The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Senator John Bostwick II said yesterday he is not done with front-line politics and nation building, contending that he and several other members of the recently formed Gatekeepers organisation are preparing to offer themselves in the upcoming general election.

In an interview with The Tribune to discuss a reported meeting between senior members of Mr Bostwick’s former party, the Free National Movement and other third party officials, the former Bain and Grants Town hopeful claimed several meetings have taken place between these groups in recent months. He said all involved are hoping “to craft the best strategy to rid the country of the PLP”.

On Tuesday, Democratic National Alliance Leader (DNA) Branville McCartney confirmed that opposition factions met last week to discuss how they can all work together to “get rid of” the Progressive Liberal Party.

Mr McCartney told The Tribune the meeting was organised by “private citizens” who believe that an alliance between the opposition parties would be best for the country.

Mr Bostwick, one of the figureheads of the Gatekeepers - The People’s Movement – said while he has met on separate occasions with the FNM, the DNA, United Democratic Party and several other fringe factions, he wasn’t present at the meeting referred to by Mr McCartney.

He said he met with senior brass of the DNA early last week for two to three hours in a “meeting of the minds.”

Mr Bostwick said at the end of that meeting, there were a number of agreements made between himself and DNA officials - agreements he said has come to fruition in the interim.

Asked if those agreements focused on an alliance between the DNA and the Gatekeepers movement, Mr Bostwick would only state that discussion had not ventured in that direction.

“It was a meeting of the minds last week for myself, Bran (McCartney), Chris (Mortimer) and Andrew (Wilson). There wasn’t any talk of me joining the DNA or any coalition with some other group; it was all policy and discussions about nation building,” he said.

“This is the style of conversations that I have had with several other political organisations. You have to understand, all persons who have political ambition and national platforms are being courted by all political parties, that is the nature of the beast.

“Now while that is promising, that doesn’t guarantee a bid in the next general election. Everyone that joins a party doesn’t become a candidate.”

Mr Bostwick said his affinity and love for service hasn’t diminished in his time away from front-line politics.

“I do intend to offer myself in the upcoming general election. I am not certain of which constituency or which party I would offer myself for, but my affinity and love for a couple of areas have not gone away. There are communities that I want to see improve, areas I would do all in my power to see those people do better.”

“The southern Bahamas has become an important place to me. Also, I grew up in a part of Marathon that was Holy Cross and has become Sea Breeze; my navel string is buried there. Then my family home is in St Anne’s. I’m attached to these communities,” he added.

At present, Gatekeepers officials have not classified their group as a political organisation.

However, fellow Gatekeeper, Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) President John Pinder has already announced that he plans to contest the Fox Hill constituency in 2017 general election.

Mr Bostwick ran on the FNM’s ticket in 2012 as the standard-bearer for Bain and Grants Town, but lost.

He was convicted of possession of ammunition last December and was later ordered to pay a $15,000 fine.