The Tribune

By DANA SMITH dsmith@tribunemedia.net IN RESPONSE to Education Minister Desmond Bannister alleging FNM voter fraud, PLP leader Perry Christie said the claim reflects the minister's fear of losing the election. Media reports said Mr Bannister claimed the PLP is "desperate" to win North Andros and party members are even "flying persons down to North Andros" to register to vote. He said he has given the names of those involved to the parliamentary commissioner for investigation. Speaking at a press conference in the Opposition Room at the House of Assembly, Mr Christie said: "Well let me just say again that the Progressive Liberal Party does not engage in any kind of fraud or manipulation of voting rights to the electoral register. "We have challenged the parliamentary commissioner to investigate all allegations we assume Mr Bannister will advise them of." After determining that PLP North Andros candidate Dr Perry Gomez is "ahead of him in polling," Mr Bannister has resorted to "all sorts of planted information (and) innuendoes in a particular newspaper and it reflects his fear," Mr Christie claimed. "Let me just say without fear of contradiction... we will not compromise in our effort to ensure that Mr Bannister is defeated in North Andros." Mr Christie stated he will personally be with Dr Gomez "every step of the way" and will not allow Mr Bannister to succeed in the election with "all of the tricks he's trying (and) all of the misinformation he's putting in place. "The reason why I feel so personally strong about it, I actually have my father who is a Nicholls Town man and so therefore I have a vested interest in ensuring that this good man who will be running for the PLP will in fact be in parliament in the next general election and nothing Mr Bannister will do will deter us from ensuring that that takes place," he said.