By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

MARCO City MP Michael Pintard joined his Free National Movement colleagues in praising Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis during Wednesday's confidence motion debate in the House of Assembly but differed from them in expressing notes of caution to his team as well.

"As I stand speaking," he said, "I have some constituents whose walls are up, whose roofs are leaking and the houses are hollow because there is no furniture, there are no appliances, sheet rock is damaged and they are expecting those who are in authority to work in a collaborative way with NGOs and the private sector to be a part of their salvation, not all of their salvation but a part of their salvation."

He said he supports his party because he believes it is best suited to deliver results for constituencies damaged by storms.

"The comparison tonight for me is not between the PLP and the FNM, so I could never engage in the back and forth, the comparison is between who we are right now two and a half years in and what we could truly become in the remaining two and a half years and I believe we have some visionary leaders in this place on this side," he said.

He continued: "If you ask me are we on the right path I would say in many ways yes. Are we moving at the right pace? I would have to humbly submit that there has to be a greater sense of urgency.

"That means we have to be more collaborative. The public continues to make that point to us, that there are some talented people in the business community that just wants government to get out of the way, there are some entrepreneurs who know how to make it rain when we're not making it rain and we got to do everything possible to change the way business is set up in this country so we could unleash them and tell them they can do better.

"There are some young people who want to make sure that they can get the crown land required so they could do the work and we're on that path but they saying we got to move faster. There are some folks right now who are waiting for building supplies so they are able to get back in their homes to revive the economy on the islands they are on. I'm sent here to also echo their voices. There's some talent that is being underutilised, and we have to find ways to fully integrate them into the decision making we are making on behalf of our people."