GREG Gomez is not a foreigner and is “no stranger” to North Abaco, FNM leader Hubert Minnis affirmed.

Following suggestions online that the FNM by-election candidate is not Bahamian, Dr Minnis hit out at the “mindless internet claptrap” circulated by “purveyors of lies” attached to the PLP.

He said: “At this juncture, there is perhaps no level of political lowness and skulduggery that this collective grouping can engage in to surprise me.

“We in the FNM are proud of our candidate, who is a man of the soil and a native Abaconian with laudable credentials. His heart is in Abaco and so even while he was away from the island exploring other opportunities and seeking to upgrade himself educationally, he always yearned to return home.

“Once he returned to Abaco, Greg immediately became involved in the local affairs of North Abaco as a district council member and a vigorous community activist.

“This so-called stranger, as the PLP would have you believe, has served as a local banker in Abaco, a customs officer at the airport and has also shared his knowledge with throngs of young people in his capacity as an educator.”

The FNM leader pointed out that Mr Gomez even went to the same high school as PLP candidate Renardo Curry, that they live on the same street about 100 yards apart and Mr Curry’s wife is Mr Gomez’ first cousin.

He added: “The scurrilous and defamatory falsehoods spewed by a purported surrogate website of the opposing party – the PLP – that this gentleman cannot travel to the United States (with false claims that they ascertained such information from the US Department of Homeland Security) should repulse any right thinking Bahamian.

“Quite frankly, Greg and several members of the FNM’s executive team just travelled to the United States last month. But, with some in the PLP and their affiliated mouthpieces, the motto must be to ‘never let a blatant, reckless lie get in the way of the truth’, right?

“The FNM rejects all the deceptive lies, aspersions and brainless foolishness being uttered against Greg Gomez by faceless cowards who hide behind a website whilst desperately hoping that they are not gripped by the long arms of the law. This is clearly an indication that the PLP is running scared in North Abaco and that our history of service to the communities of North Abaco and our candidate’s stellar reputation will take us to a resounding victory on October 15.”

Dr Minnis went on to reject the “fictitious claims” that Mr Gomez did not attend the funeral of the FNM’s late chairman Charles Maynard.

He called the claims even greater evidence of the “overly imaginative minds of some PLP fabricators” and said the party has the pictures to prove it.

Dr Minnis said: “What people should do is ask the PLP why Greg Gomez was victimised and not given a well-earned governmental post that he qualified for; why was he relegated to the boondocks and made to travel to Nassau for a frivolous meeting that never happened; why was he denied in his pursuit to serve his country as a public servant.

“Does this even remotely seem like a party that believes in Bahamians or is this a party that seeks to victimise and mistreat Bahamians, especially Bahamians who they believe are not in their inner-circle, who are not in the ‘good ole boys club’?”