The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Digital Editor

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

PLP chairman and Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell said he does not expect to campaign again for the party’s chairmanship as he signalled he has “one campaign left” focused on reelection in Fox Hill.

The comments come as both major political parties buckle down on pre-election planning, with uncertainty whether the Progressive Liberal Party will hold a full-fledged convention ahead of the next general election and the Free National Movement looking to set a date for their non-voting convention.

“I don’t expect to campaign for chairman of the PLP again,” Mr Mitchell told The Tribune. “The only reason I’m not saying it definitively is because you never say never in politics, you don’t know what’s going to happen in this life. But chances are not.”

Facing a contested race for chairmanship in 2023, and with the public edorsement of Prime Minister Philip Davis, Mr Mitchell described his bid as likely the “penultimate” campaign of his political career.

Among his challengers at that convention was then-PLP deputy chair Robyn Lynes, who appeared before the party’s candidates committee this week as she seeks a nomination ahead of the general election.

Yesterday, Mr Mitchell said: “I believe I have one campaign left, and that is the campaign to be re-elected in Fox Hill.”

Asked whether the PLP would host a convention before the election, Mr Mitchell said he could not say.

“I don’t know the answer to that. I can’t speculate one way or the other, I don’t know the answer,” he said.

The Tribune understands that the party is considering holding a convention in February.

However, PLP deputy national coordinator for the election Valentine Grimes said while he supports the idea of ‘bringing the troops together’ before the election, he is not convinced that a full convention involving internal elections is required.

"I'm not 100 per cent sold on that particular issue yet, but ultimately if the council decides then it is the responsibility of the trustees to oversee the running of those elections,” Mr Grimes said.

“The problem is that sometimes elections can be so divisive and the question is, is there a necessity to have that type of situation just before a general election? I would hate to see us go into a convention that would be counterproductive.

"The internal fight is sometimes more vicious than the external fight," he said.

Mr Grimes added that the party believes the Davis administration has performed strongly and is deserving of a second term, while acknowledging that victory is not guaranteed.

"Of all the recent leaders, I believe that [Mr Davis] stands the best chance of having a second term and we are reasonably confident of victory,” he said.

“We understand it wont be easy. In the words of a former athlete, ‘we have to run through the tape’. No matter how well it looks.”

As for the Free National Movement, party leader Michael Pintard told The Tribune the party will hold a non-voting convention as it prepares for the next general election.

“Yes, but not a voting convention,” Mr Pintard said. “We are looking to have a business convention. I can’t comment on dates yet, there is a committee is meeting on that.”

For his part, FNM chairman Duane Sands said the proposed convention would address internal party matters, including potential constitutional adjustments and recognition of members of the party’s meritorious and advisory council.

He said the FNM remains focused on election readiness despite uncertainty over when Prime Minister Philip Davis will ring the bell.

"It gives us an opportunity to showcase the vision of our leader and his team. There is no question of the value or need for convention but in the setting where you have no idea when an election is going to be held and the appearance that an election is imminent, it's a rock-paper-scissors thing, and you have to be ready. The FNM is ready but you can always be readier.

Dr Sands said: "Let him ring the bell. Let him fool around and find out. The public is not on Philip Davis run right now, all of the posturing and pretty PR gimmicks. We realize that we need to continue to build on any incremental growth and support that we have, and we intend to continue to do that constituency-by-constituency. It's a ground game."