by Rick Lowe

The premise is the FNM "wishes a duly elected government to fail" and editorials never suggested "the people (were) duped or ungrateful following a PLP loss".  It goes on to state that no "PLP Leader (has refused) to attend the house of assembly in opposition or hide from the Bahamian people at an opening of the house of assembly". Calling this behaviour "unique to the FNM". But.

You knew there was a but in there didn't you? Please read on.

Opposition parties (no matter the colour of their shirts) have "walked out" of Parliament in protest to a bill or procedural matter since the founding of The Bahamas. One of the most famous incidents in Bahamian politics is when then Mr. Lynden Pindling threw the Speaker's Mace from the house of Assembly in protest. Both sitting Opposition and Government members have missed duty in the House of Assembly for reasons that might seem trivial to the outsider or supporter of the other side.

Obviously circumstances dictate the actions and behaviour of politicians when they think it suits their popularity or even their conscience.

The question in my mind is why we haven't matured enough to debate issues on the their merits and demerits instead of trivialising everything to the colour shirt we support? Even if all political parties and editorialists are guilty of this behaviour, it speaks to our mind set that the political party we support is like our favourite sports team. Many people seem to think no further than that about the political process. But of course commentators that make statements like those in the opening paragraph above do not do so with rancour (he says with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek).

Heck, after winning the vast majority of seats in parliament – they only won 48% of the vote though – one PLP member got up to protest that a member opposite spat on his father about two decades ago. He had to withdraw the remark, but what relevance could it possibly have to moving The Bahamas forward? If stuff like that is entertained in the House of Assembly, then we'll have to debate whether his father deserved it or not wouldn't we? And the BS will reign on.

One would think with all the very serious challenges the country faces they would get to work.

Obviously the FNM won 43% of the vote so they have significant support and also need to be mature about the process and represent their supporters as they expect them to.

The election has been resolved for over a month now. It's time for earnest debate on matters instead of this "Systematic Organisation of Hatreds".

I wonder if we would miss them if they closed parliament for 6 months?