The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PINERIDGE MP Frederick McAlpine said he does not think it is in the Free National Movement’s best interests to call an early election.

He said many Bahamians are still upset with the government’s handling of the pandemic and Hurricane Dorian, among other things.

He spoke after sources told this newspaper the FNM was set to replace him and instead run Grand Bahama resident Welbourne Bootle on the party’s ticket for the Pineridge constituency.

Mr Bootle was among the final FNM candidates who were ratified last night.

Mr McAlpine expressed disappointment that no one from the FNM contacted him about his future with the party.

He previously said if he did not receive a nomination from his party, he would run as an independent candidate.

Asked about the matter yesterday, the Pineridge MP only said he still intended to run in the next general election and added that more details about those plans will be announced during a press conference today.

There is increased speculation that Dr Minnis — reportedly encouraged by favourable polling numbers — may call an early election soon.

However, Dr Minnis has repeatedly brushed off talk about an early vote, insisting the election is not due until May 2022.

But one FNM official who has been ratified for the election even told this newspaper they would be surprised if the election is not called within the next month or two.

The Tribune understands the party has secured its election paraphernalia in the country and rally dates have already been drawn up.

Chiming in on the matter yesterday, Mr McApline said he does not believe calling an early election will be to the party’s advantage.

He also reiterated his previous comments that when election is called, many MPs would be one term representatives.

“If elections are called this year, I think it’s going to be interesting,” he told this newspaper yesterday.

“But, if he should call an election, I would say this, people seem to be more angry with the FNM than they are with the other party at this time and this talk about well people don’t like the leader of the opposition and all that, well, I hear that talk but people didn’t necessarily like him (Dr Minnis) when he was leader of the opposition either.

“In the Bahamas, we don’t vote for governments. Faithfully, for the last 20 odd years, we don’t vote governments in. We vote them out so at the end of the day, people are not necessarily voting for the PLP. If they were to vote, they will be voting a government out.”

He added: “So, if he does (call an early election), I don’t see where it will be to his advantage. It seems in my opinion; it weighs more to his disadvantage because there are too many variables. Sixty percent of the people have not gone back to work at the hotels if I’m correct.

“The unemployment rate is still high. Many people are still not in their homes since Hurricane Dorian. COVID-19 is still rampant and we have higher (cases) now than we have had than any other given time since the pandemic. You have a Cabinet that is basically not on one page and hasn’t been that way for a while.

“You have a number of disgruntled backbenchers and you have disheartened supporters. The civil service is uneasy. . .I don’t see it but maybe he knows something we don’t know,” Mr McAlpine said.

Mr McAlpine also said it was disappointing and disheartening that no one from the party had yet reached out to inform him of their final decision to replace him as a candidate.

He hit out at what he sees as a lack of leadership and communication skills in the organisation.

“The rumours about this ratification, the leader (nor) any hierarchy of the Free National Movement has had the decency to contact me or to say anything to me with regards to such a move,” he said in an interview with The Tribune yesterday. “Nothing in writing. No phone call, nothing…and again, this continues to show poor taste and poor judgement by an organisation that has served the Bahamian people for so long and so far that they have reached the standard of mediocre organisational status.”

The outspoken MP said he had no ill wishes for the political hopeful, insisting whoever the party chose was “fine” with him.

Mr McAlpine has long had a frosty relationship with the FNM.

In 2019, the parliamentarian broke ranks with the Minnis administration after he voted against the increase of VAT from 7.5 to 12 percent. Shortly afterwards, he was fired as chairman of the Bahamas Hotel Corporation.

Since then he has been vocal and at times scathing in his criticism of the government and Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

Mr McAlpine has previously said there were forces within the party that wanted to see him gone.