The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THERE has been no “executive level discussion” between the Free National Movement (FNM) and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) over the potential for a coalition, according to FNM Chairman Sidney Collie.

Mr Collie made the comment at the conclusion of a series of meetings at the party’s Mackey Street headquarters on Monday night at which four more election candidates - including former Education Minister Desmond Bannister - were ratified.

“There are no negotiations, absolutely no negotiations by the leader and none by the chairman,” Mr Collie told The Tribune. “The statement has been tossed around by a lot of political groups and personalities. But as of today, there has been no communication between the FNM and the DNA about a coalition.

“While it is a great idea, the statement has always been that the FNM was interested in a coalition of all major oppositional forces in an effort to rid this country of the Progressive Liberal Party. No FNM ever used the term coalition; that is term that the press invented or Mr (Branville) McCartney invented, but, never the FNM. Our position calls for all of these forces to come together - under the banner of the FNM - and focus our energy on defeating the PLP.”

Mr Collie reiterated comments by Long Island MP Loretta Butler Turner on Sunday, suggesting that the FNM’s brand was stronger than all of the other opposition parties throughout the country.

DNA Leader Branville McCartney told The Tribune last week he had been approached “several times” by senior members within the FNM, as well as sitting FNM MPs, to join the Official Opposition.

He said while the DNA will never “fold up” and join a “sinking FNM” he proposed that the two parties “join forces and work together” to oust the PLP from government.

Earlier this month, Mr McCartney said a coalition between the FNM and DNA would “finish” the PLP. His comments came while he was a guest on the 96.9 FM radio show, ‘The Revolution’ with host Juan McCartney.

While the speculation of a merger has captivated the pubic, no clarity has been offered by any of the parties on how such an arrangement would work. When asked if the FNM should slow down its ratification process in an effort to convince other opposition forces that the party was open to talks, Mr Collie said that the FNM was a strong political organisation with a rich history - insisting that it had no need to “slow its development down for anybody.”

To date the party has ratified a total of 15 candidates for next year’s general election including Mr Bannister, who will run in Carmichael, former FNM Acting Chairman Brensil Rolle in Garden Hills, Gadville McDonald in Cat Island, San Salvador and Rum Cay and former Senator Frederick McAlpine in Pineridge.