The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrrolle@tribunemedia.net

FORMER West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe said she does not feel overlooked as the Free National Movement tries to select a candidate for the West Grand Bahama and Bimini by-election.

“I am not, quote unquote, being dismissed as the candidate by the party, or for that matter, anyone else,” she told The Tribune yesterday. “We have found an amazing individual whom we think will represent West Grand Bahama and Bimini very well in the form of Bishop Ricardo Grant, whom I support, and wish all the best for this campaign.”

“My support of that will be demonstrated in the coming weeks, and I do hope that the people of West Grand Bahama and Bimini would give him an opportunity to lead them as they did me in 2017.”

 Mrs Parker-Edgecombe represented West End Grand Bahama and Bimini for one term before Obie Wilchcombe, who died unexpectedly earlier this month, defeated her in 2021.

 The FNM has quickly rallied around Bishop Grant to fill Mr Wilchcombe’s old seat. Bishop Grant declined to speak yesterday, saying he wants the nomination process to run its course.

 Mrs Parker-Edgecombe said she would be politically active in the coming months and years leading to the next general election.

 “I’m not going anywhere, God’s will, and I will be here to fight another day,” she said.

 Nevertheless, she agreed that successive administrations, including the Minnis administration, have not done enough for the constituency she once represented.

 She said more jobs, youth centres, and upgrades to old infrastructure are needed.

 “I do believe that more could have been done for West Grand Bahama and Bimini,” she said. “I’ve never been afraid to say that, for so many years, we have basically been overlooked by all governments, successive governments, for the most part.”

  “I think that we could have done more. I see that we started that process. We didn’t finish. You know, elections were called early, but we were on the right track to making it happen.”