By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday that the high energy and turnout at the launch of his leadership campaign was testament to a growing momentum that will propel him past the party’s upcoming convention to secure a general election victory in 2017.

Dr Minnis remained tightlipped on the future of opposing FNM MPs if he succeeds in his leadership bid, however, stating only that the party will do what it has to do to rescue the country from the Progressive Liberal Party. He added that he was pleased by the outpouring of support displayed at his rally at Christie Park on Wednesday night.

“I feel saddened that the party appears divided. I’m sure that coming out of convention we will speak with one voice,” he said.

“When I look around I’m saddened by the amount of people that are suffering, losing their homes, cannot pay their bills or buy food for their families, their children. This disturbs me, this pains me, there is so much suffering, so much crime, murder.”

“The only relief will be to see the FNM elected to government to rescue this country, and that is what we are focused on. The FNM will do whatever it has to. The FNM will have to do a lot of examining in the various government ministries, stamping out corruption, to uplift the poor and support the middle class. The FNM will be focused on this.”

The FNM’s convention is scheduled for July 27-29.

At that time, Dr Minnis and his deputy East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest will defend their posts against bids from Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner and Senator Dr Duane Sands respectively.

The convention is widely regarded as a last-ditch effort to quell the bitter infighting that has dogged the party since Dr Minnis assumed the post in 2012.

At the party’s last convention in November 2014, Dr Minnis successfully defended his post against former Deputy Leader Mrs Butler-Turner by a resounding margin.

This month’s convention - pushed up from its initial November date - came after six of the FNM’s 10 MPs gave him an ultimatum: call an early convention or they would write to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to have him constitutionally removed as leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament.

To support their bid, the six MPs issued a scathing assessment of Dr Minnis in a memorandum to the party’s council. That memo described Dr Minnis’ perceived flaws, including his failure to take command of the party “at almost every turn” despite their repeated efforts to support him.

When asked whether he would be able to work with dissenting MPs, he said: “Many things are said but despite that the focus will be on working together - if I thought differently - but I don’t think of just myself. People say many things about my style of leadership. I prefer a more open leadership style. I think the people understand what I want to, to create opportunities for all. I look forward to a system where financial position does not inhibit an individual from rising to the top.

“That is the society I think that all Bahamians dream of, and that is the society that I will continue to fight for and to build.”

Wednesday’s “Roc wit Doc” rally served to launch Dr Minnis’ leadership campaign under the slogan “The people’s time”. While The Tribune pegged the turnout at around 400 supporters, many in Dr Minnis’ camp took to social media yesterday to dispute that the number was much higher. The disparity over the number of those attending has become a source of contention for some supporters who believe Dr Minnis’ rally upstaged that of Mrs Butler-Turner and Dr Sands, which was held on the same night.

Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells, who moderated Dr Minnis’ event, said: “There were well over 1,500 to 2,000 people. The police estimate was 1,800. All the named candidates were there, nearly every named candidate of the FNM. It’s Minnis in a landslide, there is no comparison.”

“Yeah Loretta had gel screens, the latest technology. They spent money on their presentation. But ‘doc’ had the numbers and the message.”

Mr Wells, who has not yet received a nomination, said many FNMs have stacked up Dr Minnis’ proposed initiatives against Mrs Butler-Turner’s plans and are not happy with the Long Island MP.

When asked about a possible nomination, Mr Wells said: “There is no MP in the House of Assembly who has been nominated by the FNM as yet. The intent is to leave those things to the end.”