NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – The main opposition Free National Movement (FNM) has named former National Basketball Association (NBA) legend Rick Fox as a candidate to contest the next general election scheduled for September this year.
The 56-year-old Fox, a three-time champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and who also played with the Boston Celtics, was among 12 candidates named by the FNM on Tuesday night as it moved just shy of two more candidates to contest the 41 seats in the Bahamas House of Assembly.
The former NBA star and actor will contest the Garden Hills constituency with FNM and Opposition Leader, Michael Pintard, telling supporters, “we are in the home stretch now”.
Fox had earlier indicated he would decide whether to align with a political party, even as he hinted at running as an independent candidate.
Fox said both the FNM and the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) were courting him, and speaking at the party’s headquarters on Tuesday night, Fox shared that he shared the vision of the FNM and Pintard.
“There are a multitude of areas I think I could have reached out and done an excellent job in. I publicly stated where I reside. I could do good work there.
“As I continued to work with the leader and continued to work with the party and to look at the strategy that is in place to move forward to win the government, it’s not about me and where I want to serve, it’s about where we as a group could serve the country the best,” Fox said defending his Bahamian heritage from critics who regarded him as an outsider,.
“I never left home. I went to work and to school. My family lives here. I live here. My whole life exists here,” he added.
Pintard told the meeting on Tuesday night that if elected, his administration would serve with humility.
“We care about this country and its future. We will open up every book once we are elected, so you can see what is behind the decisions that this government has made. We will serve you every day, not with arrogance but with humility. We will not be traveling around the globe on air and on your dime.”
Prime Minister Phillip Davis has not indicated when the general election will be held, even as he said last weekend that he is not opposed to the implementation of fixed election dates.
The ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has already ratified its candidates for the upcoming general election, and Prime Minister Davis said a fixed election date is “ something for me to consider”.
and then  has named former National Basketball Association (NBA) legend Rick Fox as a candidate to contest the next general election scheduled for September this year){kind=link}