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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

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Call for leadership challenges at upcoming political conventions By JUAN MCCARTNEY ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ juan@nasguard.com: The prospects of another showdown between Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and Opposition leader Perry Christie in the next general election are leading some in the political realm to call for leadership hopefuls in the Free National Movement (FNM) and Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to step forward and offer an alternative for the leadership of the parties. While party insiders say that no one will dare challenge Ingraham at the FNM convention in November, at least two people are expected to challenge Christie for the leadership post at the PLP convention this fall. Citing an intention to have a clear shot at winning the next election by recruiting a new generation of voters, one well-known politician, who did not want his name revealed at this time, said he would be offering himself up for the PLP's top post this fall. "The (hierarchy of the party) has no (plan to win) the election. They believe that things will get so bad that they will just win it by default," the leadership hopeful told The Nassau Guardian. "They want to sit down and wait for the economy to tank and hope that the electorate considers them as the alternative. That doesn't make any sense." The politician told The Guardian that the fact that no one in the senior leadership of the party has even spoken about challenging Christie as leader "tells you that the people who serve in these parties are not concerned about the people, but only their political life in this country." "Many people feel that it is political suicide to challenge Ingraham or Christie," he said. An FNM insider said that Ingraham has served the party so well over the years that his leadership is without question, and the FNM as an organization believes it can win the next general election without any major shifts in leadership. "Our position is strong," the source said. "We are not the PLP and we are not to be confused with them. They are in disarray and their house is not in order. We are in a very different position." Former national campaign director for the PLP's 2007 election bid, Philip Galanis, told The Guardian that it is healthy for the country's democracy for people to challenge "all positions within the party, including that of leader." "I don't think that anyone should be given a free run or a pass because of their position," Galanis said. "I believe that particularly having regard to the fact that we've only had three prime ministers in the last 42 years, and by the end of Mr. Ingraham's term it will be three prime ministers in the last 45 years, we need to make absolutely certain that we have the best, and the most qualified person leading the party into the next elections. And to that end I have no difficulty whatsoever with Bahamians challenging anybody for the leadership position." However, Galanis said he would be "very surprised" if anyone comes forward to challenge Christie. "Generally within the PLP there has been a culture of nonchalance with respect to challenging the leader," Galanis said. "It has only been with the departure of the leader that another person emerges. We do not have a rich history of persons challenging for the leadership. So I will be very surprised if someone challenges Mr. Christie. I think, however, that it will be a very healthy thing for it to happen. I think the leader ought to be challenged from time to time and not believe that because he is the leader that he should be given a free pass." Leader of the Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM) Cassius Stuart said he believes people are getting tired of the showdown between Christie and Ingraham, and it will reflect poorly on them as leaders if no one feels equipped to follow them. "It does speak to their leadership because if you would have developed individuals around you, then you would step aside because you would know within yourself that the people around you are capable of moving the country forward," Stuart said. "The mark of a good leader is not measured by how many people you can circle around, but how many leaders you can create around you. It is evident that neither Ingraham nor Christie has created any leaders." Stuart said that Ingraham and Christie are not allowing the next generation of leaders to emerge. "They are suppressing them the same way that [former prime minister the late Sir Lynden Pindling] did to that generation by staying on too long," Stuart said. "Ingraham and Christie are treading on the very same grounds. However, I would just like to let them both know that the BDM is here and if they don't want to leave willingly, then the BDM will kick them out." Stuart added that it is evident that both Ingraham and Christie are past their prime. "When you look at the present circumstances in the world today, and when you look at the global environment, it is apparent that Ingraham nor Christie have any solutions to fix the economic woes that Bahamians are facing. And that's because they are out of touch. The leadership style that they have been immersed in is obsolete," Stuart said. "These individuals have done very well for The Bahamas and they have given their lives to our nation. We don't want to forget that, but we want to let them know that when it is time to leave you should leave because what you are going to do is stifle the next generation of leaders from emerging." Thursday, July 2, 2009