By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

EDUCATION Minister Jerome Fitzgerald admitted yesterday that some Bahamians are “angry” and “unhappy” with the performance of the Christie administration but said he believes the true test of the PLP’s effectiveness will be at the polls next year.

During an appearance on the 96.9 FM radio show, “The Revolution”, with host Juan McCartney, Mr Fitzgerald said that while some persons may not support Prime Minister Perry Christie in his bid for re-election, he has nothing but respect for the nation’s leader, who gave him a chance and the tools needed to “fulfil his mandate” in the Ministry of Education.

Mr Fitzgerald said the test for him and other members of the PLP is whether or not they will be re-elected.

“Perry Christie is the prime minster and the leader of the party and I tell people all the time that I look at life pretty simply, I focus on the things I can control. I can control the Ministry of Education and my record as minster speaks for itself,” Mr Fitzgerald said.

“The support I have in education, the things I have been able to do, I would not have done without the support of the prime minister and the minister of finance. I fervently believe education is the answer to some of the root challenges we have in this country and when I am appointed by a prime minster, who gives me his undivided support for me to do what I think, with Cabinet approval, is in the best interest of this country and the best interest of the country moving forward, I am able to do my job, which I love doing.

“For many of us, this will be the test for us, all of us to see if we can be re-elected because one thing we know for sure, whether you like it or not, Perry Christie or not, he will be re-elected if he runs.”

When asked by the show’s host whether he thought Mr Christie should offer himself for re-election or retire, Mr Fitzgerald said: “I am so focused on what I am doing and the huge elephant, which is education, it is such a massive issue, I don’t have the luxury to be concerned about other things. Those are things that will take care of themselves, if we go to a convention and someone wants to challenge Mr Christie, so be it.

“The prime minister will put himself up, he said it. At the convention he will win at the convention and so we will move into the next election with him as prime minister, now what happens when we go to the country, that will be another issue.”

Mr Fitzgerald also criticised Fort Charlotte MP Andre Rollins, who recently said Mr Fitzgerald will need “adult sized diapers” when he loses his Marathon seat.

“I don’t take anything Andre Rollins says seriously, I know you all like him for headlines, but here is a guy who cannot run in any constituency in the Bahamas, nobody wants him. He can’t go in the seat that he represented for four years, he can’t even go back there and he can’t go in any other seat,” Mr Fitzgerald said.

“I could see him trying to comprehend why I can get 500 people out of Marathon to come and support me without me lifting a finger, he can’t comprehend that because he can’t get that. Rollins only cares about himself.”