The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Chairman Sidney Collie yesterday urged Prime Minister Perry Christie to “ring the bell,” insisting that voter registration numbers now indicate that the electorate is “ready and prepared to make their choice.”

As a part of a telephone interview with The Tribune on Monday, Mr Collie contended that the governing Progressive Liberal Party’s time in government is nearing its “necessary and expected” conclusion, stressing that voters have responded to calls by political organisations throughout the country to register to vote.

The Nassau Guardian over the weekend reported that nearly 80 per cent of eligible voters have registered to cast ballots in the next general election, according to data from the Parliamentary Registration Department.

A source within that department yesterday suggested to The Tribune that the “surprising” increase came as a result of focused efforts and registration drives organised by political parties and the government over the course of the last month.

That source added: “Residents are ready and we see it in the means and ways by which they are coming to register. They are coming in droves with everything needed. They know that the serious time is now upon us.”

To this point there has been no firm indication from the Christie administration on when the next general election would be held, with the prime minister suggesting several months ago that a potential date hinged on voter registration numbers.

Those comments came in December, amidst a slow registration period. Over the course of the last six weeks, however, numbers have steadily increased.

Meanwhile, Mr Collie yesterday said the FNM will “continue to beat the drum” until Mr Christie publicly identifies a date for the next general election.

“If you have paid attention to our election machinery, you would have seen that we are ready to go and prepared to go. We are like the Bahamian people in that sense, they are ready and prepared to make their choice,” Mr Collie said.

“We have named all of our candidates and they are in their respective communities. We have launched in strong fashion all throughout New Providence and on our way to Grand Bahama to launch out five candidates there.

“All we are waiting on is Mr Christie. If he dissolves Parliament (today), then we know that we are working in a 30-day window until election. Now, I don’t believe Mr Christie will do that, they want to push as far as they can. But, we are ready.”

Mr Collie said that based on the country’s Constitution, Parliament has to be dissolved before May 7.

He added that he suspects that the PLP will dissolve the House of Assembly within the next two weeks, submit its writ for a general election and commence its campaign machinery.

When contacted on Monday for insight into the PLP’s line of thinking on the issue, party chairman Bradley Roberts said there has been no internal discussion centred on a possible election date.

The former Bain and Grants Town MP added that the party was focused on constructing the best slate of candidates possible and “working our respective areas.”

When asked directly if a potential date was being considered, Mr Roberts added: “Only the prime minister could say, if you want that answer, I suggest you ask that man directly.”

As of Friday, 134,279 persons were registered for the 2017 general election.

This figure accounts for 78 per cent of eligible voters.