Would any other FNM Leader- Whitfield, Isaacs, Turnquest, Ingraham, Minnis be so indecent and interfere with the rule of law?
Bahamian Women should be very concerned about the FNM’s leadership abuse of the loyalty and support of Vanessa Scott, the president of the FNM Women Association. Ms. Scott is the face and voice of the FNM’s mean, nasty and indecent observations and commentary on the serious charges facing PLP Member of Parliament Kirk Cornish.
Strangely; the FNM expressed no concern or sympathy for the underage victim of repeated sexual abuse and rape when a Judge surprisingly vacated the Jury’s conviction of the relative of a powerful and party’s well connected family; for rape of a minor, on a retrial in the Supreme Court, after a second Supreme Court jury in 2019 found the accused unanimously guilty; again; of raping the 13 year old daughter of his former live-in girlfriend. The late Bernard Ferguson, brother of Shonel Ferguson former FNM MP for Fox Hill; was defense counsel for the twice convicted FNM son of the party’s elite.
The Bahamian is publishing and broadcasting the full text of Ms. Scott’s commentary. The Editors have decided not to dissect her commentary at this time. It was felt that it would be fruit from the forbidden tree as the matter is before the courts.
Any attempt to color a jury pool or a court’s findings will be put under the microscope in light of the recently passed Protection Against Violence Legislation. The fuller parameters of which are known to the FNM Parliamentarians. Victims, even when an allegation is not yet proven; are entitled to decency and respect. The Constitution also provides for a presumption of innocence as the matter will find conclusion before competent court.
What FNM Leader Michael Pintard has shown in this exercise is a callous disregard for convention and the long history of the legal eagles who once led the FNM and would never have engaged in this conduct and abuse of the FNM Women’s Association.
One would have thought that Senators Michaela Barnett Ellis and Maxine Seymour would have been the ones to carry this dirty water for the party. Was it because the Senate is adjourned and they do not have the protected privilege of that environment that they all cowardly pushed their Women’s Association out front?
While the details of the Cornish allegations and the charge sheet may seem salacious on the surface and it may be impossible for various quarters of the FNM to avoid the temptation of muddying the waters; fair minded persons should be offended by what the Women’s’ Association said and the details which they offered as these border on troubling concerns of interference.
The FNM has a right to attempt to wash the shame and embarrassment from the organization; which they no doubt feel from the criminal charges two high ranking members of the party are now facing in the courts. That is a political whim and call. But to throw all caution to the wind and sacrifice the Chairwoman in this regard will now be tagged to Mr. Pintard’s already flawed history.