The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

NOMINATIONS for the Elizabeth constituency took place yesterday at Thelma Gibson Primary School with the PLP's Ryan Pinder, the FNM's Senator Duane Sands and the DNA's Charlene Paul set to face off against each other.

The Elizabeth seat is one to watch as Mr Pinder won over Dr Sands by only two votes in the by-election two years ago.

The two candidates had words for each other yesterday after their official nomination.

Dr Sands appeared first, shortly after 9am, with a bevy of supporters dressed in red and told the press he felt an incredible sense of elation having finally submitted his official nomination.

"This is going to be our time," he said. "We believe that the Elizabeth constituency is going to start the wave for the FNM."

He said he's hoping and praying his win will be by "no fine margin" and promised to "work tirelessly" for the remainder of his campaign.

"I think they will make history when they make the incumbent the shortest serving member of Parliament in the history of the Bahamas," Dr Sands said.

His plan for Elizabeth, should he win, is to provide "real representation" - which he says they have not had under Mr Pinder.

"They have been really disappointed in the last two years since the by-election. The promises that have been made have been empty promises," Dr Sands said.

"When we look at the record of Mr Ryan Pinder, when we look at the record of the PLP, this constituency - which unfortunately has languished in the hands of the PLP for years now - has been served the worst representation that they could possibly get."

However he added that he sends his opponent "best wishes" in his campaign.

"I believe in a fair, above board, battle," Dr Sands said. "Unfortunately we've seen some activity that is less than ideal, but second chances are reasonable. We are committed to a fair campaign. We are going to continue to participate in a fair campaign. What we want to do is simply go out and meet voters and I would like to see him (Pinder) do the same."

Mr Pinder arrived second, after 9.30am, surrounded by a sea of supporters in yellow, and said he feels "very confident" in a PLP win.

Responding to Dr Sands' similar claims of confidence, he said: "I expect him to be falsely confident but certainly the demonstration that I showed today shows who has the support in the community.

"We were 150 strong and a 50-car motorcade. The community is behind what we're doing to build a better community and I have the utmost confidence that I'll win and I'll win by a very, very, very large margin."

In his campaign leading up to the election, Mr Pinder said he's going to continue the strategy he's been following for the past six months - meeting constituents.

"Seven days a week we go and we meet with the people. I don't ask people to come meet with me, I go meet with them," he said. "You have to go and listen to the people and listen to their concerns so you can react to their concerns.

"That's what we've been doing for the last six months. That's what we will continue to do for the next three weeks. We believe that is the path to victory, we believe that we will win, and we're going to do it like my father taught me: on the ground, confident, and listening to the people."

The DNA's Charlene Paul was third to arrive, flanked by a modest, yet encouraging crew in green.

"I feel excellent, excited, and very much anticipating the race that is ahead of us," she said. "The change Charlene Paul will bring to the constituency of Elizabeth is real, on time, all year round, representation.

"A voice of the people in the House of Parliament. A voice to present the real issues and concerns of the residents of Elizabeth."

When asked if she felt threatened by the FNM and PLP candidates and their large shows of support, Ms Paul said: "Absolutely not. I believe that the Bahamian population is ready for real change.

"I believe we have a group of Bahamians who are ready to embrace a party that is prepared to make the hard decisions; to do those absolutely necessary things that the other two parties have proven over the past 20 years, they're not prepared to deal with."

She added: "It's on, and may the best man win - and sometimes, the best man is a woman."