PLP told not to steal the vote

By TANEKA THOMPSON

Tribune News Editor

tmthompson@tribunemedia.net

ON the heels of Wednesday’s chaotic and disorganised advanced poll, Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis warned the Progressive Liberal Party last night not to “further corrupt” the voting process or attempt to “steal” the general election.

He also alleged that former Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall - whose three-year contract ended last Thursday but has been retained as a consultant - received a salary increase from around $5,000 a month to almost $7,000 a month.

He further warned that if there is any “skulduggery” on Election Day, Prime Minister Perry Christie will be held responsible, adding that he “fears” what may happen as a result.

Dr Minnis also said a government led by him will expose any “underhandedness” at the hands of the Christie administration, adding that anyone found breaking the law would be “brought to justice”.

Dr Minnis also lashed out at “lies” he said were being spewed by the PLP in an attempt to hold on to power.

He said if his party assumes office it will not fire civil servants, nor will it cancel National Health Insurance or close Baha Mar down.

“The PLP trickery and underhandedness will soon be brought to light,” Dr Minnis told scores of supporters at a mass rally at the Q E Sports Centre. “The FNM torch will light up the darkness left by the PLP. We will find out the truth about what took place in the midnight hours at the Parliamentary Department before the advanced poll.”

He claimed that Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson and Minister of National Security Dr Bernard Nottage were at the Parliamentary Registration Department “hours before” the advanced poll, and wanted to know what they were doing there.

He also alleged: “I have troubling news. Mr Sherlyn Hall who messed up the registers on three separate occasions, including the chaos of last Wednesday is back. He was let go and sent home on Thursday, but was rehired on Saturday. And guess what? They have significantly increased his salary from about $5,000, to almost $7,000 per month.”

Yesterday, new Acting Parliamentary Commissioner Charles Albury told reporters that Mr Hall was remaining as a consultant at the department and helping in the transition process.

“The stench of this action smells to high heaven and we have a right to know what went down,” Dr Minnis added. “. . . Rest assured, that God willing, we will find out. And anybody found breaking the law will be brought to justice.

“The FNM torch will light up the darkness left by the PLP. Whatever is done in the darkness will eventually be brought to light.”

Further underscoring concerns about the Parliamentary Registration Department (PRD), Dr Minnis said when he and his wife went to pick up their voter’s cards, the wrong photo was affixed to his wife’s document.

He said all the other information on the voter’s card was correct. He added that when he alerted officials to the mistake, they first said the photo was correct, even though his wife was standing next to him.

He said officials later replaced his wife’s photo with the correct one but questioned how many other errors were occurring in the PRD.

If his party wins the election, Dr Minnis promised the FNM would create an Elections Commission, so Cabinet ministers would not have responsibility for elections. He said the FNM would also create an independent Boundaries Commission that will be free of government interference and implement a fixed date for voting.

He also said his party would create a “new era” of housing with a rent to own programme to facilitate home ownership.

He again pledged to implement a solarisation programme to create affordable energy and efficient housing.

He said the FNM will introduce a recall system for non-performing members of Parliament and tougher rules for financial disclosure of elected and public officials.

“We will embark on a new era which ensures homeowners are adequately protected from unfair home foreclosure,” he said.

Dr Minnis also urged those who may be considering voting for the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) not to “waste” their vote. He said the FNM is the only party that can defeat the PLP.

He also touched on “lies” he said were being spread by the PLP.

“It is a lie that the FNM will close Baha Mar upon coming to office,” he said, adding that his party wants the mega resort to succeed. “It is a lie that after we become the government Hubert Ingraham and Brent Symonette will take over the FNM. It is pure foolishness and a lie.

“. . . It is a lie that the FNM will stop NHI and fire civil servants.”

Several other candidates also spoke last night, including FNM Free Town candidate Dionisio D’Aguilar.

A week after former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham raised concern about the “precarious” state of the Public Treasury, Mr D’Aguilar claimed the public purse is “broke” and unable to meet many of its obligations.

Meanwhile FNM Tall Pines candidate Don Saunders said if elected, the issue of recurrent dump fires will be a top priority for him.

The FNM will hold a rally in Grand Bahama and a final rally in New Providence tonight at the Q E Sports Centre ahead of Wednesday’s general election.

Comments

MassExodus says...

Get these jokers out of office tomorrow. The PLP is ruining our lives, and wasting our countries money! Please vote FNM strictly because it will get the PLP out of office!!! Vote for your future, and not a T-shirt with a $100 in it. IF the PLP continue our dollar will be devalued and it will take you $20 Bahamian dollars to get 1 gallon of milk... If that's what you want vote PLP, but don't come begging anyone when you need help and your entire family is starving.

Posted 9 May 2017, 10:38 a.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Comrades! Minni's allegation that former Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall - whose three-year contract ended last Thursday but has been retained as a consultant - received a salary increase from around $5,000 a month to almost $7,000 a month - seems be in normal PLP order to reward poor performance by providing the former PC with an increased financial incentive to work 'smarter.'

Posted 9 May 2017, 10:43 a.m. Suggest removal

banker says...

Is everything over yet?

Posted 9 May 2017, 11:11 a.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

Lol. Go back to sleep.

Posted 9 May 2017, 7:53 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

Regardless of what happens tomorrow there will be change! Skeletons will be uncovered eventually and those unfit to govern will be kicked out!

Posted 9 May 2017, 11:23 a.m. Suggest removal

DDK says...

Look at all the people! It een long now!

Posted 9 May 2017, 11:45 a.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Comrade DDK, to the disciplined crowd counting eye - looks be 234 people in attendance?

Posted 9 May 2017, 11:50 a.m. Suggest removal

DDK says...

SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR DISCERNING EYE, COMRADE!

Posted 9 May 2017, 12:16 p.m. Suggest removal

banker says...

Tal Tal Tal ... here you go making up numbers again. I hauled out my app that counts things in pictures. There are at least 902 people in this picture. You are only off by 385.5%. I can see Math and estimating een one of your strong points.

http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2017…

Posted 9 May 2017, 4:19 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

Maybe part of your current off banker..cause all ya lights upstairs aint on..nothing new for you anyways.

Posted 9 May 2017, 7:46 p.m. Suggest removal

banker says...

I live on PI. The current almost never goes off there.

Posted 9 May 2017, 11:24 p.m. Suggest removal

OMG says...

No wonder we are so in debt as a country. Seems like so many are rehired as "consultants" that only the middle class and poor loose or cannot get jobs. I wonder what some of the devoted PLP fans have benefitted over the last 5 years and how long the $100 they were given will last. There are so many skeletons that we will need to cremate some to make room.

Posted 9 May 2017, 11:48 a.m. Suggest removal

birdiestrachan says...

It was Doc himself. who said he would sell Baha Mar no body can beat doc telling lies.
Who ever told him Doc Nottage and Ms: Gibson were at that office can also tell him what they ,were doing there. There is a whole lot of smoke in what he says, but no fire. It shows he has
no confidence in himself, That is why he brought back his papa to overshadow him.

Posted 9 May 2017, 2:34 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

Will Bahamians believe that this will be a fair election????? ........ after all of this mess in the PRD since last Wednesday?????????? ....... This is all contrived by the PLP inner circle to muddy the water to create loopholes to challenge the election results in those seats where the vote may be close ......... That is why we cannot allow the DNA to take away any FNM votes

Posted 9 May 2017, 2:44 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

Why has the FNM not had ONE rally aired on ZNS this election season????? .......... Is that by the FNM choice or BJ instructions????? ......... ZNS Board or Management should answer to that ........... Where is URCA in all of this??????? ......... And the PLP has been on on live almost every night for three weeks ......... Do they pay for this or is this free government air time??????

Posted 9 May 2017, 2:56 p.m. Suggest removal

truetruebahamian says...

ZNS lies! PLP propagandist. It should not be allowed to air such garbage - even though under the plp control it is intended to influence the gullible.

Posted 9 May 2017, 4:11 p.m. Suggest removal

Alex_Charles says...

1987 here we come

Posted 9 May 2017, 5:03 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

Russia has been accused of interfering with the French Election. Is this just another false flag? How much foreign influence we have here in the Bahamas trying to direct the outcome of our election?

Posted 9 May 2017, 5:14 p.m. Suggest removal

banker says...

Other than the Chinese, none. No one fooks with the Chinese. On that basis alone, the PLP could win with the help of Chinese agents helping them with the ballot box counts etc.

Erryone knows that the chinese have us in their pockets.

Posted 9 May 2017, 5:56 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

The hidden video from inside the Parliamentary Registration Department room where the ballot boxes were being stored is ALL the proof we need to prove that the PLP government and its operatives like Carl Smith and Harrison Thompson are trying to STEAL this election ..... That video alone is evidence for the international observers to condemn the PLP and have them charged before the courts with election fraud ....... My God, who seals a ballot box with duct tape??????? ............ Carl Smith should not be allowed to just resign ............. he needs to be locked up ............. And is there truth to the fact that Sherlyn Hall is now a consultant?????

Posted 9 May 2017, 6:49 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

I'm calling this election 20 fem 17 plp and 2 unknown

Posted 9 May 2017, 6:58 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

You won't want that to happen ........ FNM needs a healthy majority to govern and eradicate the PLP filth

Posted 9 May 2017, 7:01 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

I was being polite..but if one or two DNA candidates of independents get in they will join forces and make it 22-17

Posted 9 May 2017, 7:48 p.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Comrade Banker, if you focus and scan wide into the fake crowd, the extra 602 images that you taking for real humans bodies - you goin quickly see that at least 601 them does resemble Papa Hubert - cause the red party are actually using life-size, cardboard cut-outs of Papa Hubert at all campaign events. This the reds attempt to fool the public is so wickked, and it should be fully investigated following the General Election..

Posted 9 May 2017, 8:33 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

KML ....... There is nothing wrong with a bit of humour at this stage of the race

Posted 9 May 2017, 8:35 p.m. Suggest removal

banker says...

Nah ... dems was holograms ... Hubigetty is a hologram expert. :o)

Posted 10 May 2017, 9:26 a.m. Suggest removal

Well_mudda_take_sic says...

Before marking your ballot, please THINK!, THINK!!, THINK!!! Remember - vote for the best candidate regardless of their party affiliation. Let the chips fall where they may and let's all hope we end up with the best possible individuals serving in the next HOA no matter which side of the aisle they may sit. By THINKING you will help avoid a lopsided victory by either party. We cannot afford five more years of very weak opposition to the governing party whether it be PLP or FNM. Both the PLP and FNM parties are loaded with undesirable candidates - giving either of these two parties a lopsided victory by blindly voting along party lines (rather than voting for the best candidate no matter what their party affiliation may be) is a sure fire recipe for our country (and all Bahamian taxpayers) to continue being raped, pillaged and plundered by corrupt politicians. May the best Bahamian men and women offering to serve us for the next five years win on election day.

Posted 10 May 2017, 5:56 a.m. Suggest removal

tell_it_like_it_is says...

Well-mudda I agree with you wholeheartedly. Why do both parties act like their hands are so clean? I personally, will be voting for the CANDIDATE, 'chips' will fall where they may. Very Well Said!

Posted 10 May 2017, 9:55 a.m. Suggest removal

TalRussell says...

Comrades! Today is your day to VOTE!

Posted 10 May 2017, 10:46 a.m. Suggest removal

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