Centreville MP Reece Chipman speaking at his constituency office on Thursday. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE chairman of the Free National Movement Centreville constituency association criticised Reece Chipman for leaving the party yesterday, saying in a statement that the MP made no meaningful effort to engage the association and has betrayed the trust of constituents by abandoning the party.
Juan Cartwright made similar comments in an article The Tribune published last week.
He said in his two years as chairman of the association, he never had a substantive conversation with Mr Chipman about the needs of Centreville residents or the association’s business.
“Since his election, Mr Chipman has seemed more preoccupied with his political career than the advancement of the people of Centreville,” he said. “It is clear he made a decision some time ago not to be part of the FNM’s effort to bring better governance to the Bahamas and to improve the lives of the people of Centreville.
Top FNM officials have shied away from forcefully reacting to the resignation of Mr Chipman, who attacked the government’s Hurricane Dorian preparations and recovery efforts while insisting elected officials are disconnected from the public.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis told reporters on the sidelines of an event honouring this year’s national honour award recipients that while Mr Chipman “has his own reasons for resigning,” he is focused on rebuilding the Bahamas. He said the party has addressed the resignation.
Mr Cartwright’s statement yesterday was released to the media from the FNM’s official communications team.
“The people of Centreville voted for FNM representation in the historic 2017 general election,” Mr Cartwright noted. “Mr Chipman would not have been elected to the House of Assembly if he were not under the FNM’s banner. His decision to leave violates the trust of the people of Centreville. Hurricane Dorian destroyed or devastated parts of Abaco and Grand Bahama. There were many deaths and several hundred people are still missing. The Minnis administration is doing its best to bring relief to the people of those islands. It is leading the largest international relief effort to a natural disaster in Bahamian history. It is unfortunate that in this time of national crisis Mr Chipman made an attention-seeking decision to resign from the FNM. This act of egotism is an attempt to take the national focus away from the relief and recovery effort in the northern islands.”
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 6 months ago
These attacks on Chipman are distasteful and very reflective of the arrogant and nasty side of Minnis. The leadership of the FNM party has become nothing but an abusive mouth piece of the real demon the Bahamian people must now contend with, i.e. Minnis himself!
geostorm 4 years, 6 months ago
@well_mudda, are you and I reading the same article? I know you despise our Prime Minister, but geez, let's stick with the facts of the article! How are the following comments distasteful and nasty?
"Mr Chipman “has his own reasons for resigning,” he is focused on rebuilding the Bahamas. He said the party has addressed the resignation"
Are you suffering from Minnis derangement syndrome, in the same way that the Democrats are suffering from Trump derangement syndrome? Anything go wrong blame Minnis, when it can' t be explained, blame Minnis, when you just need something negative to say, blame Minnis.
Man go read this article again and come back with comments that make some sense! You too messy (LOL)
stillwaters 4 years, 6 months ago
Something like how the PLP treated poor Obie when he dared (shudder) go up against Brave. So unfair.........
BahamaRed 4 years, 6 months ago
So question, does that seat now go back up for a reelection of candidate? It would only be fair to now allow constituents to vote again. I am sure there are many who voted for a party candidate, and now that he is independent may be wanting to change their vote.
/inquiring minds want to know.
The_Oracle 4 years, 6 months ago
I'd be putting as much distance between myself and this government also. Only the first of the many rats that will be leaving the sinking ship. (not to infer Mr. Chipman is a rat. purely a metaphor for the exodus to come) Creating more ministries and Government hierarchical structure to overcome the failed Government Hurricane relief structures is the epitome of stupid. Creating Legislation to grant more power in order to overcome Government paralysis and inaction is also the epitome of stupid but added to that it is dangerous.
SP 4 years, 6 months ago
We need an "all Bahamian" party if we're going to move our people forward. There are too many individuals in government with Haitian ancestry.
It is no wonder Haitians are the fastest forward-moving group in the Bahamas.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 6 months ago
We need an all new political party that recognizes the Bahamas belongs to the Bahamian people and not to the politicians, not to the leaders of any political party and certainly not to the people or corporate interests of any other country. Any such new political party must have the word "Bahamian" or "Bahamians" in it e.g. the BFB party - Bahamas For Bahamians.
joeblow 4 years, 6 months ago
I guess Chipman does not know Bahamians don't want representation or innovation, they want hand outs (especially in that area he's in)!
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