RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

CENTRAL and South Abaco MP Edison Key yesterday criticised former Free National Movement members of Parliament and Cabinet ministers who “want to take over” the party as he defended FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis and embattled Senator Lanisha Rolle.

He stressed that if the FNM did not “wake up” soon, the next election could be at stake.

Shedding light on the growing disunity within the Official Opposition, Mr Key also elaborated on a reported plan by disgruntled FNM MPs to petition the governor general to remove Dr Minnis as leader of the opposition. He confirmed that he had been approached last year to join the faction but declined because he doesn’t engage in “petty politics.”

His revelation comes at a time when disunity in the FNM has exploded into the public sphere.

Regarding this, Mr Key said he is on the side of Dr Minnis and he also defended Mrs Rolle from recent attacks.

Last week, Mrs Rolle criticised Long Island MP and former FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner, saying the country would not vote for her as prime minister over Perry Christie.

The first-term senator also accused Mrs Butler-Turner and other FNM MPs of being “jealous” of Dr Minnis and his “favour.”

Some have bashed the senator for her comments, including former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson who said she has “no sense” and should be reprimanded for publicly criticising elected officials.

Mr Key, however, said he agrees with everything Mrs Rolle said.

“She had the right to speak just like everyone else and I support what she had to say,” he said.

As for Dr Minnis, he said he has no problem with his leadership of the FNM.

“I think he’s a gentlemen, someone with experience,” Mr Key said. “My dealings with him have been very pleasant. I don’t have a problem. People on the outside, ex-ministers and ex-MPs are causing lots of problems in the party. I think they feel left out because they want to take over.

“Every time you look, one of them pops up in the newspaper, expressing what Dr Minnis should be doing and not be doing.”

Mr Key said it’s time for his party to “wake up” because if it does not, the “PLP will fly in and the FNM will be in major problems.”

And in the debate about whether the FNM should hold a voting convention ahead of the next general election or not, he said another voting convention is unnecessary.

“I don’t care if they don’t have a convention,” he said. “We already had two. Minnis was voted as leader in both. They want a convention every week? The PLP hasn’t had a convention in years.”

Mr Key said he would support the person who emerges as leader in a convention, but when asked specifically if this includes Mrs Butler-Turner, he said he had “no comment.”

As was reported last year, some parliamentarians had drafted a letter to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to express no confidence in Dr Minnis. They were reportedly scheming to have him removed under Article 82 of the Constitution.

Mr Key declined to say who approached him about the plan, telling The Tribune: “I have enough enemies now.”

However, about “three or four” FNM parliamentarians were likely supportive of the attempted coup, he said.

But in the end, they “lacked the numbers” to realise their plan.

Mr Key blamed “behind-the-scenes factions” in the FNM for influencing the parliamentarians, saying he himself opted out because he doesn’t get involved in “petty politics.”

He warned Dr Minnis of the plan, he said, although he suspected that the party leader already knew because there are “not much secrets in politics.”

The only time he ever experienced something similar was during an attempt to overthrow former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling, he said, noting that he stood behind the party’s leader at that time as well. Mr Key was once a member of the Progressive Liberal Party.

Mrs Butler-Turner lost her bid to unseat Dr Minnis as leader in 2014, but her charisma has made some believe she would still be a better leader for the party.