The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FORT Charlotte MP Mark Humes said he has not accepted any election offers from a political party and will not run as an independent candidate.

However, during his contribution to the budget debate in the House of Assembly yesterday, he admitted to being “somewhat disappointed” by the Free National Movement’s decision to deny him a nomination in the next general election, saying: “For some reason unknown to me, my party has selected not to renominate me.

“I have not made any deals with or accepted any offers from the FNM, PLP, DNA, or any other political party. And I hope that I do not mess up anybody’s good story with the truth, but no, I will not be running as an independent, at least not on this day.”

Anticipation grew for Mr Humes’ speech after he interrupted Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis earlier this month to say it was disrespectful for the Killarney MP to refer to the FNM’s new candidate for Fort Charlotte, Drumeco Archer, in the House of Assembly.

Yesterday, he said Dr Minnis called him after the exchange.

“I appreciate that,” he said. “It was the right gesture. You know what, even if the Prime Minister, member of Killarney didn’t call or reach out, that wouldn’t have changed the situation or wouldn’t have meant that my life was over.

“So what if I didn’t get a nomination for the next general election, that doesn’t mean that my life will be over; these things are just a part of life – circumstances that are out of our control, that come our way from the minute we leave the womb to the minute we close your eyes on this earth for the final time. No need to be ashamed; I wasn’t. No need for anyone to feel sorry for me; I’m not. No need for me or anyone to worry – particularly about what other people may think. I won’t and you don’t have to either. This is just life.”

Mr Humes said he is excited for the next chapter in his life. He also offered some criticism of the Minnis administration’s latest budget, saying it doesn’t go far enough in “bringing discipline to a culture of overspending.”