By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FORT Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins has made numerous headlines over the last few months due to his adversarial stance against government policies as well as his fiery confrontations in the House of Assembly with some senior members of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).

His most stinging criticism came during debate in the House last month on value added tax (VAT) legislation when Dr Rollins said that it was “evident” the country needed “new political leadership.” At the time, he accused his leader Prime Minister Perry Christie of “wasting the public’s time” by quoting scriptures and “threatening” junior PLPs “instead of focusing on the critical debate.”

These remarks later prompted Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis, then acting prime minister, to fire Dr Rollins after he did not resign as Gaming Board chairman.

Earlier in August, Dr Rollins resigned as PLP party whip because he did not support the Constitutional Amendment Bills.

Dr Rollins was the only PLP MP who, along with the members of the opposition who were present at the time, voted against the passage of the Gaming Bill in the House of Assembly last week Monday.

The Tribune decided to take to the streets yesterday to hear what Fort Charlotte constituents had to say about Dr Rollins’ controversial statements and actions.

Trevor Miller

Mr Miller said Dr Rollins may be a smart individual, but he prefers an MP to “have an agenda and follow it” rather than opposing for the sake of opposing.

“In any organisation whether it be a family, political organisation or a church you have to know how to submit to leadership,” he said.

“Nobody wants to lead, but everyone wants to critique things.

“It’s hard to lead with a bunch of loose cannons all around you. Part of being in an organisation is speaking with one voice. You could have your discrepancies in the background . . .but you (should not come) out front saying ‘I don’t like this or I don’t like that.’ You look at the other countries they don’t have that going on. Everyone speaks with one voice. The leader speaks, and everyone else just falls in line. I feel it’s just a distraction right now with crime, VAT and other things coming on stream, you don’t need someone to be (grandstanding) all over the place.

“It’s good to oppose things, but it’s good to come forward with a solution or alternative too.”

Ms Thurston

Ms Thurston did not want her full name revealed due to fear of “victimisation.” She told The Tribune that while she is a supporter of the Free National Movement, she still thinks Dr Rollins is doing a good job as an MP.

“He’s a person who speaks his mind. I support the FNM but if I had a representative that didn’t speak his mind I would’ve been disappointed, be it FNM, PLP, or DNA. If you don’t speak your mind or if you’re one of those Uncle Toms, it won’t do.

“The older folks they already made up their beds so they feel like they’re there to stay but they have to make way for the new generation, and I think Rollins is one of those. We need a change, some fresh blood in there on both sides.”

Louise Williams

Ms Williams, a fellow FNM supporter, critiqued Dr Rollins’ representation in the Fort Charlotte constituency. She said there is “not one good thing Andre has done” in the area. However, she said she respects how outspoken Dr Rollins has been in the House of Assembly.

“I’m glad he blowing them out and letting everyone know what is happening in the party because they aren’t doing right and they know they aren’t doing right and they here fooling the Bahamian people.

“They say they wasn’t going to open up the numbers houses and they did and legalised (the sector). They said they had all these jobs for the people and wasn’t able to give (them to) the people. They put him in, so Rollins had to let the cat out the bag.”

Tiger

A resident who identified himself as ‘Tiger’ also said Dr Rollins has failed in his duties as MP, but supported him for his decision to “speak the truth” to members of Parliament who are “just doing the world of nonsense.”

“He speak up and they don’t like that,” Tiger said. “Simple as that. He saw where stuff was going down he don’t want to be involved with it, so he just spoke his mind. You can’t blame the man for that. If they don’t like it, that’s their business.

“Them older ministers need to put someone underneath their wing and teach them so they could take on the position as well. Do it the right way. They want to be there till they grow 900-years-old and still in the House, walking with their cane and still doing crap. Look how they carry on in the House, this one rowing against that one. They just like Kindergarten children.”

Michael Thurston

Mr Thurston said Dr Rollins is a “very intelligent young man”. However, he believes the prime minister no longer wants Dr Rollins in the PLP and suggested he take his talents elsewhere.

“I agree with Andre Rollins on every issue that he has come up with against his own leader, but now I feel as if he and the prime minister have a beef. I feel as if the prime minister wants to fire Andre Rollins on the whole. The prime minister now wants Andre out.

“Andre should leave the PLP and join up with a better party because I don’t feel like Perry Gladstone Christie wants Rollins there any longer. Andre is a young man and I feel like he has good potential, so I feel as if Andre should disembark himself from the PLP and leave them alone. Rollins is doing a good job and he’s a nice, intelligent young man. At first, I didn’t really appreciate him, but now I appreciate Rollins because of the statements he made in the House of Assembly against his own party.”

Concerned Bahamian

A middle-aged man who did not want to be named for fear of “victimisation” said Dr Rollins’ actions were simply an “expression of his intelligence” and a by-product of his patience running out with senior ministers “putting the people last.”

“He stands for the new generation of PLPs,” the resident said. “The reason why I support Rollins, he’s a young man coming up. I myself know he might not get the chance to run the party, because these old PLPs are going to keep the young set down.

“I feel like a lot of the older ministers and the prime minister are threatened by Rollins simply because the fellow isn’t just speaking out to put money in his pocket; he (isn’t) just speaking out to buy a new car; he (isn’t) just speaking out to probably have a sweetheart. He (is) speaking out to help the people.”

He added that it was time for older members of the PLP to give younger politicians a chance to lead.

“They need to step down and let these people get a chance, just like other people stepped down or died and gave them a chance.

“How old the prime minister is, 70? He should be thanking God and give other people a chance to run the place.”