Members of an appointed by Leader Tommy Turnquest to consider the future of the party and its chances of winning the next general election have reported that the difficulty they have found among FNM’s is that the party requires new leadership.
The group also found that Mr. Turnquest does not enjoy meaningful support in the country and is urging the return of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
This consensus was arrived at after members of the committee interviewed a cross-section of party supporters and others. It is reported that the committee held at least 10 meetings in various locations with FNM’s in good standing.
The committee is headed by former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson and includes Janet Bostwick, Lyn Holowesko, Cedric Saunders, Lawrence Glinton and several others.
Mr. Turnquest has reportedly said that he is not going to resign because he offered his resignation immediately after the 2002 general election, but in the end he weathered the political storm and went into the last convention of the party during which time his position as leader was reaffirmed.
Now that some feel that there is a glimmer of hope for victory by the party, certain Ingraham supporters are now asking for Mr. Turnquest to step aside for the return of Mr. Ingraham.
Those FNM’s who support Mr. Turnquest say that the last general election was a referendum on the FNM government led by Mr. Ingraham.
They say Mr. Ingraham was prime minister on election day, but now Mr. Watson and others who support Mr. Ingraham want to blame Mr. Turnquest for the defeat, which is unfair.
The bottom line, they say, is that the Bahamian people punished the Ingraham government for the many bad decisions that it made in its second term in office. Further, it is Mr. Ingraham who supported and endorsed Mr. Turnquest for the leadership of the party over everyone else, including Algernon Allen and Tennyson Wells.
One party source suggested that Mr. Turnquest was “in denial” over his future with the party.
“It’s unfortunate because he’s going to be totally destroyed,” the party insider said.
On Saturday, Mr. Turnquest, in an interview with The Bahama Journal, said he expected to lead the party into the next general election.
When asked the question, he responded, “Yes I do. Absolutely.”
But he acknowledged that there are some within the party who continue to talk about Mr. Ingraham’s return. Mr. Turnquest indicated that it’s not hard to see why.
“He was a very successful prime minister,” he said. “And so persons would want to go back to that situation and that’s understandable.”
Mr. Turnquest said he appointed the advisory council to “get the experience, wisdom and advice of senior colleagues within our organization and they’ve been providing advice to me and it has been very helpful. I seek advice from them as I do from other persons in the party and will continue to do so.
“I don’t think there is anything untoward about that.”
When asked whether he has broad-based support within the party, Mr. Turnquest said he does.
In an earlier interview with The Bahama Journal, Mr. Turnquest had said that he seriously doubted that Mr. Ingraham would want to return as leader of the FNM.
“There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that he is not interested in coming back,” Mr. Turnquest said at the time. “He’s been very helpful to me as leader-He’s my predecessor as leader of the FNM and he did a wonderful job as leader.”
When contacted by The Bahama Journal on Saturday, Mr. Ingraham wished not to offer any comment on the matter.
He has consistently refused to comment on reports that there are many FNM’s who would like to see him return as leader of the party and ultimately as prime minister.
Many other senior FNM’s also wished not to comment. They include former Minister of Foreign Affairs Janet Bostwick, who noted that as a member of the advisory council, it would be inappropriate for her to comment; FNM Deputy Leader Sidney Collie and Leader of the Official Opposition Alvin Smith.
Former FNM Cabinet Minister C. A. Smith offered a brief comment on Saturday, reminding that at the end of the day, the party’s leader will be chosen in convention set for November.
“As far as I’m concerned, the party in convention makes the final determination who the leader ought to be,” Mr. Smith said from Grand Bahama. “All persons interested in the leadership of the FNM would be able to throw their hat into the ring. I am a party man and would support whomever is chosen.”
Asked whether he would support Mr. Ingraham if he made another bid to become the leader of the FNM, Mr. Smith said, “Mr. Ingraham has proven that he has the ability and the vision and he has provided outstanding leadership in the past. There’s no doubt about his ability, vision and commitment. He’s done well for the country in the past. I am sure that many would support him as leader.”
But former FNM MP Lester Turnquest said on Friday that he would not support Mr. Ingraham as leader of the FNM.
“I understand the dynamics that have resulted in this position,” said Mr. Turnquest, referring to the support that Mr. Ingraham continues to enjoy among some FNM’s.
But he added, “My position is that I would not support him to return as prime minister. I would not support his return as leader. I don’t believe he has changed. I think after a man reaches a certain age, he’s unlikely to change as an individual.”
Mr. Turnquest said he had very good reasons for not wanting Mr. Ingraham to serve a third term and those reasons have not changed.
He said because Mr. Ingraham carried out “virtually all” of the decision-making of his administration “without consultation”, he made some key mistakes as prime minister.
“I think this absolute power that he had led to errors in judgment that would have not occurred if there was an effort to build consensus,” he said. “A prime example is the constitutional referendum.”
In February 2002, Bahamian voters rejected the proposed constitutional changes Mr. Ingraham had said would have ensured equality of the sexes.
Mr. (Lester) Turnquest noted however that Mr. Ingraham has the right to offer for the leadership of the party during the convention later this year.
“I think the dynamics may very well result in the landscape for his return,” he said. “I am saying that Lester Turnquest would not be supporting his return and that’s that.”
Meanwhile, former Deputy Leader of the FNM Dion Foulkes said on Sunday that by the end of the summer, he will make a decision on whether he will run for any office within the party.
But he told The Bahama Journal that, “I’m definitely running in Blue Hills.”
Mr. Foulkes is convinced that the FNM has an excellent chance of winning the next general election.
“I think that given the performance of the PLP over the past three years, the voters are very disappointed,” he said. “[The present government] had a very good opportunity to do good with the mandate and all the seats they got. But I’d give them an ‘F’ for performance.
“I think the FNM stands a good chance, but we have to be united. I’m hopeful that when we come out of convention, we would be a united and energized party.”
Mr. Foulkes said he is very concerned about the present government’s environmental record and the “wholesale” sale or lease of land to foreigners, with the Cable Beach redevelopment deal as a prime example.
He added, “There has been no meaningful job creation in three years. Not one single school was built and not one was commenced. There’s going to be a serious problem with overcrowding. There’s also a shortage of basic medicines in the hospital and nurses are demoralized.”
Mr. Foulkes said with such a dismal record there’s no way the PLP will be returned to power in 2007.
But while Prime Minister Perry Christie fully expects to lead his party into that election and serve another term, many FNM’s are saying that it is doubtful that he will go head-to-head against Tommy Turnquest.
The possible return of Mr. Ingraham as leader of the FNM portends a split in the organization reminiscent of the late 1970’s when the party was divided over leadership.
So bad was the tension in the party that the Bahamian Democratic Part was formed with J. Henry Bostwick as leader and the late Cecil Wallace Whitfield remaining leader of the FNM.
The then Progressive Liberal Party headed by the late Sir Lynden Pindling was able to crush both opposition entities in the 1977 general election.
By: Candia Dames, The Bahama Journal
