The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

PINERIDGE Member of Parliament Frederick McAlpine said he is “aware” of reports the Free National Movement is interviewing candidates in Nassau to receive a nomination to represent the constituency in the next election.

Although party insiders have said Mr McAlpine is not expected to receive a nomination due to his frequent clashes with the party and scathing criticism of the Minnis administration, the MP said he has not heard anything official from the party’s leadership.

Asked if he will run as an independent candidate, Mr McAlpine said he will not make an announcement on his future until the governing party makes an official decision.

“I’m aware who’s offering, I’m aware,” he told The Tribune yesterday about reports several candidates were being interviewed for the Pineridge nomination. “I can’t say anything because I need them to do what they need to do first.”

When asked what he meant, Mr McAlpine said: “Whatever they are going to do, whoever they are going to choose, if they choose any.”

When told that it appeared the party would not ratify him as others were being interviewed, Mr McAlpine said: “That’s fine, but I can’t move until they do that.”

Asked how he felt about the situation, he said: “I don’t feel any way about it you know, because they have to do what they have to do and that’s fine... At the end of the day it speaks that they are not bold enough to contact me or to say anything to me then that speaks to their integrity as an organisation. And also to their cowardice, not mine.”

Asked if he will offer as an independent candidate, the Pineridge MP said that decision will be made at a later date after he has discussed it with his family.

“They’re the party, they’re the organisation. I am one man. If you ain’t running me, tell me you ain’t running me. I ain’t ga kill you for that, it’s your party, you’re the leadership but I am not going to say what I am going to do until they say what they are going to do.”

He said he has not heard from party chairman Carl Culmer nor Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on the nomination, but said some Cabinet ministers have “reached out” to him.

“There are those who are of the view that they would prefer me to still stay there,” he said.

He also suggested he is politically viable in the area even without an FNM nomination, saying a recent poll showed he received about 80 percent approval from those surveyed.