Sands has Pinder in his election sights
By PAUL G TURNQUEST
Tribune Staff Reporter
pturnquest@tribunemedia.net
FORMER FNM candidate for the Elizabeth constituency, Dr Duane Sands, said he intends to make Ryan Pinder the shortest sitting Member of Parliament in the history of the Bahamas when he defeats him in the upcoming general election.
Criticizing the PLP's youngest and most recent addition to the House of Assembly for his "national campaigning," Dr Sands claims Mr Pinder has failed to provide any proper representation for the people of Elizabeth.
"If he is unwilling or unprepared to do that task, I would imagine that the people of Elizabeth will put him aside. It is my goal that he will set a record for the shortest tenure in the House of Assembly," Dr Sands said yesterday.
In response to Dr Sands, Mr Pinder told The Tribune yesterday he has been representing the people of Elizabeth fully and has provided a number of opportunities for them in his short time in office.
"I have defeated Dr Sands in the by-election when all the odds were against me, and I will certainly defeat him again when the general election is called," he said.
Having lost the by-election by a razor-thin margin of only three votes, Dr Sands said he has taken full responsibility for the loss. However, he assured the public he has learned from this exercise and is working tirelessly to counteract any of the perceived or learned challenges that they had.
"Ultimately, I think the message I have gotten from many people is that they want to know you care, that you are concerned, and that you will do what you can do to intercede on their behalf. So I have been doing that.
"I can tell you that today alone, I have spoken to at least five or six young people that reside separately in Elizabeth in an effort to help them access the job market. I had the good fortune of being able to congratulate a young lady who was able to secure a job, and I think that is what it is all about. It's effort directed at people," he said.
Currently, Mr Pinder is perceived by many within the PLP as having the largest new-found public appeal in the party, and as such, has shot up through the ranks of the organisation. He can often be seen at various social or political events with the "top brass" of the party in tow.
Noting this manoeuvre, Dr Sands said he thought that politics in the Bahamas had moved beyond this type of showmanship.
"There is probably a bit of a role for that, but what is your primary function? Your primary function is representation of the people that put you in the House of Assembly. If you lose sight of that prize, the people will remind you in very short order that you have taken your eye off the ball.
"I certainly believe he has taken his eye off the ball. And while that has provided me with a strategic advantage I am disappointed, because the people in Elizabeth were really counting on a different kind of politics, a different kind of representation, and I think they have been short changed once again," he said.
To his criticisms of "showmanship" Mr Pinder said politicians today must realise that not every voter will visit an MP's office and as such they should venture out to the people to meet and greet them wherever they may be.
January 08, 2011
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A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
