What many regard as the Bahamas’ third party, the Coalition for Democratic Reform (CDR), will be absorbed into the FNM or limp on into the next election without most of its leadership, it was claimed yesterday.
Speculation is that CDR leader Charles Maynard and the party’s chairman Phenton Neymour will run as FNM candidates for the Adelaide and South Beach constituencies, respectively.
This move, some commentators said yesterday, will force “those left behind” to either take up the mantle of the CDR alone or move into the opposition party.
However, neither leader of the FNM, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, nor CDR leader Charles Maynard would confirm that either scenario is true.
“I am not in a position today to comment on what we are doing but I can say that both Mr Neymour and myself are doing something in co-operation with our party. There is nothing personal, we are moving forward with our party.
“We are scheduled to make an announcement in about two weeks. It’s a CDR announeement not a Charles Maynard, Phenton Neymour announce-ment. Whatever decision is made we are moving the whole party forward with us,” Mr Maynard said.
Nevertheless, there are those in the CDR who are very clear on whether party members will be heading wholesale into the FNM.
“For anyone to assert that the CDR has gone with Charles Maynard into the FNM is flat out false. Now the question is: can members of the CDR who want to continue find the way to continue? That is the challenge those peopIe face,” said CDR member Fayne Thompson.
“It is true that the CDR had an impact in the Iast election, that the FNM indicates that they felt it more than the PLP, but we are not concerned about who feels what, we believe in a message.
“It is false to say that the CDR has decided to join the FNM in mass or any other political organisation. Charles Maynard cannot take anyone but himself, his friends or his supporters,” said Mr Thompson.
He said there are other people in the CDR who feel the party should and can go on.
“Now the question is, is the facility there to go on? But the ideas of the CDR’ are eternal. They predate the CDR and they will postdate the CDR. The CDR needs organisation and needs to move on. If Mr Maynard and Mr Neymour want to move on that is their right. But it is also my right and the right of others to stay,” he said.
In November, former CDR leader Dr Bernard Nottage returned to his party of origin, the PLP. While the move did not create any hard feelings among CDR members, it did leave a leadership void in the minds of the public.
With their political lives being entwined for nearly eight years, Mr Maynard said that Dr Nottage’s absence feels “strange”.
“It feels strange not to be on the same team but he has to be guided in the direction his heart wants to be guided and my heart has to be guided where my heart wants to carry me. It has not created any disunity between he and I – we chat often. We just see things different politically,” he said.
Stephen Mitchell, former head of the party’s public relations, left the CDR for the PLP just before Dr Nottage went over.
He said: “Charles Maynard and Phenton Neymour are being courted by the FNM to run for the FNM. As far as them taking the CDR over with them, I don’t see that happening at all. Most of the CDRs, like ﾠmyself, although I came back before Dr Nottage, thought that we would come with Dr Nottage.
“I came over before because I just couldn’t wait anymore. It didn’t make much sense. Last election ﾺMother’ Pratt got more total votes than the CDR altogether.
“Fayne Thompson is the only one at the leadership level who wants to carry on with the CDR. Maynard and Neymour seem to be headed to the FNM,” Mr Mitchell said.
Leading up to the last general election, Mr Maynard said the CDR learnt some real lessons from the
Bahamian electorate. Since the election the CDR had been listening and talking to as many people as possible about what the party’s role should be and how best its members could serve the country.
Mr Maynard told The Tribune that the spirit of the CDR would never die and that it had changed the political culture in the country.
“The bottom line is that, to survive in politics and to make a real contribution, you have to be prepared to serve in the way the people want you to serve.
“Sometimes you have to be flexible. If we have ideas and policies we can implement in governance that can transform the country we have to decide how best that can happen.
“We could say let’s stick it – out for 30 years and see what happens, but in 30 years would our ideas be relevant? Would the country be better off for the wait?
“So all of those considerations we have to make going forward. As a result of that, all the members of our party have had the time to reflect and we have come up with a decision we are all comfortable with. In about two weeks we are going to make an announcement on what we will do,” Mr Maynard said.
By RUPERT MISSICK Jr, Chief Reporter, The Tribune
