The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

CENTREVILLE MP Reece Chipman said yesterday he is not interested in joining the opposition Progressive Liberal Party.

The independent member of Parliament told The Tribune party politics has not worked for his constituency, adding there was evidence all around the area to support his position.

Mr Chipman resigned from the governing Free National Movement nearly one year ago citing the government’s handling of Hurricane Dorian along with institutional and partisan politics as reasons for his decision.

He defeated former Prime Minister Perry Christie by four votes for the seat in the May 2017 general election. Mr Christie had represented the area for eight consecutive terms.

“Centreville is not interested in that direction at this time,” Mr Chipman said in response to questions from The Tribune on claims circulating that he planned to join the PLP, days after former independent Vaughn Miller joined the official opposition.

“We dealt with a party for the past 40 years, the Progressive Liberal Party and basically schools were still dilapidated, poor living conditions in the area and even with maybe the contractual jobs that people got there was no insurance or pension.

“Centreville decided to give the FNM a chance and I think it was a slap in the face for the people in our constituency - increasing taxes, reducing social services, most importantly taking away the civil liberties of the people. Their freedom is all they really have now to try to make some money to make some sort of means for their families.

“And so no we are not directed to go from one party to another party.

“I believe that this is a period of transition. I believe that the people who were chosen were chosen for such a transition as this. Not such a time as this and transitioning to me doesn’t mean transitioning from one party to another. What it means to transition is to go into something bigger, something better and brighter for our Bahamas and our people.”

Mr Chipman believes that independent candidacies are the way forward in Bahamian politics.

“Bahamians have not had an opportunity to be educated about what independent candidates can do,” he said. “Being independent allows me to speak for the people and not for the party. So, I am not in there now (in Parliament) as an independent representing a party, which means the party that didn’t educate us or miseducated us, I am there representing the people so I have a direct responsibility now to ensure that the people are educated.

“So independent candidates from my perspective will work and (are) working because it’s helping the people lift the scales from our eyes.”

On October 10, 2019, Mr Chipman sent resignation letters to FNM Chairman Carl Culmer and House Speaker Halson Moultrie.

In those letters he said he believed he could do more for the constituency as an independent representative.

“Please accept this letter as resignation from the Free National Movement,” Mr Chipman wrote. “At this time, I am of the belief that partisan politics is not helping the people of Centreville or the country at large.”