By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

ACTING Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Brensil Rolle has reaffirmed the party's support of its leader in the face of public calls for his resignation.

"The party accepted and took its position on Dr Minnis this week and that position still stands," Mr Rolle said on Friday.

Former Bamboo Town candidate Cassius Stuart called for the “immediate resignation” of party Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, saying the Killarney MP has not proven he can lead the party or the country. In a scathing critique posted on his Facebook page on Thursday, Mr Stuart said he was "disgusted and disheartened" by Dr Minnis' leadership.

Mr Rolle said: "He's (Mr Stuart) taken the position that he's had to do some things himself, after having a hard political fight since the last election. He (Mr Stuart) said he had to retrench, to do something, to settle down and do some work."

"Any comment that is negative will hurt a political party," he said.

"Cassius is entitled to his personal opinion, he has not left the party, but the party as a whole has indicated its decision and we support that decision."

Mr Rolle said Mr Stuart did not express his dissatisfaction with him, but suspected that he may have talked with other individuals like fellow former candidates.

"Cassius has made a personal statement," he said. "He has his reasons but the party has made a determination to stand with its leader."

The party has decided to hold its full convention in November in support of recommendations made by Dr Minnis at a council meeting on Thursday night.

The party last held a convention in November 2014. At that time, Dr Minnis was re-elected after a landslide victory over Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner in the leadership contest.

Insiders have reported that there has been immense pressure for the Killarney MP to step down as party leader with calls for an early convention in May or June.

The pressure intensified following the revelation that Dr Minnis met three times with Livingston “Toggie” Bullard, one of the men involved in the alleged murder for hire plot allegedly orchestrated by Lyford Cay resident Peter Nygard.

One insider said on Friday: "The reality is (Cassius) has said what many FNMs know in their hearts but while they have the courage to say it they don't want to say it publicly because they don't want to totally destroy the party's leader."

The insider said: "Unfortunately the level of damage that has been done has been so extensive as a result of Dr Minnis' recklessness, selfishness and gross incompetence that people who share Stuart's view would have no choice but to wrestle control of the organisation from him."

This week, Mr Nygard has sued The Tribune, Save the Bays, as well as Dr Minnis, Mr Pintard, and others, for “libel” as well as “abuse” of the Supreme Court and Parliament.

When asked whether the party had discussed the lawsuit against Dr Minnis filed by Mr Nygard, Mr Rolle said the matter had not come before the party yet.