Leader of the Progressive Liberal Party, the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie pledged a clean campaign from the PLP’s side whenever the bell is rung for general elections.
Mr. Christie was the keynote speaker at the first rally in the South West New Providence area in Golden Gates. You may read the full text of Mr. Christie’s speech below the video clip.
REMARKS BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE PERRY G. CHRISTIE PARTY LEADER AT RALLY Gambier House 8th March 2011
We need to define the core values – the guiding principles, if you like – of the campaign the PLP will conduct in the forthcoming General Elections which I continue to believe will be called sometime later this year. Indeed the campaign for the next General Election has, in a real sense, already begun!
So, let me take advantage of this opportunity to be as clear and direct as I can possibly be: this forthcoming election cannot be – and will not be – fought by the PLP on the basis of foolishness! We are not in the business of character assassination. Vicious gossip or malicious gapseed is not for us! We are not in the business of smear tactics or slanderous innuendo. We will leave that to those other fellas! And we most certainly are not in the business of corrupt electioneering. We will leave that to the other fellas too! We saw enough of what should not have been done in the Elizabeth Bye-Election last year to know that that is not the way to go.
We cannot build our country that way. We cannot further the cause of democracy that way. And we cannot deepen the political maturity and human dignity of our people if we succumb to that sort of cynical and corrupt manipulation and abuse. We, in the PLP, want no part of it, and we will have no part of it. It will be the high road for us, not the gutter!
And besides, it doesn’t work! The FNM is proof of that! Look where all their conduct got them in Elizabeth. It got them beat, that’s what!
No, we intend to play it straight. We intend to conduct an aggressive and spirited campaign but we will do so with respect for, and adherence, to the elementary values of integrity, decency and dignity that are so sorely lacking in our country today.
And so, we are committed as a Party to bringing those honourable values to bear in all that we say and do in the execution of our national and constituency campaigns.
We are going to set the pace and set the tone because we are convinced that political morality, human decency and civility require us to do so.
And let me be clear and direct about something else too: The next General Election cannot be fought on the basis of slick public relations and razzle-dazzle media designed to either distort the truth or distract attention from the real issues that are of the greatest concern to our people in these painfully difficult and perilous times:
the issues of crime and unemployment; the issue of the sellout of our precious national institutions and resources; the issue of arrogant and incompetent governance; the issue of the lack of visionary insight and planning in this FNM government; the issue of the lack of compassion for, and the neglect of, the struggling masses and the issue of feathering the nests of the rich.
Those are the issues that this Election must be fought on so that the electorate can see just how urgent and absolutely imperative it is to throw this FNM government out and bring the PLP back!
We are the only party with the vision, the plan, the compassion, the commitment and the team that our country will need over the next five years to lift us up from the rot of the FNM governance.
So, we are going to fight the FNM on the issues and we are going to win the next election on the strength of the issues.
And let me be as clear as I can be on this subject: we are absolutely convinced that the FNM government is bad for our country. It’s as simple as that. Our country has been on a steep downhill ride for the past four years.
Things are bad, dead bad! People are suffering as never before and a major part of the blame falls squarely on the feet of the FNM.
It’s truly a sad state of affairs when low-down tactics was used last week when the PLP was accused, by innuendo, of stirring up violence on Bay Street and planting known criminals in the demonstration. Nothing could have been further from the truth. It was all a lie. The PLP engaged in no such activity whatsoever! These are matters for the Commissioner of Police, and not for a Minister of National Security to so use his authority in purely a political context and for political brownie points.
It is tragic that a lady who apparently suffered a broken collar bone while being lawfully present on Bay Street has been regrettably ignored in the Minister in his remarks.
The Minister should exercise the greatest care and be more circumspect in how he uses solely for partisan political purposes information provided by the police.
I am sure that the Commissioner of Police must have been terribly embarrassed to see how Tommy took confidential police information concerning who was in the crowd on Bay Street and then used it in the House of Assembly to try to score cheap, political points against the PLP – points that were, in any case, completely misconceived and without any merit at all.
You see we in the PLP have seen this playbook before. We have been the victims of it.
The facts are clear: the protest against BTC was organized as far as we are aware by a civic group known as the Save BTC Committee. The PLP had no role in sponsoring, organizing or coordinating it.
Some of our supporters like other concerned Bahamian citizen opposed to the sale of 51% of BTC to Cable and Wireless attended the march and protest. That is their right in a free and democratic society. But that was all there was to it. And we most certainly did not enlist the support of criminals.
We are incensed that this demonstration has been now characterized as something that it was not.
The issue Prime Minister and Mister Minister of National Security is not the protestors. It is the sale of BTC and the bad governance of the FNM.
I repeat what I said at my party’s rally, the FNM does not have a mandate from the people to sell BTC to Cable and Wireless. They need to go back to the people, and call elections sooner rather than later and before the sale of BTC takes place, if it is to take place at all.
I repeat: the PLP is opposed to the sale of BTC to Cable and Wireless. We call on the government to cease and desist.
The PLP will upon coming to office move to regain the majority shares forthwith from Cable and Wireless if the sale goes through.
The PLP believes in a share owning democracy and will sell shares in BTC in tranches to the Bahamian people. The PLP will allow competition and will liberalize the telecommunications market.
That is the PLP’s policy. That is the issue. We urge the FNM to stick to the issues.
All PLP MPs and Senators will vote no for the sale of BTC to Cable and Wireless if it comes to the House of Assembly and the Senate. We will call for a “division”. We want Bahamians to see and for history to record which of their representatives will vote for the fire sale of the national patrimony of which BTC is a great part.
I am calling on civil society, led by the church and the Christian Council in particular to monitor the conduct of this election campaign, and cry shame where parties exaggerate their demands and charges to the point where it becomes an insult to the intelligence of the Bahamian people. The government’s assault upon the intelligence of the Bahamian people and their intelligence last week in the House of Assembly surely crossed the line.
Grand Bahama
Yesterday I was in Freeport with colleagues to express our concerns and sympathy in respect of the recently announced layoffs of some 200 persons from the Our Lucaya Resort.
We expressed our strong concerns about the hands off attitude that the FNM administration has toward Freeport and the island of Grand Bahama. For four years, they have sat idly by as Freeport and Grand Bahama has lurched from one economic crisis to the next, without any clear vision of what to do to stop the problems. There are serious issues related to the development of Freeport and the island of Grand Bahama and the FNM simply has its head in the sand. It must be noted that in the House of Assembly there are six Members of Parliament from Grand Bahama, five of them are FNM and three of those are Ministers of the government. It took a PLP MP to raise the issue in the House during the Mid-Year Budget Debate. Not one FNM Member of the House, not one government minister including the three who represent this island said one word. The very least they could have done was to express sympathy for the people who were about to be laid off.
After the 200 persons had been dismissed the Government of The Bahamas through the Ministry of Labour announced that it had put in place some emergency measures to help the people who had been laid off.
While we welcome relief where relief is offered the question that the people of Freeport and Grand Bahama should be asking is whether or not the Government knew that these layoffs were coming, when did they know and were they pro-active in seeking to lessen the impact on the workforce. Further, how come the Government could have so quickly found jobs for these deserving Bahamians at this time when for years hundreds if not thousands of persons in Grand Bahama have been desperately seeking employment.
I raise these matters because they are symptomatic of how the FNM have failed to provide effective governance for the last four years.
The people of Freeport and Grand Bahama can now see for themselves how the FNM have failed to live up to their promise to do better.
In contrast they can now better appreciate the PLP’s sustained and proactive efforts to protect and promote the welfare of the residents of Freeport and Grand Bahama in the aftermath of the devastating hurricanes and in respect of continuing challenges to the island’s economy.
We say again as we said to those in Freeport yesterday: HOLD ON. HELP AND HOPE ARE ON THE WAY. Elections are to be held within a year. We expect to be the Government with God’s help and, we will bring the help, restoration and deliverance that you have long awaited.
——–END—
@ bahamianrealist
“Dirt” on this one or that one – what the hell are we building here (in the Bahamas)? This juvenille politics has dominated us since 1973 and where are we because of it?
A pipe dream indeed froma astute politician.Assertions that there is no dirt on FNMs is ludricous since we have had:
(1) Mona vie
(2) Plagiarism by Loretta Butler-Turner
(3) Cancelling of the Education scholARShips
(4)Many more too numerous to mention
The most ridicolous of them all ,the sale of BTC to a shell company even though those responsible for the sale know that the smell from this sale covers the whole Bahamas.
@ Russell, If those are the best you can come up with, then you have confirmed it’s my number 1.
Out of all you listed, only Mona Vie may be remotely considered a “scandal” and that was so long ago to provide any significant political mileage out of it. The others are none at all. Obviously you don’t know about how international companies are structured. It is commonplace for a company to set-up a subsidiary company to hold its investment in new markets. The parent company still owns 100% of the subsidiary company and is consolidated into the financial statements of the parent.
Mr. Christie’s statement to conduct a clean campaign is a very interesting one. The first question that jumped to my mind when I heard it is why would he make it a point to say it. In my mind the reason to make it a point to conduct a clean campaign is either:
1. The PLP has no “dirt” on FNM members
or
2. Mr. Christie knows the FNM has “dirt” on PLP members
If the reason is number 1. then Mr. Christie’s strategy probably is to make the public think that since his party does not talk about any dirt just means that they are being “clean”.
If the reason is number 2. then the strategy could be to get sympathy from voters if the FNM starts to reveal dirt on the PLP members and to have the voters view the FNM as not keeping the level of campaigning at a respectable level.
Then again it could be neither of the two but simply a desire of Mr. Christie to be a part of the first “clean campaign” ever. In The Bahamas. In the world.
@ conflicted
THE “APPEARANCE” ON THE STAGE OF CONSIDERATION OF A NOMINATION OF NEVILLE IS THE BROADER CONCERN – COMPREHEND. Surely, Neville must be looking through the lens of an opportunist if he doesn’t appreciate the fact that his name is a bad word in front line politics at this time. Unlike Leslie Miller who has attained business success and doesn’t need the money, Neville’s real motives will be questioned from day one and his past deeds will be the subject of talk shows, tabloid stories and rallies right up to the election, with the “cookie jar accusations” being the hook – everytime.
And why is Neville running away from a rematch with Hubert Minnis? Leslie isn’t runing away from his rematch. Again, whether one is CONFLICTED or just plain CONFUSED some things are simply beneath the threshold for discussion by the PLP, and not even allowing sunlight to shine on this discussion with Neville is one of them -COMPREHEND.
THE END
@ conflicted
Thanks for the lecture on “what consiideration means.” I have grown today because you shared your precious knowledge with me. Everyone should have access to someone like you (ha, ha, ha). Get real!
The ramifications of Christie being tangled with one of “those” who caused him to fall from grace within 5 years will be disastrous. Stupidity must reign supreme in the PLP if they ENTERTAIN AN APPLICATION from Neville Wisdom. Is this the same Neville Wisdom whose tenure was riddled with allegations of impropriety that were never answered? The FNM plans to fight dirty (accusations and slander will rule the day) because they have no issues that the general public will find “compelling” as a reason to support them. Neville Wisdom will be a gift that just keeps on giving to the FNM.
Further, Christie apologized (that usually is an admission of having done something wrong you know) for his lack of “dealing” with them (i.e. Sidney Stubbs, Neville Wisdom, Bradley Roberts, Leslie Miller, Shane Gibson, Keod Smith and Kenyetta Gison) and is flat out of apologies now. I can hear the “AGAIN” word at the end of phrases as Hubert Ingraham denounces the leadership style of Christie.
Whether one is CONFLICTED or outright CONFUSED, you should COMPREHEND the bigger picture and function out of an understanding that takes account of the disadvantages that certain candidates bring into the equation. Our politics usually gets a higher degree of emotional responses than sound reasoned considerations from voters (hell, I’m responding to your well written “foolishness” – case in point).
@STORM Not to be confused. Neville will be told go and campaign man… Under no circumstance will serious consideration be given to his application. However, there is room in this camp for all. PLP.. Can you hear Perry and/or Brave saying just that. But you do not put his application in file 13. Comprehend.
@STORM Neville Wisdom, like you or I if we seek a nomination to represent the PLP in any constituency, will be considered. It is highly unlikely that he will be ratified as a candidate for any constituency. A consideration is neither positive or negative it is simply a process. Let’s read Bahamams and cease the process of barking at print. Comprehension still needs to be taught as a subject in this country.
WHY ALL THE RETHREADING OF PAST FAILED CANDIDATES AGAIN AND AGAIN, PERRY GLADSTONE CHRISTIE???
The PLP seems to be of the view that the frustration with Hubert Alexander Ingraham has so wounded them (FNM) that the notion of throwing him (HI) out will be the driving factor behind votes against all FNM candidates. While the view that Bahamians DO NOT VOTE FOR PARTIES BUT INSTEAD AGAINST THEM is grounded in facts gathered from past election results, the number of third party voters probably increased since 2007, and not because swing voters finally found a political home, but because frustrated PLP and FNM supporters changed allegiance. Both major parties have suffered a significant loss of base supporters and the only question now is how much. To win in 2012 requires the dual strategy of winning back base supporters while winning over swing voters to get the critical 51% edge in each constituecy until the party emerges victorious in the majority of seats overall. For this reason neither party has an edge, issues and frustrations duly considered.
Therefore, this REDO of Neville Wisdom might play well at Gambier House on Farrington Road but it is a major flaw and a reason to stay away in the eyes of those who left the party (just because of this kind of thinking) and a clear turn-off to swing voters.
No Christie, Neville Wisdom 2.0 is not what is desired. Go back to the drawing board.
The main people who are creating problems for this campaign are PLP operatives and websites.
Bahamas Press formally Potcake is the leader, followed by Shame Gibson who knows his days are numbered and the BS that BBB spews out.
I`m upset with these tired politicians dont know wken to call it QUITS…NEVILLE WISDOM now wants to run in St. Cecilia….buddy you want an easy seat eh? If you want to help your party win the next election at any cost..stay in retirement please and donate some money to the party or man up and run against the man who beat you fare and square THE HON. H.A MINNIS…..but nope you een ga do dat my brudder u wan get back to da gravi and the cookie jar….stay out my brudda
I am a staunch PLP, but I must agree that Wisdom should stay out of politics, his time has come and gone. I will not support him for the nomination in St. Cecilia, tell him go back to Killarney.
Just campaign man!!! Stop talking fool about clean campaigning. When the FNM lied about a PLP supporter being arrested by police during the morning of the last election that wasn’t clean. Start calling a spade a spade and for heaven’s sake stop the theatrics, we know you’re educated.
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