Thursday, September 8, 2016
By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Senator John Bostwick II said yesterday he is not done with front-line politics and nation building, contending that he and several other members of the recently formed Gatekeepers organisation are preparing to offer themselves in the upcoming general election.
In an interview with The Tribune to discuss a reported meeting between senior members of Mr Bostwick’s former party, the Free National Movement and other third party officials, the former Bain and Grants Town hopeful claimed several meetings have taken place between these groups in recent months. He said all involved are hoping “to craft the best strategy to rid the country of the PLP”.
On Tuesday, Democratic National Alliance Leader (DNA) Branville McCartney confirmed that opposition factions met last week to discuss how they can all work together to “get rid of” the Progressive Liberal Party.
Mr McCartney told The Tribune the meeting was organised by “private citizens” who believe that an alliance between the opposition parties would be best for the country.
Mr Bostwick, one of the figureheads of the Gatekeepers - The People’s Movement – said while he has met on separate occasions with the FNM, the DNA, United Democratic Party and several other fringe factions, he wasn’t present at the meeting referred to by Mr McCartney.
He said he met with senior brass of the DNA early last week for two to three hours in a “meeting of the minds.”
Mr Bostwick said at the end of that meeting, there were a number of agreements made between himself and DNA officials - agreements he said has come to fruition in the interim.
Asked if those agreements focused on an alliance between the DNA and the Gatekeepers movement, Mr Bostwick would only state that discussion had not ventured in that direction.
“It was a meeting of the minds last week for myself, Bran (McCartney), Chris (Mortimer) and Andrew (Wilson). There wasn’t any talk of me joining the DNA or any coalition with some other group; it was all policy and discussions about nation building,” he said.
“This is the style of conversations that I have had with several other political organisations. You have to understand, all persons who have political ambition and national platforms are being courted by all political parties, that is the nature of the beast.
“Now while that is promising, that doesn’t guarantee a bid in the next general election. Everyone that joins a party doesn’t become a candidate.”
Mr Bostwick said his affinity and love for service hasn’t diminished in his time away from front-line politics.
“I do intend to offer myself in the upcoming general election. I am not certain of which constituency or which party I would offer myself for, but my affinity and love for a couple of areas have not gone away. There are communities that I want to see improve, areas I would do all in my power to see those people do better.”
“The southern Bahamas has become an important place to me. Also, I grew up in a part of Marathon that was Holy Cross and has become Sea Breeze; my navel string is buried there. Then my family home is in St Anne’s. I’m attached to these communities,” he added.
At present, Gatekeepers officials have not classified their group as a political organisation.
However, fellow Gatekeeper, Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) President John Pinder has already announced that he plans to contest the Fox Hill constituency in 2017 general election.
Mr Bostwick ran on the FNM’s ticket in 2012 as the standard-bearer for Bain and Grants Town, but lost.
He was convicted of possession of ammunition last December and was later ordered to pay a $15,000 fine.
Comments
birdiestrachan says...
Well you know "rock with Doc" did fire him. and he can rest assured that boggie
and the other Toggie I believe the name he is called, is not over, not yet.
Posted 8 September 2016, 3:09 p.m. Suggest removal
Well_mudda_take_sic says...
The very worst that the Bahamas has to offer are all popping out of the wood work to run for elected office on either the PLP or FNM tickets in the hope of getting rich quickly off of the backs of honest hard working Bahamian taxpayers!
Posted 8 September 2016, 4:19 p.m. Suggest removal
Naughtydread says...
It is becoming clearer by the day that these additional parties are sprouting up through the cracks because the PLP are looking for voter margins to gain the majority over the FNM. I'm sure Doc and his crew of blind men are following suit to a master plan by Perry and his group of cronies. Jesus take the wheel because if we allow leadership under Perry for another 5 years we won't be left with a country. Country for sale.
Posted 8 September 2016, 4:25 p.m. Suggest removal
Baha10 says...
Clearly political ambition has no shame ...
Posted 8 September 2016, 8:50 p.m. Suggest removal
BoopaDoop says...
Isn't this the man found guilty of possessing ammunition in his bag at the Freeport airport? The trend seems to be that "has beens" want to enter the political arena. Me thinks he is another "attention seeker", especially with guest hosting on numerous radio talk shows.
Posted 9 September 2016, 7:17 a.m. Suggest removal
Publius says...
He is ineligible by law to nominate in any general election now that he is a convicted felon, but this just goes to show the sick level of entitlement this man operates in. And it also shows how little he cares about The Bahamas, that he believes he should attempt to break the law - again - and try to present himself as an actual answer to this country's ills given his record.
Posted 9 September 2016, 10:10 a.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Is John Bostwick III worse than Brave, Perry, Shane, Obie, Fweddy or Fitzie??????? ........ he was setup to be discredited - probably by his own party
Posted 9 September 2016, 10:53 a.m. Suggest removal
Reality_Check says...
You clearly don't know anything about John Bostwick....and yes, he's just as bad if not worse than those you have named.
Posted 12 September 2016, 10:23 a.m. Suggest removal
licks2 says...
And might done it to himself. . .he may have forgotten his "fixing" in his bag and went to the airport. . .and BAM. . .he is a con. . .and can't run for office in this here nation!
Posted 12 September 2016, 2:19 p.m. Suggest removal
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