The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday that just days before Rick Fox was named as the Free National Movement’s Garden Hills candidate, the former NBA star sought a nomination from the Progressive Liberal Party — an allegation Mr Fox described as political theatre.

“Up to two or three days before he was nominated,” Mr Davis said, “he was seeking to get a nomination, seeking nomination for either Killarney or Long Island.”

The claim, if accurate, would undercut months of public criticism Mr Fox levelled at both major parties, particularly the PLP, while hinting at an independent run.

In a statement last night, Mr Fox accused the Prime Minister’s camp of engaging in “revisionist political theater” to distract from what he called serious concerns about voter registration at the Parliamentary Registration Department.

He said Mr Davis, whom he described as a friend and mentor, had previously urged him not to run as an independent and to align himself with one of the major parties, arguing that his participation in frontline politics was too important to “squander independently”.

Mr Fox said he ultimately chose the party that best aligned with his values. He insisted he “submitted an application for nomination to one party only” and “did not shop around,” adding that he was honoured to be selected to represent Garden Hills under the FNM’s “MORE FIRE” banner.

He said he would not be distracted by “noise” and declared: “Ring da bell.”

The FNM ratified Mr Fox as its Garden Hills candidate last week after months of social media posts suggesting he would enter frontline politics.

The nomination has triggered internal backlash from a few. Ricardo Rolle, a longtime Garden Hills resident and former association president, accused the party’s leadership of sidelining loyal members by backing Mr Fox while denying nominations to former MPs including Dr Hubert Minnis and Renward Wells.

Mr Rolle, who served nine years as association president under the Ingraham administration, said the decision left some supporters disillusioned.

FNM leader Michael Pintard dismissed talk of division as “absolutely untrue.”

“Our candidate for Garden Hills, along with the previous person who was vying for that area, as well as a number of the executive members, are vigilantly, diligently working together to make sure that we’re successful in that constituency,” Mr Pintard said.

He acknowledged that there may be misgivings but noted that the PLP has also faced mixed reactions over some candidate selections.