, the purpose of this email is not to seek to pass judgment on your tenure in office. Rather, it is to encourage robust, passionate and peaceful debate on issues that are important to all of us and to the future of the party. I urge you to please consider these thoughts and suggestions, which if implemented, will in my view propel our party to having a legitimate opportunity to lead our beloved Bahamaland once again.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 12): Sincerity has long since left you and like Darnell Osborne the FNM leadership will thrive and survive in spite of you.
Bannister Letter Paragraph 13: The Free National Movement has always had an exceptional commitment to democracy; hence, I intend to share this letter with the elected members of Parliament and widely with party members, and I encourage you to do the same so that together we may stimulate widespread, amicable discussion on the issues that now face the party.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 13): If Democracy mattered to you, you would not have supported undermining Party leadership from day one. If amical discussions mattered you would not have endorsed the vile nasty attacks the leadership has endured for the last two years through your surrogates. You and the pathological liar you enable have recycled PLP lies against your own and created some original ones yourself. But it’s the truth of who you are and what you represent that with take care of you.
Bannister Letter Paragraph 14: My sincere best wishes as you continue to consider pursuing the course that is best for our country.
(Response to Bannister Paragraph 14): Physician heal thyself! Bannister Letter:
Respectfully Bannister Letter: Thomas Desmond Bannister (Electronically signe)
(Response to Bannister): Use to Respect you
(Response to Bannister): Loyal FNM in and outta political season; win or lose
Cc: 1. Dr. Duane Sands National Chairman
2. Mr. Shanandon Cartwright M.P. Deputy Leader
Members of Parliament:
Dr. Hubert Minnis M.P
Mr. Kwasi Thompson M.P
Mr. Iram Lewis M.P
Mr. Adrian Gibson M.P
Mr. Adrian White M.P
