NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – The Parliamentary Commission Harrison Thompson says more than 130 candidates could have been nominated to contest the May 12 general election, with the leaders of the two main political parties confident of victory.
Thompson said the process went largely as expected, with only limited issues in a few constituencies.
“From all indications, my team did what they were supposed to do, and it would appear that everything went well,” he said, adding that no applications were rejected, acknowledging that there were some challenges in Fort Charlotte, Pinewood, and Garden Hills, including the qualifications of some candidates.
“The conclusion was that everybody who appeared to be nominated was nominated. They presented the documents that they needed to be nominated with, and the returning officers accepted them.”
Thompson said early indications suggested there would be around 130 nominees across 41 constituencies.
“We thought it would be more independents, but the amount of independents didn’t move up to what we expected,” he said, adding, “and we thought another party would have been involved, but they did not nominate”.
Prime Minister Davis, who is leading the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) into the elections, said he is “exhilarated by the fact that I’m taking another step and to be amongst a unique group of persons, or could be, who would next be elected to Parliament”.
Davis, flanked by his wife, Ann Marie, and grandchildren, told reporters, “I’m very grateful to my people of Cat Island, Rum Cay, and Salvador. Cat Island is the place that shaped me and made me who I am today, and I’m so thrilled to be able to nominate here in Cat Island, to again, continue the work that we have been doing together”.
“Our team is experienced. We have young candidates as well. So we have a mix of experience and neophytes who will bring with them the energy and vision of the youth to mix with the experience that we already have.”
The leader of the main opposition, Free National Movement (FNM), Michael Pintard, who is contesting the Marco City constituency, said he’s honored to be in the race again.
“We are confident that the people will speak and that they will speak for change and that change will be the Free National Movement. We are going to focus on the issues again to hold the government to account for what they promised but consistently failed to deliver”.
Pintard said the party will continue “to lay out our vision for Grand Bahama and, of course, the entire Commonwealth of The Bahamas”.
In the September 16, 2021, general elections, Davis led the then-opposition PLP to a convincing victory over the then-ruling FNM, winning 32 of the 39 seats in the Parliament.
Meanwhile, the PLP’s candidate for the Fort Charlotte seat, Sebas Bastian, has refused to respond to a claim that his nomination violates a constitutional requirement to disclose any interest in government contracts.
The matter was initially raised by Coalition of Independents (COI) Leader Lincoln Bain after Bastian was nominated for the election.
Under Article 48(1)(j) of The Bahamas Constitution, no person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the House of Assembly who “is interested in any government contract and has not disclosed the nature of such contract and of his interest therein by publishing a notice in the Gazette within one month before the day of election”.
Bain’s interpretation of the constitutional provision is that Bastian needed to disclose his interests in government contracts by April 12. Still, the PLP spokesman, Latrae Rahming, said the party is satisfied that Bastian did not violate the constitution.
The PLP’s lead attorney for elections, Valentine Grimes, also noted that the requirement to disclose is not a requirement to do so “prior” to the one-month mark before an election, but “within” the month before the election.
“We will ensure that it is complied with. It is an issue we have looked into, and we have always sought to comply with that provision, even in the spirit of abundance of caution. So, you will see in New Providence, for example, our candidates [who have contracts with the various government entities] would make a disclosure.”
He said if the Parliamentary Registration Department does not gazette the disclosure made by Bastian on Nomination Day, then the party would ensure it is gazetted within the constitutionally mandated timeframe.
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