CLOCK’S TICKING: House speaker says PM “running out of time” to call early election

CLOCK’S TICKING: House speaker says PM “running out of time” to call early election
(FILE PHOTO)

Moultrie predicts Parliament will be dissolved today

Minnis: Only the prime minister decides when election will be held

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — House Speaker Halson Moultrie charged yesterday that he believes the prime minister will seek to call a snap election amidst pressure from “external forces”.

He charged the move is necessary for the government to borrow the money needed under the new budget.

In an interview with Eyewitness News, Moultrie noted that as a former forecaster who analyzed the environment and made predictions, he believes the prime minister would be running out of time with respect to being able to call a snap election.

House Speaker Halson Moultrie.

“I know that the government is under extreme pressure to be able to borrow the amount of money that is required under the new budget,” Moultrie told Eyewitness News.

“I also received information that some of the external forces were putting pressure on the government to get a new and fresh mandate from the people before such loans are made.

“When I took that into consideration and I examined the time frame for an election, coupled with the fact that emergency powers orders were expiring on August 13, I discovered PM (the prime minister) would be running out of time with respect to being able to call a snap election.”

Moultrie insisted that the recess of Parliament from June 21 to September 22 is the longest break in the history of the institution and noted he believes Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis will move to dissolve Parliament today, “after or during Cabinet meeting”.

“Whether or not the election will be in the best interest of the government at this time, I don’t think so, and I believe that the PLPs (Progressive Liberal Party) are eager for the election to be called now because they have already begun to invest and spend a lot of their monies,” he said.

On Sunday, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Philip Davis encouraged all eligible citizens to register to vote today, asserting all signs point to Minnis ringing the bell for the next general election this week.

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dr Hubert Minnis.

However, the prime minister once again denied the rumors yesterday and underscored that only he has the authority to determine the date of the next election.

Minnis said he was not surprised about the Davis’ claims of an early election because “the PLP, unfortunately, is always in denial”.

“Only the prime minister makes such a decision,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Investiture ceremony for the Queen’s New Year and Birthday Honours 2020.

“The PLP, unfortunately, is always in denial and they have demonstrated that in 1992 when FNM (Free National Movement) won the government. They were in denial in saying that it was only temporary.

“They demonstrated that again in 2007 when they refused to accept defeat. So, I’m not surprised by the statement made by the leader of the opposition.

“But the leader of the opposition is not the prime minister. The prime minister makes those decisions, not him.”

Pressed on whether he will seek to dissolve the lower chamber this week, Minnis said: “The leader of the opposition said there will be dissolution; the prime minister did not say that.”

The FNM filled its 39-candidate slate after ratifying its final four candidates on Thursday night.

The opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has also already completed its slate of candidates.

About Sloan Smith

Sloan Smith is a senior digital reporter at Eyewitness News, covering a diverse range of beats, from politics and crime to environment and human interest. In 2018, Sloan received a nomination for the “Leslie Higgs Feature Writer of The Year Award” from The Bahamas Press Club for her work with Eyewitness News.