The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

GLENYS Hanna Martin, the only Progressive Liberal Party member to win a seat in New Providence, said yesterday the party will “keep going” despite its crushing “setback” at the polls on Wednesday.

She said the PLP is built on an ideology and will go full “steam ahead” despite the daunting task ahead.

The former minister of transport and aviation also dismissed rumours she had resigned in the wake of the PLP’s massive defeat.

Mrs Hanna Martin won Englerston with 1,814 votes.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Agriculture V Alfred Gray said he is finished with politics and will now commit himself fully to church work and his Christian faith.

The two were among several PLP incumbents who spoke to this newspaper a day after their defeat to the FNM.

The PLP won just four seats, the party’s worst showing in an election.

Multiple senior PLP politicians, some considered powerhouses in party strongholds, lost their seats.

On Wednesday, outgoing MP for Golden Isles, Michael Halkitis, also told this newspaper that he too will exit politics.

Others said yesterday that the party must now rebuild even as they were unsure of their political futures.

“I’m going to relax and spend time with my family,” Mr Gray, former MP for MICAL, said. “I’m out of politics and I’m finished. I should’ve gone a long time ago. I will stick with the church and develop my Christian life.”

Mr Gray declined to discuss the future of his party. He said it would make no sense to do so because he “won’t be a part of any political groups”.

Khaalis Rolle, the outgoing MP for Pinewood, chalked the election result up to the fact that the country had an “impatient and intolerant electorate”.

“When you ignore them sometimes they send you messages and they are indiscriminate when they send messages,” he said. “It’s not the first time we’ve seen something like this. We have to ensure our philosophy and our operation and conduct are in line with the needs and expectations of the electorate. When they go to the polls, they tell you if it is or not.

“If you don’t constantly walk people through and explain to people what you are doing and how it’s going to benefit them long term, sometimes you create that level of impatience,” Mr Rolle said.

Mr Rolle said he always knew it would be a tough election to win and that’s why he never became comfortable.

“I did my work,” he said. “If you look at my campaigning, I did so everyday because I needed to talk to as many of my constituents as possible.”

Like Alfred Sears, who ran on the PLP’s ticket in Fort Charlotte, Mr Rolle said he met numerous residents who expressed personal affection for him but said they found other reasons not to vote for the PLP.

“I ran into people who said ‘look man you are one of the best we have ever had, we think you did your job,’ but…”

Mr Rolle said he will decide with his wife whether he will stick with politics.

“I’ve already started to look at what the next steps are, whether I’m returning to the business community or not,” he said.

In charting its future, Mr Rolle said the PLP needs “real introspection that is devoid of emotions”.

As for advice for the incoming Minnis administration, he said the new government should dispassionately consider what the Christie administration did in determining the way forward for the party.

Mr Rolle lost to FNM candidate Rueben Rahming who won 2,284 votes to his 1,654, according to unofficial results.

“We could’ve done better (as a government),” he conceded. “I think there were many hardworking individuals. Make no mistake about it: there was a lot of hard work to be done and a lot of hard work that was done, but the electorate told us we didn’t work as hard as we should.”

Outgoing MP for Southern Shores Kenred Dorsett also said a forensic audit of the election in his constituency will be performed to determine what happened.

“We heard rumours as to what happened, money being spent and all of that. It’s speculation. We’re waiting for recount to take place then we will do a complete examination.”

Calling the result an overwhelming show of support for the FNM, Mr Dorsett suggested his political career will continue.

“I don’t think, to be honest to myself and the people of The Bahamas, I will never be done with politics,” he said. “I was very much interested before I graduated university, when I came back in 1985. I was always behind the scenes in politics. I ran for the first time in 2012 and was successful. Whatever I do I’m never going to back away from politics and advancing ideas that will benefit the people of The Bahamas.”

Regarding the future of the PLP, Mr Dorsett said such matters should be addressed internally and disclosed within the confines of the party.

As for Mrs Hanna-Martin, she said she was “disappointed” that most of her colleagues lost at the polls.

“Of course the Bahamian people have spoken, I feel very honoured, I’m very proud that the people of Englerston have sufficiently weighed my own involvement and the involvement of the PLP to the extent that they have again given me a renewed mandate on their behalf in the House of Assembly.

“I would never turn my back on the people who have entrusted me with their voice in the House of Assembly, and how difficult it will be or not be I don’t know, but I’m not fearful.

“I’m disappointed we don’t have an opportunity to carry out the initiatives we’ve embarked upon, especially those within my ministry, but not to the severe extent that I’ve lost my capacity to understand what this new paradigm means. My team alone, their heart, the way they fought, the time they fought over the many weeks and days and in the face of daunting pressures, stood up and had their voice expressed - I could never walk away.”

Speaking to future leadership of the PLP, she said: “I think that in light of the results which was very punctuated, I think that he (PLP Leader Perry Christie) will review the meaning of it and he will do what he thinks is appropriate. He will be given that opportunity to do what he thinks is appropriate. “The PLP will keep going. This is a party that is perpetuated by an ideology and a love for this country. We’ve had a setback, it’s a major one but like people say it’s a set back for the great comeback. As difficult as it may appear, as daunting as it is, we are cemented in what we believe, so full speed ahead.”