The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

WHILE the upcoming by-election will see three candidates contesting the North Abaco seat, the road to nomination was a bit bumpy for one of them.

Ali McIntosh, the self-styled “servant-leader” of the Bahamas Constitution Party (BCP) was yesterday forced to canvas the Cooper’s Town Administrative Complex and its surroundings to secure a signature after officials checked the voters register but could not find one of those who nominated her.

After failing to lock down the needed signature at the complex, Ms McIntosh was forced to drive to a nearby relative’s home, where she found an endorser.

Persons seeking nomination are required to submit the signatures of at least five persons eligible to vote.

Ms McIntosh said: “The challenge was that there was a name that was signed as one of my subscribers that was not on the register. That is a lesson in finding the minimum and I think from here on in people should take that into consideration and put at least seven or eight persons on the nomination sheet as subscribers.”

Despite that “minor set-back” Ms McIntosh said, she is sure that the people of North Abaco will choose her as their next representative.

“I am confident,” she said, “that the people of North Abaco will continue to listen to my message and that they will make a good choice. I believe that although we have the PLP and FNM and they are giant political parties, newer parties and newer institutions can bring something better to the political table.

“In fact when we talk about transformational leadership, it means that new institutions have to be created into society, brought forward, so when people see new institutions and what they represent, that is how we’re going to turn around this society.

“That is why it is important that the Bahamas Constitution Party is in this election, so that people hear what we are offering.”

She added that her leadership will inspire constituents to do what they have never done before.

Meanwhile, Cay Mills, an independent candidate, backed out of the race.

Mr Mills, just one hour and 20 minutes before nomination was slated to end, told the media that he was still undecided and was “waiting for his passion to resurface”.

Candidates could nominate between 9am and noon.

Mr Mills said: “What kind of deterred me was that everybody was talking about, ‘This a buy election Cay – bring money.’ I said what about integrity? ‘Integrity don’t put money on the table’.

“So as a constituency and as a people, then we don’t have any integrity.”