Opposition forces are gearing up for the political season which they believe will be in high gear following the November conventions of the governing Progressive Liberal Party and the Free National Movement.
The Bahamas Democratic Movement, a small third party that was unsuccessful in its bid to win some of the seats in the 2002 general election, hopes to be able to run a full slate of candidates.
Meantime, Chairman of the PLP Raynard Rigby said yesterday his party remains confident that it will again be returned to office with Prime Minister Perry Christie sailing into his second term in office.
He claimed the PLP is wrapping up pivotal preparation for the elections, which include identifying standard bearers in constituencies where there is no PLP representation and fine-tuning the party’s vision for The Bahamas.
“All indications suggest that we are 75 percent complete through the critical preparation in the run-up to any general election,” Mr. Rigby said.
He said the party plans to unveil some “fresh, new faces” in a bid to attract younger voters.
Mr. Rigby added: “We are going to put forth a unified party. We are confident in our record and the ability to win overwhelmingly.”
In the Free National Movement camp, persons who want to run on the party’s ticket are working to build up a strong following, according to FNM Chairman Carl Bethel.
“The first hurdle is to get a base of support in the constituency so that you can command the support of the association in terms of securing a nomination,” he said. “Then the second hurdle comes once you obtain the nomination to seek to obtain the support of the electorate.
“There are a number of new, potential FNM candidates who are out there in the field in different constituencies seeking to obtain support in the constituency association.”
Mr. Bethel believes that voters will be pleasantly surprised with the wide range of new candidates it plans to run during the next general election.
But other parties are reportedly also swinging into high gear.
On Monday night, the BDM officially launched Campaign 2007.
“We believe that it is time now to show the Bahamian people that we can put up a solid team that can form the next government,” BDM Leader Cassius Stuart said.
“-Our challenge in the BDM is to put together a solid dynamic team of leaders that can bring our vision forth and bring what we have been preaching all of these years to secure the future of the next generation.”
The party is presently working to match candidates with constituencies and campaign managers, according to Mr. Stuart, who said the BDM is also working to branch out beyond the capital.
But Leader of the People’s Labour Movement, trade unionist Obie Ferguson admitted that his party has lost its steam.
“We are not really operational at this point,” he said in an interview with the Bahama Journal.
Mr. Ferguson added that in the upcoming election, the dream of a workers’ party “doesn’t appear as though it will become a reality.”
The Bahama Journal was unable to contact CDR Leader Dr Bernard Nottage yesterday, but he previously said that his team of professionals was steadfastly working toward forming the next Government of The Bahamas.
Several weeks ago, he said the party had not ruled out teaming up with another political organization.
By: Tosheena Robinson-Blair, The Bahama Journal
