The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement will spend more than $200,000 to host its convention and fill key party positions at Atlantis this week, scratching previous plans to have a virtual event.

Four hundred and ninety-five delegates will participate in the event, which will be held in the Atlantis Grand Ballroom from Wednesday to Friday under the theme “Forward United, Honouring our Past, Celebrating our Achievements and Charting the Future.”

FNM convention co-chair Ethan Adderley said delegates will consider amendments, receive reports and resolutions and review the performance of the party at the convention.

One hundred and one people have nominated for party positions and the convention will be headlined by the election of a new deputy leader and a new chairman.

Marco City MP Michael Pintard was elected leader of the FNM on November 27 last year.

 Incumbent Secretary General Serfent Rolle, Treasurer Dwight Sawyer and Chaplain Gregory Minnis, Sr, are the only people nominated for those positions. The other posts which feature multiple candidates include deputy chairman, vice chairman, deputy secretary general, assistant secretary general, deputy treasurer, assistant treasurer, assistant chaplain, trustee, sergeant at arms, deputy sergeant at arms, chief protocol officer and deputy protocol officer.

 The FNM last held a full convention in July 2016 even though the party’s constitution says conventions must be held every two years.

 One proposed constitutional amendment is for the party to hold a convention at least once every two years, “during the fourth week of February or as the Central Council shall direct, at a time and place approved by the Central Council.”

 The party will also propose to increase its ranks of Meritorious Council Members from 100 to 200. To become an MCM, a person must be a member of the party for at least 20 years under a proposed rule change.

 The party also proposes to change grounds for discipline. Currently, members who independently nominate to contest elections or by-elections against a candidate chosen by the party are deemed to have resigned from the party. The FNM proposes to adjust this clause so that it applies to those who publicly oppose the party’s nominated candidate or who financially supports any other party’s candidate as well.

 At the convention, the party will also propose that constituency associations “prepare and submit to the executive committee of the party an annual report providing a detailed account of its operation, attendance, membership, events, and finances.”