VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBH #0644/01 2891606
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 161606Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY NASSAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6758
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000644 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BF PINR
SUBJECT: MAJOR SHAKEUP POSSIBLE AT OPPOSITION PARTY 
CONVENTION 
 
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires, a.i. Zuniga-Brown for reasons 1.4 (b) 
 and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) 
leadership and deputy positions will be challenged at next 
week,s convention.  If Perry Christie retains the leadership 
position it will likely cost the PLP the next election. 
Candidates for both leader and deputy also have backgrounds 
that are problematic and could cause further damage to an 
already negative public perception of the PLP.  Regardless of 
what happens, there should be no long term ramifications for 
the U.S.-Bahamian relationship, given that both parties are 
supportive of U.S. policies.  END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Public ready to throw out the old, party 
voters not so fast 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) PLP insiders told PolOff that the outcome of the 
October 21-23 Convention could either unite or divide the 
party.  Party stalwarts firmly support Christie while younger 
party members are eager for a change.  There is also broad 
public support for Christie to step down and let the younger 
generation take up the reins.  Christie appears determined to 
hold onto power despite challenges from attorney Paul Moss, 
Member of Parliament Fred Mitchell, and Senator Bernard 
Nottage. 
 
------------------------ 
Christie stacks the deck 
------------------------ 
 
¶3. (C) PolOff contacts believe that Moss is being 
deliberately set up as an unwinnable candidate so that 
Christie can retain leadership.  The National General Council 
of the PLP recently voted against resolutions aimed at 
protecting Christie from competition.  Moss, 43 years of age, 
faces an uphill battle including having never held office and 
possible personal legal prosecution.  He was recently sued 
over a USD 1.1 million escrow he administered.  A U.S. firm 
is seeking judgment against him for failing to return the 
money in accordance with the agreed upon terms.  Moss has 
also made statements that could have an effect on trade with 
the U.S. as he has indicated he favors protectionist policies. 
 
------------------------------ 
Stalwarts determine successors 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (C) Despite public support for a change in leadership, it 
is the party stalwarts who will determine the ultimate 
successors of the party.  These stalwarts overwhelmingly 
favor Christie.  Voting at the convention is by secret 
ballot. Each constituency delegate and National General 
Council Member is entitled to one vote in addition to six 
votes from the Progressive Young Liberals.  The candidate for 
party leader must obtain more than one half of the votes 
cast.  The candidate for deputy must obtain more votes than 
any other challenger. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Christie threatens &scorched earth policy8 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (C) Although Christie warned of a &scorched earth 
policy8 against those who dared to challenge him, Member of 
Parliament (MP) Fred Mitchell, former Minister of Foreign 
Affairs, announced his candidacy for the position on October 
¶14. PLP members angrily denounced him for &daring to 
challenge Christie.8  Mitchell is also publically viewed as 
an unviable candidate due to his alleged homosexual 
orientation and being unmarried. 
 
¶6. (C) Senator The Honorable Dr. Bernard Nottage also 
announced he will run for leader on October 15.  After losing 
the PLP leadership battle in 2000 he founded a third party, 
the Coalition for Democratic Reform.  Nottage was favored to 
win the leadership position in 2000 until Sir Lynden 
Pindling, the former Prime Minister, announced he would 
support Perry Christie.  Nottage rejoined the PLP in 2005. 
He is viewed as the only significant threat to Christie.  He 
is well respected in the party and among the public at large. 
 
------------------------- 
Three way race for Deputy 
------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) The Deputy position is sought by three PLP Members of 
Parliament:  Obediah (Obie) Wilchcombe, Phillip (Brave) Davis 
and Jerome Fitzgerald.  Both Christie and the current deputy 
 
Christine Pratt are rumored to favor Davis.  Davis is a 
criminal attorney who is best known for his vigorous defense 
of high-profile narcotics traffickers, including Samuel 
"Ninety" Knowles. 
 
¶8. (U) The three contenders have garnered significant media 
attention in the last few months by criticizing high profile 
government projects such as the container port relocation, 
the cost of the Miss Universe Pageant, environmental issues 
at the Nassau airport and the National Training Program. 
Senator Fitzgerald, an attorney and business owner, has been 
one of the most outspoken critics.  He was appointed Senator 
after the general election in 2007. 
 
¶9. (C) Wilchcombe, former Minister of Tourism, could be 
tainted by his involvement in the recent extortion case 
surrounding the actor John Travolta.  Wilchcombe testified 
last week that he had several conversations about the issue 
with the former Senator, and his law partner, Pleasant 
Bridegwater, one of the two accused of attempting to extort 
USD 25 million from the actor. Despite testimony indicating 
he had no knowledge of Bridgewater,s alleged involvement in 
the plot, FBI sources indicate that tape recordings confirm 
his complicity in the scandal.  Wilchcombe is also rumored to 
be homosexual. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
PLP continues to battle public image issues 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (C) The public perception of PLP corruption and 
indecisiveness cost them the 2007 election.  An independent 
report commissioned by the PLP after the election loss noted 
that the number one reason that voters did not vote for the 
PLP was the perceived weak leadership of Christie.  Although 
he was personally regarded as honest, he was strongly 
criticized for being unable to reign in his cabinet and 
swiftly deal with renegade members. 
 
¶11. (C) Currently complicating this public perception is 
Christie,s possible association with former PLP treasurer 
Sidney Cambridge, indicted in a money laundering scandal last 
month.  Media reports claim the laundered money could have 
been used for the 2007 PLP election campaign.  An anonymous 
source told the media that Christie met privately with 
Cambridge and another member of the accused party both in 
Miami and at Christie,s home.  The PLP issued a press 
statement in response to Cambridge,s resignation stating 
that his position as treasurer had nothing to do with the 
charges against him, which related to his capacity as an 
attorney.  The release said that Cambridge &is entitled to 
the presumption of innocence.8  In an attempt to distance 
himself from the issue, Christie said he could confirm that 
none of the funds raised for the 2007 election were received 
from those named in the indictment. 
 
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Comment 
------- 
 
¶12. (C) Christie is likely to retain leadership because the 
party stalwarts, and more importantly those who are internal 
voting members of the party, believe the PLP could not win 
another election without Christie.  More interesting is the 
challenge for Deputy, where whoever wins will be seen as the 
next in line to be the leader after Christie.  Davis is the 
strongest contender for the deputy position and has been 
executing an excellent public relations campaign.  Further 
strengthening Davis, bid is Wilchcombe,s history of 
questionable associations and current involvement in the 
Travolta trial.  Regardless of who wins the top two spots 
there will likely be little if any ramifications for the 
U.S.-GCOB relationship. 
 
 
 
ZUNIGA-BROWN