EDITOR, The Tribune.

Please allow me a small place in your newspaper to respond to a letter I read signed “The Mackey Street Man” dated May 22, 2022.

This letter is either written by a well placed Minnis supporter or a very lost individual. Before I go on let it be totally clear I have no horse in the race other then my country.

I read the article in the Guardian and I did not get the impression that Mr Pintard was “attacking former FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis”. In fact I felt he was honest and in no way disparaging to the former leader. Many of us Bahamians thought it was long overdue.

For The Mackey Street Man to say Dr Minnis is a great team player could only be a joke. I heard, and stand to be corrected, that Dr Minnis does not support anything the FNM does. I understand that he did not attend the swearing-in of the Opposition Leader. He does not attend any FNM Parliamentary meetings, he did not attend the Conclave. He has received invitations to these and many other meetings he has not attended. Many promises he made since the General Elections, which in my view, he is not honouring.

It is sad that Dr Minnis’ supporters, allegedly would try to hurt the FNM for their own personal gains. They rather hurt their party before they tell Dr Minnis enough is enough.

We need to be honest with ourselves, Michael Pintard is the leader of the FNM. From what I see he is trying his best to reunite the party, he is inviting FNMs to come home many who left because of the way they were treated in the past. Many young people in the FNM whom felt alienated are now more involved, feeling a part of the party because of Michael Pintard.

Whether he is the man to lead them into the next General Elections is too early to be determined, but I know one thing that man is not Dr Hubert Minnis. The Bahamian people were very clear on September 16th, 2021. Over 65% of the registered voters rejected Dr Minnis and the FNM by either staying home, voting PLP or voting some other party. Many VOTERS who stayed home said they couldn’t vote for the FNM with Dr. Minnis as the leader nor support the PLP. The talk on the ground is Dr Minnis is finished as leader and he needs to put his full support behind Michael Pintard and the present leadership.

There is no need to undermine Pintard’s leadership, if he fails let him fail on his own and in 2024 the FNM convention can decide who will lead them into the 2026 General Elections. Or, am I to assume they are afraid that Michael Pintard will succeed therefore eliminating any chance of a Minnis return.

GEORGE KNIGHT

Nassau,

May 23, 2022.