Prime Minister Perry Christie has rejected claims that he is “delusional” following his suggestion that he is the glue holding the governing party together.
In fact, Mr. Christie has assured that former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham also believes this to be the case.
“It is so good for me to see my former colleague walk in on this occasion because I know he wouldn’t call me delusional,” he said during Friday’s renaming of the Water & Sewerage Corporation.
“I’m also tempted to suggest that he would explain to those who dare do so why he himself wouldn’t do it because he knows. And that’s as far as I will go.”
It was during his appearance on Kiss FM’s talk show “Ed Fields Live” last Monday that Mr. Christie declared that he wants to stay on as leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) because he has enough young people who are a part of his government who have asked him to do so.
He said he also realises that he provides stability to the party.
“Every day of my life I recognise that I provide stability, my leadership provides stability to my side. You see instability means when you look at the opposition and I daresay that this will happen when I demit office as well,” Mr. Christie reasoned at the time.
“The country has moved from Pindling to Ingraham to division in the FNM, but Christie is holding no division in the PLP.”
But PLP strategist and former parliamentarian, Philip Galanis, the prime minister is “delusional.”
He told reporters that many people believe Mr. Christie should step down as he is a “drag on the PLP.”
Furthermore, Mr. Galanis believes there are many who are able to lead the party including Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis, Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister, Fred Mitchell; Tourism Minister, Obie Wilchcombe; Education Minister, Jerome Fitzgerald and State Minister of Finance, Michael Halkitis.
Mr. Christie has served as leader of the PLP since 1997.
The party heads into convention this November. There is no indication just yet if any within the party will challenge Mr. Christie for the top post.
