Prime Minister Perry Christie’s statement on Sunday that he was “sorry for Free National Movement Leader Tommy Turnquest in his reported leadership troubles has drawn a blistering reaction from the FNM leader.
“The Free National Movement wishes to express on behalf of the majority of hard working Bahamians our sympathy to the prime minister and his lazy, ineffective PLP government on the passing of what most Bahamians, including many PLP’s, consider a dead and lifeless three years in the one term of the so-called new PLP government,” Mr. Turnquest said in a press statement that came on the government’s third anniversary in power.
During an interview with The Bahama Journal on Sunday, Prime Minister Christie said, “I feel sorry for [Mr. Turnquest] because he is really in an invidious position. But, you know, it doesn’t matter to us. From my point of view, I am not going to be distracted by the FNM.”
The prime minister was asked to respond to statements made by Mr. Turnquest during a press conference one week ago during which time he launched an attack on the government, calling it “inept and rudderless.”
He intimated that certain PLP’s were fuelling a “make-believe” issue over an alleged crisis of leadership within his party.
Referring directly to the prime minister’s statement, the FNM statement said the party “brands this as not only utter rubbish, but sad, coming from a man who wants so desperately to distract focus away from the poor performance of his government.”
But Prime Minister Christie sees things differently.
He noted while lounging on a couch in a spacious and handsomely decorated room of his renovated Cable Beach home (which many believe was paid for by Mohammed Harachji) that he was relaxed, pleased and excited over his government’s accomplishments over the past three years. He may be the only person who is.
He spent an hour detailing those accomplishments when he spoke to the Journal, saying that his government has made significant inroads in fuelling economic growth and development throughout The Bahamas and in fostering social transformation through programmes like the Urban Renewal Project.
But Mr. Turnquest said, “The harsh reality is that many consider Perry Christie a lame duck Prime Minister, who is pulled to and fro by the big business factions in the PLP. The PM really needs to mind the business of his own party and not worry himself sick with the affairs of the FNM.”
The statement added, “Mr. Christie ought to watch and pray concerning his own internal leadership struggle and be more concerned about those PLP individuals rather that what the FNM is doing.”
On Sunday, Mr. Christie said that, “As long as [former Prime Minister] Hubert Ingraham is in public life and the elected leader of the FNM is not in the House of Assembly, you are going to have this major contradiction and conflict on the part of who is the real leader and you will continue to have people ask for the return of someone who took them to victory before and that’s Mr. Ingraham.”
But the FNM statement said what Mr. Christie ought to be telling the press is why the Cable Beach redevelopment heads of agreement signed with the Baha Mar development group has not yet been made public.
Mr. Christie has indicated that he plans to make the agreement public after Baha Mar closes its deal this week with American investor Phil Ruffin for the purchase of his properties on Cable Beach.
“We in the FNM smell something foul and we are now putting the government on notice that either they produce copies of the Cable Beach heads of agreement or face the full wrath of the Free National Movement,” the statement said.
“The PM needs to also start talking about what exactly is his government’s position on [liquefied natural gas]. Is this [Minister of Trade and Industry] Leslie Miller’s private project or does Christie and his Cabinet control the outcome?”
On the LNG matter, Prime Minister Christie indicated in his interview with The Bahama Journal that his government was being careful to weigh facts and all points of view before making a decision.
The FNM plans to deliver a report card on the government’s performance during a rally set for Prince Charles Shopping Plaza at 7:30pm tonight.
By: Candia Dames, The Bahama Journal
