The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

SENATOR Dr Duane Sands yesterday said “desperate people do desperate things” as he denied rumours that he was suspending his campaign to become deputy leader of the Free National Movement.

Dr Sands told The Tribune he won’t engage in a “smear campaign with the other side” who find it necessary to spread misinformation “in order to win a campaign” they can’t win by focusing on the issues.

His comments came in response to a rumour posted on Facebook that claimed he was suspending his campaign because he could not gain the support of FNM delegates.

While Dr Sands refused to say who he believed started the rumour, he said it “has to be someone who is clearly scared of what I have to say and offer.”

“It is nothing but a smear campaign. I have a big smile on my face because obviously desperation has set in and these people find it necessary to spread misinformation in order to win a campaign they can not win otherwise,” Dr Sands said.

“I will not be distracted. I will stay focused and talk to the delegates. So far Mrs Butler-Turner and I are quite pleased with the response we are getting from the delegates. I suspect as we get closer and closer to the convention more and more of this type of gutter politics will come up but I won’t engage in it. I hope the Bahamian people realise that this is just a ploy and know we will stay focused.”

Last month, Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner and Dr Sands announced their intention to run as a team in a leadership race against Killarney MP Dr Hubert Minnis and East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest at the FNM’s convention at the end this month.

The pair ran for the same positions in 2014 and lost to the current leadership duo, though they did not run as a team on that occasion.

This time around, Dr Sands said it “feels different” and he is “more confident” going into this convention than he was two years ago.

“I think we have a really good chance,” Dr Sands said.

“Something feels different, it is a different mood. We are focusing on the almost 410 delegates. While we understand the importance of letting everyone know what our plans are, we have to get the delegates to understand why we are the best team. We are focused on getting the FNM together and then getting our country together.”

Mrs Butler-Turner and Dr Sands are hosting a meet and greet Tuesday night at S C McPherson Jr High at 6.30pm.

At that time he said the pair will unveil their “plans to ignite, unify, restore and defeat” the Progressive Liberal Party in 2017 general election.

The FNM’s convention is scheduled for July 27-29.