The Tribune

AFTER her landslide loss in the leadership contest at Friday’s Free National Movement convention Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner said she will continue her “fight” and remains committed to her party.

Mrs Butler-Turner was defeated in her bid against newly re-elected FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis.

“I think I ran a really good campaign, a very disciplined campaign,” she told reporters shortly after the

unofficial results were in confirming her loss.

“Obviously the delegates had a choice, they made their choice. I think at the end of the day my message has also been that we come out of this unified. I think the most important thing is that we be a unified party.

“I’m prepared to still continue the fight that I’ve always carried for the Bahamian people, that’s the position I have. Hopefully we can move forward and go after our real opponent, which is the PLP.

“I thought I ran a very good campaign,” she added. “I obviously got into the race, but I chose to get into it even though it was called unexpectedly, but those are the chances you take. And I took a calculated risk and obviously it hasn’t paid off, but I am satisfied with what I have done.”

Along with Dr Minnis, East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest was elected as the party’s new deputy leader and Senator Michael Pintard was chosen as the party’s new chairman.

Mrs Butler-Turner said the new executives will need the full support of the party.

“I think we need to give them an opportunity to demonstrate what we are going to do, so we are going to put all of our efforts behind them as we have before,” she said.

During his victory speech, Dr Minnis said he looked forward to working with his former deputy in the lead up to the next general election.

When asked if she felt this statement was sincere, Mrs Butler-Turner said she hoped it was.

She added that she will be able to rebound from Friday’s loss.

“I made the transition from being in government to losing and I think that one of the things you have to understand, I’m a person that is able to adjust to whatever the circumstances are. We lost after we were in governance and in opposition I haven’t lost my enthusiasm. So you have a very clear picture of how I react to negative situations.”

See the Insight section for more analysis on the FNM convention.