By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 18, 2023 – It is becoming crystal clear that Michael Pintard is an abject failure as the political leader of the Opposition Free National Movement in The Bahamas. He again provided ample evidence of this with his ill-advised criticism of the Government’s decision to prorogue the House of Assembly and announced that October 4, 2023, is the date for the opening of the new session of Parliament.
In an article written by Krystel Brown and published in The Nassau Guardian on August 14, 2023, Mr. Pintard claimed that the decision by Prime Minister Philip E. Davis to prorogue the House demonstrates the Davis administration’s “inability to fulfill even the most basic promises they made during their five-year agenda”.
“Today, we bear witness to a desperate and feeble attempt by the Davis-Cooper administration to evade the undeniable truth: they have unequivocally failed the Bahamian people,” Pintard was quoted as saying said in a statement. “With their decision to prorogue the House, the PLP openly acknowledges their inability to fulfill even the most basic promises they made during their five-year agenda.”
He added, “It is a clear admission of guilt, an admission that they have let down the very people they were elected to serve. From the towering burden of energy costs to the unrelenting surge in food prices, the PLP’s administration has shown a remarkable knack for pushing the Bahamian people further into economic distress.
“Their promises of social assistance, national security, and safety have proven to be nothing but hollow words, leaving citizens to suffer the consequences of their inaction. Affordable housing, accessible transportation, and reliable healthcare remain elusive dreams under their leadership.”
Responding to Mr. Pintard’s criticism, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said in a video posted on Facebook: “The prime minister has made the determination that we are going to reset, we are going to return on October 4th; and it is what it is. We have a great agenda lined up for the future and we are going to stay focused on the mission.”
Mr. Pintard, who represents the Marco City constituency in Grand Bahama, established a well-deserved reputation as an excellent playwright and speaker in Grand Bahama and, indeed, nationally over the years, while also being in front-line politics. However, his political acumen has always lacked the potentials of a good political leader. He is, of course, a spell-binding orator, but being able to bamboozle an audience with fiery speeches is not sufficient to underscore his credentials as a political leader.
Clearly, he has proven his lack of leadership expertise by getting into an open dispute with former Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis, whom he replaced as Leader of the FNM. Notwithstanding the fact that Dr. Minnis was unquestionably the worst Prime Minister in Bahamian history among the five Prime Ministers of The Bahamas since the country was granted independence by Great Britain on July 10, 1973, Dr. Minnis still has a sizable number of followers in the FNM and it is believed that he still entertains hopes – albeit faint hopes – of possibly becoming leader of the FNM again.
Meanwhile, Dr. Duane Sands, whom many political observers had picked to be the next leader of the FNM before he was soundly defeated in his Elizabeth constituency in the September 16, 2021, general election, is still considered to be a very viable possibility to become leader of the FNM whenever they hold their next convention.
There is, however, an overriding consensus among Bahamian political observers that Prime Minister Philip E. Davis and his FNM Government have done an excellent job in restoring good governance to The Bahamas since winning the September 16, 2021, general election by a landslide and shall continue to be the government of The Bahamas for many years in the foreseeable future.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Here’s a link to a video of Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper commenting on assertions made by opposition leader Michael Pintard suggesting that the PLP government has shrugged its responsibility to govern the country by its surprise proroguing of parliament. DPM Cooper says: “The prime minister has made the determination that we are going to reset, we are going to return on October 4th; and it is what it is. We have a great agenda lined up for the future and we are going to stay focused on the mission.” Enough said.
https://www.facebook.com/eyewitnessnewsbah/videos/805962591316392
