By BRENT DEAN ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ brentldean@nasguard.com:
Proposed Free National Movement candidate Dr. Duane Sands yesterday expressed confidence that he and his party will defeat the Progressive Liberal Party in the upcoming Elizabeth constituency by-election.
"I feel confident that we will win the constituency of Elizabeth notwithstanding the fact this is a PLP constituency now and we are certainly the underdogs," he said in an interview with The Nassau Guardian.
"This is a good position to be in because it's their constituency to lose — and they will lose."
On Sunday, FNM chairman Carl Bethel confirmed that Sands was unanimously voted by the Elizabeth Constituency Association to become the FNM's candidate in the upcoming by-election.
Sands is likely to be confirmed as the FNM's Elizabeth candidate by Thursday.
Last Wednesday, former Elizabeth MP Malcolm Adderley resigned his seat in Parliament, paving the way for a by-election.
"Well, I tell you I'm excited. I'm flattered that they would consider me to be the potential nominee for Elizabeth," said Sands. "And while it is not fait accompli, I'm hoping that each subsequent step is similarly favorable."
On the announcement of Adderley's resignation, the PLP had not yet decided if it would run a candidate in the Elizabeth by-election.
The opposition party questioned the legitimacy of the by-election, accusing the FNM of inducing Adderley's resignation by offering him a post as a Supreme Court judge.
However, the party announced yesterday that it would ratify a candidate later today.
Sands said that he thought "long and hard" about being a candidate, emphasizing that the move was not "whimsical."
"The idea is that I'd like to be able to make a significant incremental difference in the lives of not only the people of Elizabeth, but in the lives of Bahamians," he said.
"And one way to do it is to continue what I've been doing. But I have decided that effort on a different front now is appropriate considering the circumstances that we find ourselves in."
Sands was a vocal critic of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme as proposed by the last PLP administration. When asked about that opposition, he said he is not opposed to the concept of NHI.
However, he emphasized that he is opposed to the NHI scheme the PLP proposed.
"And quite frankly the plan as I looked at it then, and the plan as I look at it now, could not work," said Sands. "I made it very clear that we had to do some things before that (NHI)."
The FNM initially voted for NHI, although it raised key issues with the plan as it was proposed. Upon coming to office in 2007, the Ingraham administration has continued to be critical of the PLP's proposed health insurance scheme.
The FNM has taken an incremental approach to health care reform since coming to office in 2007. It passed phased National Drug Plan legislation last year.
Sands yesterday pledged to work with the health minister as the government moves forward with its initiatives.
Sands, 47, is Princess Margaret Hospital's chief of surgery.
January 12, 2010
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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.