Deputy Progressive Liberal Party leader Chester Cooper.
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
Progressive Liberal Party deputy leader Chester Cooper has stressed the need for the party’s 2022 general election candidates to be “good” and “credible” people.
A week after the Free National Movement celebrated its historic 2017 landslide victory at the polls - leaving the PLP with a meagre four seats in Parliament - Mr Cooper said: “We need to understand no one is going to hand an election to us. We have to go out there and seize it.”
The party should also offer more women candidates, the Exuma and Ragged Island MP said.
He made the remarks during a PLP North Andros branch meeting, where he insisted North Andros MP Carlton Bowleg has not been a good representative for the area. In large part, he blamed this on the failings of the Minnis administration since it took office.
“It would be the PLP’s greatest tragedy to believe we will win by default and not be armed and ready to fight when elections are called,” Mr Cooper said.
“So, I will tell you before I leave here the roadmap I’ve shared with other constituencies. And to me, the journey to retaking North Andros and retaking the government - so that some semblance of sensible national leadership can be in place - starts now.
“We’re talking about the future of the PLP and make no mistake about it, the future of the PLP starts now.
“The road to the next election in 2022, if it even takes that long, starts now. So, on top of holding (Prime Minister Dr) Hubert Minnis and this FNM government to account, let’s start making the PLP the party of choice for the people in 2022.”
He continued: “We need good people, credible people, some experienced people and a lot of new faces, and female faces. Half the voters in the country are women.
“So, we need to recruit more quality female candidates and more women fighting on the front lines for the PLP and the future of this nation.”
However he noted the largest cross-section of voters by the next election will be young people, so an investment is needed in youth to give them real opportunity.
“Young people in North Andros, I am told, are leaving their hometowns and not returning. It’s leaving our communities stripped bare. So, we have to get the young people involved with the understanding that this Bahamas is theirs and crafting its future starts now.
“A clear plan and agenda to show our youth, you can make money, live a great life and have all the things you want right here at home. We must let our youth now, that it’s all about you in 2022.”
As he frequently does, Mr Copper also harshly criticised the prime minister, telling PLP supporters Dr Minnis was in an unstable place with Bahamians.
“The PM knows he’s in a fragile place. He knows he’s lost the confidence and trust of the people. He could call an election at any time.
“We can’t let him catch us by surprise. Let’s stay sharp, stay prepared, stay on the attack, but build up the defences and put ourselves in a position to be the next government of the Bahamas,” Mr Cooper said.
Comments
joeblow 5 years, 5 months ago
The PLP need a credible leader--- that might be a good first place to start!
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 5 months ago
Cooper is right which means he himself, Davis, Hanna-Martin and the South Andros one must all retire from politics.
proudloudandfnm 5 years, 5 months ago
Leader aint credible... Again....
bogart 5 years, 5 months ago
.......DIDNT....DA SENIOR VETERANS OF DA PARTY ........NOT REALIZE THAT THEIR.. BUS WAS DRIVEN OFF DA CLIFF.........UNPRESENTED...FAILURE....LOSING ALL SEATS DOWN TO 4 SEATS...??????....AN LOSING A PRIME MINISTER SEAT.....??????......AND INEFFECTIVELY CHALLENGED TO REPRESENT ...AS AN OPPOSITION...........CURRENTLY.......?????.....PUBLIC IS WELL AWARE QUALITY CANDIDATES FOLLOW DA WESTIMINISTER PROGRAM.....FOLLOW DA LINE.. UNLIKELY TO EVER RETURN AS A PARTY EVER AGAIN......AND EVEN DESPITE OVERWHELMING...CAPABILITIES PERCHANCE... OF UNLIMITED CAMPAIGN FUNDING.....PAST HISTORIES SHOW RICH ENDOWED PARTY ....FAILURES....
yeahyasee 5 years, 5 months ago
LMAO
proudloudandfnm 5 years, 5 months ago
It would be best for the country though if the PLP simply died. I really would hate to see another PLP administration. After 5 terms of nothing but corruption, incompetence and neglect of our country they just cannot be trusted...…
DWW 5 years, 5 months ago
LOL
sheeprunner12 5 years, 5 months ago
When the present PLP leadership have the BALLS to call a party convention, review its Constitution and move away from the 60 years of nepotism that Pindling et. al. created ......... Then Bahamians would take them seriously ....... the present PLP head (and body) is rotten.
Sickened 5 years, 5 months ago
First off, anyone wanting to run for the PLP is obviously in it for the money and thus a future criminal. They should be locked up for all the shit they want to do.
SP 5 years, 5 months ago
The PLP is F-I-N-I-S-H-E-D-! Nobody with an ounce of sense will ever vote for these crooks again.
That being said, the FNM is the flip side of the same coin.
Dr. Minnis ran on an addressing corruption platform which he has not done, so we need a 3rd option because the PLP and FNM are one and the same!!!
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 5 months ago
Amen brother. I've maintained for the last three decades now that there's very little difference between the corrupt PLP and FNM parties. After all, the FNM party was spun off from the PLP by a bunch of disgruntled and/or rejected former PLP cabinet ministers, with Ingraham and Christie among them. Vomit Christie went back to the PLP after he realized that Ingraham would all too easily block his path to ever becoming PM under an FNM government. With the pugnacious and bullying Ingraham in the FNM and the unabashedly crooked Christie back with the PLP, they both quickly realised they could tag team the Bahamian voters every five or ten years where one of them would be PM. Put another way, the corrupt PLP gave birth to the FNM party.....which, like it's mama, quickly became corrupt itself. Yep, there's very little difference between the leadership apparatus of the PLP and FNM parties today, especially when it comes to corruption and favourtism of the interests of foreigners, including illegal aliens, over the interests of the Bahamian people at large.
BONEFISH 5 years, 5 months ago
The PLP appears beyond redemption.I don't know who in their current crop of leaders can salvage that organization.
Engineer 5 years, 5 months ago
Chester Cooper needs to move up and Brave needs to move out.
sheeprunner12 5 years, 5 months ago
Cooper cannot control the SLOP cartel in the PLP ......... they are burrs
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