By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
A FORMER Democratic National Alliance candidate believes that opposition political parties must put aside their egos for the greater good of the country if they wish to defeat the governing PLP in the next general election.
The statement by Rodney Moncur, the former DNA candidate for Bain and Grants Town, follows on the heels of the Free National Movement’s convention when Dr Hubert Minnis was re-elected leader of the party over former Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner.
Mr Moncur recently left the DNA to join the FNM.
Now that the hotly contested race is over, party officials have called on FNMs to be unified.
Mr Moncur, who was present at Friday’s convention, told The Tribune yesterday that the country “needs a united opposition force.
“I don’t believe the PLP can be defeated unless the FNM strongly reconsiders the DNA and Branville McCartney factor,” he said.
“I’m excited to join the FNM at a point in time where a new generation of leaders have been chosen. I hope I’ll be able to play my role within the party,” said Mr Moncur, who added that “unity” was his reason behind joining the FNM.
In May of this year, then FNM Deputy Chairman Dr Duane Sands told The Tribune his party needs to reach out to DNA supporters, whom he believes are former FNMs.
Mr Moncur said yesterday that he, Roscoe Thompson and Nicholas Jacques, DNA candidates for South Abaco and Englerston respectively, have decided to rejoin the FNM.
He said others from the DNA were likely to do so in the near future.
While he declined to elaborate further on what prompted his departure from the third party, he emphasised that “now is the time for emotionalism and egos to be set aside on both sides and for core strong principles to become the guiding light for every member of this united opposition”.
“The DNA can put up a fight and they did so in the last general election,” he added.
“The DNA lost. Branville McCartney who had won the Bamboo Town seat under the FNM was not able to hold onto his seat and was defeated. All of us who ran with him were defeated. And though the FNM only won nine seats, they had only lost the election by a minority amount of votes.”
In the May 2012 general election, the PLP won 29 of the 38 seats in parliament while the FNM secured only nine.
Though figures released by the Parliamentary Registration Department showed the PLP received 75,806 votes while the FNM secured 65,518 votes – a difference of 10,288. The DNA, despite not securing any seats in the House of Assembly, received 13,186 votes.
The PLP later captured the North Abaco seat in a bye-election after former area MP Hubert Ingraham resigned from the position.
Comments
asiseeit 10 years ago
Only a fool would think that the PLP will loose the next election if the DNA and FNM split the anti-PLP vote. Perry and the bandits love up some Bran and the DNA. Either the FNM and DNA are goiing to come to an accord or The Bahamas is stuck with the Gold Rush (for them at least) administration. God help us!
UserOne 10 years ago
Agreed. If the DNA and FNM continue as two parties, the PLP will continue to govern and God help us.
birdiestrachan 10 years ago
How can they unite when both Bran and the Doctor would like to be kings of the Bahamas. Neither of them has any vision for this Country going forward. They are both Papa's boys and they both belong to a party, that says no Bahamians need apply. Now remember the Bahamas was down graded twice under the FNM. I must say Moncur is the very best the FNM has. Need I say more??
asiseeit 10 years ago
If you think the PLP is all about Bahamians think again. They hired foreigners to come up with their Bahamians first campaign, so what does that tell you. All political party's in this country need a good pressure washing and a healthy dose of bleach to get the stench and dirt out of their organizations. There are a few words that ALL political organizations in the Bahamas need to take to heart. ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, HONESTY, MORALS, and ETHICS. At this time I do not think any political organization understands these words!
John 10 years ago
The fact is many PLP supporters have short memory and blind vision. They cannot see the long term effects of what this government is doing to this country. Then they forget what they do know when the big truck with the big speakers drive by. So yes only a united opposition force can bring this PLP down. And if the economy grows in the next two plus years and unemployment is reduced then it will be more difficult to unseat them.
TheMadHatter 10 years ago
If the economy grows and unemployment is reduced - then why would you want to unseat them John?
Isn't that what we want them to do? Aren't they tackling the important issues of additional taxation needed to pay for free clinics and schools and pay down our debt before the IMF degrades our currency? Aren't they tackling the issue of illegal workers here taking away the few jobs that are available to Bahamians? Aren't they bringing the issue of corruption at BEC and our stupidly high power bills to light for all to see and discuss and come up with solutions? Why on Earth would you want to return the FNM to power? '
Bahamians don't really want change. When you consider the state the economy was in back in 2012 during the election, and consider that the Bahamian people did not see fit to give the DNA not even ONE seat in the House - then you know people just like to complain for complaining's sake.
I am not a supporter of the PLP or DNA - but I have seen much better out of the PLP in the past few months than I saw in the whole 15 years of FNM. I say if the DNA can't win, then we are better off keeping the PLP. At least they have some compassion and concern for the average Bahamian.
TheMadHatter
SP 10 years ago
As long as the PLP or FNM are the sole two political powers, this country will never change and certainly will not ever go anywhere.
We must establish a third and even forth parties that win seats in order to create coalition government.
Then and only then will the dynamics be in place to hold the P.M. to fire!
duppyVAT 10 years ago
Doc Minnis and Peter Turnquest need to strategize how to convince Bran to rejoin the FNM. The FNM cannot win as long as the DNA exists as a viable option to 8-10% of the electorate.. Either that or they have to attract at least 3 sitting PLP MPs to join them............ thats a real possibility right now.
Either reach out to Bran or undermine the PLP ................... their message can do both.
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