The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

ONE hundred and one people have nominated for party officer positions at the Free National Movement’s upcoming convention.

The virtual event will be headlined by the deputy leader race, featuring parliamentarians Adrian White and Shanendon Cartwright, as well as the chairmanship race, featuring former parliamentarians Elsworth Johnson, Dr Duane Sands and Michael Foulkes.

Sources close to FNM leader Michael Pintard told The Tribune he has avoided lobbying in private for a favourite in the two main races, preferring to let the process play out without his influence.

Incumbent Secretary General Serfent Rolle, Treasurer Dwight Sawyer and Chaplain Gregory Minnis, Sr, are the only people nominated for those positions. Other posts available, featuring multiple candidates, include deputy chairman, vice chairman, deputy secretary general, assistant secretary general, deputy treasurer, assistant treasurer, assistant chaplain, trustee, sergeant at arms, deputy sergeant at arms, chief protocol officer and deputy protocol officer.

The decision to hold the event virtually came after COVID-19 cases increased. The event will be held from February 23-25.

The FNM’s one-day leadership contest in November cost around $100,000. It is not clear how much the virtual event will cost, but a pre-convention press conference is expected in the coming weeks.

The FNM’s constitution requires the party to host a convention every two years, a requirement the party has routinely failed to meet.

In addition to the election of party officers, the FNM is expected to revise its constitution at the convention.

In 2019, the Progressive Liberal Party amended its constitution to significantly increase the number of delegates that could participate and vote in its national conventions.

With the change, the number of people who can vote from each constituency grew from ten to 20. The party also agreed to appoint five convention delegates for every affiliate group.

Fewer people are eligible to vote in the FNM’s convention.

Last year, Mr Pintard said: “The closer we get to the convention we’ll give you some more details, we’ll signal what will happen, but certainly that’s one of the things I’m hopeful that the convention will agree to.

“We have many outstanding senior citizens who have played an incredible role over the last 50 years in building this organisation and we believe that they ought to have a place in the Free National Movement convention, a part of our council and I believe that’s a view shared throughout our organisation. So, we fully expect to see an increase in the number of meritorious council members in the upcoming convention.”