BRAVE FINDS HIS STRIDE
“Be Brave” was the slogan chosen to lead the campaign for the leadership race at the convention following the general election loss of the PLP in 2017. It was clever and it rallied people around the man who had been the number two to the charismatic Perry Christie that led the PLP since the resignation of Sir Lynden Pindling in 1998. A much quieter man, not known for a dynamic speaking style, but more for the ability to befriend and to negotiate and to represent was taking over the helm of the PLP. The PLP had only been used to these larger than life politicians as their leaders: how was the new man going to work?
The party decided that after his service as the number two, faithful service, and being hard done by often in the process, it was time to turn to Brave. There were the naysayers. But the party chose him, not once but twice. It goes to show that the PLP choose its leaders, not the FNM that leads a relentless anti Brave campaign that often soaks into some of the narratives of the PLP.
But Philip Edward Brave Davis is the Leader of the PLP and after years of service as the number two or below, he is it. The party, Lord willing, will be going into the general election with him as leader.
Some people have been looking for the sign that the organization is now back and ready to govern. This is often found in the perceptions of the actions of the person so leads the party. We think that the turning point was the speech given at the National Progressive Institute’s function on Tuesday 4 February 2020 where he laid out in his speech the ten principles which will govern a PLP government under his leadership.
His advisors supplied an autocue which the Americans call a teleprompter so he wouldn’t be reading from a paper script. It was the second time in the week that he had tried it and it worked like a charm. It seemed to have made all the difference in delivery. It gave the impression that this was a man comfortable with where he was and fully in command of the moment.
In a country where cues comes from what they perceive to be the position, this is very important.
This is important too, because the country is once again ready for the PLP. We think that where Mr. Davis and the PLP have reached a turning point, the country has reached a tipping point.
Everywhere you go: the cry is these folks in the FNM have to go. The question is asked : are you all ready to come back?
We think the PLP is poised to make an historic comeback. The man who will have plotted that victory is Philip Davis. He deserves to get his shot. That means that as the candidates line up in the gate, he will be the one to find the finance, to find the message, to execute the stagecraft and to cross the finish line with at least 20 seats.
When that is done, the country can breathe a sigh of relief again, that these FNM monsters who were elected are gone with the wind.
Number of hits for the week ending Saturday, 8th February, 2020 up to midnight: 200,180;
Number of hits for the month of February up to Friday, 8th February, 2020 up to midnight: 216,017;
Number of hits for the year 2020 up to Saturday, 8th February up to midnight: 957,391