Friday, October 8, 2021
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE Free National Movement’s central council agreed last night to hold a one-day convention on November 27th to settle the party’s leadership contest, according to FNM chairman Carl Culmer.
Although the council had passed a resolution last month to host the convention in November, there was controversy last night when the convention committee recommended a delay in that timeline.
Sources said the committee’s recommendation that the leadership race take place on December 4th and not in November was the subject of passionate debate inside the Holy Trinity Activity Centre where the three-hour plus meeting was held.
Many members were convinced it was important to stick with the date originally announced to the media and public. Ultimately, about 70 percent of members voted to have the leadership contest in November, The Tribune understands.
Other matters typically addressed at conventions will be dealt with at a later date, likely in February.
Last night’s decision comes amid speculation that former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis may still vie for leader even if he does not directly offer himself for the role.
In an interview with Eyewitness News that aired Wednesday night, Dr Minnis declined to say if he would accept a nomination for leader if he is nominated.
Asked whether Dr Minnis’ future in the party was discussed during last night’s meeting, Mr Culmer said: “None of those things were discussed tonight. At the end of the day persons are free to nominate. Nomination will close on the Saturday before and so they have between 9 and 5 each day. Preparations will be made for ballots and nominations and so at the end of the day persons will have the opportunity to nominate.”
Asked about the possibility that Dr Minnis could still return as leader, Mr Culmer said: “That’s up to the council. I will not want to speculate. I don’t believe in speculation. I believe that at the end of the day the process should take place and whatever the outcome is, we go from there.”
By contrast, Mr Culmer told reporters last month that Dr Minnis indicated he will not offer himself up for leadership at the convention.
“We will have an opportunity to choose another leader,” he said. “Dr Minnis also pledged to work with (the new) leader, whomever he may be, so that the FNM will be battle ready for the election whenever it is called.”
Comments
tribanon says...
LMAO
Posted 8 October 2021, 9:04 a.m. Suggest removal
WETHEPEOPLE says...
If the FNM has any sense, they will run as far as they can from Minnis. Minnis has left such a stink in the memory of Bahamians that is highly unlikely that they will vote for him to lead the country again.
Posted 8 October 2021, 9:16 a.m. Suggest removal
tribanon says...
More bluntly put, Minnis is the worst possible kind of kryptonite for the FNM party going forward. Already we see that no one takes him seriously as opposition leader and that he even poses a serious threat to the voice of the entire FNM party. The very existence of the party is now contingent on his disappearance from active politics at the earliest possible time, and the same very much applies to Culmer himself.
Posted 8 October 2021, 10:16 a.m. Suggest removal
bahamianson says...
Hold on, minnis won his seat by some 600,votes. He was not voted out of office, he won his seat. He did his part to win his seat. The other candidates sjould have done their part. Mr. Cartwright fought tooth and nail to win his seat. Maybe , jusy maybe the other candidates did mot cut the mustard, so to speak. Everyone said that Brave should have not been leader of the plp when they lost a few.years ago , and he held his own to become PM. Minnis can still lead.
Posted 8 October 2021, 9:53 a.m. Suggest removal
tribanon says...
Minnis had a hard time retaining his seat in what's perhaps the safest FNM constituency there is in New Providence today. In fact, Minnis didn't even manage to get an outright majority of the votes cast in Killarney. Most of the registered voters in Killarney of the FNM persuasion stayed home in disgust on September 16, refusing to vote for Minnis or even an independent candidate.
Posted 8 October 2021, 10:25 a.m. Suggest removal
moncurcool says...
No one counts voters who stay home.
Posted 8 October 2021, 11:26 a.m. Suggest removal
tribanon says...
Voter turnout always effects the outcome of an election. Just ask any seasoned politician. In Minnis's case he got a plurality but not a majority of the overall total number of votes cast in Killarney because of the low voter turnout among the many FNM supporters in that constituency who were disgusted with Minnis's performance as PM.
Posted 8 October 2021, 2:16 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
Dint know where @moncurcool lives, maybe the moon with Minnis frying fish, but every campaign on earth's main focus is on energizing voters and getting them to the polls. To have a stat that 40,000 people out of 170,000 didnt even show up is like a nuclear implosion.
Posted 8 October 2021, 3:48 p.m. Suggest removal
tribanon says...
Oops!...."affects"
Posted 11 October 2021, 9:53 a.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Still, the Bullshit Artist hasn't tired being sucker for punishment and everything like that continuing shovelin' out same exact Ol' Razzle Dazzle' was eventually brought crushin' down RedParty's **full faith and creditability** and everything like that — Yes?
Posted 8 October 2021, 10:42 a.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
Its patently clear that the people who advised Minnis to call the election have made him believe that all he has to do is wait and he'll be back as PM in 2026. Let me help. Just as I said before election... people won't show up for Minnis. Nobody is going to show up for him in 2026 no matter how bad the PLP may be. So if you counting on that forget it. The only people who vote PLP was PLPs, none of them coming to yiur side . FNMs want another leader
Posted 8 October 2021, 3:55 p.m. Suggest removal
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