frederickmcalpine

Following the defeat of the Free National Movement at the polls, winners have emerged but none include the infamous parliamentarians who have openly defied the former government and its policies.

Former FNM members who became independent parliamentarians Reece Chipman and Halson Moultrie, and outspoken FNM MP Frederick McAlpine who was for years at odds with the party, all lost their seats in unofficial results.

Reece Chipman

Chipman has constantly criticized the government and has never supported its agenda. However, he still suffered politically.

Chipman was a newcomer to politics in 2017, running on the FNM ticket during the general elections, subsequently ousting former Prime Minister Perry Christie and winning a PLP stronghold.

Chipman voted against the VAT increase and the resolution to lease the Town Centre Mall from former Cabinet minister Brent Symonette.  He eventually resigned from the party in 2019 citing the government’s handling of Hurricane Dorian and partisan politics.

PLP Jomo Campbell replaces Chipman in Centerville.

Halson Moultrie

Moultrie received little votes in Nassau Village as constituents went with PLP Jamahl Strachan, instead.

Moultrie was an antagonistic voice in Parliament where he served as Speaker.  He resigned from the FNM in February of this year, but refused to resign as the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

Moultrie was a thorn in the side of the FNM government calling for autonomy of the House and upping his ante during the pandemic when he contrived an idea to hold an ‘open parliament’ after Parliament went on recess.

The Nassau Village MP gained the support of third parties like the Democratic National Alliance and the Coalition of Independents who joined him in his protest against the Minnis-led government and its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. But he did little to gain the support of his constituents.

Frederick McAlpine

McAlpine may have thought he was going to win Pineridge, but constituents replaced him with PLP Ginger Moxey.

He has been the most outspoken member of the FNM government, often hitting out at Minnis during his presentations in the House.

He ran as an independent candidate for the Pineridge constituency in this election after he did not receive the FNM nomination. Many still expected him to win his seat in Pineridge because of the loud support he garnered in spite of his opposition against his party members.

He has had a long and rather cold relationship with the FNM and said that members in his party wanted him gone while complaining that the party leader ignored him.

In a surprising move, Pineridge went with Moxey, despite McAlpine’s touts of his accomplishments in the area.

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.”

Pineridge Member of Parliament Frederick McAlpine gloried that his popularity on social media trumps those of other members of parliament.

In a shouting match with National Security Minister Marvin Dames in the House of Assembly, McAlpine contested, “Every speech I put up gat 10,000 views, 10,000 views, 10,000 views. I’m waiting to see your page. I’m going to your page.”

What happened that caused the outburst

McAlpine jumped on an issued raised by Englerston Member of Parliament Gleny Hanna-Martin, claiming that police reservists were not paid the overtime for their work in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Dames refuted that claim, stating that officers were paid overtime based on his conversation with Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle.

Dames Response to McAlpine

Dames said, “Whenever I stand, and I speak to something, I have factual documentation to prove it. We’re taking advantage of this honorable house to mislead the Bahamian people, constantly, some of us. We have to move beyond that. We talk about we speak on behalf of the people. What people?”

Dames then asked McAlpine to bring his facts to the house instead of making baseless claims.

“That he’s speaking on behalf of the people. I have yet to see the people he’s speaking on behalf. Time will tell which people on whose behalf you speaking, because I don’t see [anyone] following you.”