The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

DR DUANE Sands says he is the “consummate team player” who would support the vision and agenda of Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard and not try to usurp or overshadow him if elected chairman of the party.

His comment came as he nominated himself for chairman of the FNM yesterday ahead of the party’s convention this month.

“I am not running to be leader of the Free National Movement,” he said. “I am running to support the leader of the Free National Movement and I intend to do the very best job that I can, so help me God.”

FNM insiders believe Dr Sands has a solid shot at winning the chairmanship race. His critics in the party, however, worry that he is an outsized personality with leadership ambitions who could be difficult to control or fall in line behind Mr Pintard.

Asked about this, Dr Sands said: “What is important is that when leadership and in particular the leader is attempting to execute his agenda or his vision that the party on which that platform is based is ready to execute, that we are prepared to do what it takes, that we understand the grassroots requirements of a political organisation. And so my personality to get it done, my grounding in the surgery of trauma and other things, I think provides me with a complementary skill set.”

 Dr Sands dismissed internal concerns that he would use the chairmanship post to further whatever leadership ambitions he may have.

 “I can say categorically that Duane Sands does not need to be the leader of the Free National Movement in order to feel that he has been self-actualised,” he said. “Duane Sands does not need to be prime minister. What I would love to be is an effective, reliable part of the team that is going to further (the) deliverance of the Bahamian people. I believe in the leadership, the consultative approach of Michael Pintard, and he will have in me an incredible ally.”

 Former Golden Gates MP Michael Foulkes was nominated for chairman last week. Elsworth Johnson, former Yamacraw MP, is expected to formally enter the race as well.

 Mr Johnson’s sister, first woman speaker of the House Italia Johnson, was on hand to support Dr Sands yesterday.

 “I decided to support Dr Sands because I think he brings experience, he brings knowledge in an area that is challenging the country and he speaks to it in a manner that we can understand and we respect and appreciate and I think that is critical at this time,” Ms Johnson said.

 “In addition to that, Dr Sands is not in any respect a novice to the Free National Movement, nor is he a person that’s not exhibited that he has the capacity to work or to build and to listen and to be available. In politics, you have to have those capacities. Politics is a difficult vocation,” she added.

 Dr Sands, a former minister of health, parliamentarian and senator, said his decision to run came after a long period of consideration and prayer.

 “The chairman will play an important role in providing (the) foundation for our leadership team and in particular our leader,” he said. “I believe that my experience would allow us to strengthen the headquarters of the Free National Movement and build on the many, many strengths that we’ve had in this organisation to date.

 “I like to use the metaphor of a winning championship team. Many of you will recall the plight of one of the greatest sports figures in the history of professional basketball, Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan, despite his various skills, could never win a championship until the team was augmented with the likes of Scottie Pipen, Dennis Rodman and others. I would like to be the Scottie Pipen for our leader to provide him with my team of executives with a level of support that would allow him to have a foundation and a platform on which to launch his visionary ideas for this country.

 “We need to strengthen our associations across the length and breadth of The Bahamas. We need to increase the respect so that we can get advice from our Meritorious Council members, look to our young people in the Torchbearers and the Women’s Association. “There are many potential opportunities to strengthen this organisation, to make it run like a business, to make the officers accountable and to delegate their activities of not only paid, but elected officers.”

 Meanwhile, former Deputy Prime Minister and current FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest said in a statement yesterday that he will not run for deputy leader of the party at the convention.

 “After much thought and discussion with family, friends and supporters, I have decided not to seek re-election to the post of deputy leader or to seek any other executive office in the Free National Movement at the upcoming national convention,” Mr Turnquest said.

 “In making this decision, although I realise that there is so much more work to be done, I am satisfied that I have given my best and will be forever grateful for the opportunity to serve. I am also confident in the men and women of the FNM to take on this work and to defend our party and promote its ideals. We have a deep bench.”