Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis believes his words were taken out of context referring to a report that stated neither he nor the party supported a position taken by FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner.

Dr. Minnis was quoted in a local daily yesterday as saying that he, neither the FNM, supports Mrs. Butler-Turner in a march she is apparently planning.

However, when asked by The Bahama Journal yesterday, Dr. Minnis said his words were misconstrued and that there wasn’t even a march being planned.

East Grand Bahama MP for the FNM Peter Turnquest said he is of the belief as well that the FNM leader’s words were taken out of context.

“I think his words were definitely taken out of context,” Mr. Turnquest said.

“What I think he meant to say was that we [the FNM] as a party did not have the opportunity to discuss that yet. So the approach that we will take to it is pretty much still in the development stage. Certainly we do support the homeowners, who would have had concerns with respect to their own mortgages. We believe it would be unfair for the government to have cherry picked who they would and would not help.”

The issue came up after the FNM deputy said Bahamians should march in disgrace after Prime Minister Christie saved his friend’s home from being repossessed.

But it was Dr. Minnis’ statement that fueled rumors of a divide in the FNM, which Mr. Turnquest also denied.

“I can say with all conviction that there is no divide within the FNM at all,” he said.

“We’ve had a frank discussion about the situation and we are developing a position with respect to how we want to address that, but there is absolutely no division. We’ve had discussions as all groups would have. But we have no division. I have certainly not seen it.”
Mr. Turnquest said the party still has some work to do, but is in no way being split in two.