The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

  Prime Minister Perry G Christie has told the Press that the North Abaco by-election to fill the seat left vacant by former prime minister and that area's former member of Parliament, Hubert A Ingraham, will be held in October. Apparently, all that is left to be done is to formally advise Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes of the vacancy in that Family Island constituency. And after this is done, Christie will then name the date that the highly anticipated contest will be held.

Both the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the Free National Movement (FNM) have a strong presence on the ground in that area, according to the Press. Christie is expected to campaign for his party's standard bearer, Renardo Curry. With the full weight of the government machinery behind his candidacy, Curry is in the enviable position of winning the by-election.

The PLP government is in the position to dangle many incentives before North Abaconians in order to get their votes. Added to this advantage is the fact that the PLP's standard bearer has worked the grounds well before most people had even heard the name Greg Gomez. For all intents and purposes, Gomez is the choice as Ingraham's successor in North Abaco. Despite the tempest in a teacup over the events surrounding Gomez's selection to run for the FNM, nothing amiss was done. In most, if not all democratic organizations, a retiring leader is given the privilege of choosing his successor. For instance, Christie was chosen by Sir Lynden Pindling to succeed him as the PLP's new leader in 1997. And we can be certain that Pindling had a hand in who would run in his stead in the 1997 South Andros by-election. Despite the many complaints circulating in the Press concerning the alleged enigma of Gomez, I will not second guess the former prime minister. Ingraham apparently feels that Gomez is the best man to retain that seat for the FNM. I said before that I don't have a dog in this political fight, but I think that Gomez needs to step up his public relations drive nationally in order to get the Bahamian public more acquainted with him. While I admit that his campaign in North Abaco is well underway, I believe he needs to become a regular fixture in the national media. I haven't heard much from him in the national media since his nomination for the FNM. Since then it seems as if he has moved to another planet. He should take full advantage of the many radio and TV talk shows in Nassau by appearing on them in order to pitch his political platform. I would also like to see more of him in The Tribune and The Nassau Guardian, the two largest newspapers in the country.

Despite North Abaco voting FNM for five consecutive general elections, I believe that Gomez will go into this by-election as the underdog candidate. The FNM has only won that seat in 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007 and in 2012 because of Ingraham. In fact, an FNM recently told me that North Abaco isn't really an FNM stronghold at all. North Abaconians only voted for Ingraham because of his outstanding representation. Had it not been for him, the PLP would be holding that seat today. What's more, it was recently explained on a radio talk show by a high ranking FNM official that the reason why Ingraham's margin of victory in May was not as impressive as Christie's is because many PLPs have migrated to North Abaco in the past 10, 15 years in search of employment opportunities. Remember, Ingraham first won that seat as a PLP.

Furthermore, despite the reports in the Press that Ingraham will campaign for Gomez, it is just not the same without him (Ingraham) running on the ticket. Without the former North Abaco representative on the ballot, the PLP obviously smells blood in the water. Is it any wonder why the PLP is so confident about winning? The PLP has also charged that no one in North Abaco knows Gomez. Conversely, Curry is nationally known. He was nicknamed ''David'' by PLP officials who predicted that he would slay the political giant, Ingraham. The PLP has further charged that Gomez recently moved back to The Bahamas after living in the United States for 10 years. Gomez obviously has his work cut out for him in making himself more fully known to the wider Bahamian public if he wants to win. Gomez can begin this PR process by becoming more visible in the media. He needs to come out in a national public forum and tell us who he is and what he intends to do in North Abaco once elected. All publicity is good if it is intelligent, of course.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport,

Grand Bahama,

September 10, 2012.