By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Satff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Free National Movement Deputy Chairman Dr Duane Sands said yesterday he has been approached by the leadership of the party to become the party’s next senator.
In an interview with The Tribune, Dr Sands said “there have been many different conversations, from many different angles” but stressed the decision ultimately lies with FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis.
His comments came one day after media reports that FNM members were agitating for Dr Sands to replace Kwasi Thompson in the Senate as Mr Thompson reportedly is “not offering himself for the next election.”
In a leaked email thread, Ft Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins urged Dr Minnis to remove Mr Thompson “to have every Senate seat occupied by individuals who will be running in the next general election.” According to the leaked emails, Long Island MP Loretta Butler Turner, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman and Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn all backed Dr Rollins’ comments.
When contacted yesterday, Dr Sands said while he is flattered to have the support of his colleagues “no decision has been made.”
“I am a team player and if it is in the interest of the leadership of the FNM to have me contribute to the party and the country in the role as senator, I am happy and willing to serve,” Dr Sands said.
“There have been conversations from different angles. However, what the outcome of these conversations will be is up to the leader. He makes the decision and we leave it up to him. I hope the leadership of the FNM is not made gun shy about a decision now that these comments have made their way into the public domain.”
Dr Sands also questioned how the emails were leaked to the press but said they prove that the FNM is able to have “objective conversations” even when they disagree.
“When things like this happen, it impacts the public’s perception of the FNM but at least the public can see that the conversation was objective,” Dr Sands said.
In the leaked email thread, Mr Chipman said the FNM was a “parked car going nowhere.” In reference to those comments, Dr Sands said Mr Chipman was speaking candidly because he assumed the conversation was “confidential”.
“When you believe your comments are confidential, you tend to use language less measured and more impassioned than if you believe you are under a spotlight,” Dr Sands said.
Dr Sands previously served as a senator in the last Ingraham administration. He ran unsuccessfully for the FNM’s deputy post at the party’s convention in 2014.
He was recently ratified as the FNM’s candidate for Elizabeth in the upcoming election, a seat he has lost twice to PLP candidate Ryan Pinder, once in the 2012 general election and in the 2010 bye-election.
Comments
birdiestrachan 8 years ago
That is the only place he has to go. The people of Elizabeth will send him home again. the man is to pompous, it must be in his DNA
ThisIsOurs 8 years ago
I've never interacted with Dr Sands, Jerome Fitzgerald, Fred Mitchell, Brave Davis or Perry Christie, out of the bunch the last person I'd describe as pompous is Dr Sands. I suspect it's easy for you to demonize him because he may be guilty of being "aloof", it's therefore not the easiest thing for people to get to know him, you can then attach any label you like to him for your own selfish manipulative motives.
Out of the group named, I've never heard Dr Sands hold back a toxic oil spill report to save his job, give a contract to his uninsured friend, take a widow's inheritance via trickery, read private emails in parliament and then say how offended he was that someone tried to block him, utter that he could no longer endure his working conditions and needed a better place to work while his constituents used outdoor toilets. Sold off every rock and cay, allowed one environmental disaster after another to go unchecked and allow his subordinates to run amuck while he basked in the glory of the camera flash.
What I have seen him do is utter some very cogent, well thought out advice on important national issues.and I've seen this from Jan 2013, the night of the gaming referendum when he "over" impressed me. "Over" impressed.
I hope I get a chance to see more of him and to discover whether he truly is a good choice for PM, not the best of the worst, but a truly good choice as I believe today.
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years ago
HE IS A POMPOUS ARROGANT SOB WHO WORSHIPS SELF AND THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR ABOVE ALL ELSE. Thankfully most Bahamians know he looks down on them and therefore would never elect him no matter which constituency. Now he wants to get into parliament through the back door as a senator. AND MINNIS IS FOOLISH ENOUGH TO TRY PAVE THE WAY FOR SANDS - must be a lodge brother thing if you know what I mean. BUT SANDS IS EQUALLY FOOLISH - you would think he would know that the stallion he hopes to ride in Bahamian politics (i.e. Minnis) is really the feckless donkey who has driven the FNM party right into the ground. Most Bahamians will not be voting in 2017 unless a reputable independent candidate of good character is running in their constituency.
ThisIsOurs 8 years ago
I'd have to see it for myself and in four years, I haven't. I've seen a man who's educated himself, who knows what hard work is, who can think on his feet and who can come up with common sense practical suggestions to heal this country. I have yet to see him pander to a crowd with political amateurishness like chasing crazy ball heads out of town.
Emac 8 years ago
I would vote for Sands any day over this wutless bunch. Say what ya like about the man, but when is opens his mouth he speaks facts and he is well informed about whatever he brings up. Bahamians are used to the loud, slick talking, jokey leaders of the pass, who are ineffective in todays society. We need a straight talking leader who will run this country like a real businessman. Not someone who shuffles and giggles when he is about to partake in some shady deal. The Bahamian people need someone to run this country other than crooked lawyers who are connected to so many colleagues and are therefore obligated to dish out favours to these people. I say bring the good doc and Loretta and we will see a vast change in this country!
sheeprunner12 8 years ago
Outside of Carl Bethel, Doc Sands would be the best person to push the FNM message in the Senate ........ for what its worth ......... that would be a good FNM line-up in terms of age/professional/class/sex/experience etc......... Bethel, Sands, Rolle and Gomez
licks2 8 years ago
Class? Girl u outta ya ever living mind? What qualifies a "person of class" to sit in the senate? Maybe that's why you thought that senator Rolle had no "right" to be in the senate aye? She is not in the "ruling class" aye?
My my. . .this 'classist" finally let it out. . .THEY CAN'T ACCEPT DOC MINNIS BECAUSE HE IS NOT IN THEIR CLASS!! HE FROM THE "OVER THE HILL" NEWLY RICH WHO WILL NNEVER BE ACCEPTED AS ONE OF THEM!!
thephoenix562 8 years ago
Speak my brother speak.!!! Hit them with the truth.
sheeprunner12 8 years ago
Class here means upper, middle, lower in terms of social background/experiences ........... not "broughtupsy"
licks2 8 years ago
That's what I thought. . .
Classists:
classist: a biased or discriminatory attitude based on distinctions made between social and economic classes.
Social belief that people from certain social or economic classes are superior to other social classes.
Child. . .MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
ThisIsOurs 8 years ago
But that's not what they said. From their clarification they mentioned all classes, so clearly the intent was not to say Dr Sands is in a certain class so that qualifies him. In fact the intent was just the opposite
licks2 8 years ago
Are you that doltish or ya just being "Bradly Robertish". . .that statement is classic classist. . .
sic: "THAT WOULD BE A GOOD FNM LINE UP IN TERMS OF AGE/PROFESSIONAL/CLASS/SEX/EXPEREINCE ETC."
Mind you. . .you can try getting around that "Freudian Slip". . . them slips shows just how you are coming across to the public. . .even though you try to hide ya real self. . .ya only lying to ya self. . .them slips are for your benefit. . .not us. . .we already know who you are! Just by listening to ya open ya big mouth. . .we have ya number bey! So take a hint. . .that person is very likely classist. . .and yall know it too!
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