PM: FNM eyeing fresh faces
By Krystel Rolle
Guardian Staff Reporter
krystel@nasgaurd.com
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said yesterday that not all of the members of Parliament who were elected on the Free National Movement’s ticket in 2007 will be renominated, as the party seeks to bring in fresh faces.
“The Free National Movement expects to be able to bring into the House and its parliamentary fold, a number of new persons,” Ingraham told reporters outside of the House of Assembly.
“The party is very grateful to all the people who served but no job is permanent whether it’s mine or anybody else’s. We all have a season or a time and the party will do what it considers to be best.
“The party will have a recommendation from myself to the executive committee and if the committee goes along with it, then it will go to the council of the party and the council of the party will make a decision.”
The House of Assembly passed a resolution last week to bring effect to the recommendation of the Constituencies Commission to reduce the number of seats in Parliament from 41 to 38.
Ingraham yesterday tabled the Boundaries Order, which was signed by the governor general on October 5.
“So the next election we will be electing 38 members only,” Ingraham said. “On Monday we will table the polling Division Order. The Free National Movement will proceed to select and nominate candidates for those 38 seats in the coming weeks.”
Currently, the FNM has 23 MPs in the House of Assembly. However, several of them are not seeking re-election, including North Eleuthera MP Alvin Smith and South Abaco MP Edison Key, The Guardian understands.
As it relates to rumors that two FNM MPs intend to resign from the party and force him to call an early election, the prime minister said those reports are incorrect.
“I’ve read in the newspaper, most especially The Tribune, a number of stories about the ability of an MP or more than one to be able to force the prime minister to call an election early. That is totally untrue. That’s not possible. All one needs to do is read the constitution and see the authority given to the prime minister with respect to the calling of election.
“The only people who are able to cause the prime minister to call an election before he is ready are the people of The Bahamas. They can force the prime minister’s hands. Individual members can not require the prime minister to [do so]. I want to make that clear.”
Ingraham was responding to The Tribune articles which claimed that Eight Mile Rock MP Verna Grant and Clifton MP Kendal Wright were planning to resign.
“I have received no information about the resignation of anyone from my party. If we do we’ll make an announcement. The member for Eight Mile Rock telephoned me at home to advise me that the story in The Tribune is inaccurate.
“I have not spoken to the other member. But people don’t have to give me notice. I can read the newspaper. If they tell me that they have gone, then fine. Thanks very much for your service. You don’t have to write to me. I don’t need a favor.”
The Guardian attempted to speak to Wright yesterday, however he declined to answer questions about his possible resignation.
Meantime, Grant confirmed to The Guardian that she intends to stay with the party.
Ingraham said he hopes that voter’s cards will be ready to be issued by the first week in January.
Dec 08, 2011
