Oh, the FNM are traversing dangerous ground at the moment and from this columnists perspective they are doing a poor job and are close to committing political suicide. This party has major problems and that should be obvious to all.
First of all during the tenure of Tommy Turnquest it has bumbled along and not really been a force or the voice of the concerned citizen. This is despite the garbage that the PLP have tried to pass off as governance. Any party hoping to retake the reigns of power would have attacked this administration with such a vengeance that would not have allowed the PLP’s party apparatus to manoeuvre avenues of escape.
This means that the FNM would have not only issued statements on the problems as they arose but continued a sustained assault until it was sure that they had secured the attention of the people thereby forcing the government’s hand.
Another problem is that it is hard for a party to move forward when the leader himself suffered defeat at the polls. What then happens based on our system of government is a fractured leadership. The Leader of the Opposition must be a Member of Parliament and since Tommy Turnquest is not in the House Alvin Smith was appointed to that position which has obvious flaws as Mr Smith has been too weak in his fight either because he has failed to realise his constitutional importance or presumably so as not to step on the leaders toes.
Now in recent weeks the FNM Council has voted for the former Prime Minister to take over this position. Rumblings and rumours have insisted that this has not been done as a financial package has to be worked out for Alvin Smith but even if that is part of the reason I don’t accept that and neither can I blame Mr Ingraham for not taking control.
Firstly he would be stepping into a political morass where he does not have control, as he would want it I’m sure, and secondly the Leader of the FNM didn’t even vote at the Council meeting that elected Mr Ingraham. If I were Mr Ingraham I would also sit back until the November Convention before seeking to take over not only as Leader of the Opposition but Leader of the FNM.
Tommy Turnquest to his credit has never looked better. It is said that adversity makes the man and somewhere during this episode he has discovered some cajones. That he has refused to step down is the only position that he can take. That he makes pronouncements that when he becomes Prime Minister Mr Ingraham will serve him have done a lot to bolster his image, and that he is always quick to repeat what he was told by the former Prime Minister puts the onus on Mr Ingraham to keep his word.
It is clear that there are parallels between this utterance as with Mr Ingraham’s promise to step down after two terms; despite that I believe the situation is completely different.
The first dealt with a political promise to the nation and this one deals with a pledge to a man to give him his support.
However when that man has failed to carry out his responsibilities in a fashion that would allow for his party to again lead the country direction then all bets are off. Mr Ingraham must believe that it is better that he reneges on this promise for the benefit of the people of The Bahamas and must use this as his rallying cry.
That Mr Turnquest has the public’s sentiment presently is not enough for him to remain as leader. He is not ready for the position and his tenure has shown this. The Bahamian people are fickle and because of the problems in which he now finds himself immersed they feel sorry for him. If the FNM Council mistake sympathy as a reason to keep on Mr Turnquest it will clearly indicate that they have not fully apprised themselves of the situation and its inherent problems.
I hold no brief for Mr Ingraham or Mr Turnquest. I am a concerned citizen and as such the only thing I am interested in is the best way forward.
Accordingly that must mean that each component of our Westminster system of government is operating at maximum efficiency. When the opposition fails to do its job the government has no one to point out when they are failing to do theirs. This has happened far too often during the last three years.
Prison Expansion: Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt announced that the government has contracted Axum Architecture to design a 300 cell Maximum Security facility at Her Majesty’s Fox Hill Prison. As a practicing attorney who has to go there quite often this is welcome news.
It’s only a start I’m sure, as this alone will not cure the problems. Many times I have had conversations with the guards that admit that it is only through the Grace of God that there have been no serious incidents at this facility. It is also clear that should there be a riot the prisoners can easily seize control. This is a state of affairs that we are not prepared to deal with and neither do we need.
Further the way in which the inmates are presently housed is far beyond being degrading and inhumane. As modern technical controls have also never been adopted the jobs of those who guard this place are made all the more hazardous.
Amnesty International and other International groups have called for replacement or correcting of the problems for years. It appears that this government is finally serious about prison reform and about instituting a means for offenders to be rehabilitated.
It is only when a man is treated as a man can you get through to him and hope to change his way of thinking. When they are treated like animals they will react in the same fashion and the escalating problem of crime will continue to haunt us.
By: Craig Butler, The Nassau Guardian
