Political Newcomer Leads poll to replace Hubert Ingraham whenever he retires

28
1958

13960_192590037512_61258077512_3414350_4133957_n<<< Minister of Health and MP for Killarney Dr. Hubert Minnis.

Nassau, Bahamas — A poll was taken out by Bahamas Press asking readers the question, Who will replace Hubert as leader of the FNM? The poll proved political newcomer and MP for Killarney, Dr. Hubert Minnis, could be set to lead the FNM whenever Hubert Ingraham retires.

Minnis beat out veteran politicans Brent Symonette, Tommy Turnquest and Carl Bethel. BP believes Hubert Ingraham will force an election for a new leader of the Party this November at the upcoming Convention of the FNM.

The poll listing was as follows:

  • Dr. Hubert Minnis (36.0%, 17 Votes)
  • Brent Symonette (32.0%, 15 Votes)
  • Tommy Turnquest (23.0%, 11 Votes)
  • Carl Bethel (9.0%, 4 Votes)
13960_192668277512_61258077512_3414912_5049972_n
Dr. Hubert Minnis with President Bill Clinton as he visits the Bahamas.

28 COMMENTS

  1. well said freethinka. all these doody heads need to leave. they have no one best intrest at heart but their own.look how rich they have gotten and now they want to help haitians before bahamians.its time for a change. 

  2. Kim Sands, Tommy  t. still need to go, and carry the whole bunch (the FNM Administration)  “cuz dey only know how to wreck the Bahamas, broke and sink everyone except themselves”…

  3. Kim, I said he is a lighter version of Tommy, the key word was lots of big words with no substance, but you focused on colour, WOW!, again, he is like George Bush Jr., nothing in it, watch him on an interview or when he has to speak, you’ll began to see it.

    • Or, ok, thanks for the correction. I was reading your comment, but I did not absorb the information properly. All I read was lighter skinned and right away my mind went on Bran’s complexion. I know some persons brought up his complexion before and they have expressed that he believe he is all that, but I don’t have a problem with Bran thinking he is all that once he is doing the job the tax payers are paying him to do. If you ask me all those politicians believe they are all that and more, but plenty of them are not pulling their weight around here. Anyway, I believe that Bran is doing his best in Immigration and I think he would have made a better Minister of National Security than Tommy and  a better PM too.  Thank God Tommy has someone with vision on his team now like Greenslade, at least he had sense to do that.  I am sure he will be doing all the work to bring law and order to this country, while Tommy sits back and take  all the credit.

  4. The FNM drafted P.M.Ingraham technically from the PLP, even though he was an independent at the time.The truth is before P.M.Ingraham the FNM didn’t have anyone who could connect with the masses and other than Mr.Ingraham the FNM still lacks a leader with national appeal, thus making them very, very beatable in an election without  the P.M. at the forefront. Remember Tommy Turnquest and Lawnmowergate or Lawnmower at his gate, if you wish.When Mr.Ingraham steps down the FNM will lose many  voters who followed the P.M. from the PLP.Research has shown that Carribean and Latin-American politics are dominated by charismatic personalities. An asset the FNM without Mr.Ingraham lacks.

    • PLP’s like to describe Ingraham as a PLP because they like him.  Ingraham first became a PLP MP in 1977.  In 1987 he ran as an Independant (he was a PLP MP for less than 10 years)  He was an FNM MP from 1992 to present (17.5 years!!)  So the notion that Ingrahram is a PLP is wishful thinking.  Fact is, most FNM’s were at some point a PLP.  The FNM was born out of the PLP, not the UBP as many would contend. 

    • Dr. Sands just reach on the scene; you think Tommy, Laing, Bran and the rest of them will stand for that? Now you talking about confusion in the FNM.

  5. Kim, this is where i am coming from:

    Tommy Turnquest “STEPPED ASIDE” so HAI could become leader of the FNM. The only way to avoid all out war in the FNM back in 2007 was for that to happen. You can bet your last dollar that promises were made to Tommy before he steeped aside.

    See the 4 top cabinet post are education, national security, tourism and finance! Now look and see who has been holding those post since 2007.

    Branville was recently promoted to Min of Immigration. Immigration is a nice post, but it doesnt carry the weight of the big 4.

    Carl Bethel was demoted and has been relegated to the back bench so he is in HAI dog house right now. He is done.

    Vanderpool-Wallace isnt a politician so he isnt a threat to no one.

    Laing on the other hand is the threat to Tommy but he doesnt have the balls to challenge him out right unless he is backed by PAPA. (Heck, Laing may not even win his seat.)

    Here is what i think is going to happen (Tommy is about to get setup AGAIN):
    1. HAI is going to announce that he will not seek re-election as leader of the FNM late this year or early next year.

    2. In order to avoid the fraction the party suffered in 2002, the party will select Tommy and brand him as learning from his mistakes and he is more ready now than in 2002. Laing and Branville will run for deputy leader with Laing loosing.

    3. With Tommy leading the FNM into the general election in 2012, the FNM looses. Soon afterward the grumbling starts and you start to hear talks of a Branville challenge at the next convention.

    4. Going into convention Tommy is challenged by Branville. Branville becomes leader and takes the FNM into the 2017 elections!

    So imo, Tommy has one more go round before the final curtain on his aspirations to be PM!

    • Interesting synopsis.  But fact is, Tommy never “stepped aside” as leader of the FNM.  He fought to hold on to that position until the bitter end.  He was removed by Convention.  Please do not re-wright history.  I agree that Laign is Tommy bigest threat, but I believe that Laing will, in fact, emerge as leader in the end.  He is at least as smart as all the other names suggested, and he has the political savvy to edge out over the rest.  But perhaps most important, Laing has the charisma to capture the imagination of the Bahamian people.  He is my first choice.

      • I am sorry Eagle, but you are the one trying to re-wrtie history. There was no vote at the FNM convention for leaderhsip in 2007. Secondly, the spin the FNM establishment put on Tommy decision to step down was that he was stepping aside for the good of the party. If you forgot that you need to go to the archives and read re-read the quotes of Frank Watson and Tommy T himslef. To your point about Laing, sorry, but I would not classify Laing as charismatic, savy or smart. Here is a guy who lost his seat in 2002, then said the Lord told him to go into the church, then when HAI came calling suddenly the Lord told him to come back into politics? Really? You want that guy to be PM. Plus, Laing bearly won his seat in what was suppose to be FNM country. L:ike I said, Laing is Tommy’s greatest threat, but he maybe a short lived one if he cant win his seat in 2012. Plus he cant get the masses to follow him. But here is the most important fact, Laing will not challenge Tommy if he doesnt get PAPA’s blessing. He will run for deputy if he doesnt get PAPA’s blessing!

    • This was definitely a good assessment of all the key players in the FNM that stand a chance of becoming the next leader, but what about Brent chances?

      • Kim, Brent has no balls at all. He is a spinless man. Tthe prime time for him to test his metal was in 2002 after the FNM’s defeat. Tommy was wounded and the FNM was looking for answers. That was his time to strike instead he wilted like a dying flower.Guys like Brent dont want to fight. they want it to be given to them by people begging them to take the spot. They dont want to take the chance of loosing. They want a sure bet. If he thinks there is a chance he wont win, he wont run.His best shot was in 2002 and he missed it. The sun has now set on his chances to be PM!

  6. I newa said I was a Bran supporter…what I was referring to though is the prominent cry of Bahamians for “new people” to enter politics but when they do they never have support and people nitpick at every last thing just like they doing with Ryan Pinder…I’m not a PLP or FNM supporter but I call it like I see it and the things they been finding to pick on Ryan with are all unsubstantiated and stupid really in the wider scheme of politics.

    Ain none of these people in politics perfect, and Bahamians needta stop lookin at them like demi-gods and realize these people is jus that .. people…so if they looking for the perfect person to vote in power well then i’n know what ta tell em….cuz what there now surely far from it…

  7. I disagree with both of you, I see Bran as a lighter skinned Tommy T, big words, lots of talk, but no substance, I see the same thing i with Ryan Pinder, but I feel like he’s a better choice than Duane Sands, but the future will tell, the best choice to lead this nation is Cassius Stuart, but without the special interest backing that won’t happen, as long as you can sell your people out, you’ll make it to the top.(IT SEEMS?).

    • Bran is a black man and what his complexion has to do with anything? By the way Cassius Stuart is a good looking man and light skinned too, so I would like to think Bahamians would not elect a person to power base on their appearance.  In that case, I don’t see how our current Prime Minister was ever elected to office.

  8. Tommy? …guess there’ll be a repeat of what happened last time Tommy was “leader”…he had difficulty winning his own seat! The FNM grasping for straws right now trying to find someone suitable to lead…poor Branville will never get it because of those old farts holding out in the Party all hoping to get their claim to fame. It’s so funny, Bahamians always crying out for new leadership and “young people”…but the minute you say names like Branville, or even with Ryan Pinder, the people scream “where he been? what he know? what he could do fa da country! where he jus come from!”….ya can’t win for losing!

    I personally like Dr. Minnis…but he is more of a behind the scenes man. Too bad HAI plan on oustin him !

    • Not this Bahamian, I being supporting Branville from he came on the scene. I believe if given a chance he can cut down on the  corruption that is going on in the country and move this nation forward to the next level.

  9. Dr Minnis will never become leader of the FNM. He does have “IT.”

    He is one of those people who work well as a second or third fiddle behind the scenes type of guy. But a front man he is not!

    The leadership race will be between Tommy and Branville. Branville will loose and become Tommy’s deputy.

    • I am shocked by your remarks, because you are usually on target. The people have proven in the past and they have made it clear that they don’t want Tommy leading them. I think Bran or Dr. Minnis has a much better chance of becoming the leader of the FNM any day over Tommy that is if the FNM wants to win an election. When you are talking about a person who is suitable for working behind the scene, nobody fit that description better than Tommy T.

  10. Media is correct, HAI controls everything, Hubert has his puppet hand up in Minnis and all the other Ministers besides Symonette, he is a one man show, when HAI leaves, we’ll finally see the first true FNM leadership regime, someone man up please.

  11. I would disagree, you all would remember Hubert Ingraham took absolute charge of the debacle with the nurses. He could be heard from the floor of the Parliament saying nothing will happen until they return to work.

    Bahamas Press/editor

  12. Russell Johnson NO NO RUSSELL…… That President Hamiliton put Politics in front of her agenda. Minnis was going to work and do for them but she wanted to put POLITRICKS in front of it. Hubert Minnis any day who the PLP had as Health MInister????????????…….

    • I am so happy to see that you are well as I thought De Sands was referring to you when he mentioned some persons begging for money to vote for him.for your information Dr B Nottage who led the charge on the National Health Insurance issue was the PLPs Minister of Health.Dr Sands vehemently opposed the plan and now the same persons he is asking to vote for him will have the chance at redemption.There is a tape am told of the interview and I would advise the reporter from the Tribune to put it ibn a safety deposit box.FNMs will not pick one of their own to lead so watchout for Dr Rollins who fits the mold of a Leader who FNMs want and like to worship.How come you have not commented on Johnley wanting to put a good cut skin on Carl?I heard you were present,talk dat 10/10.

  13. Not my first choice, but I’ll support him.  He has an incredibly strong work ethic, similar to Ingraham’s.  But he’s more of a concensus builder.  He’s also a master campaigner. I’m just not all that sure that he could capture the imagination of the masses.  But He’ll get my vote.

    • After the debacle with the nurses Docs popularity has been diminished.It seems as if anyone associated with PAPA is tarnished politically.After a humiliating defeat the FNM will have to get a new Leader from the outside and Dr Rollins seems a good choice.Dr Rollins seems very fiery and will actively be persued by both major parties except of course he is willing to apologise to PAPA and become as political eunuch like the Govt members.

      • Russell, you make a good point about Dr. Rollins, however, he appears to have a hot head like HAI. We do not need another crazy head. We need steady hands. I am supporting Minnis.

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