The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement’s candidate for Pineridge Welbourne Bootle is taking the campaign trail in his stride amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions as he covers areas of that constituency.

Mr Bootle - a veteran senior police official for many years in Grand Bahama – said he and “teams of fives” are out on the ground meeting and speaking with constituents.

He said most of his campaign workers are fully vaccinated.

“It is going great… and the persons we meet are excited,” he said. “I have people in groups of five going out, and we are following all the rules and guidelines.

“The majority of persons are fully vaccinated, and some others are waiting for their second shot. The ones that are not vaccinated are at headquarters assisting there and lending their support.”

Mr Bootle is no stranger to the Grand Bahama community, particularly Pineridge where he and his family have resided for several years.

He has also served some 40 years with the Royal Bahamas Police Force, reaching the rank of Superintendent.

“I am getting good responses from the community,” he stated. “I am hearing their challenges, and we have some ideas to make Pineridge better.”

The Pineridge candidate noted that criticism is inevitable but stated that some constituents were not aware of benefits available to them such as the Small Business Development Access Accelerator programme.

“Some things they did not know about what the government has put in place that can help them in getting their business started and their license. It is all about trying to empower those youths and provide them with ease of doing business through what government has put in place,” he said.

Mr Bootle said it is always easier to criticise the government, but people must keep in mind the two major crises that impacted the island.

“Bearing in mind we had Dorian, and COVID-19, there are some things government put in place to benefit residents and those are the things we should be looking at,” he explained.

On the campaign trail, the former law enforcement official said the excitement of Bahamians for an election has not changed, despite COVID-19 and the restrictions in place.

“Some people are very excited, and they want to do things the same old way, and we have to tell them because of COVID we cannot do certain things because of the restrictions in place,” he said.

This is Mr Bootle’s first time in frontline politics. He said feedback from constituents is something he values, as well as serving the community.

“It is going well at the moment,” he said. “I want to be a different politician in terms of working with the community, and I want to commit myself to that because if I was not serious, I would not do it – serving the community.”

Through his experience and knowledge in law enforcement, Mr Bootle has some “crime plans” he intends to introduce to the area. “Neighbourhood Crime Watch is one of the things I support, and there are some more plans I have in mind for areas throughout PR,” he said.

He noted that he was fighting an extensive constituency, from Hawksbill to Heritage, and Hudson Estates and Back of Town. “We have all these different areas with different needs and concerns that we are trying to see how best we can address those needs,” he said.

“There are lots of persons who only want to talk to make them feel a part of what it is we are doing – building this country and community. And that is something I want to do; I don’t have all the answers, but I am willing to listen to what it is they want to see happening here in PR,” Mr Bootle said.