PM coy on reasons for early election: 'I think as we progress you would see'

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis was coy on Friday regarding his reasoning for calling an early general election as the country faces a surge in COVID-19 cases.

With the election campaign in full swing, there was a combined 223 new virus cases on Wednesday and Thursday. The Ministry of Health has also said 11 new deaths were recorded on Wednesday, which took place between August 20 and August 23.

“I think as we progress you would see,” the Killarney incumbent said when asked what made him call a snap election as cases increased.

Moments before, he had been officially nominated to contest the Killarney constituency at Gambier Primary School. He was accompanied by a large contingent of supporters as he made his way to the school. However, once Dr Minnis entered the school campus, only a handful of supporters were allowed to join him.

He will go head-to-head against Ronald Duncombe of the Progressive Liberal Party, who also nominated for the constituency yesterday. Celi Moss is also vying for the seat as an independent candidate.

Dr Minnis has won the constituency consecutively since the 2007 election.

With that kind of track record, Dr Minnis said he was confident in another win come Election Day on September 16.

“…Now we are going to start to display and show people what we have done and what we have planned,” Dr Minnis said. “So, I would advise you (over the) next three weeks to follow us, listen to our message and you would hear about the new Bahamas as we progress forward.”

He also said: “Killarney has always been good to me. I have done my best and I am certain they would support me again. It’s been a great experience and when I finally retire, I’m certain that whoever replaces me in Killarney will follow and continue the excellent job that we have done.”

For the next several weeks, the FNM plans to hold political events beginning Friday night. He said his party would set an example of how such events can be held safely in a COVID-19 environment.

“We will do drive-in rallies. As you know the United States had experienced surges in COVID and if you followed President (Joseph) Biden he had multiple drive-in rallies. We will follow similar patterns and ensure that we meet all the safety protocols.

“We have tonight, we would roll out our candidates in Grand Bahama. We will advise you to watch and you would see how we would perform and behave in a COVID environment and tomorrow night we would do a similar thing in New Providence.”

Asked to respond to former Prime Minister Perry Christie’s recent comments that history is not on his side in that no sitting prime has been re-elected since 1997, Dr Minnis said he too was a “student of history”, adding that he had reviewed the historical background of former United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill and others.

Asked for a response to former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham who recently said he had no views whatsoever about the FNM’s prospects of winning, Dr Minnis said: “Y’all have a good day,” ending the interview.

Before Dr Minnis’ arrival, Mr Duncombe nominated.

He said he felt good about his prospects.

“We put in the work, and I am happy that the process went through seamlessly and I’m ready to do business.”

The newcomer said he made the decision to run as a resident in the area for the past ten years. It is his desire to make a difference in the community, Mr Duncombe said.

“We are not worried about that at all,” he said in response to the fact that Dr Minnis has won the seat several times, "a track record in helping in our community should speak for itself.”

Comments

joeblow says...

... its good to know that covid hides after 9 pm and during campaigning for re-election! What a statesman the competent authoritarian is!

Posted 27 August 2021, 11:11 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

The PM coy on reasons for early election; like he is telling supporters ( (Bahamians). It will be their time next time. So whose time is it now? Bahamians want to support Minnis and the FNM because it will be in their interest to keep the same government in place during this pandemic and corresponding global crisis, it is costly to replace a government. But Bahamians do not like the coy, sneaky and evasive( and sometimes arrogant) personality Minnis has taken on of late.

Posted 28 August 2021, 7:22 a.m. Suggest removal

stillwaters says...

After this widespread flaunting of the covid protocols, we should be seeing a whole lot of vaccinated people begging for a bed in the already crowded wards. They bragged about no vaccinated deaths or very little vaccinated hospitalizations......but I think that will change very soon after this debacle.

Posted 28 August 2021, 9:05 a.m. Suggest removal

KapunkleUp says...

Minnis needs an election NOW because the government is broke. The new government (FNM or PLP) will need to go to the IMF, bowl in hand, and beg for another massive loan. Obviously they will get but with austerity strings attached. This means higher taxes, new taxes and cutbacks. Politician's reasoning is to do it right at the beginning of a new term and have 5 years to sweet talk us before election comes again.

Posted 28 August 2021, 9:57 a.m. Suggest removal

Future says...

It is because a new party formed called the FREE PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC INDEPENDENT PARTY. They put out plans for the county, along with time frames of progress, starting with when they get in power. They covered police, forming a new branch consisting of a great quantity of low cost, high quality motorbikes and ATVs to continuously patrol the streets; removal of gangs; merging police, fire and EMS, and cross-training individuals; de-centralization of ambulances, along with adding additional units in order to reduce response times to 4-8 minutes (team consists of chief fire officer Samuel Clarke - Bahamas’ first firefighter/EMT, Dr. Graham Cates as proposed medical director - nurse, paramedic, doctor, EMS director for Baha Mar, Kevin Bell - EMT, paramedic, creator of Baha Mar EMS system, EMS director for Turks and Caicos, DEPUTY EMS DIRECTOR PMH, an un-named RBPF officer so as to not create career suicide for him, and Gerald Isaacs - Paramedic Nassau, paramedic/firefighter Florida. Planting of food bearing trees every possible location, chicken and meat farms large enough to sustain the entire Bahamas, planting of Guinnie corn in the grass lands to supplement feeding the live-stock, planting of sugar cane to sweeten our canned fruit and fruit juices from the new factory, making dog and cat food from leftovers of livestock processing, mulching of plant trimmings to mix with manure to fertilize the vast crops. Replacing canopy trees to repair the land, and much more. Removal of any corruption within the government, but with an amnesty period for individuals to ‘come clean’. Government regulated marijuana farms with a packaging plant and a distribution system for foreign. Marijuana would be available just as alcohol and cigarettes. The marijuana entity will have its own bank account and all Bahamians would have access to view the expenditures of income. Any individuals found misappropriating funds would receive mandatory 10-20 year sentence. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The Bahamas has great, untapped richness. Almond trees are important canopy trees and drop vast amounts of fruit. The FPDIP plans to implement a factory and process almonds. Google ‘rock tumbling’ to get a basic idea of the process. The leaves dropped by the almond trees make great mulch for plant food. Young coconut trees will cover the land. Dates grow well in the Bahamas. ( the elders remember them on montague beach). Date trees will also cover the islands and we will have vast quantities for consumption. Many other fruit and vegetable plans, too numerous to mention, are ready to be implemented. Too bad we can’t vote for them.

Posted 28 August 2021, 10:36 a.m. Suggest removal

Future says...

I almost forgot… ms Tracy Johnson of the Broward Sheriffs Department, Broward County, Florida, was the one, through a series of telephone conversations, that guided The RBPF on the DRONE PROGRAMME. NOT GETTING INTO DETAILS, but she said that if this party was to gain a foothold, for a small fee, she would examine the entire system and report all findings to the public, along with directions on improvements, if necessary.

Posted 28 August 2021, 10:46 a.m. Suggest removal

carltonr61 says...

In the midst of man created chaos we must find God and pray during this blinding fury of confusion. God will lead us through this blinding fog of uncertainty.

Posted 28 August 2021, 10:47 a.m. Suggest removal

Future says...

UNITED WE STAND……… DIVIDED WE FALL

Posted 28 August 2021, 10:48 a.m. Suggest removal

DDK says...

“I think as we progress you would see,” There's that conditional WOULD again!

Posted 28 August 2021, 12:54 p.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

What or who is FUTURE talking about?

Posted 28 August 2021, 3:37 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

A NEW STUDY RELEASED BY ISRAEL today that involved over 700,000 concluded that persons who had Covid and recovered DO NOT NEED TO BE VACCINATED! Their immunity level increases to 13 times what it was before getting the virus and is more effective than persons who get vaccinated. The study indicates that authorities made a grave mistake attempting to vaccinate everyone and the recovered persons would contribute more to achieving herd immunity than vaccinated people. No country with high vaccinations are seeing declining cases. The study also questions the declining rate of effectiveness of the vaccines. It queries that while the vaccines may lose their ability to prevent individuals from getting the corona virus, it may still be effective I’d preventing a person from getting seriously ill or dying if they get the virus. It questions the need for booster shots so soon. Israel is one of the most highly vaccinated countries and did administer third doses of the vaccines but was unable to achieve herd immunity or see declining cases. They strongly suggest that the attempt to mass vaccinate, even patients beho have recovered is wrong.

Posted 28 August 2021, 9:39 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

Meanwhile Joe Biden wants to start giving Americans a third booster shot at five months after being full vaccinated rather than the recommended six months. Some experts suggest that third shots should not be administered before eight months after a person is fully vaccinated. Politics against conflicts with science.

Posted 28 August 2021, 9:44 p.m. Suggest removal

JokeyJack says...

But keep in mind, we don't have science anymore - we have The Science.

Posted 29 August 2021, 12:18 a.m. Suggest removal

John says...

Yes the mantra here is ‘as soon as you feel well enough, go take the vaccine.’

Posted 29 August 2021, 1:28 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

The Israel study also recommends if you have recovered from Covid and still feels compelled to take the vaccine, only take one shot, it will increase your immunity by 2% but a second shot will suppress your natural immunity.

Posted 29 August 2021, 7:11 p.m. Suggest removal

Log in to comment