By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday explained that he was absent from parliament, but vowed that the final weeks of campaigning before the 2017 general elections will not be a sprint for his party, as it was described by his opponent Prime Minister Perry Christie, but a “cruise along” to the finish line.

Denying reports that he has been “running from the press”, and a national debate, Dr Minnis told reporters that he was tirelessly campaigning to oust Prime Minister Perry Christie and the Progressive Liberal Party government.

While he noted that a leadership debate was possible on the FNM’s terms, Dr Minnis would not commit to whether he would facilitate one ahead of the general elections on May 10.

“I’ve been asked and it’s said I’m running from the press,” he said, “I’ve not been to parliament for three months, there were reasons, I was not at parliament because I was out campaigning, the FNM and my focus is to take Perry Christie’s job. I want his job, my colleagues want the other ministers’ job, so I and my colleagues were out campaigning.

Dr Minnis said: “So we were not running from anyone, we were campaigning, preparing ourselves for election, now election is called (Mr Christie) he says it’s a sprint. It’s a sprint for who? We have been moving continuously all along, it’s not a sprint for us.

“We were only waiting for him to put up the finish line so that we know we can just cruise across, but we been working continuously, consistently so he will be sprinting but his sprint will be trying to catch us who have been working continuously and the people know that, the public knows that.”

Dr Minnis spoke to the press as he observed his birthday with the children at Gambier Primary School, an annual tradition that included a donation of computers to the school. Dr Minnis’ birthday is April 16.

Speaking directly to accusations that he has been “running from the press,” Dr Minnis said: “I’ve had other meetings, and even leaving here I have other engagements. I’m focusing on rescuing this country from this inept, incompetent government and we must put plans, programmes together. There are many individuals I must speak to, to get their ideas, their input, and put everything together so that when we become the government we’re ready to roll.

He said: “And that is why an unprepared individual must sprint, they sprint to catch up. A prepared individual knows where the finish line is, knows where they want to go, and they plan and they move towards it. But we were only waiting for him to say this is the date, that is the finish line and now we can continue to cruise along it.”

In a statement on Wednesday, PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts highlighted that Dr Minnis did not take questions from the press at a recent press conference, and has also refused to publicly debate Mr Christie.

“I am advised that Dr Minnis held a press conference today but refused to take questions from the press,” Mr Roberts said. “It’s shocking and unbelievable that the man who wants to be Prime Minister turns his back on the press. Minnis has also refused to debate the man he seeks to replace, Prime Minister Perry G Christie. Clearly the Bahamian people will draw the correct conclusion, that Minnis is unprepared and not ready for the high office of Prime Minister.”

“Anything is possible,” Dr Minnis said on the matter of debates, “but Bradley Roberts does not speak for the FNM, he only speaks for the PLP and we don’t listen to Bradley Roberts so he can say whatever he wants. When we’re ready it can be done, and on our terms not on Bradley Roberts’ terms, but we are focused now on removing Perry Christie and the PLP and Bradley Roberts so we don’t hear his voice ever again in this Bahamas.

“The party will have its policies and the party will determine how these things are done.”

When asked if such a debate could take place before the general election, he said: “I couldn’t say when, but our party has its policies. What Christie should be thinking about, he talking about debate, he should go down in Centreville and debate those people and explain to them how he’s mistreated them for so long, and abandoned them, and have them in a position where he has been prime minister for ten years, he has been their representative for an excess of 30 years but it’s the worst constituency in New Providence.

Dr Minnis continued: “(Christie) he should be ashamed of himself, he should be down there trying to improving the quality of life in Centreville and improve the conditions in his constituency, that’s what he should be concentrating on, not concentrating on me. Think about the Bahamas, I’m one individual.”