The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

HOUSING Minister Keith Bell proudly said he would re-elect Fred Mitchell to the position of party chairman as the first day of the PLP’s 55th National Convention began.

Mr Bell, in a brief interview with the press at the Baha Mar convention centre yesterday morning, said Mr Mitchell had his full support in the vote for party chairman.

“I’m voting for Fred. He’s lived up to all of our expectations and I think at this stage we want to ensure that there is continuity for all our efforts and I think that he’s the best person for it,” Minister Bell said.

Mr Mitchell is facing a challenge from deputy chair Robin Lynes.

Mr Mitchell, in a separate interview at the convention, said he had high hopes he would be re-elected.

“I’m not one to predict results,” Mr Mitchell said. “The results will be what they are. I think the work has been done to the satisfaction of delegates.

“I certainly expect 50 percent, plus one and I think it’s gonna be much more than that, but I don’t want to get over-confident with this stuff.”

The winner of the election for party chairman will be announced on Friday night. The positions of party leader and deputy leader, held by the current Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister respectively, went uncontested at this convention.

When asked on his choice for party chairman, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe declined to comment. Instead he focused on the theme of this year’s convention, which was “Building on Progress. Driving Change.”

“The decision is the decision of the party.” Minister Munroe said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment on it so I don’t intend to comment on it and the will of the people will be heard tomorrow when we vote.

“The theme of the convention speaks for itself, we are talking about building on what we have. And so we will hear from all of the speakers as to that. I know that I will be speaking tomorrow about security and the Bahamian people should wait to hear that. I don’t hear in advance what my colleagues have to say, but I know where we’ve come from, I know that we’re building on that and that is what we will show the Bahamian people.”

Mr Munroe said the country was eager for another PLP convention since the last one was held in 2019 amidst an electric crowd of supporters packing the convention centre.

“You can see it’s exciting. You can see that people have been wanting and waiting on one. And it’s good to have one. We are having some informative sessions. When the night session comes it will be interesting to hear the addresses and the Bahamian people should listen up to what’s in store for them.”

While he preferred not to comment on his vote for chairman, Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting called the convention an opportunity for PLP party unity.

“This convention people are excited. We’ve got persons coming from the Family Islands, all through New Providence, Grand Bahama get together and speak about our party as we continue to govern. So it’s something that we look forward to coming together and speak about our party and how we continue to develop and move forward in a progressive way,” Minister Sweeting said.

Throughout different panels in the morning and afternoon session several sitting members of parliament discussed strategies to improve the lives of their constituents and rally support ahead of the next general election in 2026.

During the last PLP convention in 2019, the party amended its constitution to significantly increase the number of delegates that could participate and vote in its national convention.

However, a proposal in that same convention to host conventions every two years rather than every year was shut down.