The Tribune

A BATTLE over the chairmanship of the Free National Movement is heating up with a faction in the party now openly backing the nomination of Anthony Musgrove.

The group, which issued a press statement yesterday said that Mr Musgrove, having "cut his teeth in the belly of the FNM" has now reached "political maturity" having served for the past seven years as deputy chairman and previously as deputy secretary-general.

This group wants to ensure that the FNM "continues the process of regrouping and rebuilding" by beginning to include the next generation of leaders in the hierarchy of the party - essentially sidetracking the renomination of the party's current chairman Carl Bethel.

"It is believed that Musgrove will be an asset in expanding the party's base from its traditional core of middle class supporters to now incorporate the working class, will work well to complement the programmes and policies of former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham's administration.

"The group is impressed with Musgrove's ideas to work to allow the electorate to conjure the same opinion of the FNM's connection to the Bahamas similar to how the PLP, the governing party, is viewed," the statement read.

This group is reportedly keen on Mr Musgrove being in the post to better defend the party's political agenda, which they said is the primary object of the chairman of the party.

"(We) hope that the convention will allow for the election of fresh faces and they have hinted that they intend to support younger candidates and females who offer themselves to serve during the convention."

Repeated attempts to reach Mr Bethel and Mr Musgrove for comment yesterday were unsuccessful.