By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AS he formally launched his campaign to retain the Killarney seat on Saturday, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said he was barred from speaking at Free National Movement events, instructed not to answer questions from the press, and told by party leaders that “I had my time.”

Dr Minnis outlined what he described as a systematic effort by party leadership to sideline him following the FNM’s election loss.

“As I said, I've always been an FNM,” he said during the press conference on Saturday. “It was the FNM who had left me. It was the FNM who abandoned me. I never abandoned the party but in spite of that, there were several things that I could not tolerate or stand. After the election, I was told that the people had rejected me, rejected the party, and therefore I had no place. The associations were informed that I was not allowed to speak at any FNM events. Many associations would have invited me to speak and had me on their flyers and placed in a very difficult position. But as mature as I am, I've told them, just find another speaker, no big deal, I wouldn’t want you to have no stress or problems with your leadership.”

“If that was not enough, I was informed by the leadership team that if members of the press asked me any question, I was not to answer the press. I was to inform the leadership as to the question what was asked of me, and I am to tell them the answer to the question, and they will flesh it out among themselves, and they will answer the question, not me.”

“Then at one point, I pointed to them that what you're doing is not right. There are procedures throughout the world that the world follows and The Bahamas follows similar procedure. I was told by the leadership team, and I quote, that ‘I had my time’, it's now their time, and they do what they see fit. They're in charge, not me, and they can do what they choose and in fact, they don't want to hear from me.”

Dr Minnis also claimed that the party initiated a smear campaign against him and his wife.

“In spite of that, like Killarney, we stayed strong,” he said. “We stayed focused, because we know that the people will one day speak. I have had a bond with Killarney for more than 20 years, even though the FNM abandoned me, I never abandoned Killarney. I would not abandon the great and loyal people of this wonderful constituency Killarney.”

Dr Minnis urged residents to treat opposing candidates with respect but firmly reject them at the polls, insisting Killarney should retain its current representation, while stating he is running as an independent candidate out of necessity rather than choice.

He argued being an independent would allow him to act in the best interest of constituents, as he is not bounded by “any whip, nor any party's policy”. He outlined several initiatives focused on security, technology and social support.

“We have started a lot of programmes and projects here in Killarney, but we must be the first constituency to complete our CCTV programme throughout the length and breadth of the Killarney constituency,” he said. “We must complete our ring doorbell programme so that every member of the constituency has access to ring doorbell.”

He also proposed a digital reporting system and an expansion of social programmes. He ended by describing the healthcare system as a disaster, noting that it has deteriorated under every prime minister including himself.

“We cannot play politics with health,” he said. “Too many Bahamians are dying unnecessarily. Nobody want to say it, but the facts are the facts, and that's the advantage of an independent candidate, he will tell you the facts. Too many Bahamians are dying unnecessarily.”

Dr Minnis called for non-partisan committee including politicians, healthcare professionals and the public to reform the healthcare system, urging voters to reject any candidate unwilling to support such changes. of life.

Former Deputy Governor General Lonnie Rolle, former Democratic National Alliance leader Branville McCartney and former Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells were among the notable attendees at Dr Minnis’ campaign launch.

FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands declined to respond to Dr Minnis allegations about the party.