The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement officials in support of Dr Hubert Minnis’s leadership are uniting in a bid to unravel any remaining strong ties connected to the “old guard” of the party, insiders told The Tribune's The Big T Friday.

This revelation, they said, is evident with the election of Darron Cash on Thursday night as the party’s Chairman who defeated former FNM cabinet minister Dion Foulkes. While it is said that results of internal party elections are usually not released, The Big T understands that unofficial results say Cash received 115 votes. Only 61 were in favour of Foulkes.

Of former Parliamentary Secretary Brensil Rolle, who secured the party’s deputy leader post, the insiders claim the council was impressed with his work done during the North Abaco campaign although the FNM were not successful in winning the seat. Rolle ran against former State Minister Phenton Neymour.

The insiders went on to say that the FNM has at this point embraced Dr Minnis’ leadership and are supporting the new vision that he has set for the party. Dr Minnis told supporters weeks ago that the era of former leader and Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham had ended.

Speaking through a press statement on the Chairmanship, Cash said his successful election proves that the FNM’s central council sought to re-energise the party.

He said: “As I petitioned Central Council members for their support, they were unequivocal in their message to me; they continue to believe in their party, they supported the party leader and they wanted to elect a National Chairman who shared their views and who would be committed to working with the leader and the rest of the team to strengthen and re-energise our party.

“On Thursday evening they turned out in large numbers from all across the country to make their positions crystal clear and to issue their marching orders. I say to them ‘message received, loud and clear.’

“As of today, with our marching orders in hand, the officers of the party will continue forward on our journey to win in 2017, if not before.”

Mr Cash assumed the acting Deputy Chairmanship after the death of then Chairman Charles Maynard in August.