ratification

As the race for MICAL takes shape, one of the now more closely watched candidates is James Leo Ferguson, a newcomer to frontline politics but not to public service.

Ferguson, ratified by the Free National Movement on Wednesday, enters the race, rooted in the community with ties and a legacy in MICAL. After 30 years in the Royal Bahamas Police Force, he retired as an assistant superintendent and has now shifted from law enforcement to politics.

His background is central to his appeal as a candidate. Born in Mayaguana and having served as officer in charge of Inagua for four years, Ferguson seems not to be an outsider candidate.

Instead, he represents a familiar figure in MICAL, communities where personal relationships often matter as much as party affiliation.

He is also the son of the late Johnlee Ferguson, a former FNM chairman and senator, a connection that strengthens his political roots while signalling continuity within the FNM’s base.

FNM leader Michael Pintard has expressed strong confidence in Ferguson, describing him as a candidate with “a heart for the people” and deep ties to the constituency.

But the question remains: Can that translate into votes?

MICAL is entering this election without an incumbent, following the decision of Basil McIntosh not to seek re-election for the Progressive Liberal Party. That resets the political landscape and opens the door for both parties.

For Ferguson, the opportunity is clear, but so is the challenge. While his law enforcement career suggests leadership and public trust, politics requires a different kind of connection, like campaigning, voter mobilization and turnout, and party machinery.

His opponent, Ronnell Armbrister, will be carrying the PLP banner in a seat the party won convincingly in 2021. That means Ferguson must introduce himself to voters as a candidate, but most importantly, also persuade them to shift political allegiance from the PLP to the FNM.

The path is already there, in a constituency that has changed hands before.

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.

For months, Rick Fox the former NBA champion and businessman, was openly critical of the Progressive Liberal Party and the Free National Movement, calling for more transparency, accountability, and straight answers from those in power.

Fox then announced an independent run for St James, the newly mapped constituency.

That chapter ended with his ratification.

Fox was ratified by the FNM to run in Garden Hills, officially trading political independence for party colours and a structure. It ends months of speculation and raises new questions about what kind of politician Fox wants to be.

What makes the shift more interesting is how Fox started. He was appointed Ambassador-at-Large by the PLP government, which tapped into his international image. But the relationship became strained as Fox publicly criticized the administration. Eventually, PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell suggested Fox step down from the position. But it seemed that not even Mitchell knew that Fox ended his contract with the government in 2024.

The tension grew deeper when PLP Deputy Leader Chester Cooper, reacting to reports that Fox was interested in entering politics, said he did not know Fox was Bahamian. The remark was widely seen by some as dismissive.

Fox’s father is Bahamian and his mother is Canadian, a fact that was never in question.

Some see Fox as an outsider challenging the Bahamian political system, even while being criticized by government officials.

By joining the FNM, Fox gains organization, funding, and a political machine. And the FNM gets Fox with name recognition and a message built around accountability.

It remains to be seen if Fox can keep his independent voice inside a party system. Or will some voters see this move as a compromise?

With the 2026 election looming, candidates who are outsiders eventually face reality: to stay on the sidelines or join a political party to help reform the system.

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.

The Free National Movement has nominated Frazette Gibson as its candidate for Central Grand Bahama. This follows former FNM Member of Parliament Iram Lewis sudden exit from the party.

Central Grand Bahama has long been regarded as an FNM stronghold, but his move from the FNM to the COI can trigger new developments in the safe seat and test the party’s strength in the constituency.

Iram Lewis’ exit changed the party dynamic

Iram Lewis, who previously represented Central Grand Bahama under the FNM banner, has since left the party and aligned himself with the Coalition of Independents, a third-party movement positioning candidates for the 2026 General Election.

Lewis is expected to contest Central Grand Bahama under that banner, forming what would typically be a two-party race into a three-way race.

Lewis, as a sitting MP in a traditionally safe constituency, facing the risk of defections, can introduce uncertainty by dividing voters who previously aligned under the FNM banner.

Central Grand Bahama is an FNM stronghold

Although Central Grand Bahama has historically leaned FNM, the party can take no chances.

The introduction of a third-party candidate, can change the dynamics. A stronghold can be weakened by vote-splitting, low turnout, and voter dissatisfaction.

Who is Frazette Gibson?

Gibson is a strong contender in Grand Bahama and was elected twice to local government for Central Grand Bahama, boasting of spearheading major projects in the area.

By nominating Gibson, the FNM appears to be prioritizing continuity and stability to ensure she maintains the stronghold. Gibson can refocus the race on the FNM and constituency priorities.

Featured image: Facebook and The Tribune

The Progressive Liberal Party ratified fourteen candidates on Thursday night, a first glimpse into its campaign strategy for the 2026 election. With many of the slate incumbent candidates, will the public still believe the party’s promises, and will the public believe their lives can improve if the PLP is elected for the next five years?

The return of incumbents suggests the PLP wishes for continuity of its policies. It’s a way of saying to voters, “We’re stable. We deliver. No need to change.”

Prime Minister Philip Davis, in his presentation, said, “These are the people who know how the system works and people who are ready to change how it works. It is my honor to present to you a group of people with a proven track record in and out of government, with almost five years of their lives in public service. They are a selection of outstanding women and men dedicated to building on the progress we have made.”

The candidates include:

1. Jamahl Strachan (Nassau Village)
2. Keith Bell (Carmichael)
3. Jomo Campbell (Centreville)
4. Bacchus Rolle (South Beach)
5. Leslia Miller-Brice (Sea Breeze)
6. Darron Pickstock (Golden Isles)
7. Sebas Bastian (Fort Charlotte)
8. McKell Bonaby (Mt Moriah)
9. Fred Mitchell (Fox Hill)
10. Myles Laroda (Pinewood)
11. Mario Bowleg (Garden Hills)
12. Pia Glover-Rolle (Golden Gates)
13. Jobeth Coleby-Davis (Elizabeth)
14. Leon Lundy (Mangrove Cay and South Andros)

These may be the party’s strongest constituencies; thus, it prefers to ratify them early and avoid speculations or any pre-election infighting.

Out of this first batch of candidates, Fred Mitchell and Keith Bell are veteran politicians, having served as cabinet ministers in previous PLP administrations. Sebas Bastian and Darron Pickstock, having been involved in the affairs of the party, are the new faces to join the race.

Incumbent candidates bring risks:

1. Voter fatigue

When parties recycle the same names, voters can experience voter fatigue. Though incumbents offer experience, voters feel like nothing changes and associate them with the high cost of living and the daily systemic frustrations.

New faces give the perception that the party is embracing innovation and new ideas and is on the verge of change.

2. Stagnation

Old candidates often campaign with the same ideas and slogans recycled from the previous election. That means no fresh ideas on new industries or governance.

Their campaign becomes nostalgic, and more of  “what we’ve done,” and not “what’s next.”

What’s next

The party has not announced its next ratification.

It remains to be seen how many new faces and incumbents will be ratified in the next rollout and if they can appeal to young and frustrated voters.

The Free National Movement has ratified five more candidates for the next general election, including two newcomers to politics.

The candidates to receive ratification tonight are Courtney Coulibaly for Centerville, Vandea Stuart for South Abaco, Carlton Bowleg for North Andros and the Berry Islands, Duane Sands for Elizabeth Estates and Minister of State for Finance Kwasi Thompson.

The big picture

The Free National Movement has ratified thirty candidates so far, with a total of eleven new faces for the upcoming election. It remains to seen if controversial parliamentarians like Frederick McAlpine and Lanisha Rolle will be ratified.

FNM candidates ratified to date

1. Michael Pintard–Marco City
2. Frankie Campbell–Southern Shores
3. Iram Lewis–Central Grand Bahama
4. Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe
5. Reuben Rahming–Pinewood Gardens
6. Adrian Gibson–Long Island
7. Shanendon Cartwright–St Barnabas
8. Ricky Mackey–North Eleuther
9. Romauld Ferreira–Marathon
10. Dionisio D’Aguilar–Free Town
11. Donald Saunders–Tall Pines
12. Jeffrey Lloyd–South Beach
13. Marvin Dames–Mount Moriah
14. Renward Wells–Bamboo Town
15. Elsworth Johnson–Yamacraw
16. Miriam Emmanuel–Mical
17. Michael Foulkes–Golden Gates
18. Darren Henfield–North Abaco
19. Travis Robinson–Bain and Grants Town
20. Adrian White–St. Anne’s
21. Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson–Exuma and Ragged Islands
22. Felicia-Antionette Knowles–Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador
23. Kenneth ‘Ken’ Smith–Mangrove Cay
24. Stephen Greenslade–Garden Hills
25. Brian Brown–Golden Isles