The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

IRAM Lewis, the Free National Movement’s (FNM) general election candidate for Central Grand Bahama, said yesterday that he has never had anything fall into his lap and is ready for the challenge to win and retain one of the party’s longest held seats on the island.

The seat has been a stronghold for the FNM for the past 24 years, initially as the Lucaya constituency and changed to Central Grand Bahama in 2011, following alterations by the Boundaries Commission.

Neko Grant, MP for Central Grand Bahama, one of the longest serving FNM MPs, announced in August that he would not seek re-nomination and criticised the state of the party under the leadership of Dr Hubert Minnis.

Mr Lewis, who was ratified as the FNM’s standard-bearer for Central Grand Bahama on December 14, reached out to Mr Grant, whom he highly respects.

During an exclusive interview with The Tribune on Thursday, he said: “Mr Grant has done a great job and kept Lucaya and Central Bahama in the FNM for some 24 years; he and his team did a good job and you must recognise and respect and honour that. There is no denying that he did a good job.”

Mr Lewis tried getting in touch with Mr Grant prior to the Christmas holiday, but learned that he was on vacation.

“I sent him a text extending Christmas greetings,” he said. “I reached out to him and indicated that I would like to have a word with him when returns, and I see no reason why he would not sit and talk to me. I want to show my gratitude and honour to him.”

Coming from the small settlement community of Waters Cay, Mr Lewis said he has always had to work much harder than the rest to be the best - in obtaining his education, as an international track athlete, as a businessman and now as a political candidate.

Although it is thought that Central Grand Bahama is a sure seat for the FNM, Mr Lewis is not taking that approach. “We are not going to accept that ‘easy seat’ approach,” he said. Mr Lewis has already started meeting key individuals to assemble his campaign team.

“Unofficially, I have gone out meeting some key individuals putting a campaign team together, and so far it is going good. Of course, there is going to be some resistance here and there, but so far from what I have seen I am very encouraged,” he said.

Mr Lewis added that teamwork and hard work are important ingredients to his success.

“I have never had anything fall in my lap. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I had to work for everything (I have). I am used to working all my life - when I went to Freeport High, the College of the Bahamas, and Tuskegee University, I had to work; when I went to the Olympic Games I had to work to make the team. So, hearing people say it is a sure seat, I don’t buy that; hearing people say it is an easy seat to win, I don’t want to buy that.

“The seat is in the hands of the FNM and so we should not become complacent and give other party the upper hand. We have to work as if our lives depend on it. We are going to be fighting to keep what we have.”

Mr Lewis, 51, is one of 11 siblings. He is the son of the late Baptist Pastor Iram Lewis, of Waters Cay, Grand Bahama.

When asked his reason for entering politics, he said that he felt it was time for him to stop standing the sidelines. “For many years, I was of the opinion that someone else should do it. You always hear that politics is a dirty game … but after returning home to Grand Bahama now over three years and based on what I see now Freeport is not what it used to be as I remember growing up as a child. And so I decided to step in and see what I can do to make a difference in a very good way,” he said.

Mr Lewis is excited and humbled by the fact that he received the nomination over other qualified contenders, beating retired senior police Superintendent Welbourne Bootle, who has been a loyal campaign member on Mr Grant’s team.

Although Mr Lewis has never served on Mr Grant’s campaign team, he has served on those of former Lucaya MP Kenneth Russell on two occasions, and former FNM Deputy Leader Brent Symonette.

When asked whether he was promised the nomination for Central Grand Bahama, Mr Lewis said that was not the case.

“I’m not aware that both of us were promised it. I was told that based on the interview several names were sent into Nassau for consideration by the Central Council and my name was included.

“The day prior to ratification I was asked to come to Nassau and to be prepared because no final decision was made until after council meeting that night. Mr Bootle and I were the final two and we needed to be in a position to accept and give a brief speech at the rally. My name was called and we greeted each other afterwards and we made a commitment that no matter who was selected, we work together as a unit.”

Mr Lewis said that Mr Bootle told him that he stands by his word.

“I invited him on stage with me because it is not about me, it is about the team. He was gracious and came on stage with me to show that there is no division or spilt and we will continue to work to ensure that Central Grand Bahama stays with the FNM,” he said.