Why the FNM had little choice in Long Island

For more than two years, Long Island has been caught in political limbo because its sitting MP, Adrian Gibson, remains before the courts.

Gibson, the former executive chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation, has been on trial since November 2023 alongside Elwood Donaldson Jr, the former general manager, as well as Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick. The charges stem from contracts awarded during Gibson’s tenure at WSC.

The case has experienced months-long delays, and while Gibson maintains his innocence, the timing creates a serious political problem.

The election can not wait for the court proceedings. And the FNM cannot campaign on uncertainty, nor can they ask Long Island voters to separate Gibson’s legal case from politics.

Running Gibson again would have meant asking voters to focus on constituency work while a corruption case remains unresolved.

It would also give the Progressive Liberal Party an easy line of attack, one that would dominate the campaign discussion, no matter what the FNM might argue.

The FNM’s choice of Andre Rollins seems necessary rather than a preference.

Rollins is no stranger to politics and is a descendant of Long Island.

He has run under both major parties before, crossed the floor, stepped away, and now returned, saying he is “here to stay.”

Rollins bring familiarity and stability to Long Island at a time when the party cannot afford to experiment with Gibson.

Rollins has said he has not yet spoken with Gibson but hopes for his support and intends to build on the work already done in Long Island. His careful language reflects the tightrope the FNM have to walk, moving forward without publicly disowning Gibson, still awaiting the end of the trial.

Ultimately, this ratification could be more about reality.

With an election approaching and legal proceedings unresolved, the FNM choosing Rollins was the only viable option.