By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Deputy Leader Chris Mortimer yesterday criticised the official opposition, the Free National Movement, for “squabbling publicly like a group of unsupervised toddlers”.

Mr Mortimer said that instead of rising to the occasion and holding the government’s feet to the fire, “this hapless, ineffective opposition is too busy bickering among themselves to present the public with a united front.”

In a statement he said: “For months now, the governing side has struggled to recover from defections in its own ranks all while floundering under the weight of the Prime Minister’s broken promises on addressing crime or the stagnant Baha Mar property.

“With each passing day, senior members of the Christie government continue to prove themselves less concerned with moving the country forward, and more so with the preservation of their personal political legacies,” Mr Mortimer said.

“Equally disappointing in recent weeks has been the behaviour of those within the Free National Movement. As the official opposition, they too have been sorely lacking. Instead of rising to the occasion and holding the government’s feet to the fire, this hapless, ineffective opposition is too busy bickering among themselves to present the public with a united front.

“Both have proven unfit to govern. Now, more than ever, what the country needs is an administration which is focused purely on the business of moving the country forward. What the country needs is a DNA administration, one focused on reversing years of mismanagement and cronyism.”

Mr Mortimer said that during the coming weeks, Bahamians will hear details of the DNA’s plans on important national issues such as education, crime, the economy and the environment.

He said the DNA will continue to work day and night to hear the concerns of Bahamians across the country and, with the help of scores of qualified men and women, are crafting plans to improve the lives of all Bahamians, not just the political elite.

On Monday, despite FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis’ request to keep party problems internal and call for unity, four more FNM parliamentarians are now calling for Senator Lanisha Rolle to publicly apologise for her criticism of fellow members of the party.

In a joint statement, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman, Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly and Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner joined Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant in his demand for an apology.

The group said the “unprovoked and extreme” remarks made by Senator Rolle nearly two weeks ago left many FNM supporters “dismayed”.

The MPs said FNM supporters throughout the country “are waiting to see if Dr Minnis and Senator Rolle will act in an appropriate, collegial and responsible manner on this matter of principle and proper conduct by the Official Opposition.”

Earlier this month, Senator Rolle called in to 96.9 FM talk show “The Conversation” hosted by Shenique Miller to scold members of the FNM whom she thought did not support Dr Minnis as leader.

“Some sitting MPs are, and let’s call it what it is, they are jealous, some are envious of the favour Dr Minnis has with the masses and they are in positions of power,” she said.

“The fact is that Dr Minnis has the majority of support of the party and that is about 492 councillors and thousands of voters, versus one, two, three or four persons who are holding seats for now, until the people say otherwise.”

She also said that the electorate would not support Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, who lost her bid to become FNM leader in 2014, as prime minister.