The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney yesterday accused the Free National Movement of attempting to poach several of his party’s candidates, one of them being Deputy Leader Chris Mortimer, ahead of the 2017 general election.

The former Bamboo Town MP, at a press conference called to highlight the government’s failures related to the New Providence Landfill, said the record would show that DNA has constructed the best team to govern the country, highlighted by the FNM’s reported pursuit of Mr Mortimer as well as DNA Golden Isles candidate Stephen Greenslade.

Mr McCartney, seated next to Mr Mortimer when he made the claim, said it was now clear that the FNM was in panic mode as several of the party’s candidates have withdrawn their 2017 election bids.

“That is what (Dr Hubert) Minnis and his boys have been trying to do when it comes down to the candidates of the DNA - and they say that the DNA is a non factor,” exclaimed Mr McCartney.

While Mr McCartney didn’t offer any timeframe of this attempted poaching or more details of his claims, he added: “We have seen that many of (their) candidates had difficulties with the party, and we have also seen where the leadership of the FNM has been after candidates in the DNA.

“They have tried with Golden Isles over and repeatedly, that is with Stephen Greenslade. They have been after the man left, right and centre.

“They have been after the deputy (Christopher Mortimer) left, right and centre in Sea Breeze. They have been after quite a number of other members of the DNA.

“You know why, because their slate of candidates can’t compare to the DNA’s slate of candidates. And they say that the DNA is a non-factor.”

Mr McCartney also scoffed at the reasons given by the members of the FNM that have withdrawn their candidacy.

On Friday, in a statement released through the party, Kenyatta Gibson announced plans to end his campaign in Golden Isles.

The surprise announcement came on the heels of claims by Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts Thursday night, in which he indicated that sources familiar to him had informed him of Mr Gibson’s plans to quit the election race.

When contacted by The Tribune on Sunday, Mr Gibson said his move to end his campaign had “nothing to do” with Dr Minnis or his leadership of the party.

However, of the issue, Mr McCartney said on Monday: “They need to say why they dropped out, many of them dropped out because of the leadership of Hubert Minnis.

“Some dropped out not because what they said publicly.”

Mr Gibson was the fourth FNM candidate to call it quits on their campaign.

Howard Johnson, the party’s South Beach candidate; Leonard Sands, the party’s Bain and Grants Town candidate and Walt Saunders, the party’s MICAL candidate have all withdrawn bids in their respective areas for various reasons.