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Nomination day for local govt in Grand Bahama

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

The nomination process for local government elections in Grand Bahama went smoothly, according to Freeport administrator Preston Cooper, who oversaw the Central Grand Bahama constituency.

Local government elections are set for January 23. The City of Freeport District Council is a highly contested district, with a total of nine seats up for grabs.

“The nomination process went very well in Freeport,” Mr Cooper said. “And based on what I am hearing from my colleagues in the East and West, the process is going very well overall.”

The nomination centres opened at 9am and closed at noon. As part of the updated process, candidates were required to submit a $50 deposit and present both a notarised declaration form and a notarised subscriber form with five subscribers.

In the City of Freeport District, there are nine seats – three for Marco City and two each for Central Grand Bahama, Pineridge, and East Grand Bahama. In the Sweeting’s Cay District, there are five seats. There are seven seats in High Rock Township; five in Freetown Township; and nine each in West End Township, Eight Mile Rock West Township, Eight Mile Rock East Township, and Pinder’s Point Township.

With the nomination process completed, the next step is the election of councilors on January 23. Afterward, successful candidates will be sworn in, and councils will begin their work. Seven seats are set to be filled for the Freeport District Council.

Mr Cooper said the nomination process, which includes a declaration of residency and requires each nominee to have five subscribers from their constituency.

He noted that subscribers must now be verified before the nomination process closes.

These subscribers’ names and registration numbers must be verified to ensure compliance. He stressed this verification is important to avoid persons from come in from East Grand Bahama or elsewhere and nominate a person who is their friend, but they are not qualified to do so.

Jordan Curry, a candidate for East Grand Bahama, expressed optimism about the process.

“The process went smoothly this morning. I am looking forward to a great campaign and election. We want the public to come out and support the candidate they feel serves them best, he said.

Mr Curry highlighted his community involvement, including a feeding program in Coral Gardens and a back-to-school drive over the past three years. He encouraged young people to engage in local government.

Roland Newton, also running for East Grand Bahama, said he looks forward to serving the residents in East Grand Bahama. He said: “This is my first time nominating for local government, so it is exciting.”

Mr Newton said he plans to engage with residents before announcing initiatives, emphasizing the importance of meeting community needs. He proposed creating a community center and improving existing facilities while bringing innovative ideas to generate employment.

In Marco City, Kendal Culmer II, seeking re-election, shared his goals for a new term. “We want to put a community garden on as many parks as possible in Marco City. We know that groceries and the cost of living are high, and we figure being able to provide produce such as onions, sweet peppers, and tomatoes for the elderly and disabled will help them along the way.”

Ron Darville Jr, a first-time candidate for Marco City, said the process was pretty smooth, and the persons presiding over the process were very helpful. He wants to serve and make a difference in his community. “Since local government was created in 1996, the goal was to help bridge the gap between communities and central government. That’s exactly what I want to do,” he said.

Demetri DeGregory, also running for Marco City, is one of the youngest candidates who hope to introduce ideas for modernisation of local government. “I am young and bring a lot of modern ideas. I want to modernise the system where it is computerized for ease of doing business. The system is slow right now.”

Berlina Malone, another young first-time candidate for Marco City, thinks that local government needs more young people involved in the process. “We have been hearing all our lives it is time for the young people to step up, and so we are doing that,” she said.

Rashad Adderley, a councilor for the City of Freeport seeking re-election, highlighted infrastructure improvements as a priority. “We have more work to do and I if re-elected I will agitate for better infrastructure and for things like proper lighting,” he said.

Councillor Edwin Strachan, running again for Pineridge, welcomed changes in the nomination process, including the notarisation of subscriber forms. “This is a good change because it brings greater transparency to the process,” he said. With the experience gained in local government, Mr Strachan plans to continue to improve on things that were started, such as new drainage systems, park equipment, the GED second chance program, and summer camps.

In Central Grand Bahama, Marco Carey, seeking re-election, expressed mixed feelings about the new local government act. He stated that they want to continue their work on the community/hurricane center on the park in Lewis Yard. “We also have new persons running, including Precious Prosper, and we need fresh individuals with fresh ideas,” Mr Carey said.

Shakara Jones, a first-time candidate for local government in Central Grand Bahama, expressed satisfaction with the nomination process, saying: “The process went pretty well. I was expecting a long, drawn-out process, but they made it easy.”

Ms Jones shared her optimism about the future of Central Grand Bahama. “This will be my first time running for local government in Central, and I do see great things for Central in the future, granted I am elected.”

Born and raised in Grand Bahama, Ms Jones works as an assistant accountant with the Public Hospitals Authority. She has also been active in community work, particularly through her organization, Women Empower Her. Reflecting on her family’s legacy of service, she credited her mother, Minister Terecita Jones, for inspiring her.

Ms Jones also noted that her son’s involvement in Junior Council at his school motivated her to pursue this role.“I am happy I was able to get into something that is going to give back to my community.”

At 41, Ms Jones believes this is the right time for her to contribute to local government, encouraging young people to get involved. “It is important for young people to become part of the process. I feel this is the time for young people to step up with new ideas and new opportunities,” she said.

 

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