The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis was coy on Friday regarding his reasoning for calling an early general election as the country faces a surge in COVID-19 cases.

With the election campaign in full swing, there was a combined 223 new virus cases on Wednesday and Thursday. The Ministry of Health has also said 11 new deaths were recorded on Wednesday, which took place between August 20 and August 23.

“I think as we progress you would see,” the Killarney incumbent said when asked what made him call a snap election as cases increased.

Moments before, he had been officially nominated to contest the Killarney constituency at Gambier Primary School. He was accompanied by a large contingent of supporters as he made his way to the school. However, once Dr Minnis entered the school campus, only a handful of supporters were allowed to join him.

He will go head-to-head against Ronald Duncombe of the Progressive Liberal Party, who also nominated for the constituency yesterday. Celi Moss is also vying for the seat as an independent candidate.

Dr Minnis has won the constituency consecutively since the 2007 election.

With that kind of track record, Dr Minnis said he was confident in another win come Election Day on September 16.

“…Now we are going to start to display and show people what we have done and what we have planned,” Dr Minnis said. “So, I would advise you (over the) next three weeks to follow us, listen to our message and you would hear about the new Bahamas as we progress forward.”

He also said: “Killarney has always been good to me. I have done my best and I am certain they would support me again. It’s been a great experience and when I finally retire, I’m certain that whoever replaces me in Killarney will follow and continue the excellent job that we have done.”

For the next several weeks, the FNM plans to hold political events beginning Friday night. He said his party would set an example of how such events can be held safely in a COVID-19 environment.

“We will do drive-in rallies. As you know the United States had experienced surges in COVID and if you followed President (Joseph) Biden he had multiple drive-in rallies. We will follow similar patterns and ensure that we meet all the safety protocols.

“We have tonight, we would roll out our candidates in Grand Bahama. We will advise you to watch and you would see how we would perform and behave in a COVID environment and tomorrow night we would do a similar thing in New Providence.”

Asked to respond to former Prime Minister Perry Christie’s recent comments that history is not on his side in that no sitting prime has been re-elected since 1997, Dr Minnis said he too was a “student of history”, adding that he had reviewed the historical background of former United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill and others.

Asked for a response to former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham who recently said he had no views whatsoever about the FNM’s prospects of winning, Dr Minnis said: “Y’all have a good day,” ending the interview.

Before Dr Minnis’ arrival, Mr Duncombe nominated.

He said he felt good about his prospects.

“We put in the work, and I am happy that the process went through seamlessly and I’m ready to do business.”

The newcomer said he made the decision to run as a resident in the area for the past ten years. It is his desire to make a difference in the community, Mr Duncombe said.

“We are not worried about that at all,” he said in response to the fact that Dr Minnis has won the seat several times, "a track record in helping in our community should speak for itself.”