The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Chairman Carl Culmer has said the governing party has more than two years remaining to fulfil goals set in its 2017 manifesto, suggesting yesterday a non-performing MP recall system could still be possible.

Mr Culmer’s optimism over the campaign promise appears to collide with Attorney General Carl Bethel’s position earlier this month that the administration had no plans to implement the recall system.

At the time, Mr Bethel told a local daily it was not something the government had committed to, as far as he was aware, adding it was not a workable system in the parliamentary context.

Yesterday, Mr Culmer struck a different tone on behalf of the FNM, saying the government and the party must work together to fulfil the promises outlined to the electorate.

“There are (still) two and a half years to make decisions and I know we will justify all of our actions one way or another,” the chairman said yesterday when he was asked about the system. “Don’t count us out as yet. Bahamians gave us five years to govern. Give us an opportunity and see what we have done.

“We have our manifesto and a checklist of what has been completed as we speak.”

Asked to clarify whether he was of the view that the system could still be implemented, he said: “The recall system hasn’t come to the party as yet.

“We operate on a party manifesto and government and the party must work together to fulfil those promises that we made to our brothers and sisters.”

Meanwhile despite Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis officially launching the FNM’s election campaign on Wednesday night, Mr Culmer said the party had not begun any groundwork toward selecting viable candidates for the 2022 general election.

“That is something we haven’t done as yet but there is a process. The party’s candidates committee will continue to look at those things,” Mr Culmer said.

“We haven’t made any final decision, but at the end of the day we are looking at constituencies and seeing what is best, what has been done and we will continue to improve and give Bahamians the best of their sons and daughters to represent them.”

A candidate recall system was outlined in the government’s Speech from the Throne among other goals including a referendum to get consent from Bahamians of an independent electoral commission and boundaries commission and the introduction of term limits for prime ministers.