McAlpine Snubbed by FNM? He Wanted Out, Now Gaslights

Pineridge MP Frederick McAlpine attempted to play a victim after the Free National nominated Welbourne Bootle for Pineridge as it prepares for the next General Election.

After the party finalized its nominations, Bootle emerged as the newly ratified candidate for the Grand Bahama seat, and McAlpine then turned his attention to the media to lament his lost nomination.

“I have been independently representing Pineridge from 2018, after being victimized and ostracized by the government whom I was elected with for standing up for and with the people.

“I have served Pineridge independently all these years…”

The controversial figure and outspoken critic of Prime Minister Hubert Minnis has been a chronic annoyance to the governing party as it sought to implement policies.

McAlpine was perceived to be a disloyal member of the FNM throughout its term, and has found himself shunned by members of his party for not supporting key issues.

His stinging criticisms and rebuff of Minnis and the FNM began in 2017 when he was not given a cabinet post after the General Election. McAlpine said he was “disappointed” in his party and broke rank with the party, much to the delight of the opposition party, the Progressive Liberal Party.

In fact, many of McAlpine’s speeches in the House of Assembly appear to be PLP’s talking points.

In 2018, McAlpine stood side by side with protesters who demonstrated against the Minnis administration, saying the party needs a “come to Jesus moment.”

When Centerville MP Reece Chipman and Golden Isles MP Vaughn Miller, resigned from the Free National Movement in 2019, McAlpine said he supported their decision but said he had no plans to follow suit.

He said he was no less disillusioned with the Free National Movement than Chipman and Miller but was more tolerant.

“I’m still with the FNM because I’m trying my best to assist in making changes within,” he claimed. “I’m practicing one of the Bible’s fruits of the spirit which is long-suffering and I may just be more patient trying to steer them in the right direction,” he said.

Pineridge Association Chairperson Vernet Munnings, said in 2019, “He (McAlpine) definitely should resign. That would be in the best interest of the people of the constituency. We don’t think he would be offered the nomination again.

“In the House of Assembly, all you hear from him is bashing of the party. Would you expect for people to want that person to represent them? I don’t think so. I have no idea what he is holding out for now. He needs to decide what he wants because right now we don’t understand it and he doesn’t understand it.”

What people are saying

Dusty Rebal took to social media to express his agreeance with the party’s decision, “He should be happy. He never agreed with anything the FNM did…”

Thompson Bancroft said, “He had a problem with the party. What was he expecting? A hug and a kiss?

Huedley Moss stated, “The FNM rightfully rejected this rebel…now all enlightened electorates will reject him and his spiritually deaf, blind and dead followers.”

Another poster Dwayne Rolle said McAlpine “squandered” his opportunity to serve while “listening to the PLP.”