‘PEOPLE WANTED MONEY FOR VOTE’: FNM coordinator says residents wanted cash just to turn up

As of Friday, November 24, 2023

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

AS polling wound down in the West Grand Bahama and Bimini constituency on Wednesday, David Wallace, the former Free National Movement MP for the area and coordinator of the party’s campaign, hoped a last-minute influx of FNM supporters would rescue the party’s chances, knowing a high turnout was critical to the party’s success.

Instead, he claimed yesterday, people who said they would vote for the FNM began requesting money just to turn up.

“People were calling you and saying, ‘I’m not coming to vote until somebody come and touch me,’” he said. “I said ‘touch you?’ I went to see a young lady and she said to me straight and plain, their position was, if they want my vote, this is what I want.

“I was working one polling division, Jones Town, and I got a call, one fella say he got 25 fellas together and they all got their voter’s card and they ain’ voting till somebody touch me. It was something like, it was breeding on its own or festering. One person said it, then the next person said it, and I said to myself, no man, you got to vote on principle.”

Vote-buying claims have coloured Bahamian elections for years, but are difficult to prove.

In assessing what went wrong for the FNM, Mr Wallace claimed the Progressive Liberal Party had the funding advantage and unsparingly mobilised government resources to attract voters. He believes it should be unlawful for the government to issue contracts, give people jobs or sign major agreements close to an election.

He criticised Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander for “riding with the leader of the PLP on the day of the election”, suggesting such actions could intimidate voters.

“Why wasn’t the commissioner of police being escorted by his own policeman in his own police car?” he asked. “Why was he riding with the prime minister?

“I’ve never seen it. Former Prime Minister Ingraham came to Grand Bahama for the rally on Sunday. He said ‘Mr Wallace, I want to ride in the constituency to see where everybody is.’ He said he needed a car. I gave him my car. He said, ‘my policeman could follow me, but I’m not riding in no police car to campaign.’”

Mr Ingraham criticised the PLP’s use of uniformed officers during a rally on Sunday.

“For uniformed police officers to be accompanying the head of the government campaigning at night with police lights blazing, that ain’t right,” he said. “It is undemocratic. They know better than that, the police know better than that, so stop it!”

Mr Wallace said he knew before polls closed that the FNM would lose because it was a low turnout election, with 62 per cent of registered voters voting.

“Traditionally, the PLP will vote,” he said. “PLPs, even if they are angry, will vote. All that mob you hear after the confirmation of Kingsley Smith and those people were supporting Shane saying I ain supporting the PLP and Brave got to go, man, one trip to Nassau and couple promises and they come out shouting Brave is the best thing.”

“The FNM on the other hand, when they are angry, they just don’t come out. That has been the trend of politics in The Bahamas.”

While some will assess the election results for what it means about the popularity of the PLP and FNM two and a half years away from the next general election, Mr Wallace noted that the constituency is a PLP stronghold that has gone to the FNM only twice since 1972, both during wave elections.

stillwaters 5 months ago

Whole nation of beggars and thieves......that's what we have been brought to.

One 5 months ago

The people behave in the way they're generally treated. Our government goes around the world begging. They sell the country to tourists and foreigners to create servant-type jobs. A job where we must feel grateful for the tourist who allows us to serve them and hope they give us a tip. We need an industry that creates jobs which promote competence, confidence and self-respect

stillwaters 5 months ago

Agreed

ThisIsOurs 5 months ago

Yup. Beggars and thieves is correct. I hear people talking about going to a republic and local govt, exactly what will change when the same people have to vote and begging fir money to vote for the local govt representative and you have political forces with access to our resources willing to accomodate them? The mindset has to change first and that involves teaching children what character and ethics are. These greedy men and women just looking for Nygard and Sam to give them money and een realize that they paying a huge price to get it

One 5 months ago

True. However, children are taught to have blind faith and obey authority. Children should be taught to see the world for what it is and to stand up for what is right regardless of authority or laws which don't serve the best interest of the people.

sheeprunner12 5 months ago

This is a serious indictment on our democracy .............. the PLP government shamelessly paraded the organs of the State during the by-election as if they were PLP pawns. Ingraham & Wallace are very right about the abuse of the State by the Davis government.

On the other hand, if Wallace is correct that FNM supporters are not voting unless they are given "gifts", this will be a disaster for that party (given the several factions). PLP supporters expect to be "taken care of" by their bagmen, but the FNM has been seen as the party of higher morals/ethics. This shift in the mentality of so-called FNM supporters who are looking for handouts is muddying the political waters.

One 5 months ago

What democracy? We have a merry-go-round of political elite oligarchs. Democracy is about the people having power. Our government has too much power over the people and they abuse it. They hand out the people's money to family and friends. They give a small percentage back to the people to buy their support. Our country is a joke, we need someone who respects the people.

sheeprunner12 5 months ago

My apologies ....... Correction, the PM has too much power over the people.

He is a glorified non-elected dictator based on Pindling's 1973 Constitution.

We elect MPs, then they do as they wish to abuse us in Parliament.

TalRussell 5 months ago

Comrades, explain how two families take 'Sovereign possession' of a Colony's Out Island? --- Comrades'. --- 'Tisn't from 1955 and beyond.--- Not been a more serious indictment of the staging of 'free' local elections. ---- Whilst an Out Islands popoulaces' were 'Willed-off' via the inherited controlling interests granted in/by/under the 1955 Hawksbill Creek Agreement.--- "God Save the King" to come to the rescue of Freeport.---Yes?

birdiestrachan 5 months ago

Fnms wanted money to vote PLP s did not so what does that say about them Wallace papa changed the redundancy from 20 years to 12 Who does this benefit. Does Wallace and the Fnm followers know

thomas 5 months ago

It's a sign of hopelessness. The only thing that this government will give is payment for a vote.

ExposedU2C 5 months ago

Democracy in our country died decades ago when SLOP (Poodling) decided to use the public education system to dumb-down future generations of voters and at the same time do little to protect our nation from being invaded (taken over) by an ongoing influx of illegal Haitian and other aliens.

This has resulted in the grandparents of Bahamians having lived much better lives than their children and grandchildren, with no hope insight for all future generations of Bahamians. Already our country has no affordable and habitable land for Bahamians to purchase and live on.

Unchecked corruption by the elitist political ruling class has finally taken its ultimate toll by leaving us with elections that are farcical in terms of the quality of candidates and the "fixing" through purchased votes. And this most crooked Davis-led PLP government is truly emblematic of our failed democracy.

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