Is it Bran? ...What should we make of Mr. Branville McCartney and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) party? ...Can we take them seriously? ...Are they really the contenders they insist they are or that many believe they are? ...Or are they just another passing fad, destined to go the way of the CDR, BDM, and NDP, just with a lot more wasted money and energy?

Gone Green?

By Ian G. Strachan

Most Bahamians would welcome new personalities at the helm of our two major parties. Inspired by the election of Barack Obama, they dream of political renewal in this country ushered by some eloquent, able visionary who will bring the nation to a sense of unity and purpose we haven’t felt in a generation.

Though Hubert Ingraham and Barack Obama share the same birthday, the men represent very different things in the minds of the people. The loquacious Perry Christie is likewise, unable to sustain such a comparison.  And though I will grant that Obama has in no way been as successful as many hoped he would be, we are talking here about what he represented in the imagination of Americans, black and white, and what he represented to the world: rebirth, a change from politics as usual.  That was the dream he sold.  Where is our Obama then?

Is it Bran?  What should we make of Mr. Branville McCartney and the Democratic National Alliance?  Can we take them seriously?  Are they really the contenders they insist they are or that many believe they are?  Or are they just another passing fad, destined to go the way of the CDR, BDM, and NDP, just with a lot more wasted money and energy?

Are we looking at the next government of The Bahamas, the next page in Bahamian history, the revolution we’ve all been waiting for, the wave of change that will sweep away all that we’re weary of in public affairs?  Or are we looking at the elaborate and glorious endgame of an inexperienced, over-eager and over-rated politician and his rag-tag band of hangers on?

Whichever it is, one thing is certain: in a very short space of time Bran McCartney has become one of the most popular and most talked about politicians in the country.  ‘Going Green’ was never as popular a statement as it is now, except it has nothing to do with environmental conservation.

I’m a resident of the Bamboo Town constituency (for the time being).   I can say that as a candidate and as a representative, McCartney is enthusiastic and active.   It was clear during the ’07 campaign that he enjoyed the opportunity he was being given and he was determined to make the most of it.  Could he have beaten Frank Smith if he had run in St. Thomas More instead?  Ingraham didn’t seem to think so.  But I’ll say this: before McCartney, Bamboo Town had never enjoyed the kind of attention paid to it by this representative.

The parties for the elderly, the community bus, the various educational and outreach programs emanating out of the constituency office, all demonstrate that McCartney was and is prepared to take ham and turkey politics to the next level.  Is the work he is doing in Bamboo Town what I think an MP ought to be doing?  No.  I believe a community center, government and volunteer staffed, ought to be doing that work permanently in Bamboo Town and every constituency in fact.  As it stands, that work is happening so long as McCartney is MP.  What happens after he is not?

Once McCartney was elected and was able to escape the confines of the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, he found himself in an ideal position to showcase his abilities (or at least to showcase his ambitions).  Now there is nothing wrong with ambition in and of itself; and there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with being opportunistic.  The problem is always how far you’re prepared to go and what you are prepared to do or say to get what you want.

And McCartney showed that he would miss no opportunity to call attention to himself, and to zealously hunt down illegals and ship them out.  He did for Immigration what Ron Pinder did for garbage collection, which is a disturbing but apropos comparison, given what we think of Haitians.

There was Bran in fatigues, there was Bran bidding people farewell as they boarded a plane to be repatriated, there was Bran in the helicopter showing us where those shantytowns were located, there was Bran feeding the people at the Nassau dump . . .  It was shameless.  But here’s the thing: I am probably in the minority for thinking so. Many, maybe most Bahamians, were impressed, cheered, celebrated, thought he was fantastic.  It seems far too easy to impress Bahamian voters, but there you have it.

More on Bran and the DNA, next week.

Oct 10, 2011

Gone Green? - Part 2

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

Cassius Stuart’s decision to join the governing Free National Movement (FNM) party demonstrates that he has the sense to know when a lost cause should be abandoned

Is Cassius Stuart still credible?

thenassauguardian editorial



Cassius Stuart spent much of the last decade raging against the political order as the leader of the Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM). The BDM argued that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the Free National Movement (FNM) were not good enough for The Bahamas.

Stuart and the BDM — a fringe party — were never successful building up the clout necessary to challenge for a seat in the House of Assembly.

So after a decade trying, Stuart and the BDM have gone to the FNM.

Can you blame them? At the February 2010 Elizabeth by-election, Stuart, a ‘party’ leader, was not even able to secure enough votes to get back his election deposit. That was clearly a sign that the BDM had gone nowhere.

We think third parties should dedicate the time necessary to build the brand. Stuart and the BDM did this and, over time, there was no meaningful connection between the organization and the people.

It is expected that at least Stuart — out of the BDM executives who joined the FNM — will be named an FNM candidate at the next general election.

His decision, and that of the other BDM members, was pragmatic. It merely demonstrates what all should know: Politics is not about ideals, but about power. To achieve the goal of being able to exercise power, the BDM realized that it needed to join one of the mainstream parties.

The BDM members should not be criticized for losing the childlike idealism they had. In fact, they should be commended for offering themselves as candidates over the years rather than merely complaining about the state of the country from the sidelines.

Stuart’s decision demonstrates that he has the sense to know when a lost cause should be abandoned.

“Today, the same message that guided us in the wilderness over this past decade is the message that has been embraced by the Free National Movement — a message we believe will touch the lives of every man, woman and child in our archipelago,” said Stuart last week when he was welcomed to the party at FNM headquarters.

Dr. Andre Rollins did the same thing. He abandoned the fledgling National Development Party (NDP) and is now a candidate for the PLP in a winnable seat (Ft. Charlotte).

What young politicians must learn is that they should not let youthful zeal lead them to make statements in the public sphere they will later regret when powerful political leaders offer them ‘things’ and they then abandoned all they once claimed to believe and support.

Stuart and Dr. Rollins are now in the mainstream. They both will now likely have good chances at winning a seat at the election. The things they said about the FNM and PLP in the past were merely words aimed at a goal. They now have what they wanted. The words and deeds worked.

4/17/2011

thenassauguardian editorial

Bahamas Blog International

The likelihood of Branville McCartney surviving this political slaughter is slim...

“McCartney’s New Party Unlikely”

By ROGAN SMITH



It seems Branville McCartney is going to have a tough job convincing candidates to join the political party he’s trying to form as some of the people he’s attempting to court think of it as "a joke" and not a viable alternative to the two major political parties.

Some of the people who attended Mr. McCartney’s meeting Tuesday night said the Bamboo Town MP is clearly "out of his element."

According to a well-placed source close to discussions, Mr. McCartney, who invited 100 people to his home to discuss the new party, just does not seem to know what he is doing.

"The likelihood of him surviving this political slaughter is slim," the source said.

Mr. McCartney reportedly wants the leaders of two third parties – the Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM) and the National Development Party (NDP) – to dissolve their organisations and choose a leader democratically.

According the source, those leaders are not even considering such a request.

The Journal understands that the NDP took exception to the request and it remains a "sore spot."

A local newspaper recently reported that Mr. McCartney had raised as much as $25 million to fund his new party. However, the source says that is "pure nonsense."

"Bran has no funding. He says people have agreed to help him if he is able to get commitments. They’re telling him ‘if you form this party we’ll give you the money.’ Bran says he wants to raise $25 million, which is a long stretch. The other parties aren’t even raising that amount," said the source, who agreed to the Journal’s interview on condition of anonymity.

"Branville doesn’t have the money. The major issue at the meeting was fundraising. There were also a lot of arguments going back and forth with people pontificating during the meeting. There was a lot of flowery talk, but nothing of substance. The meeting was full of chaos and confusion. It really just became a social hangout."

The source said to make matters worse, Mr. McCartney is courting a lot of "reject people."

"He is flocking towards candidates who I’m sure even the third parties would reject. Some of these people have very little chance of making a mark on the political scenery," he said.

Even more frustrating, the source says, is the fact that the former cabinet minister is expecting potential candidates to follow him, even though he does not have much political experience.

"Why should these people leave the parties they are with to join up with Bran? He’s someone who has never articulated any vision for the country. What has he done? The only thing he did was resign from Hubert Ingraham’s cabinet and later Hubert Ingraham’s party," he said.

"Mr. McCartney could not even complete his full term as a junior minister. Why would anyone follow his lead? He’s great at marketing himself. He’s great at public relations, but leadership, I don’t think so."

The source said many people turned up to the meeting simply to see what Mr. McCartney is up to.

"A lot of them are going to war during this election. They wanted to know what he’s doing and who the key players are. But, it’s a joke," he said.

"Bran believes that because he’s in the House [of Assembly] and is a sitting MP that he has the upper hand. I’ll give him this; he’s very calculating. But, what he’s attempting now has been done before. I can’t follow a man who [isn’t] smarter than me."

He continued, "Mr. McCartney need only tap the shoulders of Dr. Bernard Nottage [Bain and Grants Town MP] and ask him how it worked out for him when he left the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to form his own party. The Coalition for Democratic Reform didn’t fare well, and that’s with a leader who was a political heavyweight."

The Journal understands that a union president, a former talk show host and several other politicians attended Mr. McCartney’s meeting.

"When you’re putting together a party, you have to dissect the candidates and decide who to run. When you pick just anyone the quality of your party deteriorates. Ask any fisherman fishing with a net, when you cast your net, you not only pull up grouper, you also pull up goggle eye fish, seaweed and some rocks – things you can’t use. The point I’m seeking to make is that Bran is courting candidates he can’t use politically," the source said.

Another well-placed source, who requested anonymity, said he does not think that Mr. McCartney will hold on to his constituency. He said he believes the majority of voters will elect a PLP or Free National Movement (FNM) candidate.

"Some people are excited about Bran, but quite frankly he’s going to get demolished at the polls. I’m concerned whether his party will survive after this upcoming election. If he loses tomorrow, I can guarantee you that he’s not going to stick in there. He has no stickability, his quitting as state minister and later the FNM, proved that. When things aren’t going his way, he’s out of there and he lacks courage," he said.

"Look at what he did in the House when the first vote on BTC came up. He was nowhere to be found. A true leader would’ve sat behind Mr. Ingraham and voted ‘no’ on the issue. Be a man. Then, he’s too wishy-washy. He says he respects Mr. Ingraham’s leadership, but felt stifled, then he comes up with some other excuse to try and preserve his political career. Which is it?"

The source said the true test will be what happens after the election.

March 31st, 2011

jonesbahamas

Bahamas Blog International

Cassius Stuart - Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM) leader: The Bahamas is in "desperate need" of new leadership in order for significant progress to be made

BDM Leader: Country Needs New Leadership
By Sasha L. Lightbourne



As far as the Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM) leader sees things, the country is in "desperate need" of new leadership in order for significant progress to be made.

In an interview with the Bahama Journal, Cassius Stuart said he is preparing to head "full steam" into the 2012 general elections as BDM leader.

"We are getting our candidates in order and raising funds to make sure that we are able to compete and properly contest this general election," he said.

"We realise that the Bahamian people are crying and craving something new. I think the leadership of our country needs to be shaken up. Not taking anything away from [Hubert] Ingraham and [Perry] Christie, but you reach to a point where you need to move on because you need an infusion of energy, vision, excitement and that will not come from Ingraham and Christie anymore."

Mr. Stuart believes the problem with black leadership is that no one knows how to step down.

"We don’t know how to transfer authority and power," he said.

"We have to die in office or someone has to pry it from our dead hands and we have to now look at leadership sensibly. Both [Ingraham and Christie] are in their 60s and have done tremendous jobs, been in Parliament for more than 35 years but now we need to move to let the next generation emerge so that a new infusion of ideas can embrace The Bahamas and sadly I don’t see that for the next five years."

The BDM leader explained that people such as himself, need to continue to find ways to say to the Bahamian people that the country needs new leadership.

"Whether the Bahamian people will embrace that, we will find out in 2012 but we are in desperate need of something new," Mr. Stuart said.

"When you look at Grand Bahama, there’s no vision there. The people are suffering because there is no economic activity going on. People are hurting and I am very sad that no government has come up with a solution for them because they deserve attention like we get in New Providence.

He said both governments, the Free National Movement (FNM) and the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), have been producing "hopelessness and despair" in the nation’s second city.

"We need to encourage entrepreneurship and bring hope back to Grand Bahamians," he said.

As for his aspirations to become prime minister, Mr. Stuart said he never entered politics for that reason.

"My aspirations was to help the country," he said.

"I believe that I have something to lend to my country and that was one of the reasons why we formed the BDM, it was never for me to be prime minister - that was never my goal. My goal is how do we fix the crime problem and social issues?"

He further explained that he has invested "a countless amount of money" into his education so that he is able to lend some of what he has learnt to the country.

"I’ve invested so that I can add value to the country," the BDM leader said.

"My goal is not becoming prime minister, it’s how do we add value to the lives of Bahamians? My philosophy is this, if this ship sinks, it sinks for everybody but if it stays afloat then everybody is happy and if I can help it to stay afloat then that’s where I want to be."

March 7th, 2011

jonesbahamas

Bahamas Blog International

Elizabeth by-election: FNM ahead by one vote

tribune242:

ONE vote decided the winner of the hotly contested Elizabeth by-election, unofficially leaving the FNM's Duane Sands as the representative for the area vacated by the PLP's Malcolm Adderley last month.

Nevertheless, Prime Minister and leader of the FNM Hubert Ingraham said that the governing party would not be declaring victory just yet, admitting that things can go "either way" following today's recount.

As The Tribune predicted, the election came right down to the wire as Dr Sands unofficially won the contest with a total of 1,501, beating his closest contender PLP Ryan Pinder, who obtained 1,500 votes.

In the end third party candidates and low turn out made a huge difference in this election.

While typically for a general election the voter turn out is in the 90 per cent range, approximately 64 per cent of voters turned out on Tuesday.

Altogether third party candidates gathered a total of 141 votes. Literally had any of these votes cast for the NDP, BDM or Workers' Party gone to the PLP or FNM it could have been a game changer.

However, yesterday's "official unofficial results" left FNM's cautiously optimistic and PLPs saying they were not willing to give up as yet.

Returning officer Jack Thompson told The Tribune yesterday that there would be no official recount until today.

There were a lot of factors at play in the Elizabeth by-election, among which is the issue of contested and protest ballots. While the challenged votes were included in the tally, the protested votes were not.

According to Mr Thompson, voters whose names were on the register, but were disputed by party agents, were challenged and required to swear an oath.

Voters whose names were not on the register or had questionable voter cards were protested and required to vote on coloured ballots.

Mr Thompson did not have the official numbers of challenged or protested votes up to press time.

Weeks ago, members of each contending party in the by-election raised an alarm over irregularities with the voting register published by the Parliamentary Registration Department.

Party members claimed they were unable to find hundreds of people on the register during house-to-house visitations. They were not satisfied everyone on the list had lived in the constituency for three months.

One of the biggest side stories of this election was Tommy Turnquest's revelation at an FNM rally the night before that 35-year-old Ryan Pinder had never voted in the Bahamas but had deemed it important to vote in two US elections.

This fact left Mr Pinder vulnerable to open mocking by his opponents.

FNM Chairman Carl Bethel said when Ryan Pinder arrived at Thelma Gibson yesterday morning, the FNM supporters gathered outside sang the US national anthem.

When their candidate Dr Duane Sands arrived, the group sang the Bahamian national anthem.

NDP candidate Dr Andre Rollins said that he was embarrassed for Mr Pinder.

Dr Rollins said that had the FNM come out with this information sooner, the PLP candidate would have never been able to overcome it.

PLP candidate Ryan Pinder called Tommy Turnquest's revelation about his voting history "gutter politics" and said he was not going to respond.

However, PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts said this was nothing but FNM "propaganda" that was being used as a "red herring" to distract PLPs.

Roberts said it was "not a big deal" and that Turnquest's comments were not a matter of any substance. He further suggested that Pinder had renounced his US citizenship before he nominated and that the FNM was aware of this all along.

PLP Deputy Leader Philip "Brave" Davis chiming in on his candidate's voting history said he thought it was disingenuous of the FNM to reveal this information at the last minute giving Ryan Pinder no chance to respond.

He pointed out that during the time in question, Pinder was living and working in the United States and so would not have had the residency required to vote in a Bahamian election.

There were no major disturbances yesterday but police had to be called to quiet rowdy FNM and PLP supporters who gathered outside the polling station at Faith Temple, where the votes were tallied.

Tensions were mounting with supporters of both parties shouting at each other and becoming increasingly aggressive.

The man who was the catalyst for all the excitement on Tuesday, former PLP MP for Elizabeth, Malcolm Adderley, was suspiciously quiet and spent the day away from the spotlight.

When contacted by The Tribune he refused to comment on the election proceedings, saying, "I'm not speaking today."

The election was plagued by low voter turnout and throughout the day swing voters said they were still unsure of who they were throwing their support behind.

The low voter turn out concerned both parties with leader of the opposition, Perry Christie, saying he and his members were getting anxious because voter turnout has been so low.

BDM candidate Cassius Stewart suspects the voter turnout was low because many of the people who appeared on the register weren't actually eligible to vote.

He said if a better analysis of the registry could be done, it may reveal that turnout among eligible voters could be closer to 70 per cent.

Meanwhile, supporters of both major parties are eagerly awaiting the outcome of this morning's recount.

February 17, 2010

tribune242

Bahamas Blog International

New Party To Contest Elizabeth Seat

By IANTHIA SMITH:


Political heavyweights in the Free National Movement (FNM), The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and even the Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM) might all be given a run for their money heading into the Elizabeth constituency by-election, as a candidate from the newly formed United Christian Love Revolution Movement (UCLRM) plans to also contest the seat.

While announcing the launch of the new party on Saturday, leader of the UCLRM attorney Godfrey "Pro" Pinder said the organization will definitely throw a candidate in the ring for the embattled parliamentary seat but he said for now, they are keeping tightlipped about who that person is.

"My movement will be involved in this (by-election)," he said. "And we do have a candidate and the candidate will be announced very soon."

At that press conference over the weekend, Mr. Pinder told members of the media that his movement, as he calls it, is now in campaign mode and is putting all the necessary steps in place to run a successful crusade in the Elizabeth constituency.

He then moved to caution Bahamians who may have already counted them out already and told them not to, as he said members of his movement have already hit the ground running and have already launched their campaign.

"Yes, the candidate has been working in the area and he plans to get his name out there by actually going out and saying hello to the people and telling them, ‘I love you’," Mr. Pinder said. "My campaign is based on teaching people how to relate with each other, how to go back to the village concept when people were so loving with one another that they didn’t have any crime."

Mr. Pinder said too many of the other political entities have shied away from going back to the root of our being and tackling the simple issues of love, respect and consideration for others in trying to build a better Bahamas. He said that is why the UCLRM is coming to change the political game, starting with trying to win the Elizabeth constituency seat.

In a 55-page document outlining the UCLRM’s platform, Mr. Pinder explained that what his movement is really all about is forming "a more perfect political entity in bringing about United Christian Political Movement, based upon agape love form Jesus Christ."

The document added that "the movement" will seek to appeal to Bahamians by firstly appealing to their hearts and minds by delivering messages of hope, restoration and love.

"If we are concerned with loving our neighbors as ourselves, right across the board it reduces crime, politics as we know it will change, colonialism will change and nepotism will change," he said.

Mr. Pinder did not name other members of the UCLRM, claiming that he did not want to count numbers, however, he said the country could be rest assured that there are other notable members of the group who will be announced soon.

He said the UCLRM Elizabeth constituency candidate will be announced sometime this week.

January 11, 2010

jonesbahamas

Bahamas Caribbean Blog International

The Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM) leader Cassius Stuart to run in Elizabeth by-election

By NOELLE NICOLLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
nnicolls@tribunemedia.net:


THE Bahamas Democratic Movement announced yesterday that party president, Cassius Stuart, will contest the Elizabeth seat in the upcoming by-election.

Mr Stuart borrowed the popular campaign phrase from US President Barack Obama saying the party is "fired up and ready to go."

"Today, the BDM draws the line in the political sand, and offer ourselves to be an innovative part of the new direction that our country needs. We are offering ourselves because we believe in what this country can be," Mr Stuart told a press conference.

When former MP for Elizabeth, Malcolm Adderley, resigned his seat on Wednesday and severed ties with the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), the door opened for candidates to vie for the constituency.

Last night BDM officials met to finalise campaign tactics and budgetary matters. Mr Stuart said he anticipated the BDM would spend about $500,000 on the election.

Of speculation about the election costing political parties $1 million or more, Mr Stuart said the BDM was not trying to pay mortgages for community members, but only to organise a fair campaign, knocking on doors, interacting with the community.

He said the plan was to solicit small donations from a broad base, noting that this approach, popularised by Mr Obama, has never been tried in the Bahamas before.

Stakes are high for the BDM who are banking on the election to act as a catalyst for future wins in the next general election. They currently have no representatives in the House of Assembly after bids in two general elections.

Referring to what was dubbed the 'Ohio Syndrome' in the last US presidential elections, when momentum coalesced in favour of then candidate Obama's campaign, Mr Stuart said the Elizabeth constituency could pave the way for a new political culture in the Bahamas. The thinking of party executives is, if Elizabeth votes for a third party bringing change to the political landscape, it will indicate the potential for more widespread change in the future.

"The politics of yesterday must be done away with and a new political must be awakened. Elizabeth, you can pave the way for that new political culture. You can be the ones to who show the entire Bahamas that it is possible to change. People of Elizabeth, you can be the lighthouse for a nation who is adrift with no clear direction," said Mr Stuart.

In the 2007 election, Mr Stuart ran in the Garden Hills constituency, securing 3.5 per cent of the votes cast. He lost to Brensil Rolle of the Free National Movement (FNM). The BDM candidate for Elizabeth in the last election was Bernard Rolle. He acquired just over 70 votes in a constituency of 4,000 voters, or less than two per cent.

Mr Rolle said despite the conservative numbers, evidence of his impact was the fact that FNM candidate, Elma Chase Campbell, blamed the BDM for the PLP win. Mr Adderley won by a margin of 42 votes over the FNM candidate.

"I feel like the people were very receptive of our platform, but some people were reluctant. This time around the people will be more free to do what their heart leads them to do and that is vote for a third party. They know that they have tried both parties and everything continues to remain the same," said Mr Rolle.

Campaign chairman, Dr Dexter Grant, said the BDM is seeking to bring innovative ideas and strong leadership into the political mix. The plan is to campaign under the slogan: "A new voice in parliament, a new voice for Elizabeth, a new direction for the country."

"In the face of economic turmoil, we believe there can be prosperity. In the face of crime and violence, we believe there can be peace. In the face of illiteracy, we believe there can be knowledge. In the face of politics that has torn our country in two, there can be unity. In the face of hopelessness, we believe there can be hope and in the face of sorrow there can be gladness," said Mr Stuart.

January 08, 2010

tribune242

Bahamas Blog International

Elizabeth by-election to be held in February

By BRENT DEAN ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ brentldean@nasguard.com:


The Elizabeth by-election, the first in the country since 1997, will be held in February, The Nassau Guardian has learned.

There is speculation that Dr. Duane Sands will be the Free National Movement (FNM) candidate in the by-election. When contacted yesterday, Dr. Sands did not disclose if he would be in the race.

"There is a sitting, or incumbent, member of Parliament for Elizabeth and I think it is unreasonable for us to comment in any other way unless such didn't apply," he said.

When asked specifically if he will be the FNM candidate in the by-election, Dr. Sands replied:

"Let's just say I am a Bahamian. I believe very strongly in my country and whatever I can do to further advance my country, I'd be prepared to do."

PLP sources have confirmed that a faction in the party is urging PLP leader Perry Christie not to run a candidate in the Elizabeth constituency. They suggest the FNM is using the by-election, in part, to test its strength halfway through this mandate.

The front-runner for the PLP's nomination for Elizabeth is reportedly attorney and party Vice-chairman Ryan Pinder.

Pinder is the son of former PLP MP Marvin Pinder, who represented the area when it was the Malcolm Creek constituency.

Elizabeth MP Malcolm Adderley resigned his seat in Parliament on Saturday, by way of a letter to Speaker of the House of Assembly Alvin Smith. Adderley also resigned as a member of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) on Saturday in a separate letter to party chairman Bradley Roberts.

His resignation from the House will take effect at the end of the day on Wednesday.

The Parliamentary Elections Act says that the House Speaker shall send a message to the governor general requesting the issue of a writ of election once the speaker is made aware of a seat vacancy.

Upon receipt of the speaker's message, the governor general issues a writ of election for the constituency where there is a vacancy. The act states that there should be no less than 21, or no more than 30 days, between the issue of the writ of election and the return of that writ.

The returning officer to whom a writ of election is directed has up to two days after receiving a writ of election to give public notice of the election.

National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest told The Guardian yesterday he is "extremely confident" that the governing party will win the Elizabeth seat.

"It is not currently our seat but it's a seat that we would like to win and that we intend to win," said Turnquest, who is a former FNM leader.

Adderley is serving his second term as the Elizabeth MP, having won the seat for the first time in 2002. In the 2007 general election, Adderley won the seat by 45 votes over now Ambassador to China Elma Campbell.

The Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM) candidate Bernard Rolle received 72 votes; there were 32 rejected ballots; and about 300 registered voters did not vote on election day.

thenassauguardian

Bahamas Blog International