EDITOR, The Tribune.

Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard finds himself in an awkward situation, which I had anticipated when former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis did not step down from active politics after the September 16, 2021 general election. After the FNM suffered a humiliating defeat by the Progressive Liberal Party in 2012 -- winning only nine seats -- then FNM Leader Hubert Ingraham retired from frontline politics. Ingraham took the conventional approach, as he knew that his continued presence in the House of Assembly as North Abaco MP would've cast a massive shadow over his successor in the Killarney MP. With the way the situation unfolded with the Loretta Butler-Turner group that removed Minnis as Opposition leader in the House of Assembly in 2016, Ingraham could've easily taken over the reins of power from Minnis had he still been in active politics.

Pintard is in a no-win dilemma. He, like the rest of objective Bahamians, can see the blatant manoeuvring by the Minnisites to unseat him just 18 months removed from the 2021 Election. This was especially evident with FNM officials in the Garden Hills Constituency Association holding a meeting that the Pintard regime attempted to block. Even blind Stevie Wonder could see that what transpired in Garden Hills was nothing more than political mutiny against Pintard. Again, I will stress that I have nothing personal against Minnis. During the Butler-Turner failed coup, I publicly supported him in the dailies. I thought that the FNM rebels, who were all threatened with expulsion for their open rebellion, were being irrational towards the FNM leader.

I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with presumably the very same Minnisites who are currently undermining Pintard, while accusing him of being a dictator for refusing to allow Minnis to address constituency association meetings -- meetings which are nothing more than political campaigns. What these people are doing is weakening Pintard in the FNM branches, while publicly embarrassing him with their insubordination. Neither Ingraham nor Minnis would've tolerated this blatant rebellion. But Pintard is expected to put up with this defiance. Moreover, Pintard continues to be assailed in the press by Minnisites hiding behind pseudonyms, while other anti-Pintard operatives have him tied up in an already constipated judicial system, depriving him of the opportunity to give his undivided attention to carrying out his duties as official Opposition leader.

Ironically, these are the very same individuals who are complaining about Pintard not being effective as FNM leader. The lines are obviously drawn. Pintard might have to take a page out of Sir Lynden Pindling's book by giving these FNM rebels an ultimatum. Either they clean fish or cut bait or get out of the FNM boat. What transpired in Garden Hills was mutiny. Plain and simple.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport,

Grand Bahama.

March 9, 2023.