Mr Dupuch made the announcement during an interview on Love 97’s radio talk show Issues of the Day, hosted by Jeff Lloyd on Tuesday.
Quizzed with hard-hitting questions about the present and past governments of The Bahamas, Mr Dupuch disclosed that he has no desire to join any other political party.
Unfair to grade the government
He further chastised those who gave grades for the present Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government. Adding that it would be unfair to rate them with poor or good grades because no one could have predicted the events of 9/11 and the war in Iraq, which have tragically touched our local economy.
He said that until the United States economy takes a solid upward turn, The Bahamas will not feel a positive economic effect.
Lambasting former PM
Although generous with compliments for the present government, the former Free National Movement (FNM) cabinet minister lambasted former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham – labelling him a “one man show”.
Although the idea has been bounced in the public domain for Mr Ingraham’s return as leader of the FNM, Mr Dupuch did not consider it a good idea.
“I think he is probably, as history will show, one of the worst prime ministers we’ve ever had. I think his decisions were knee-jerking decisions. I believe a lot of the country, as far as I’m concerned, was given away. A lot of things that were done went overboard. I found him vindictive and I found him a one-man show. I think he’d be very bad for this country,” he said.
Mr Lloyd responded that some people suggested that because of the circumstances the country is in to date, and the challenges it is faced with, need the kind of “autocratic” leadership style of Mr Ingraham.
Mr Dupuch said that the does not agree with that view.
“Ingraham or nobody else can make the economy of the United States turn up. When it turns up, we will start benefiting from it. We are starting to benefit now from it and it takes time. He cannot stop a 9/11. He cannot stop an Afghanistan war. We live on an island, but we don’t live alone. We live in a world,” said Mr Dupuch.
He said that what is happening around us is of greater importance … if decent decisions are made on a timely basis, the nation will be okay.
PM Christie a thinker
He said that Prime Minister Perry Christie is not a knee jerker, but one who thinks things through.
However, he takes too long to do this, he said.
Mr Dupuch added that so far he likes the decisions that have been made by Prime Minister Christie but in the case of various development projects, he should wait for the deal to be ratified before making grand announcements.
“I prefer a country where everybody is being treated fairly, or most people are being treated fairly, than a country that appears to be having a lot. We say we’ve have had a lot, but how much money is leaving this country”? He asked.
He calculated it to some .90 cents of every dollar.
“How much have the 300,000 people benefited by the growth in this place”? He asked rhetorically.
A lady calling the show told Mr Dupuch that he was wrong when he said that former Prime Minister Ingraham was the worst thing to have happened to the country.
“I think he was the best,” she said. ” I don’t think you should come on the radio and say something like that. He was a good prime minister and he was doing his job. He did a beautiful job,” the caller said.
Mr Dupuch responded, “You’re entitled to think he was a good man, and I’m entitled to think that he wasn’t. I was asked, so I answered the question.”
Vanessa Rolle, The Nassau Guardian
