NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Philip Brave Davis yesterday accused the Free National Movement (FNM) of “obfuscating” the intentions of the prime minister and the party regarding the upcoming general election.
In a memo sent out on April 29, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) advised its heads of departments to submit the names of marines expected to vote in the advanced polls in the upcoming general election, “in preparation for the possibility of an early General Election”.
Earlier this week, Minister of National Security Marvin Dames, who has responsibility for elections, dismissed the memo as “nothing out of the ordinary”.
However, Davis insisted that he does not believe it is just standard procedure, noting “election is in the air”.
“Standard procedure wouldn’t require you to have provided your name for the advanced poll if there’s not going to be an election,” he said.
“Clearly, the minister is just obfuscating and they just want to hold to their chest something they think, for whatever reason, they would not let the Bahamian public know.
“I think we are all grown up, wise enough to look and see what it is all about that election is in the air.
“Or, put another way, there’s no doubt that the government has been considering for quite some time calling an early election. Why they have not called it yet, that’s a question that they should be answering to us.
“All the tea leaves, all the readings are there for an early election and those readings have come from what they have offered over the last several months.”
Both the FNM and PLP were expected to complete their slate of candidates for the upcoming general election by now, but campaigning efforts were slowed down amidst an increase in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks.
Davis said he could not give a date when the party’s remaining candidates will be named.
“The candidate’s committee has completed its work and it’s just we have to pull back because ratification requires a congregation of persons and we are not going to congregate persons at this time with the pandemic in the air as it is.”
The PLP has already named 32 candidates vying for office but has yet to ratify candidates for Bamboo Town, Central Grand Bahama, East Grand Bahama, Marco City, Pineridge, West Grand Bahama and Bimini, Central and South Abaco and Mangrove Cay and South Andros.
The prime minister has not called a date for the election, which only he holds the power to do, though both PLP and FNM insiders believe it will be called before the next budget debate.
Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis 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 a general election sometime in May 2022.
