By TANEKA THOMPSON

Tribune News Editor

tmthompson@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party should be “relieved” at Marco City MP Greg Moss’ resignation, said former PLP Cabinet minister George Smith, adding that the controversial backbencher had been “out of sync” with the party on many issues.

Mr Smith also predicted that outspoken Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins would likely join the opposition Free National Movement as a candidate for the next election, as it is clear that PLPs do not want him on their ticket.

Mr Smith, a Cabinet minister in the Pindling administration, said the party should come to terms with the fact that in its bid to win the last general election, it welcomed newcomers into the fold who did not mesh with the party’s ethos.

“I believe that when the party picked Greg Moss, (Bamboo Town MP) Renward Wells and Rollins, they thought that they would be attractive candidates in helping the PLP win the election,” Mr Smith said. “I don’t think we’d concentrated sufficiently on how effectively we could govern people we weren’t sure were PLPs to begin with.

“We didn’t bother to find out whether Moss, Wells or Rollins were PLPs.”

Although many observers saw Mr Moss’ resignation as shocking, Mr Smith and other members of the PLP have maintained that the move was not surprising.

“I don’t think anyone should be surprised, his views were very contrary to what the party was about, gender equality and things like that,” Mr Smith added. “He came up with some weird things in the gender (equality) debate that were way out of sync with the prevailing view on gender equality.

“So I think that the party should admit that it made a mistake in picking him as a candidate and should now be relieved. I also know that a couple of days before the PLP focused on Wells for Bamboo Town he was in discussions with Tommy Turnquest, and Hubert Ingraham by extension, because Tommy was negotiating with him to run in South Andros. A couple of days later he ends up being nominated as the Bamboo Town candidate, so he was bound to run into trouble with the party’s line.

“I think Rollins has played his hand a little wiser than the other two – Wells and Moss. I believe that, I will not be surprised at all if Rollins is not of the mind to go to the party that most people believe that he will be more comfortable in, and that’s the FNM. I believe that when we look at Fort Charlotte in the next election, the Progressive Liberal Party candidate will be (former area MP) Alfred Sears and the FNM’s candidate will be Andre Rollins.”

Mr Smith added: “Moss is gone, I expect Wells will be gone soon and I believe Rollins will play his hand in a way that he becomes more and more attractive to the FNM and he must be mindful that it is the general view of PLPs in Fort Charlotte for Alfred Sears to come back.”

Mr Moss, Dr Rollins and Mr Wells were a part of a group of political newcomers that the PLP marketed as the “bridge to the future” ahead of the last election. They have all lashed out at the government or been embroiled in controversy during this term.

Last Monday, Mr Moss announced he was quitting the PLP, citing the party’s leadership issues and failure to fulfill its campaign promises as key reasons. His resignation took effect the next day.

Mr Moss has shot down suggestions he will now join the official opposition or third-party the Democratic National Alliance. He has said he plans to represent Marco City as an independent representative, adding that his support in his constituency and other areas have grown since his election in 2012.

However, Mr Smith believes Mr Moss’ chances at keeping his seat in Parliament are very slim.

“I believe he probably will contest the seat and he will lose either to whoever the PLP nominates or whoever the FNM nominates,” Mr Smith said. “From all I hear, he doesn’t have a very strong political base, but he makes good copy for the press, that’s about it.

“Marco City isn’t the kind of place where a fellow with a limited political base would fare as an independent,” the former Exuma representative said.