PLP Senator Jobeth Coleby-Davis vying for Elizabeth nomination

PLP Senator Jobeth Coleby-Davis vying for Elizabeth nomination
Senator Jobeth Coleby-Davis

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Senator Jobeth Coleby-Davis confirmed yesterday that she has started the process with the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) seeking nomination as a candidate for the Elizabeth constituency.

Coleby-Davis made the confirmation during a press conference at the party’s headquarters, highlight concerns over the disruption of the government’s Virtual Learning Platform.

“I have put in an application with the PLP to represent as the standard-bearer and candidate for the Elizabeth constituency.

“I’m presently going through the process and I’ve been interviewed by the Candidates Committee and I’m just awaiting the response from them.”

Asked how confident she is that she will receive the nomination for the seat, Coleby-Davis said,  “I can be as confident as I want to be but at the end of the day it’s still a process that the party has to decide upon, so I wait for their response.”

The party began its search for new candidates in earnest just several months after it suffered a wholesale defeat at the May 2017 polls, winning only four of the 39 seats in the House of Assembly

Last August, PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell said there will be a 75 percent turnover of new candidates in the next election, compared to the last election.

Mitchell told Eyewitness News recently that the party is making progress with its interview process, as it seeks to fill out its slate of candidates for the next General Election.

He noted that constituency branches still have several weeks to weigh in on their recommendations, with many candidates still needing to be interviewed.

He advised however that the process has become difficult to navigate given the COVID travel restrictions and some aspiring candidates living in the Family Islands.

He said virtual platforms such as ZOOM and Webinar aren’t secure enough for the process, thus a physical presence is required.

Mitchell said the party is seeking an exemption from the government to allow its Candidates Committee to be exempted from COVID-19 travel restrictions as they continue their candidates’ selection process.

About Sloan Smith

Sloan Smith is a senior digital reporter at Eyewitness News, covering a diverse range of beats, from politics and crime to environment and human interest. In 2018, Sloan received a nomination for the “Leslie Higgs Feature Writer of The Year Award” from The Bahamas Press Club for her work with Eyewitness News.