Tuesday, January 21, 2025
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has set himself on a collision course with the FNM’s current leadership by declaring yesterday that he plans to run in the next election despite not completing the party’s mandatory training sessions for aspiring candidates.
FNM’s leaders have insisted that as part of the party’s selection process, all potential candidates participate in a training module –– including its former standard bearer.
Dr Minnis acknowledged that he had not attended a session, claiming the mandate goes against the party’s procedure.
“That has never been the procedure, so I have done neither of any,” he said.
FNM leader Michael Pintard recently said more than 100 people have completed the training modules and been “tapped on their shoulder to get in the field and compete”.
Dr Minnis alluded to his reference yesterday, jokingly telling reporters that nobody had tapped him, adding: “Unless you want to tap me on my shoulder.”
Dr Minnis’s future in the FNM has been uncertain since he lost during the party’s one-day convention in June; Mr Pintard decisively won the leadership race, securing 486 votes to Dr Minnis’s 163.
His relationship with the party’s leadership has not significantly improved since then.
When asked if he is confident about running under the party’s ticket again, he said he answers to God and the people who guide him.
For his part, FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands told The Tribune that Dr Minnis, like anyone else, was entitled to his views. However, he emphasised that the party believes its current procedure is robust and appropriate.
“I think we’ve been very clear about the qualifications for candidacy and I have nothing further to add,” he said.
Comments
whatsup says...
Last Election I could not vote for him so for the first time I voted PLP, next time, I will not vote.
Posted 21 January 2025, 10:52 a.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
Following fashion the PLP fashion , it is all right the PLP will lead and they the FNM will follow
Posted 21 January 2025, 11 a.m. Suggest removal
Sickened says...
PLP will lead alright... straight over the cliff and landing in all the feces they have spewed out of their mouths over the many years.
The PLP is the virus that lives off of feces.
Posted 21 January 2025, 11:36 a.m. Suggest removal
Sickened says...
Minnis best run as an independent. He ain't getting any FNM votes.
Posted 21 January 2025, 11:34 a.m. Suggest removal
AnObserver says...
GO AWAY! Nobody wants you! Your bungling of Dorian and Covid aren't things people are going to forget anytime soon.
Posted 21 January 2025, 12:02 p.m. Suggest removal
jackbnimble says...
If delusion was a person.
This man would not take a hint and, worse, would not go away. I guess if there is any consolation, he gets to run independent and we are finally rid of him as it is doubtful he will garner any significant support to secure a seat and continue to be a festering sore.
Posted 21 January 2025, 12:21 p.m. Suggest removal
hj says...
Ego is a serious thing. He was voted out in the last general election, his own party didn't vote for him for leader. What else you need to realize that it's over for you? Put it plainly you will never become PM again. Is that so hard to understand?
Posted 21 January 2025, 1:04 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
The world of RedShirtsMovement (RSM) as to Dr. Minnis's constants, serve as reminder of other past and current leadership feuds. --- Meanwhile, Dr. Duane Sands ambitions remain active --- whilst Loretta Turner-Butler has moved on to become an advisor to a PLP premiership. -- Maybe putting soap opera legs to seeing a return of Lanisha Rolle and former Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn. -- Moves the spotlight off of who will be the (RSM) national election's candidate for Long Island. -- Yes?
Posted 21 January 2025, 4:07 p.m. Suggest removal
DillyTree says...
Dear dr. Minnis,
Please don/t.
I will not vote for you ever again. You are a huge disappointment to so many who thought you would be a good leader. You were not. Please go away and let someone else run for Kilarney.
A disgusted constituent
Posted 21 January 2025, 4:27 p.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
For the record, all of our former PMs have lost an election and were given an opportunity to redeem themselves.
Why are FNMs acting like HAM is not worthy of retaining his seat as an FNM. Only God and the ppl can fire him. A lesser person(s) should not usurp that privilege.
This only shows the classless culture that Pintard & Sands have brought to the FNM.
Posted 21 January 2025, 5:14 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
But the people did fire him
Posted 21 January 2025, 6:39 p.m. Suggest removal
Twocent says...
After the COVID debacle….any of those Bahamian figures following WTO, Gates, and Faucci lies will NEVER have the trust of the Bahamian people. The last minute “exemptions from future prosecution” given by Biden should be enough to give us a list of cronies in this country to avoid electing. (?) If only because they lacked the capacity for independent, critical, thought and problem solving ! Which begs the question….what training modules? The ones in ethics, morals, character, leadership, discernment, honesty, transparency, unbiased service to the people, etc etc ? Much of that training starts at home with sound, mature, God-fearing parents.
Posted 21 January 2025, 5:53 p.m. Suggest removal
hrysippus says...
People really need to know the real political history of this country, not just the revisionist rubbish fed to schoolchildren. To buy of Pindling and to stop him wanting to run again his sycophantic cabinet voted to award him, and any future two term prime minister, an exceedingly generous pension, payable to him for the rest of his life, and thereafter to any surviving spouse of a two term prime minister. The country has paid out a huge amount of money over the past 23 years. Hubert Minnis cannot ignore this golden carrot, he will go down fighting or just about possibly succeed.
Posted 21 January 2025, 6:43 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
"*The ones in ethics(?)*"
You would be surprised how many people, trained by smart God fearing parents, do not understand the principles of ethics.
There are likely hundreds of Bahamian men on the social scene who fancy themselves to be successful who would see nothing wrong with giving their company a contract. Some unbeknownst to management others with very little effort to determine if the best was being chosen. We call this being smart and getting ahead. Unethical.
There are many more in the govt service who would accept expensive gifts, like Rolex watches, trips to see a Miami Dolphins football or Miami Heat basketball game if said tickets, plane trip and hotel were being paid for by someone lobbying for a contract with the govt. Perks of the job. Unethical
Anything that involves sizeable money in this country cancels ethics. Cause we being smart.
Chester Cooper proposed a bill to make acceptance of gifts legal at Tourism, the ministry he heads. You might ask, what's wrong with that? Well the first red flag is there were no parameters around these gifts. Was there a value limit? Were any gifts off limit? Could Tourism accept a shipment of 1mil in gold bars from a Saudi investor? Who would be the ultimate recipient of said gifts? Who could gifts not be accepted from? None of this was detailed, and for smart men who must have taken one ethics training class in a long financial services career, **giant** red flag. Second, how has the country accepted "help/gifts" for the last 51 years?? The US gives us stuff all the time, free of charge, they're gifts. No need for a special law to accept them. So what was the real purpose of this "gifts" clause?
Posted 21 January 2025, 6:55 p.m. Suggest removal
GodSpeed says...
Minnis saw Trump win again and thinks he can win again too. lol
Posted 21 January 2025, 7:18 p.m. Suggest removal
hrysippus says...
God pee'ed. I do admire your comment but, isn't there too often a "but", to compare the physician's arrogance, which was essentially benign even though maybe incorrect, to the motivating forces behind #47 is a gross over simplification. As time will show.
Posted 21 January 2025, 8:13 p.m. Suggest removal
moncurcool says...
Wow. Talk about not learning from the past.
Posted 21 January 2025, 9:38 p.m. Suggest removal
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