SO much for a new-look Progressive Liberal Party.
The first list of candidates for the next election is out – and despite party leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis promising “a new slate of candidates”, there are a lot of familiar names to be seen.
A list of names have been revealed. Five of those are incumbent MPs – including Vaughn Miller who switched from the FNM and it seems likely was promised the chance to run in his seat again.
Then come the old hands – party chairman Fred Mitchell gets to run again in Fox Hill, Alfred Sears runs in Fort Charlotte, Keith Bell in Carmichael and Michael Halkitis in St Barnabas.
So out of 18 names revealed, half are incumbents or old, familiar names.
Another promise by Mr Davis was to encourage more women to join frontline politics. Philip Galanis said after Mr Davis won the leadership of his party that “more and more women need to be encouraged to participate at various level, and I think that’s going to happen increasingly and remarkably with Mr Davis at the helm”.
Nothing remarkable to see in the list of names so far in that regard, with incumbent Glenys Hanna-Martin joined on the list by just two women – Jobeth Coleby-Davis contesting Elizabeth, and Leslia Brice in Seabreeze.
Young members of the PLP find themselves feeling left out too – with older members finding their way to the candidacy instead.
One young member said recently: “The electorate told the PLP to become a more youthful party, but the message being sent is it doesn’t make sense joining the party and working your way up because young people who did that aren’t being considered for candidacies.”
If the intention was to present a new face for the PLP, something distinctly different from the Christie administration voted out in a landslide in 2017, this doesn’t look like it so far.
Granted, there are more names to come – but this looks far from a revolution.
As for Mr Davis, he hinted at what is likely to become an election theme when he talked about the “terrible suffering” he has seen in the Family Islands, adding that “we need to rebuild our economy so that it is more fair and inclusive”.
We shall see how inclusive his final election line-up will be soon enough – then it will be time to show us policies, not catch phrases, that will help to restore an economy battered by a hurricane and a pandemic.
Whoever wins the next election, that will be no easy task.
Nygard’s legacy
The spectre of Peter Nygard continues to loom over The Bahamas.
In a new Canadian television programme, former Prime Minister Perry Christie says he has “no fear of any investigation” into Peter Nygard, even as clips of Mr Nygard with Mr Christie appeared – including at the wedding of one of Mr Nygard’s daughters during which Mr Christie hailed the entrepreneur as “a contributor to those who are in need”.
Such links between Mr Nygard and the PLP come as no surprise to readers of The Tribune – but Mr Nygard made no secret of it himself, saying on video “We won, we won, we won” and describing Christie’s election victory as “one of the best nights of my life. I never thought I’d get so involved in politics, let alone be the key instrument in making it happen”.
The PLP of today may seek to play down Nygard’s connection to the party in the past, but it would do better to confront its connections and do all it can to provide all information it can about his involvement.
Investigations are still going on into Mr Nygard’s behaviour – he is charged with sex trafficking and racketeering in the US – while allegations of bribery have been made here in The Bahamas involving politicians and police officers.
A police investigation drags on here – with National Security Minister Marvin Dames expressing confidence in the police force’s ability to investigate complaints despite there being little sign of progress.
The crucial part of all this is that there are Bahamians who have made accusations against Peter Nygard, including a number of women who have made allegations of rape. The longer this investigation continues without a resolution, the longer justice is denied.
Are we really content to let such accusations against a foreign investor go unanswered? Are we happy to let Bahamian women suffer injustice?
Nygard’s legacy should be a determination to do better – and not simply allow such claims to be swept under the table.
Comments
tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago
Sorry Tribune.....but even a PLP government under Vomit would not have been as bad for us and our country as the FNM administration led by Doofus Minnis has been since May 2017.
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 2 months ago
Amazing captain mediocrity, PM Minnis won because of the PLP and their incompetency and unbridled corruption. Now the PLP are about to win because captain mediocrity is a total empty suit, absent, incompetent, arrogant failure....
The last election was possibly the best opportunity for a third party in the history of this country, the next election will also be an excellent opportunity.
But not if they run children as the DNA did....
We need another option.
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 2 months ago
I know fred can't wait to start booking his first class trips. Lol. Go to Sydney Potier's birthday party again...
birdiestrachan 3 years, 2 months ago
Common sense says it is important to have new and older members. the older ones mentioned are outstanding men. Mr: Sears. Mr: Mitchell and Mr Halkitis. The Bahamas need them. Note Robinson Bains Town a huge waste.
The same newspaper the same day. a Nygard story has no comments then there is an Editorial same story mind you with comments.
The PLP is not responsible for the man's actions. a picture with Mr Christie sitting at a table: fully dressed means nothing ZERO.
Try again you have to come better than that.
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 2 months ago
Keith Bell????
Lol....
The Bahamas definitely don't need him. Fred neither.
tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago
Couldn't agree more.
SP 3 years, 2 months ago
The fundamental difference between the two parties is the PLP color is gold and the FNM color is red. Everything else remains the same!
bahamianson 3 years, 2 months ago
Where arw the pictures and videos on Nygard and any FNM's?
John 3 years, 2 months ago
You have to wonder who master The Tribune is bowing to when it comes to its reporting on the Peter Nygard legal woes and the PLPS relationship with him. There has never been so much bias, lopsided reporting opinion swaying efforts and even yellow journalism in recent times in The Tribune. Sir Ettine Depuch must be sure spinning in his grave like me a ligum vitae top. O one in the PLP, or anyone Bahamian has been accused of being complicit in Nygard’s alleged sex crimes. And whilst some of his staff have been alleged to have facilitated these alleged crimes, none has been named or identified. The Tribune conviently publishes what it wants to broadcast about the saga then conveniently blocks comment on its story. Are these legal matters before any Bahamian court of law, or is the Tribune’s way of ensuring that only its version of the news stories on Peter Nygard reaches the Bahamian people? The standard set for Tge Tribune by Sir Ettine and upheld by his daughter has been breached and the quality of the journal is visibly eroding.
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 2 months ago
I'm just happy that slimey, disgusting sack of garbage nygard is finally getting what he deserves...
Good to see scum like him being made to pay for their crimes...
tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago
Amazing though how it always takes the governments of other nations to deliver justice to well known criminals who have time and time again broken so many of our own country's laws with complete impunity. And we, the Bahamian people, can be rest assured neither Christie nor Minnis will ever be called on to account for their very close ties to Nygard.
moncurcool 3 years, 2 months ago
Name the FNMs and pull out the videos of the cozy relationship they had with Nygard like the PLP and I am sure it would be blasted all over the Tribune.
It is hard to blame people for simply reporting the facts.
John 3 years, 2 months ago
Nygard may have been the lesser of two evils. The New York Times in its expose revealed that ALL of the allegations (unsubstantiated or proven) against Nygard leads back to one person or one set of people. That’s why they are spending millions to ensure that salacious details get in the press all around the world. So public opinion against the accused is so swayed he can never get a fair trial. Unless he is able to go at each accuser and reveal their motives and or false accusations. Then if he prevails go after the big fish and get compensated. Unfortunately, time is not on his side
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 2 months ago
Actually its around 80 women. You have a link to this expose? Or is this another Facebook conspiracy theory?
Islangal1 3 years, 2 months ago
Both Political parties have had a relationship with Nygard, however, tapes are circulating with just Perry and Davis's name has been called in the lawsuit in America, so why is he still in leadership.
In terms of a new party, the PLP is far from it, regardless of the FNM's failure in the past few years it's nothing compared to the bias and cronyism of the PLP, trust me I've worked many elections with both side and the FNM looks like a baby playing with lollipop compared the PLP! The old guards need to make room for the new guard, the old politicians have lost touch with the current generation we see it every day in their actions of doing as I say not as I do. Today's voters want transparency, honesty and freedom of information. Politicians like Fred Mitchell seem to forget that they entered the arena as young men, yet they refuse to groom anyone to take over, rather they warm the seats to the HOA until death knocks at their door. I will never forget the famous last words of Bradly Roberts when asked if he will ever retire from Politicians. He said 'only death can remove me from politics.' So said so done, a few weeks after, he was gone.
The only way the country can move forward is to connect with the generation that can take it forward. My grandmother is dead, my mother who is now in her late 60s has since stopped voting because she said even with casting a vote she still has no voice. My daughters who in their 20s and now university graduates are frustrated with the process because like myself, they feel the politicians cannot identify with their plight of being young educated Bahamians.
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 2 months ago
I remember Ingraham doing alot to take Nygard down. Getting a court to order Nygard to remove all the land nygard illegally reclaimed. I do not remember anything even close to a cozy relationship between nygard and the FNM....
M0J0 3 years, 2 months ago
There is a vast difference between the two parties but there needs to be a change of the guard. Perry promised to leave and didn't so the public showed him they wanted him gone. Ingraham did the same, said if he did not win he would leave. The older men have done their part now get into mentoring younger men to take over and stop trying to compete simply for power. But one party was always for the wealthy whiles the other was for the poor.
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