By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

MARCO City MP Greg Moss yesterday said the name and symbol of his previously foreshadowed political party will not be revealed until November when it plans to present a “definitive alternative” to the candidate offerings of major organisations.

Mr Moss clarified that while he anticipates leading the fourth party into the next general election, the organisation’s structure – part of which is a steering committee – would ultimately make that decision.

He insisted that the official roll-out in November would be the “exact opposite” of a convention, adding that the party will unveil its platform even if the PLP and DNA conventions – also scheduled that month – are postponed.

“No one person can form a party out of thin air,” he said. “You come out with a platform policy statement and governing board, and you let people (decide).

“We obviously have our people in mind, alternative persons in mind, but that will be significantly impacted by the constituencies themselves. Representatives should not be imposed on the constituency, they should come out of the constituency so that the people can see them move about and not only during the campaign and then in five years to make amends.”

Mr Moss suggested that the entrance of a fourth political party has sparked turmoil among established parties, whom he said were now trying to get their “houses in order” and could possibly postpone scheduled conventions or political events.

He pointed out that the Free National Movement, the official opposition, has also noticeably delayed rolling out its slate of candidates.

The outspoken MP quit the PLP in June, explaining that the party had veered away from its founding principles and had issues with leadership.

As a guest on Peace 107.5FM show Hardcopy earlier this month, Mr Moss said he wants to be prime minister of the country.

However, he told host Steve McKinney that a leader in a democratic country could only be leader by the “acclaim of his people” – adding that this was the DNA’s critical flaw.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, he expressed concerns that public welfare was getting lost in the ongoing “political stampede” - particularly the fate of Grand Bahamians.

He underscored the prevalence of substandard living conditions along the southern shore of the island, where he claimed persons were living in handmade shacks.

“I’m very concerned that one thing getting lost in political stampede going on is the day-to-day fate of the people in Grand Bahama,” he said.

“There is significant suffering going on. I am still finding people living in handmade shacks on the southern shore in the Bahamia area, in the Barbary Beach area, this is a travesty. This is something that is known by social services and it’s something that we cannot continue to cover up, that is the ultimate responsibility of everyone in public office.”

Mr Moss renewed criticisms over the mandatory fees embedded in the public school system, and its toll on struggling families, and maintained his position that the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme would only move significant debt from one sector of society to another. He challenged that NHI was only an advancement to a nation that did not already have a free public health care infrastructure, and predicted that an accompanying tax would have the same social impact as value added tax.

Mr Moss said: “I understand that everyone is involved in political wrangling, but it should not take precedence over people.”

“Yes, there is an evolutionary process involved in political life, and I note with great interest persons trying to recast themselves to run away from their own reputation over the last three years.”

He added: “While we’re in this process, we need not to take our eyes off our duty to take care of the people.”

Mr Moss said he planned to make a more detailed announcement concerning the new party in Grand Bahama within the next week.