obieroberts

In Southern Shores, the picture right now is striking–two members of the Progressive Liberal Party are talking about the same community work, but telling different stories.

Newly ratified Progressive Liberal Party candidate Obie Roberts recently posted a video showing that he cleared down an overgrown park in the Marshall Road, Misty Gardens area. Residents had reportedly complained about safety concerns while walking in the mornings and evenings.

Roberts said, with the assistance of the Bahamas Department of Corrections, the area was cleaned to make the environment safer.

It was a straightforward visual showing space cleared and the problem addressed.

But the sitting Member of Parliament Leroy Major, responded with a video of his own, and a sharp rebuttal to Roberts.

Major argued that the park had always been on contract and claimed someone from PLP headquarters took control of his constituency contracts and reassigned them. “Thank you for cleaning up the mess you created,” he said, suggesting the situation was political sabotage rather than service.

He also insisted that ongoing roadwork in the area was part of a second phase he initiated, not a new effort under the PLP.

Watch the video here.

What might have been election constituency maintenance has now become a public optics battle.

And it comes at a sensitive time which is election season.

Major was recently denied renomination by the PLP, despite requesting to run again. The party ratified Roberts instead. Major has since voiced frustration and even floated the possibility of running as an independent.

For a party emphasizing unity heading into a general election, the visual of two PLPs disputing credit in the same constituency is significant.

Voters in Southern Shores may care less about internal dynamics and more about whether their park is safe and their roads are paved. But perception matters in politics. When the party’s disagreements play out publicly, it raises questions about unity.

In election season, even bush clearing can become a battleground.

After weeks of tension and speculation, the Progressive Liberal Party made its final call in Southern Shores, choosing Obie Roberts as its candidate and passing over Clint Watson, whose supporters had been vocal and deeply invested in his bid.

The decision does not settle whether the party is unified enough to win the constituency.

Obie Roberts spoke to reporters after his ratification, “You’re gonna have some persons right now who have some emotions after the decision is made. You can’t please everybody. But PLPs are PLPs’ ya know. They remain home. They remain faithful to the party, granted they’re disappointed or not.”

Southern Shores has been one of the most contentious constituencies in this election cycle. Emotions ran so high that supporters of both camps nearly came to blows outside a constituency meeting. Now that the decision has been made, the PLP’s immediate challenge is: Can Watson’s supporters pivot quickly and fully behind Roberts, or will the resentment linger?

That question matters because Southern Shores is shaping up to be a three-way race.

The Free National Movement ratified Donnalee Penn early. She has had the advantage of working the area, building name recognition, and campaigning while the PLP was still internally divided.

Meanwhile, the Coalition of Independents has put forward Kirk Farrington, who could siphon votes from either major party.

A fractured PLP vote could be decisive. Independent candidates rarely need to win outright to influence the result, but their biggest impact is taking votes from the other candidates. It is not known how popular Farrington is in the area.

Southern Shores voted FNM in 2017, then swung PLP in 2021, which means the seat is competitive, and voters are willing to change their minds. No party can take it for granted.

For the PLP, choosing Roberts closes one chapter but opens another. The coming weeks will reveal whether party leaders can cool tensions, rally supporters, and present a united front, or whether internal tensions will shape the result on election day.

Member of Parliament for Southern Shores Leroy Major has said very little, but what he has said is loud. After confirming that he wrote to the Progressive Liberal Party seeking renomination and was declined, Major made it clear that he is not stepping quietly back. Asked whether he would run as an independent, his response was: “Watch the road.”

His statement does not suggest healthy political “competition,” as Mitchell stated of the tension in the party. It suggests unresolved conflict.

The PLP is weighing two aspirants for Southern Shores–ZNS General Manager Clint Watson and PLP Vice Chairman Obie Roberts, while the sitting MP, Major, remains public and seemingly defiant. Major said openly to reporters that he supports Watson, and warned that if the party goes another direction, “they have to face me.”

That is not the language of a settled internal process.

Party Chairman Fred Mitchell has sought to calm concerns, framing the situation in Southern Shore as ordinary competition within the party. However, Major’s recent statement further complicates this message. Supporters of both Watson and Roberts nearly came to blows outside a party meeting, a clear sign of conflict that clashes with Mitchell’s careful wording.

Major repeatedly declined to clarify his political future to reporters, avoided direct answers about his political decision, and emphasized his loyalty only to the people of Southern Shores. He has pointed to ongoing constituency work, including distributing food assistance, as proof that he has not turned his back on residents. It’s possible he could run independently.

With the PLP expected to ratify candidates, Southern Shores could be a measure of party loyalty and unity.

Whether Mitchell calls it competition or not, these signs point to a division.

The early signs around the 2026 General Election suggest this is shaping up to be a crowded, competitive race, with growing demands for accountability from voters.

New seats, new political battles

One of the biggest changes ahead of 2026 is the addition of two new constituencies St James and Bimini and the Berry Islands following recommendations by the Constituencies Commission.

And already, these new seats are drawing attention.

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Senator Randy Rolle and Carlton Bowleg, who was ratified by the Free National Movement (FNM) last year for what was then the North Andros and Berry Islands seat, are both reportedly eyeing the new Bimini and Berry Islands constituency.

Parties are moving quickly to secure support, and position candidates in areas expected to be closely fought.

This election is shaping up to be decided seat by seat.

Defiance inside the party

Another early signal is the growing number of candidates willing to challenge their own parties’ decisions.

In Bamboo Town, former MP Renward Wells has confirmed he will run as an independent after being denied an FNM nomination. His decision defies party leadership and adds another layer of uncertainty to Bamboo Town.

In Killarney, Senator Michela Barnett-Ellis, the FNM’s ratified candidate, is preparing to face the party’s former leader and former prime minister, Dr Hubert Minnis. Dr Minnis, who was also denied an FNM nomination, has said he will run anyway.

Barnett-Ellis has said she hopes to convince voters to “look to the future,” signaling that the race is about leadership direction and renewal.

PLP tensions in the open

The governing PLP is also facing signs of internal strain.

In Southern Shore, party members have been divided over who should be nominated, Clint Watson or Obie Roberts with reports of heated confrontations and growing dissatisfaction among supporters.

Internal party disagreements are not new in Bahamian politics. However, those tensions are visible, signaling a more volatile campaign where candidates are fighting not just their opponents, but also internally.

Accountability is resurfacing

Beyond party politics, accountability issues are returning to the national conversation.

Concerns over road conditions and hospital care are placing renewed pressure on the government to explain what has changed and what has not.

These issues are likely to feature prominently in 2026, especially as voters connect everyday hardships with leadership decisions.

Media narratives spotlighted by Pintard

Even the role of the media has entered the political debate.

Opposition Leader Michael Pintard has publicly questioned whether internal conflicts within the FNM are consistently framed as “chaos” and “infighting,” while similar disputes inside the PLP are often treated as normal political disagreement.

Whether one agrees or not, the critique reflects a broader concern about how narratives shape public perception and who is portrayed as divided or ready to govern.

Why it matters

Elections are shaped months in advance by candidate decisions, party unity, public trust, and the issues that refuse to go away.

The early signals of 2026 suggest the race could be unpredictable, highly contested, and deeply personal.

The ballots may still be months away, but the battle lines are being drawn.