By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE FREE National Movement (FNM) last night announced four more ratified candidates for the 2017 general election, with former Education Minister Desmond Bannister and the party’s most recent interim chairman, Brensil Rolle, returning to frontline politics.

Mr Bannister is expected to contest the Carmichael seat while Mr Rolle will vie for the Garden Hills constituency, both seeking to recapture after winning in 2007.

Following a series of extensive meetings at the party’s Mackey Street headquarters yesterday, Chairman Sidney Collie also announced the ratifications of former FNM Senator Fredrick McAlpine for the Pineridge constituency and political newcomer Gadville McDonald for the Cat Island, San Salvador and Rum Cay seat.

Mr Collie praised the selections, telling TheTribune that the FNM had dedicated itself to ratifying candidates “wanted” by the electorate. He said the FNM were confident that all four candidates would be successful next year as they were “of the constituencies for the constituencies”.

“When you hear the names of Desmond Bannister in Carmichael, Brensil Rolle in Garden Hills, McAlpine in Pineridge ... you see a consistent theme,” the newly-elected Chairman said.

“We wanted candidates that knew these communities and understood the concerns of the residents. The FNM has taken this approach because we have heard the calls by voters. They want people that they can relate to. Once we entered Carmichael we immediately got calls for (Mr) Bannister. They love him. He was there before and those residents knew what he meant for the area. He was someone that they wanted back. As was the case in Garden Hills, Pineridge and in the Rum Cay, San Salvador and Cat Island constituency,” he added.

Mr Bannister represented the Carmichael constituency from 2007 to 2012 but ran unsuccessfully in the North Andros race in the last election. Party sources had speculated that Mr Bannister would return to frontline politics but many had thought that he would have contested the Central and South Abaco seat in bid to replace current representative Edison Key who is set to retire.

Earlier this year Mr Rolle refused to submit a bid to be elected FNM Chairman full time after the post was left vacant by the resignation of Michael Pintard. At the time he insisted that such a big job would hurt his chance to campaign adequately for the Garden Hills constituency in the build-up to the next election.

The FNM has now ratified 15 candidates for the next election.