PM suggests FNM will provide the “Bahamian dream” under his continued leadership
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said on Friday that should he decide to call the general election early, the Free National Movement (FNM) is “ready”.
Speaking during a Family Island tour on Eleuthera, he dodged questions from the media on whether he intends to dissolve Parliament soon amidst widespread anticipation of an early election.
“You would note, I’ve said repeatedly and it’s been demonstrated repeatedly, I always prepare at least one year in advance,” Minnis said.
“I’m one of those who believes in preparation and we’re going through our preparation.
“In the event things should change, we are ready.”
While the prime minister has repeatedly shut down speculations that he will call an early election, he also suggested on Friday that under his continued leadership, a re-elected FNM will ensure each Bahamian has access to the “Bahamian dream”.
He said this includes access to free education, employment, healthcare and land and homeownership.
He said the FNM is planning for the future and pointed to a recently announced program that aims to hire students from The University of The Bahamas in the government sector.
“Our dream is that within 10 years, each Bahamian can partake in the Bahamian dream and we will have a group of educated individuals who will take over the public service,” Minnis said.
Minnis launched the FNM’s 2022 re-election campaign at an event at Edmund Moxey Park in January 2020 — prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Candidates for all political parties began picking up the pace in canvassing the community at the end of last year and early this year.
In a recent Facebook post, House Speaker Halson Moultrie predicted that Parliament will be dissolved on July 20 and the general election will be held on August 17.
The prime minister, however, has continued to shut down speculations that he will call an early election and has previously indicated that his administration will go the full term before calling an election sometime in May 2022.
Asked about a recent poll that places his party’s chances in the election as less-than-favorable, the prime minister said while he believes in polls, he believes more in the Bahamian people.
“The Bahamian people have seen what we’ve done,” Minnis said.
“The Bahamian people have recognized [that] in spite of the challenges that we met, we’ve done an excellent job in growing The Bahamas to this level.
“I want to reassure the Bahamian people that once we continue along this particular track and we can vaccinate our population, the type of economic boom that they would be [in] under the Free National Movement, they would have never seen before.”
In preparation for the next general election, the government has allocated $4,700,020 in the 2021/2022 fiscal year for the Parliamentary Registration Department.
The FNM filled its 39-candidate slate after ratifying its final four candidates on Thursday night — which included Minnis for Killarney, Minister of Public Works Desmond Bannister for Carmichael, Director of Labour John Pinder for Fox Hill and Welbourne Bootle for Pineridge.
The opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has also completed its slate of candidates.
