The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

EXECUTIVES of the Bahamas National Coalition Party said they were “shocked” to learn of “glaring” errors in the listing of symbols and party affiliations published by Parliamentary Registration Department yesterday in The Tribune.

BNCP Leader Wesley Campbell said he believed there was an attempt underway to “sabotage” his fledgling party’s campaign as eight of its 15 candidates were listed as Independent and three others listed as part of the “BNCC” and not BNCP. He said that the errors have already impacted his party’s run for office, as supporters are now uncertain of the political persuasion of BNCP candidates.

The BNCP was formally the Bahamas National Citizen Coalition (BNCC), an activist group established in 2013. In 2015, the BNCC transitioned to a political party and later changed its name.

Mr Campbell said officials at the department assured him that the errors will be corrected, but Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall explained that the candidates were listed as Independent because the BNCP had failed to submit the needed documents for its members. Mr Campbell denied this. BNCP National Chairman Andrew Stewart added that the issues were unacceptable.

In response, Mr Hall was on the defensive yesterday when he was asked about the BNCP’s claims and hung up the phone when attempts were made to question him further.

“I never received their letters before today,” Mr Hall said, “and that’s the bottom line and some of their candidates were listed as Independent because we never received the letters that they purported to deliver to my office. We have no record of the letter. That’s all I can say.”

BNCP Carmichael candidate O’Brien Knowles, Lorraine Arthur, the party’s Centreville candidate, Mr Campbell, who is running for the Englerston seat, Randy Rolle for Fort Charlotte, the party’s candidate for Nassau Village Paul Michael Rolle, Tall Pines candidate Frederick Anthony Rolle, Kendal Lewis Jr, who is running for Yamacraw, and Seabreeze candidate Anne Marie Glinton-Rolle were listed as Independent.

Angela Cox, Leroy Butler and Don Lockhart were said to be apart of the BNCC. The hopefuls are the BNCP’s candidates for Fox Hill, Mount Moriah and Pinewood respectively.

Kishon Turner, the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) candidate for Tall Pines, was also listed as being affiliated with the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) while a lighthouse was shown as his symbol.