By: Candia Dames


The Free National Movement is set to pick up another seat in the House of Assembly now that Independent Member of Parliament for Long Island Larry Cartwright has decided to officially join the party.

It would bring the number of seats held by the FNM in the House of Assembly to eight.

Mr. Cartwright confirmed his intention on Sunday in an interview with The Bahama Journal.

"Basically, I’m elected as the servant of the people and I’m prepared to go where the people want me," he said.

Mr. Cartwright’s decision came after he held a vote among his constituents to learn whether they wished him to join the FNM.

He said that while he did not have the results on hand on Sunday, just under 300 people voted overwhelming for him to join the party.

Mr. Cartwright, who was a headmaster of a Long Island public school, is no stranger to the FNM.

Between 1999 and 2001, he served as the secretary of the FNM’s Long Island branch and was a strong supporter of then MP Jimmy Knowles. But following Mr. Knowles’ decision to run again in the 2002 election, Mr. Cartwright decided to run as an Independent.

He became one of four Independents elected to parliament that year – the greatest number ever.

Following his re-election to the Free National Movement during the party’s national convention in November, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham announced that he was going after Mr. Cartwright.

That announcement apparently set the wheels in motion for Mr. Cartwright’s return to the FNM.

Mr. Ingraham is expected to attempt to electrify the crowd when he holds a rally on Long Island on Friday, and will likely present Mr. Cartwright as the newest member of the FNM team.

Asked on Sunday whether he plans to attend the FNM rally, Mr. Cartwright said, "most definitely."

Long Island has traditionally been an FNM stronghold and Mr. Ingraham appears determined to cement it as FNM territory as he intensifies his campaign leading to the next general election.

Since Mr. Ingraham’s return, many Long Islanders see the FNM as a stronger force and have been pushing for Mr. Cartwright to return to the Free National Movement.

Mr. Cartwright told The Bahama Journal several times after the FNM convention that he was giving the matter deliberate consideration and would only make the move if he was satisfied that the majority of his constituents wished him to.

His return to the FNM means that there will now be three Independents in the House of Assembly: South Andros MP Whitney Bastian; St. Margaret MP Pierre Dupuch; and Bamboo Town MP Tennyson Wells, who said on Sunday that both he and Mr. Cartwright are "FNMs at heart."

"I thought the best thing for him was to remain as an independent," Mr. Wells said. "He gave me the impression that he would have remained. He has been effective as an Independent getting things done for Long Island."

Mr. Wells said if the PLP remains in power, Mr. Cartwright would likely remain effective as an Independent. He said if the FNM is re-elected, Mr. Cartwright would probably still be effective because FNMs would know that he is a true FNM.

But he said Mr. Cartwright’s return to the FNM would also ensure his return to parliament.

The Long Island MP told The Bahama Journal that he plans to make a formal statement this week.

23 Jan 2006