By Riel Major

Tribune Staff Reporter

rmajor@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party chairman Fred Mitchell yesterday made an appeal to party delegates to re-elect the PLP’s leadership team at its upcoming convention as executives craft a 10-year plan for the organisation.

Mr Mitchell urged party members not to fix something which is not broken.

He said: “I wish to ask delegates to re-elect the team of Davis, Cooper, Mitchell and Lynes. The party has found its sea legs. The ship is off the reef and we are on our way out to sea. I think there was a good captain and able mates. I am hoping that the existing executive leadership team will be returned by the delegates to continue work. “

Despite his appeal, Mr Mitchell said there is nothing preventing other people from being nominated for top posts adding in a democratic organisation people are free to support whichever team they wish. This statement came days after The Tribune reported PLP Leader Philip “Brave” Davis told party members that he wants no challenges to his leadership team.

Speaking of the convention, Mr Mitchell said yesterday: “It is a ritual that we as a party began way back in 1954. Every time we meet in convention, we renew that original spark that caused Henry Milton Taylor, Cyril St John Stevenson, and William Cartwright to found the PLP back in 1953. Those who have been involved in my work I this party know that I have been a fierce advocate of annual conventions on time every year. Sadly, that has not been the recent record but to the credit of Philip Brave Davis this is the third such convention in two years.

“In the two years since the general election, the party has found its sea legs... let’s count the successes. Following the general election, we were down to four seats and a 37 percent share of the electorate in 2017. Under the present team, within one year of election, the public survey showed that 70 percent give or take of those surveyed disapproved of the Free National Movement. Our polls reveal that we are now ahead of the FNM.”

He added: “However, there are too many the polls reveal for whom the jury is still out. We are working on winning back those souls. People like what they see, the new faces, the young people as witnessed I’m our dynamic Progressive Young Liberals and in the National Progressive Institute. There is a brand-new men’s branch and the women’s branch continues its work.”

Mr Mitchell said after consultations with Mr Davis, party members will be asked to approve a 10-year plan for the PLP at the convention.

He said: “This will include the platform of the party in the next general election. That committee has begun its preliminary work under the leadership of Deputy Leader Chester Cooper. The plan will include a commitment that each constituency branch will have a fixed headquarters which is owned by the party so that they have a place to meet without depending on public schools. Further, the national party ought to commit to the construction of a new national headquarters building and convention centre where all of our meetings both private and public can be held.

“I have already begun work on scouting potential buildings and sites and discussing the possibility of expanding our existing building. I would like to lead this work and get it started. The next generation may have to finish it. But I am all about succession planning and training the next generation. I look forward to a great convention and to your continued support of Brave Davis’ team.”

Mr Davis was unable to attend the press conference yesterday but, Barbara Cartwright, secretary general, gave remarks on his behalf. She urged party members to display unity, despite expected contests for various positions, and focus on the end goal of winning the next election.

She said: “. . .We have a government to win. We have voters to bring back home all of our energies and resources should therefore be spent trying to win hearts and minds of the Bahamian people. It is therefore important for the country to see us as a unified and not divided body. Let us work towards that goal in this convention. I have every expectation that we will come out of this on a high note.”

The PLP’s convention is slated for July 25-27 at the Melia Nassau Resort. The convention will commence at 8am on Thursday. Day sessions

for delegates will be held on Thursday and Friday. These sessions will conduct party business including the nomination of amendments to the party’s constitution, nomination for officers for national party office and panel discussions on various topics.

The evening sessions will be open to the public and they commence on 7pm on Thursday and Friday with live television and radio coverage

as well as live streaming beginning at 8pm on each night.

Nominations for party officers will be held on Thursday with voting to take place on Friday. On Saturday, the party will have installation of officers and a prayer breakfast.