Forbes no longer seeking nomination

Mangrove Cay and South Andros MP Picewell Forbes announced yesterday that he will not run in the next general election, telling reporters that uncertainty over his renomination and a lack of support from his party’s leadership on the ground sealed his fate.

As he left the House of Assembly where he made a formal statement, an emotional Forbes said his constituents began asking him why the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) kept sending new prospective candidates to the community.

He told reporters, “…Every other house you go to the questions are being asked, ‘Are you running? How many more persons are the PLP going to put on the ground against you? When is this issue going to be cleared up?’

“After all the questions in Mangrove Cay last week, when you were giving it your best from meager resources, and all these questions are still abound after all these years, after some discussion and prayers with my family, I said farewell.”

When asked what he needed to see from the party leadership prior to his decision, Forbes said, “confidence”.

“Simply go on the ground in the community and [say] you support me,” he said.

“Simple. Simply give a nomination. That’s all it is. We would have heard that the four incumbents were guaranteed, but there is still all this discussion about it and there were certain persons calling, prominent persons in our society, who continued to call Stalwart Councilors and continued to dig into the matter and it just became somewhat of a drag.”

Forbes said he decided then that it would be best to walk away.

Last November, as Monique Pindling, the youngest daughter of the former PLP leader the late Sir Lynden Pindling sought the nomination for South Andros, PLP Leader Philip Brave Davis said it would take an “egregious” act to prevent incumbent PLP MPs from being renominated for their constituencies in the next general election.

Pindling said in January that she knows she’s not getting the nomination.

When asked if he intends to resign his seat before the next election, Forbes replied, “I’ll take some things under consideration, due consideration, and I’ll make that decision.”

Forbes’ announcement in the House caught many by surprise.

“Today I stand, Mr. Speaker, to take my last political breath,” Forbes said to loud gasps.

“My name would never arise again in political cycles. My work is done, politically.”

He continued, “To my detractors, it might be your day to celebrate or to be gleeful, but I say admittedly that I did not get everything right. There were some missteps, but I’m confident in the fact that I am not a slave to fear, but I am an imperfect child of God.”

He added, “I just want the record to reflect, as I would have very short time I guess in this honorable place…that I will not be offering in the 2022 general election.

“But to those in my constituency who are concerned, please, I am OK. God has taken care of everything.”

Forbes was first elected to the House in 2007 as the PLP’s candidate for Central and South Andros. He was successful once again in the 2012 election and served as the Bahamas high commissioner to CARICOM.

In the 2017 election, he secured 46 percent of the votes, winning by 129 votes.

Throughout most of Forbes’ speech, Davis kept his head down.

The PLP leader declined to speak with reporters about Forbes’ announcement.

In a statement, PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell said the party is saddened that Forbes will not offer for the House of Assembly again. 

“We had hoped to see him serve in the Cabinet one day,” he said.

“I hope we can continue to work together to ensure that the PLP retains the seat in the next general election and continue on its mission to make The Bahamas a better place for all.”

The Nassau Guardian understands that the names being called in consideration for a nomination in the area are John Carey and Leon Lundy.

Asked if he intends to remain with the PLP, Forbes said, “I am a PLP. Sometimes you don’t say certain things in the heat of the moment. It’s a very emotional moment for me right now.

“I’m a PLP and no matter what, some things have got to stay inside.”

Forbes said he’s “sad to walk away like this, but at the end of the day, you can only take so much”.

“…I’m fine,” he said.

“It’s alright now. I walk away. I think maybe one day I will rise when the sun sets.”

The PLP holds five seats in the House. The party won just four in the 2017 election. Last year, Golden Isles MP Vaughn Miller, who was elected as an FNM, joined the PLP.

Both political parties recently started ratifying candidates. The PLP has ratified 18 candidates so far and the Free National Movement (FNM), 30.

The PLP’s Candidates Committee meets tomorrow.

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/forbes-no-longer-seeking-nomination/