NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has ratified another 13 candidates for office in the upcoming general election, including all three of its incumbent members of Parliament.
PLP Leader and Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP Philip Brave Davis; Deputy Leader and Ragged Island and Exumas MP Chester Cooper; and Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin will defend their constituencies.
Mangrove Cay and South and Central Andros MP Picewell Forbes said at the beginning of this month that he will not be seeking reelection, indicating that he decided to “walk away” from politics after he failed to receive the proper support from the leadership of the party.
Following the announcement of the candidates, at the party’s National General Council meeting last night, Hanna-Martin told Eyewitness News that, it was a “momentous occasion for her”.
“Whenever I’m given the banner again to stand for these fantastic people in this community, it is one that is for me sobering and one of gratitude. My only prayer now is that I will never let them down,” she said.
Hanna-Martin continued: “I’m hoping this time around it’s going to be so meaningful, that the whole country is going to stop and say now that is what it is all about.”
The meeting, held at the Faith United Missionary’s Baptist Hall, saw dozens of PLP supporters gather for the announcement, many of them dressed in party paraphernalia.
After an embattled run for the Tall Pines constituency, Senator Dr Michael Darville was named as the candidate for the area — a seat that former PLP Cabinet minister Leslie Miller was hoping to run in again.
Miller was not in attendance at that meeting last night.
Golden Isles MP Vaughn Miller will also defend his seat for the PLP, after resigning from the Free National Movement (FNM) in December 2019 and crossing the political divide.
Miller told Eyewitness News, “I’m excited. I’m honored to be a part of this slate and to be in this slate with the oldest political party in the country. It’s an honor to serve, and I’m thankful for the opportunity”.
He said he is confident that he has the support to hold the constituency.
“As you and the general public are aware, there are challenges, as expected, making that transition,” Miller acknowledged.
“We anticipated that and some of it we’ve dealt with and by the grace of God we will be able to deal with the rest of it successfully and emerge as one strong force and with God’s favor, to recapture the constituency and to help the Progressive Liberal Party become the next government of the country.”
Senator Clay Sweeting, who ran in the 2017 General Election, will vie for the South Eleuthera seat.
The slate also included several newcomers who will vie for nomination: Pia Rolle for Golden Gates, Chris Saunders for St. Anne’s, Lisa Rahming for Marathon, Sylvanus Petty for North Eleuthera, Leroy Major for Southern Shores, Kirk Cornish for North Abaco and former Public Disclosure Commission Chairman Myles Laroda for Pinewood.
Among those candidates already ratified are four former PLP ministers, including former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell for the same constituency; former Attorney General and Minister of Education Alfred Sears for Fort Charlotte; former Minister of State for Finance and Golden Isles MP Michael Halkitis for St Barnabas; and former Minister of State for National Security Keith Bell for Carmichael.
Two women were named among the first set of candidates to be announced, including Senator Jobeth Coleby-Davis for Elizabeth and Leslia Maria Miller-Brice, daughter of former Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller, for Seabreeze.
The slate also included prominent attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, for Free Town — who lost the seat in the last election, along with a sweep of new faces including Wayde A Watson for Bains and Grants Town; Jomo Campbell for Centreville; Mario K Bowleg for Garden Hills; Ronald Duncombe for Killarney; De’Angelo Bonaby for Mount Moriah; Bacchus O J Rolle for South Beach; and Zane E Lightbourne for Yamacraw.
Family Island candidates included Tyrell Grave Young for Long Island, Basil W McIntosh for MICAL and Mckell Leonardo Lightbourne for North Andros and the Berry Islands.
The party 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.
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