The Tribune

THE Bahamas National Coalition Party (BNCP) held its first candidates launch on Friday at the Bahamas Public Service Officers Union (BPSU) Hall.

Eight candidates have been announced and include businessman Wesley Campbell (Englerston); former teacher Andrew Stewart (Montagu); contractor Obrien Knowles (Carmichael), businesswoman Annmarie Glinton Rolle (Seabreeze); businesswoman Lorraine Arthur (Centreville); businesswoman Denise Wilmore (Marathon); businessman Don Lockhart (Pinewood Gardens) and musician Leroy Butler (Mount Moriah).

According to a press release, the BNCP was formally the Bahamas National Citizen Coalition (BNCC), an activist group established in 2013. In 2015, the BNCC transitioned to a political party.

The BNCP said the party held a convention in April, where a constitution was ratified and a leader and executive team were democratically elected.

The fringe party said it “is a well-oiled machinery that will be ready to contest” every seat in the next general election and run a full slate of candidates.

BNCP National Chairman Andrew Stewart, in his remarks at the candidates launch, said that the party has proven that it is a formidable force in the country.

“This stage of our development has been long in the making from the BNCP started agitating for the Bahamian people on the oil issue, which transitioned to the aragonite issue, and then all natural resources of the Bahamas,” he said.

“Our fight is for the Bahamas and Bahamians to receive their just due, and a patrimony, which is their God given right. The BNCP is the first political party to place high on its platform the natural resources and the party will remain focus and steadfast in our plight.”

BNCP Leader Wesley Campbell said the party will address the systematic, structural and fundamental issues facing the nation. He said a BNCP government will established a national fund for pension and disaster relief, a national service for young people and a national service for the elderly.

The party said it would introduce more candidates by January along with its platform and 25-year development plan early in 2017.