The Minnis administration receiving a scolding from one of its own, Pineridge MP Fredrick McAlpine over the issue of corruption.
Noticeably absent from the Free National Movement’s all island rally on West Atlantic Drive, Grand Bahama on Friday, Mr. McAlpine disagrees with Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis labeling the Progressive Liberal Party as corrupt.
The FNM MP argued that the PLP is a political organization that has contributed to The Bahamas.
“There have been people in the FNM who we may have somehow thought their behaviour might have been considered corrupt, but that has yet to be proven in a court of law.
“Just how we can throw stones at the PLP, stones could be thrown at the FNM with similar allegations.
“Does that make the FNM a corrupt group? I don’t think so,” Mr. McAlpine said.
It was expected that during Friday’s rally, the Prime Minister would respond to the Opposition’s calls for Cabinet Ministers Dr. Duane Sands and Marvin Dames to resign following their involvement in the Frank Smith extortion and bribery case.
However, the PM never did. Mr. McAlpine reasoned that a government preaching anti- corruption should not have the appearance of corruption.
He said, “these are the kinds of things that cause leadership and the governing party to seem to lack integrity.
“That should have been priority, if you tell the people you are going to do something, then people expect to hear from you.
“The Bahamas is waiting to hear the Prime Minister’s take on what the Chief Magistrate had to say concerning his ministers and concerning the trial of corruption that was held as it pertains to the Frank Smith case, ” said the MP.
As for the many projects the government continues to tout to boost Grand Bahama’s strained economy like the sale of the Grand Lucayan Resort, the Pineridge MP said Grand Bahamians will not be impressed until the property is actually sold.
“You keep touting and telling us that you have 60 people or 60 groupings that want to buy the hotel, well why do you still have it?
“If I put a car out anywhere in The Bahamas, I know we do it in Grand Bahamas so I assume you do it in Nassau; they put a car out, they put a for sale sign and they put a number on it . If four people call me to buy the car, why am I still going to have the car?
“Sixty people or sixty organizations want to buy the hotel and you think we’re impressed in Grand Bahama by you telling us that?
“We’re not impressed with that; we’ll be impressed when it is sold, and the quicker the better,” he said.
When asked whether he feels the Minnis administration will be reelected, Mr. McAlpine said that’s a tall order.
