By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

TALL Pines MP Leslie Miller yesterday shot down speculation that he has been a vocal supporter of Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis to gain favour in case he is spurned by the PLP and not given a nomination for the 2017 general election.

Mr Miller stressed that he has strong roots within the Progressive Liberal Party, but added that Dr Minnis is a close friend who has the “heart, mind and compassion” to lead The Bahamas.

He also said those who are trying to remove Dr Minnis as leader are “fake” and are trying to “mislead” voters.

Over the past few weeks, Mr Miller has been a staunch supporter of Dr Minnis and even attended the doctor’s campaign launch earlier this month.

During an earlier interview with The Tribune, Mr Miller dismissed Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, who is Dr Minnis’ rival for leadership, saying she represents the “elitist” demographic.

When contacted yesterday, he elaborated on why he supports Dr Minnis.

“They (Mrs Butler-Turner and her running mate Dr Duane Sands) can’t hide the truth as hard as they try. We can see that they are fake and attempting to mislead the voting public,” Mr Miller said.

“Dr Minnis is a close personal friend of mine, we have similar views and mind. We both want the best for the small man because we came from the same areas that they came from. I know where his heart is; it is with the people. He is the best person to run the (Official) Opposition and despite what those other people are saying, they are not for the poor black and white Bahamians, they want to keep the poor man down.”

“Like myself, Dr Minnis was born in the heart of the inner-city, just like Sir Lynden (Pindling), (Perry) Christie and a string of other great men in this country. When you come up in places like that you are raised with the heart to treat others right. You care for people who come from those types of environments and that is something they don’t have.”

Mr Miller said he would be more comfortable if the future of the Bahamas was in the hands of Dr Minnis, rather than the hands of Mrs Butler-Turner and Dr Sands.

“Look at their views, their background and financial backers; elitist people attempting to stifle grassroots Bahamians, that is the only way to describe it. The nature of these people is obvious despite the image they are trying to promote.

“You can’t fake the natural nature of your heart. Bahamians see the difference and they can tell when you are being fake. Don’t blame Leslie Miller for calling a spade a spade. They should blame they damn self, because we can see through their act.”

Mr Miller also dismissed the belief that his public backing of Dr Minnis is being done in an effort to gain favour in case he is snubbed by the PLP ahead of the next general election.

“Hell no, that couldn’t be further from the truth. I was born a PLP in McCullough Corner and trust me there is no changing that. So you can just forget that. My point with Minnis is and has always been that he is a man of the people.

“Like I said before, (Dr) Minnis is my friend. Yes we have different political views but we are the best of friends. (Hubert) Ingraham and (Perry) Christie are great friends, you can’t get in between the two if you tried; just like Sir Lynden (Pindling) and Sir Cecil (Wallace-Whitfield) were, they were the best of friends. Politics can differ between two people but the love doesn’t change.”

The leadership battle within the FNM has ramped up in recent weeks as the party’s convention date nears.

Dr Minnis launched his “Roc with Doc” campaign earlier this month. The campaign is built around economic empowerment for grassroots Bahamians and tax breaks for the Over-the-Hill community.

Meanwhile, Mrs Butler-Turner and Dr Sands launched a campaign billing themselves as the “best team” to refocus the country socially and economically.

Mr Miller contended that the duo’s bid to refocus the country will, in time, result in “doom” for poor Bahamians.

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