TIGblogs - Dennis Dames

FNM Candidates Unveiled:
By Macushla N. Pinder -
Nassau, Bahamas:

The Free National Movement unveiled 39 of its 40 candidates on Tuesday, as the countdown has started for the upcoming general election, although the prime minister has not yet announced a date.

The FNM made history in being the first political party to announce candidates via a website.

Close to 20 of the candidates are young faces, who are new to politics.

The youngest candidate is 27-year-old Trust Service Officer, David Jordine, who will run in Bain and Grants Town.

FNM Chairman Desmond Bannister will run in Carmichael. Michael Barnett, a partner at law firm Graham Thompson, is the candidate for Fort Charlotte.

Former Attorney General Senator Carl Bethel will run in Holy Cross; attorney Elma Campbell will run in Elizabeth; Reece Chipman, a CPA, will run in St. Thomas More, and FNM former deputy leader Sidney Collie will run in Blue Hills.

Former Minister of Labour and Immigration Dr. Earl Deveaux has been endorsed as the candidate for the Marathon constituency.

Newcomer Ella Lewis, an educator, hopes to beat out Prime Minister Perry Christie in Farm Road.

Former CDR Deputy CEO Charles Maynard, a buisnessman, has been chosen to run for Adelaide; attorney Branville McCartney will run in Bamboo Town and Dr. Hubert Minnis will contest the Delaporte seat.

Pauline Cooper-Nairn, a former senator, will run in Yamacraw; former CDR leader Phenton Neymour in South Beach; attorney Raymond Rolle in Englerston and former Road Traffic Controller Brensil Rolle in Garden Hills.

The candidate for Golden Gates is young attorney Donald Saunders; while Montagu MP Brent Symonette is again seeking to win in that constituency.

Loretta Butler-Turner, a businesswoman, has been chosen to run in St. Margaret; former FNM leader Senator Tommy Turnquest will seek to win back Mount Moriah; young businessman Michael Turnquest is the candidate for Kennedy and Byron Woodside will contest the Pinewood Gardens seat.

Verna Grant will run in Eight Mile Rock; Jacinta Higgs, a college lecturer, is the candidate for Fox Hill, and real estate developer, Marjorie Johnson, is the South Andros candidate.

Once the Minister of Economic Development, Zhivargo Laing reenters frontlinde politics as the FNM’s candidate for Marco City.

Incumbent MP Kenneth Russell will again run for High Rock while Senator Gladys Johnson-Sands will run in Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador.

Attorney Kwasi Thompson has been chosen to represent the FNM in Pineridge; David Wallace, branch manager for Colina/Imperial Life Insurance, will run in West End and Bimini, and Neko Grant, group manager for Burns House Group of Companies in the northern Bahamas, will again seek to represent Lucaya.

Long-time educator Johnley Ferguson is the candidate for South Eleuthera and incumbent Alvin Smith, who was once leader of the Official Opposition, will contest the North Eleuthera seat.

Former Minister of Education Dion Foulkes will run in Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay; Vice President and co-owner of Western Air, Shandrice Rolle, will run in North Andros and the Berry Islands, and former Ambassador to the United States, Mexico and the Organization of American States Joshua Sears will run in Exuma.

Former PLP Senator Edison Key will be the candidate in South Abaco while party leader Hubert Ingraham will again run in North Abaco.

After hanging up his hat as an Independent MP, Long Island and Ragged Island MP Larry Cartwright will also run under the FNM’s banner

The Opposition has yet to reveal its candidate for the St Cecilia constituency.

"There are a few matters to be dealt with," Mr. Bannister, the party’s chairman, told the Bahama Journal on Tuesday. "But within a matter of days, the public should see this person."

According to Mr. Bannister, the party’s candidates were chosen following a fair and democratic exercise that started with a consultation process with persons considered leaders within various constituencies as well as persons with the party.

"There were a number of names [of people] that were submitted [who] were well qualified for the positions. The party had a difficult choice in making its selections," he said.

"The party’s executive body and council each met and we made certain determinations. It was only after this process was completed that we had our slate of candidates."

Branville McCartney, the Bamboo Town candidate, said he would bring "true representation" to that constituency..

"I have been working in the area now since April 2006 and I will be its next representative. My job over the next few months will be to bring Bamboo Town to life and a lot of things must be done. There is not one crime watch committee," he said.

"There is nothing for the youth or senior citizens. I do sympathize with Mr. (Tennyson) Wells because he is unable to do anything as an independent, but surely he can get the community together to try to establish certain things.

When asked why he aligned himself with the FNM, Mr. McCartney claimed it is the party with the interest of the entire country at heart.

"The record speaks for itself," he said. "I have been indirectly involved in politics for several years and I have made my choice."

Mr. Saunders, the FNM candidate for Golden Gates, made similar comments. He said his aim is to bring residents together to create programmes like crime watch associations.

"The FNM has always been the party that made opportunities available for everyone – whether black, white, rich or poor," he said.

The FNM has already held several mini-rallies since the new year rolled in. On Tuesday, it launched its new website, freenationalmovement.org.

The governing Progressive Liberal Party has yet to reveal its full slate of candidates.

The prime minister has said the general election will be held on or before May 2.

31 January 2007

Bahamian Politics>>>