Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis said the resurfacing of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham is indicative of the lack of trust the Free National Movement (FNM) has in its leader Dr. Hubert Minnis.

Mr. Davis in a statement yesterday insisted that the FNM has turned to its former leader, Mr. Ingraham, to execute its “closing argument”.

“Ingraham, who sat on the sidelines during years of his party’s turmoil and in-fighting, has appeared on FNM rally stages in recent days, hurling one accusation after another against the party that sent him home five years ago,” Mr. Davis charged.

The deputy prime minister contends that if the recent allegations attacking the government spewed by the former prime minister are credible, then he would have vented through the “proper channels”.

On this basis, the deputy prime minister calls the allegations, “lies and distortions intended to distract Bahamians from the weakness of Minnis and the dysfunction of the current FNM”.

“Hubert Minnis is the weakest candidate ever put forth by a major political party in this country.  Because he cannot lead, his party continues to this day beset by internal turmoil and deep divisions.   Just months ago, the FNM leader was stripped of his post as opposition leader in a vote of no confidence by his parliamentary colleagues,” lamented Mr. Davis.

“The FNM is unstable, their leader is unfit to govern, and they represent too risky a choice for The Bahamas. Bahamians are rightly worried that Minnis would lack the strength to stand up to special interests at home, or represent The Bahamas well abroad,” he added.

“And Bahamians are embarrassed by the boorish attempts by Hubert Ingraham to distract from the obvious weakness and disorder of the FNM,” the deputy prime minister said.

One of Mr. Ingraham’s strongest allegations was that over $800,000 was stolen from the Ministry of Finance during the current government’s tenure.

The ministry has since denied that any such funds went missing.

Moreover, the deputy prime minister charged that some of Mr. Ingraham’s recent comments suggested that the FNM will fire the governor general and civil servants as a result of political spite.

He was alluding to the former prime minister’s sentiments at a recent rally where he stated that “all from the hill to the valley will be gone come May 10”.

Mr. Davis called this “an extraordinary threat”.

Drawing a contrasting picture from the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) conduct of business, Mr. Davis said his party has not only protected the national institution, but has secured hundreds of Bahamian workers in the public system.

“The PLP government for its part, and in stark contrast to the FNM, has not only protected our national institution, but has processed more than half of the 3,000 or so contract workers in the public service, placing them on the permanent and pensionable payroll. The policy of the PLP is to protect and create jobs while the policy of the FNM is to fire civil servants out of petty political spite,” the deputy prime minister said.

“This makes the choice even clearer for Bahamians on May 10.

“Only the PLP is handing out our Action Plan door-to-door and in communities. We are the only party that respects Bahamians enough to put forward in detail our plans for the next steps in moving our country forward.

“The FNM hopes Ingraham’s attacks will distract Bahamians from their lack of a plan, their weak leader, their divided party, and their former leader’s threats to government workers.  We think Bahamians are too smart to fall for their last-minute tricks, and instead will choose the only party, the PLP, with a real plan for Bahamians.”