By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

WITH former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham’s resignation taking effect last Friday, current Prime Minister Perry Christie said he will “soon” be in a position to announce a date for the North Abaco by-election.

“It’s going to be within the prescribed time,” he said.

“I’m soon going to be in a position to let you know. There’s a process, the speaker has to recognise the seat is vacant, he’s got to communicate with the governor general, and once that is done then I know it’s really on the move.”

He added the calling of the by-election will “obviously be soon”.

The PLP and the FNM have already announced their candidates for the seat as Renardo Curry and Greg Gomez, respectively. The Bahamas Constitution Party’s Ali Mcintosh has offered herself to run for the seat while the DNA opted out.

Former Prime Minister Ingraham predicted on Thursday, August 23, the Christie administration could call the forthcoming North Abaco by-election as early as September 2.

“It’s a done deal, it’s finished, the battle is over and Jesus is Lord,” he said. “I am going to be in Abaco on the second of September, the day that I expect they will call the by-election.”

He added that while he was grateful for the opportunity to have served as the country’s leader and a Member of Parliament for years, he was relieved.

“I am thankful and relieved of that burden. I thank the Bahamian people very much,” he said.

Mr Ingraham conceded defeat and resigned as leader of the FNM just hours after the PLP was voted in as the new government of the Bahamas on May 7. He did, however, win his constituency’s seat, one that he had held for his entire 35-year political career.

He announced almost two weeks later that his resignation would take effect on July 19. The decision to resign on that date, which was also the anniversary of his first election to Parliament, was delayed in a bid to gain time for a potential by-election candidate and more informed public opinion on the proposed gambling referendum, Mr Ingraham said.

On July 19, he tendered his resignation letter to House Speaker Dr Kendal Major, shortly after 9:30am. In it he had stipulated that the resignation would not become effective before August 31.

Although the House would not arrange a special sitting for him to announce his resignation – as he had done when Sir Lynden Pindling had resigned — the Speaker said he would be allowed to make a farewell address at the House’s sitting on July 25.

However, when the House did reconvene on that day, Mr Ingraham was not allowed to make his farewell address at the beginning of the agenda. Instead he was informed that he would have to wait until the end of the day to address his fellow MPs. On hearing the decision, Mr Ingraham quietly gathered his papers, bowed to the Speaker, and, for the final time left the floor of the House.