‘History not in Minnis’ favor’

Former Prime Minister Perry Christie said yesterday that it is unlikely that Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis will be re-elected because no Bahamian prime minister has been re-elected in more than two decades.

“In the last 20 years, no one has won a second term,” Christie observed.

“On reflection, I’ve concluded that unless someone can come in and create 80,000 jobs, they’re not going to win an election because there are just too many people in too many places, particularly young people, out of work and have been out of work for a long time.

“I was the victim of it in terms of election. [Hubert] Ingraham was the victim of it in terms of election.

“I think Minnis will be the victim of it, of that, unless he beats back history. But the historical statistic of mention is that in the last 20 years – and this will be 24 – no one has won a second term consecutively.” 

The last time a serving prime minister was re-elected to government was March 1997 when the Free National Movement (FNM) won a majority of parliamentary seats in an early election called by then-Prime Minister Ingraham.

Ingraham and Sir Lynden Pindling are the only prime ministers to have been elected consecutively.

Minnis has continued to express optimism about his chances of re-election. 

While campaigning in Centreville with FNM supporters early this year, he told reporters, “I’m confident we’re going to win the election. I’m confident we’re going to win 39 seats. That’s what we’re going after and we will do everything to ensure that each and every one of our candidates win.

“You’re going to have history soon. Never before in the history of The Bahamas, the leader of the opposition defeated and defeated by a female candidate, the deputy leader defeated and defeated by a female candidate. All will be defeated.”

Parliament was dissolved on Thursday.

That same day, the prime minister announced that the election, which was not constitutionally due until May 2022, will be held on September 16.

Christie said yesterday that he was surprised by the move.

“I assumed that he was trying to preempt the speaker from whatever the speaker was trying to do,” he said.

“I thought he was going to try to give the country the opportunity to come to grips with the fact that he had a strong program of vaccination and was going to try to accelerate that program of vaccination over the next four or five months. We would’ve been in a better position than we are now, but prime ministers have the right to do that, the right to call it.

“He’s decided to do it. The Bahamian people have the right to say yes or no. He’s exercised his constitutional right. I would not have at this time myself, but that’s how we differ from place to place, time to time, persons to person.”

The last general election was held on May 10, 2017.

The FNM unseated the ruling Progressive Liberal Party.

Christie lost his seat in the House of Assembly after serving as Centreville MP for eight consecutive terms.

He said yesterday that he is confident that the PLP will secure the seat in the election.

Both Christie and Ingraham spoke with reporters after viewing the body of former Governor General A.D. Hanna in the foyer of the House of Assembly.

Ingraham told reporters he had “no views whatsoever” on the FNM’s chances of victory in the approaching election.

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