michaelfoulkes

The Golden Gates constituency will be a closely watched race as three familiar names prepare to face off again.

Progressive Liberal Party incumbent Pia Glover-Rolle will defend the seat against Michael Foulkes of the Free National Movement and Sharmaine Adderley representing the Coalition of Independents.

The rematch largely mirrors the 2021 race. That year, Glover-Rolle, then a political newcomer, defeated the veteran Foulkes with 1,872 votes to his 1,177. Adderley, running as a third-party candidate, received 263 votes, while the Democratic National Alliance collected 85 votes. Other independent candidates together accounted for 163 votes.

Golden Gates has historically leaned toward the Progressive Liberal Party. From 2002 to 2012, the constituency was represented by the PLP’s Shane Gibson, who maintained a strong hold on the area during that decade.

However, the seat can shift. In 2017, Michael Foulkes unseated Gibson in a decisive victory, securing 2,373 votes compared to Gibson’s 1,816. Four years later, the pendulum swung again when Glover-Rolle captured the constituency for the PLP.

The upcoming election will test whether Glover-Rolle’s support holds or whether Foulkes, a seasoned political figure in the area, can reclaim the seat.

Another variable is the presence of Sharmaine Adderley under the Coalition of Independents banner. While her support on the ground remains uncertain, she is not new to the race and could draw additional votes as some Bahamians continue to express frustration with the traditional two-party system.

It remains to be seen whether those votes will meaningfully affect the results. But with the constituency’s recent history of swings between the PLP and FNM, Golden Gates is one to watch.

The House of Assembly Select Committee on Natural Resources made its first site visit this past week to North Andros.

Why it matters

Many Bahamians have been calling on the government to ensure Bahamians benefit from the country’s natural resources. Thus, a committee was appointed by Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, the latter part of 2020 to examine the country’s natural resources.

The committee promises to make various site visits and make a report to the country on its findings.

What happened on the first official visit

• The Committee spent Wednesday afternoon and Thursday until departure late afternoon making site visits.
• Wednesday was on-land natural resources for the most part including: Morgan’s Bluff, Well Fields, Red Bays (sponge and fish) and Charlie’s Blue Hole.
• Thursday was marine natural resources.
• North Andros resident and Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association President Prescott Smith took the Committee on a tour including the Barrier Reef, the Great Bahama Bank, the Tongue of the Ocean, Stafford Creek and Flats. A delightful highlight of the tour was when about 10 dolphins, including a baby dolphin, swam alongside the boat and jumped out of the water!

The Committee members making the trip:

Michael A. Foulkes, Chairman, Shonel Ferguson, Picewell Forbes, Vaughn Miller and Reece Chipman.  Accompanying the Committee members were Carlton Bowleg, MP for the area, and Rashad Flowers, Assistant Clerk, House of Assembly.

Worth noting

The Committee will continue its work this week in New Providence while making plans for the next site visit in Grand Bahama in February.