The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

The Free National Movement National Executive Committee has recommended a full convention to be held no later than November 30, party leader Dr Hubert Minnis said on Friday in a statement.

The matter was recommended last night to the Central Council and the party is expected to vote on the issue at or before the next council meeting.

This move has angered some FNMs, with several of them telling this newspaper on Friday that the announcement is proof of yet another strategy by leader Dr Hubert Minnis to hold on to his position.

Party insiders also said there are some who feel a convention should be held as early as April to allow the party to get over its leadership issues with adequate time to position itself for the 2017 general election.

For this to happen, a resolution would have to be put forward and debated, another party source explained.

“(Mr Minnis) will benefit from a November convention,” one FNM member who did not want to be named said. “It ultimately minimises the possibility of anyone challenging the post. It leaves just six months before when the next election is expected.

Earlier this month, the FNM ratified the first eight of its candidates.

It is unclear whether any convention would be a voting event where all executive posts will be open for challenge. The possibility was first raised in The Tribune by FNM Chairman Michael Pintard who said earlier this month there were continued talks on the issue.

This prompted former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette to say if Dr Minnis is comfortable in his position at the helm of the party, then its next convention should have executive posts up for a challenge.

Another former Deputy Prime Minister, Frank Watson, said that only an “insecure” leader would hold a non-voting convention.

The FNM constitution specifies that the organisation should have a convention every two years.

Dr Minnis was re-elected to lead the party on November 20, 2014 after defeating Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner in the leadership contest.