GB-Bahamian-Boy
09-03-07, - 01:36 PM
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PLP chairman says party has accepted defeat at polls
By TAMARA McKENZIE, Assistant News Editor
tamara@nasguard.com
Even though the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has plans to contest three of the 23 seats won by the governing Free National Movement in election court, the party has accepted its recent defeat at the polls and will move on with its agenda to hopefully wrest power from the government when elections are called in 2012, a PLP official told The Guardian in a recent interview.
"I think we have accepted defeat [and] I think we have been able to transition into opposition politics fairly smoothly," said PLP Chairman Raynard Rigby in a telephone interview. "I think when Parliament reconvenes, the country will see that we intend to be a strong opposition, putting forth the alternative position to government's policy and their approach to governance. We recognize that given the closeness in the election results, we have an obligation to our voters and to the country at large to be a strong Opposition, to be vigilant and to always ensure that we act in the best interest of the Bahamian people."
Rigby said it was unfortunate that the PLP lost the election, but the party, he said, must move on. "That is the way life is, you win some, you lose some and I think losing the election does not mean that the PLP is not strong. The fact that we had such a strong voter turnout and strong support for the PLP in the last election, I think speaks to a party that is strong."
Attorney Philip Davis will lead a legal team that would represent the former PLP MPs in election court, of which the first case is scheduled to begin next month on Oct. 15. During this time, Senator and former attorney general Allyson Maynard-Gibson will attempt to recapture what was once her Pinewood seat from Minister of Youth and Sports, Byran Woodside. Maynard-Gibson lost the southern New Providence seat by 64 votes. The challenge for Marco City will begin Jan. 21, 2008 and the Blue Hills challenge will begin on April 22, 2008. If the Progressive Liberal Party is successful in challenging the results it would have the dramatic effect of affecting the make-up of Parliament and changing the government, but the court cases may take months and possibly years to conclude.
So far, two individuals have been brought before the court for allegedly committing election fraud at the May 2 general poll. Fifty-year-old Wilfred Swain appeared before the court on one count of forgery of a ballot paper and one count of fraudulently removing a polling ballot paper. He was released on $3,500 bail.
Just last week, 33-year-old Theresa Bethel-Deveaux was formally arraigned on charges of making a false declaration for the purpose of being a registered voter and voting at an election more than once. Deveaux allegedly declared that her name was not included in any part of the current register and that she had not been issued a voter's card during the period of the current register, knowing the declaration to be false. The prosecution also contends that Deveaux voted more than once on Election Day. Deveaux was not required to enter a plea to the charge and she was granted $3,000 bail with one surety. If found guilty, Deveaux faces a maximum fine of $1,000 or imprisonment up to three months, or both.
Meanwhile, plans to hold a convention this year has not been officially announced, but according to Rigby, the party has plans to hold a November convention, unless otherwise directed by the National General Council.
"We have had a standard practice of having our conventions in the month of November, so this might be the plan," he said. His comments came on the heels of a former Senator airing his suggestion to the press that the party should settle any post-election debts, before proceeding with plans to hold a convention.
Asked if he would contest the chairmanship of the party for another five years, Rigby responded that he was "unsure" as the convention was still "a long way off." He did state, however, that he was getting "intense pressure" to vie once again for the position, but would not state from whom. And when asked to respond to political observers who had expressed disappointment in how he chaired the party during its five-year term, Rigby responded: "I am satisfied that at all times I discharged by duties faithfully and competently and in all my doings and in all of my work, I did the best that I could to ensure that the party remained strong and supportive of our parliamentary agenda."
Englerston MP Glennys Hanna-Martin, also a former cabinet minister in the Christie-led administration, is the only individual who has gone on record to announce her intention to run for the chairmanship of the party. If elected, it will be the first time that a female will chair the party.
The Guardian was reliably informed by a high-profile political source that other members who are reportedly eyeing the chairmanship seat include: Rhon Rolle, a former protocol officer at the ministry of foreign affairs; Keod Smith, a former Ambassador for the Environment and member of parliament for the Mt. Moriah constituency; Ron Pinder, a former parliamentary secretary in the ministry of health and member of parliament for the Marathon constituency, Ken Dorsette, the vice chairman of the PLP and Paulette Zonicle, a former PLP Senator.
The Chairman of any political party ought to regularly inform the public, promote its philosophy and protect its image. Raynard Rigby has served as the PLP's Chairman since Nov. 2002, taking the reins from former Works and Utilities Minister Bradley Roberts who served as an outspoken and fiery chairman from 2000 to 2002.
PLP chairman says party has accepted defeat at polls
By TAMARA McKENZIE, Assistant News Editor
tamara@nasguard.com
Even though the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has plans to contest three of the 23 seats won by the governing Free National Movement in election court, the party has accepted its recent defeat at the polls and will move on with its agenda to hopefully wrest power from the government when elections are called in 2012, a PLP official told The Guardian in a recent interview.
"I think we have accepted defeat [and] I think we have been able to transition into opposition politics fairly smoothly," said PLP Chairman Raynard Rigby in a telephone interview. "I think when Parliament reconvenes, the country will see that we intend to be a strong opposition, putting forth the alternative position to government's policy and their approach to governance. We recognize that given the closeness in the election results, we have an obligation to our voters and to the country at large to be a strong Opposition, to be vigilant and to always ensure that we act in the best interest of the Bahamian people."
Rigby said it was unfortunate that the PLP lost the election, but the party, he said, must move on. "That is the way life is, you win some, you lose some and I think losing the election does not mean that the PLP is not strong. The fact that we had such a strong voter turnout and strong support for the PLP in the last election, I think speaks to a party that is strong."
Attorney Philip Davis will lead a legal team that would represent the former PLP MPs in election court, of which the first case is scheduled to begin next month on Oct. 15. During this time, Senator and former attorney general Allyson Maynard-Gibson will attempt to recapture what was once her Pinewood seat from Minister of Youth and Sports, Byran Woodside. Maynard-Gibson lost the southern New Providence seat by 64 votes. The challenge for Marco City will begin Jan. 21, 2008 and the Blue Hills challenge will begin on April 22, 2008. If the Progressive Liberal Party is successful in challenging the results it would have the dramatic effect of affecting the make-up of Parliament and changing the government, but the court cases may take months and possibly years to conclude.
So far, two individuals have been brought before the court for allegedly committing election fraud at the May 2 general poll. Fifty-year-old Wilfred Swain appeared before the court on one count of forgery of a ballot paper and one count of fraudulently removing a polling ballot paper. He was released on $3,500 bail.
Just last week, 33-year-old Theresa Bethel-Deveaux was formally arraigned on charges of making a false declaration for the purpose of being a registered voter and voting at an election more than once. Deveaux allegedly declared that her name was not included in any part of the current register and that she had not been issued a voter's card during the period of the current register, knowing the declaration to be false. The prosecution also contends that Deveaux voted more than once on Election Day. Deveaux was not required to enter a plea to the charge and she was granted $3,000 bail with one surety. If found guilty, Deveaux faces a maximum fine of $1,000 or imprisonment up to three months, or both.
Meanwhile, plans to hold a convention this year has not been officially announced, but according to Rigby, the party has plans to hold a November convention, unless otherwise directed by the National General Council.
"We have had a standard practice of having our conventions in the month of November, so this might be the plan," he said. His comments came on the heels of a former Senator airing his suggestion to the press that the party should settle any post-election debts, before proceeding with plans to hold a convention.
Asked if he would contest the chairmanship of the party for another five years, Rigby responded that he was "unsure" as the convention was still "a long way off." He did state, however, that he was getting "intense pressure" to vie once again for the position, but would not state from whom. And when asked to respond to political observers who had expressed disappointment in how he chaired the party during its five-year term, Rigby responded: "I am satisfied that at all times I discharged by duties faithfully and competently and in all my doings and in all of my work, I did the best that I could to ensure that the party remained strong and supportive of our parliamentary agenda."
Englerston MP Glennys Hanna-Martin, also a former cabinet minister in the Christie-led administration, is the only individual who has gone on record to announce her intention to run for the chairmanship of the party. If elected, it will be the first time that a female will chair the party.
The Guardian was reliably informed by a high-profile political source that other members who are reportedly eyeing the chairmanship seat include: Rhon Rolle, a former protocol officer at the ministry of foreign affairs; Keod Smith, a former Ambassador for the Environment and member of parliament for the Mt. Moriah constituency; Ron Pinder, a former parliamentary secretary in the ministry of health and member of parliament for the Marathon constituency, Ken Dorsette, the vice chairman of the PLP and Paulette Zonicle, a former PLP Senator.
The Chairman of any political party ought to regularly inform the public, promote its philosophy and protect its image. Raynard Rigby has served as the PLP's Chairman since Nov. 2002, taking the reins from former Works and Utilities Minister Bradley Roberts who served as an outspoken and fiery chairman from 2000 to 2002.