By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FREE NATIONAL Movement (FNM) Chairman Sidney Collie yesterday branded Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts as "delusional" as he fired back in defence of his party's leader.

"Delusional - it’s the only word that fits to describe Chairman Roberts’ mental state in the aftermath of the PLP’s resounding rejection by the people this week," Mr Collie said. "Instead of stepping up and acknowledging that the results were a clear rebuke of this Government’s performance over the last four years.

"Delusional Roberts is trying to cast blame and point fingers at anyone and everyone for the PLP’s failures."

Mr Collie lashed out in response to a statement on Thursday, in which Mr Roberts forecast that Dr Minnis' "flip-flopping ways" will prove to be his political undoing.

The PLP Chairman had taken issue with Dr Minnis' stance on the Constitutional Referendum, and his call for Prime Minister Perry Christie to resign over the results.

Yesterday, Mr Collie noted that the PLP called for then-Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham's resignation following the failure of the 2002 referendum.

“So history repeats itself for Delusional Roberts," he said, "and now he is the ‘spin doctor’ and ‘apologist’ trying to ‘make up all sorts of stories about the whys and the wherefores. But Delusional Roberts can say whatever he wants - the voters have spoken and they have resoundingly rejected this Government’s heavy-handed, corrupt leadership."

Mr Collie said: “Maybe Delusional Roberts should take the words of his fellow party member to heart and call on his Prime Minister to resign in the wake of this resounding rejection of the PLP’s failed leadership.  

"It would save the country from weeks of PLP spin doctoring to try to pass blame for their handling of the referendum vote.  Make no mistake it was his own party member who said in 2002, ‘the simple fact is they were beaten and beaten convincingly’ and that holds true today."  

He said: "The people saw through the corrupt campaign to engineer the ‘yes’ vote that included promises of jobs and other offers of enticements. They clearly and emphatically rebuked the PLP and its leadership. To suggest anything else is simply - delusional.”