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Former Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis was noticeably absent from the House of Assembly when Free National Movement (FNM) members of parliament were removed by police and protested outside on Monday to condemn a recent drug trafficking scandal.
Police lifted FNM MPs out of the House after St. Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright jumped out of his seat and threw the mace out of the window. FNM MPs Adrian White and Adrian Gibson were escorted to the nearby police station for about 30 minutes before being released.
Minutes later, Minnis pulled up in Rawson Square as cool as a cucumber. Minnis said he was busy preparing for Parliament but political analysts believe Minnis intentionally showed up to the morning session late to avoid the FNM protest in the event it was a flop.
The protest was organized in response to an indictment filed in a New York court, which revealed charges against two Bahamian police officers and a defense force officer connected to a major drug trafficking operation.
The FNM has claimed that the Bahamas’ democracy is under attack, raising questions about how the government failed to detect the officers’ involvement in the operation.
Minnis, who led the FNM to a historic defeat in the 2021 general election, has been embroiled in ongoing tensions with current FNM leader Michael Pintard.
Since the party’s crushing loss, Minnis has been accused of undermining Pintard’s leadership, creating divisions within the opposition party. Sources close to the FNM have suggested that Minnis, despite stepping down as party leader, has continued to exert influence within the party, leading some to question his commitment to a unified opposition front.
