The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard yesterday sought to rally his party after its general election defeat, declaring the organisation “unbowed” and insisting it will return to Parliament as a sharper, more aggressive opposition.

Mr Pintard used his contribution to the 2026/2027 Budget Debate to acknowledge that voters had sent the FNM a clear message, while rejecting suggestions that the party had been left broken or divided after losing to the Progressive Liberal Party.

“The people have told us in the FNM, in no uncertain terms, that they expect a more vigorous opposition in the House and Senate and on our streets,” he said. “We accept their feedback and receive it constructively. We are prepared to listen, evolve and improve and better serve those we work for, you, the people of The Bahamas.”

The FNM’s defeat has sparked questions about the party’s direction, leadership structure and Mr Pintard’s future. The party’s constitution requires a convention every two years, and the last convention was held in June 2024.

Earlier this month, the party’s council voted against holding an early convention, pushing the gathering to next year, though the date could still change. The decision has fuelled internal debate as attention turns to possible leadership contenders and the FNM’s rebuilding strategy.

Mr Pintard opened his budget contribution by trying to project resilience and unity.

“We know, Madam Speaker, that there are some who expect and others who wish for us to spend our time sulking and licking our wounds,” he said. “Our enemies, Madam Speaker, now attempt through every means possible to sow seeds of division. In fact, they would rather we come to this chamber with our heads held down, bowed, our tongues silent, and our spirits crushed – never that, Madam Speaker. We will never grant them that satisfaction, not in Marco City, not in Freetown, not in MICAL, not in Central Grand Bahama, not in East Grand Bahama, not in St. Anne's, not in Long Island, not in Killarney. Unbowed, Madam Speaker, we will stand.

Mr Pintard also highlighted declining voter turnout, saying tens of thousands of registered voters stayed home.

“Some 66 per cent of voters in The Bahamas cast their votes,” he said. “If the official voter register is to be believed, this means that the single largest number of voters in the history of The Bahamas, some 70 plus thousand people, did not show up to vote.”

“No doubt it's for a variety of reasons, including the fact that they were unconvinced by the tale the PLP was telling about the “transformative” job they were doing in the last term. Tens of thousands of voters did not show up to vote. They were also, Madam Speaker, they were unconvinced by our proposal in the Free National Movement govern and so thousands of them, Madam Speaker, did not show up.”

Mr Pintard said that for a second consecutive election, the government had been elected by a minority of eligible voters. He said the result showed that too many voters found all political parties unconvincing.

He said both the former FNM administration and the current PLP government had failed to persuade a significant portion of the electorate, describing the trend as worrying even as voter turnout declines across the region.

Still, Mr Pintard said the opposition represents tens of thousands of Bahamians who do not believe their lives will improve under the Davis administration.

“We know and accept fully that the PLP is the governing party by a large margin, but Madam Speaker, the FNM, while we remain the opposition, Madam Speaker, we recognise that we echo the dreams and aspirations of tens of thousands of Bahamians who do not believe that their fortunes will improve over the next five years under this administration,” he said.

He said the FNM would continue to challenge the government on corruption, inefficiency, mismanagement and irregularities, arguing that robust opposition is essential to accountability.