by Rick Lowe
The PLP have created a monster in the form of Rev C.B. Moss by nominating Dr. Bernard Nottage to run for the PLP in the Bain and Grant's Town constituency for the upcoming election.
Rev Moss is upset because, as he says, Mr. Christie promised him the nomination when he stepped aside for the present Member of Parliament in 2004 and now he will be passed over again this time.
Apparently he was given a Senate post as appeasement for the disappointment when Bradley Roberts didn't step down in 2004 as promised. Along with this, he was promised the nomination for election 2007.
Having been denied the nomination again Rev Moss is annoyed to put it mildly.
Mr. Christie and his henchman Bradley Roberts are now attacking Mr. Moss saying that due process played its course and Rev Moss lost the nomination because he could not muster the support of the Constituency Association members.
Well this might be true, but the more appropriate question is why didn't Messrs Christie and Roberts ask for Rev Moss to be supported after allegedly making him promises? In addition to this, why was Dr. Nottage allowed to nominate there (Bain & Grant's Town) when there were other constituencies that did not already have a potential candidate?
Yes they did raise the point that maybe a reverend should not be involved in front line politics, but they did not take issue with that over the past five years. In fact they made him a Senator! On top of that, the Deputy Prime Minister, Cynthia (Mother) Pratt, is also a minister of religion.
Looks like the spectre of the separation of Church and State in The Bahamas is now only being used for their convenience to deny Rev Moss the nomination.
Rev Moss and all Bahamians, PLP or FNM, should remember the words of John J. Ingalls (1833 - 1900):
The Decalogue and the Golden Rule have no place in a political campaign, and purity in politics is an iridescent dream.
For background on how candidates are selected by both the FNM and PLP parties click here for an earlier post.
