By TANEKA THOMPSON

Tribune News Editor

tmthompson@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie fell ill with a “stomach virus” prompting the Progressive Liberal Party to postpone the ratification of businessman Chester Cooper last night as its standard bearer for the Exuma and Ragged Island constituency, party Chairman Bradley Roberts confirmed.

“We put it (the event) off because he (Mr Christie) wanted to be here and the DPM is away from The Bahamas,” Mr Roberts said, adding that the ratification will likely be held in the next seven to ten days.

When asked about Mr Christie’s illness, Mr Roberts said: “He has a stomach virus.”

He said the prime minister felt ill after a trip to Eleuthera on Wednesday.

“He is hanging in there,” he added.

Mr Roberts said if Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis had been in the country, the party would have gone ahead with the ratification. Mr Davis is in Trinidad.

The issue of Mr Christie’s health was first mentioned by Mr Cooper’s campaign, which explained in a post on Facebook that the ratification had been delayed because the nation’s leader was ill.

“Chairman Roberts has informed us that the prime minister has taken ill and will not be able to attend tonight’s event,” a representative from Mr Cooper’s campaign, Team Cooper - Chester Cooper, posted last night.

“Some things are more important than politics. Prime Minister Christie has been going non-stop in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. We pray for his speedy recovery. We will keep you updated on the new date.”

Throughout this term, Mr Christie, 73, has frequently boasted about not taking any days off and working late into the night.

In May 2005, during his first term as prime minister, Mr Christie suffered “a very small stroke” that left him in hospital. Then Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia “Mother” Pratt served as acting prime minister in the interim.

The Exuma constituency is currently represented by PLP MP Anthony Moss, who has held the seat since 2002.

Mr Cooper has been on the ground working in the constituency for months. He has also been very visible in the area since the passage of Hurricane Matthew earlier this month, surveying damage in the constituency.

In April, The Tribune reported exclusively that almost 60 Exuma residents gathered to express “overwhelming support” for a new PLP candidate.

This was the result of a poll taken during a meeting of leaders of the PLP Exuma constituency obtained by The Tribune. Fifty-six PLPs expressed the desire to have a new candidate, one person did not vote and another failed to indicate clearly whether they would still support Mr Moss.

When contacted in April, Mr Moss said the outcry for a new PLP candidate to replace him in the 2017 general election was a road he has travelled many times before, insisting that for the last 14 years he has worked to the best of his ability on behalf of all constituents.

Mr Cooper hails from Forbes Hill, Exuma. He is chairman & CEO of BAF Global Group and president & CEO of BAF Financial & Insurance (Bahamas).