STRENGTH IN NUMBERS?: Bahamas Democratic Movement and People’s National Coalition unite as one

“We will put forth the best possible opposition against the FNM and the PLP”

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas Democratic Movement (BDM) and the Peoples National Coalition (PNC) have announced the two parties will merge and present a full slate of 39 candidates to compete in the upcoming general election.

BDM Leader Cassius Stuart told Eyewitness News yesterday his party has been in dialogue with several groups outside the Free National Movement (FNM) and Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) in an effort to strengthen the party’s resolve in the election.

He said the parties have decided the PNC will dissolve and both parties will become “one force“.

“We will put forth the best possible opposition against the FNM and the PLP,” he said

“We are excited that [we are] in a position to be able to mount a viable alternative to defeat the FNM and PLP in the next election.”

Stuart said the party plans to host a public event in the future to show their team and allow the general public to field questions.

He also said it plans to hold a general convention in the coming months to ratify candidates.

The veteran politician said the party will be running a totally different campaign, with plans to announce its entire government, including senators and ambassadors, before the election.

“We believe that the Bahamian people need to see how the government is going to be shaped and look like in the next election, so they can have confidence in supporting it,” he said.

Stuart, the BDM founder, previously joined the FNM in 2011.

He ran on the FNM’s ticket in Bamboo Town in 2012 but lost to Renward Wells by 279 votes.

Stuart gained 1,661 votes, compared to Wells’ 1,940 votes and then-incumbent MP and Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Branville McCartney’s 1,022 votes.