“The Bahamian people can trust us”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Health Renward Wells said yesterday that if Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis “grabs the spear of destiny” and calls an early election, the Free National Movement (FNM) and its troops are prepared to “take flight”.
He was responding to questions from the media after the FNM ratified its final four candidates, 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.
“If the election is called tomorrow, we know how to walk and chew gum at the same time as a people,” Wells told the media outside Holy Trinity Activities Centre.
“We have been doing such since November of last year when we began to open up this economy.
“The Bahamian people can trust us because they know we have done what is necessary to lead this country through extremely difficult times.”
Asked if there will be election rallies as seen in year’s past, Wells said: “Well, there are safe ways to hold rallies, ‘ey’, and we don’t need to look any further than what took place in November last year in the United States…
“There are many ways within the confines of the health protocols to hold rallies to be able to get your message out.
“We live in an age where social media, through the media, one is able to get his or her message out and at any point in time, if we were to move in that direction, and I don’t speak for the prime minister — everybody knows that the prime minister’s tongue ain’t got no mood; he can speak for himself.
“But if he was to grab the spear of destiny and point it in the direction of a general election, then the troops of the Free National Movement are ready and we are able to get out there and carry the message that we have been carrying over the last four years.”
He said the Minnis administration has been tried, tested and proven through crisis.
When asked if the FNM needs a longer runway to take their message to the people, Wells said whether “it is long or short, we ‘ga’ still take flight”.
“We are going to soar because we have been doing so,” he said.
“We have been leading the Bahamian people where they ought to go.”
Confidence
FNM supporters rushed into the Holy Trinity Activities Centre shortly after 8.30pm to celebrate the final four ratifications.
Following his ratification, Pinder said the Fox Hill seat is secured for the FNM.
“Fox Hill gone with John,” Pinder said to cheers from supporters.
“No if, ands or buts about it. I am extremely confident we will win this.
“Fox Hill will remain FNM. I have already canvassed at least 65 percent of the persons, introducing myself.
“Now, I will go back as the official candidate and put the icing on the cake.”
Pinder said now that he has been ratified, he will step down from the public service as early as tomorrow.
He said he will begin pre-retirement leave from the public service on Monday and go into retirement.
Bootle, who has a long history on the police force, expressed similar confidence of a win in Pineridge.
“I am comfortable moving in there; there is no challenge,” he said.
“I have been in there and I have already visited 1,000 homes. I hear the cries of the people.
“There are some things the people need that we are not listening to.”
Bootle pledged, if elected, to ensure a homeless shelter is constructed in Pineridge, and a dedicated center and helpline are established for victims of domestic violence.
“I want to touch the community,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bannister said he was honored to be ratified and was positive Carmichael will ensure the FNM’s win.
“Carmichael is going to ensure that we have a second Minnis administration,” he said.
“Carmichael has so much progress in this administration and we have a whole lot more to do. We have from Flamingo Gardens straight to Golden Gates #2, Silver Gates, so we have a lot to do in Carmichael. The people of Carmichael know of our commitment.”
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