NASSAU, Bahamas CMC – Former prime minister Dr. Hubert Minnis says he intends to contest the Killarney constituency, which he has been representing since 2007, after the boundaries report tabled in Parliament recommends two new constituencies.
One of the new constituencies, St. James, in western New Providence, will incorporate several polling divisions from Killarney. The other new constituency is Bimini and Berry Island, bringing the total number of seats in the Parliament to 42.
Minnis, 71, who served as prime minister from 2017 to 2021, and has not been retained by the main opposition Free National Movement (FNM) to contest the Killarney seat in the general elections due this year, told reporters that he intends to remain the parliamentary representative for Killarney.
He admitted to having not yet read the new boundaries report that was laid in Parliament on Wednesday, saying, “I am not aware of what changes are there. I know that the West is being split. There’ll be Killarney and St. James.
“I’m a member of Parliament in Killarney, and I intend to stay in Killarney. I’ll review and see how many of my polling divisions they’ve moved. I have the greatest confidence, not only in myself, but in my constituents, and I am certain they will support me again,” said the medical practitioner, who has not given any indication as to whether he would contest the seat as an independent or on behalf of another political party.
The FNM’s constitution states that any member who independently nominates to contest a parliamentary election or by-election against a candidate duly nominated by the party “shall be conclusively deemed to have, thereby, resigned from membership in the party”.
Minnis assured reporters that “at the appropriate time, you would know exactly” what his position is, maintaining, “I’m not a runner.
“I have been in Killarney throughout, and I intend to stay in Killarney. But I will review and see what the changes are, and see whether I have gotten some new polling divisions, which means that if that is the case, then I will have to aggressively approach those areas immediately.”
According to the boundaries report, adjustments have also been made to 19 other constituencies, and the total number of polling divisions would remain at 501.
However, some polling divisions would be moved to different constituencies, with the report noting that the objective of the boundary changes is to ensure adequate representation and, where possible, voter parity.
“There is a mandate to effective representation, and voter parity is the prime factor in determining the electoral boundaries. Deviation from voter parity is justified because of geography and population density,” the report noted.
and then 