The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

MORE young people from Grand Bahama, particularly Freeport, have offered themselves as candidates this year for the 2017 local government elections, a process that is expected to be “very competitive”.

Freeport Administrator Preston Cunningham told The Tribune that this is the first time that so many young persons have nominated since the introduction of local government in 1996.

In Freeport alone, a total of 34 candidates have nominated, and many newcomers have stepped forward seeking to represent their communities at the local level.

There are nine seats on the Freeport Council for which the candidates will be vying – three in Marco City; and two each in Pineridge, Central Grand Bahama, and East Grand Bahama.

“We have quite some persons nominated and surprisingly more young persons this time than any other since the inception of local government,” said Mr Cunningham.

“I suspect young persons have awakened to the need to serve, and maybe they are sick and tired of old horses doing crap from time to time.”

Administrator Cunningham reported that seven persons were nominated in East Grand Bahama; eight in the Central Grand Bahama; nine in Pineridge; and 10 in Marco City.

The vetting process is not rigid, but candidates must be of legal age and must not have been convicted of a crime within one year of the elections.

“It is going to be a very competitive exercise, and I trust and hope at the end of the day we get people who are interested in the well-being of their communities,” said Mr Cunningham.

“I worked in every Family Island since local government started and I have seen where some only want to get in there for selfish gain, while some try to get in along party lines.”

Mr Cunningham said that “it should be about a desire to make your community better.”

One of the newcomers this year is Tammi Mitchell, who is no stranger to public and community service.

Ms Mitchell, a candidate for the Pineridge constituency, was supported by her mother and family members on nomination day on Tuesday.

“My decision to run for local government is one I do not take lightly having thought and prayed about it for the past two years before making the leap of faith,” she said.

Ms Mitchell is a supplies officer assigned to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Grand Bahama, with responsibilities for the NEMA warehouse. She is also the deputy co-chair of the Grand Bahama Disaster Consultative Committee (GBDCC), a voluntary position she has held for more than 15 years. She is also a board member of the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA), a member of the Rotary Club of Lucaya (RCL) and a member of the Grand Bahama Road Safety Committee GBRSC).

Ms Mitchell outlined some of her goals, which are to establish disaster management teams in the Pineridge constituency, foster a better relationship with government officials and other stakeholders to address the concerns of the residents, and assist with ongoing projects that would not have been completed by the previous local government administration.

The vote will take place on June 22.