The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard has said that the opposition party is “far stronger” under his watch.

While appearing as a guest on the radio programme, “Darold Miller Live”, the Marco City MP reflected on the challenges the FNM had post election.

The party was swept out of office in a landslide election, only capturing seven seats in the House of Assembly while the Progressive Liberal Party won 32 seats.

Killarney MP and former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis resigned as party leader shortly after the party’s devastating loss. Since the election, observers have said the FNM has a lot of rebuilding to do as the party appeared to be internally fractured.

Mr Pintard spoke about his leadership when host Darold Miller asked if the party were weaker or stronger with him at the helm.

Mr Pintard answered: “Well certainly under my leadership, we are far stronger. We went through a very difficult time, Darold, after the last general election. I think a lot of Free National Movement supporters were tremendously hurt. Well quite a few of them, thousands of them, made a determination that they were not going to the polls.

“So there’s a simple history that we refer to in Bahamian politics on how supporters of various political organisations behave when they are dissatisfied with their organisation. For the Progressive Liberal Party, when they are in power, and their support is disconnected or disillusioned, a percentage of that organisation supports the Free National Movement.

He added: “These are not the swing vote. These are core supporters of the Progressive Liberal Party. Whenever they become disillusioned with their organisation, a percentage of them, some say three to four percent of them, they support the Free National Movement. And the Free National Movement supporters, however, when they have challenges with their administration, where we empower, traditionally stay at home. So we believe that that was one of the contributing factors to our defeat.”

Similar sentiments regarding persons not showing up at the polls were shared by Shango Woodside - the FNM national trustee in Grand Bahama. Back in September 2021, he said he believed Dr Minnis fell out of touch with members of the party leading many of them not to show up at the polls to vote.

Meanwhile, Mr Pintard expressed disappointment in not sitting the usual five-year term in office when he was asked if Dr Minnis made a mistake in calling an early election.

“Let me put it to you this way. I ran in order to serve the people of Marco City for five years and I’m disappointed I did not have that opportunity to do so. That was the contract I entered into and I believe that most members of Parliament if you put in the Free National Movement, if you were to interview them individually signed up for a full five-year run that no matter what the challenges were ahead at the end of the day we signed up to be soldiers to manage those challenges ahead,” he said yesterday.

“But let me say this we believe in the Free National Movement we have a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with those persons who have supported us for decades and to return to the core principles that governed us as well as cast a new vision for what this country can be under new leadership.”

Mr Pintard believes the party still has a large base.

“We believe that we have a larger base nationally, given if you were to examine the total numbers over the last five general elections … but we believe we have the largest base that if we want to get our base out to vote, that’s before we get to the swing voters, which we believe is a growing number,” Mr Pintard explained.

“There’s a growing number of Bahamians, who are not diehard FNM or PLP, they will vote based on whether they believe one or the other organisation can help them achieve their goals and aspirations for themselves and their children. Which is why I believe political organisations ought to be very sensitive, certainly, you are to cater to your base, but you should not do so at the exclusion of letting all Bahamians know that you will act in their interests.

“So a part of what myself and Shanendon Cartwright, our leadership team in the House and also Duane Sands and the team, a part of our focus is to construct an inclusive message that will embrace the affairs and the issues that impact all Bahamians.”