By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

IN his first interview since resigning as deputy prime minister and minister of finance on November 25, East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest was coy about whether he will offer himself for reelection.

However he said he believes the Free National Movement has a good chance of winning the next general election.

“My party’s chances of winning the next election I think is good,” he said. “No administration goes without some challenges. But I think if you weigh it in the balance we’ve done some good work over the last three years and we’ll see what happens when the time comes.”

Asked if he will run again for a seat in Parliament, Mr Turnquest said: “We’ll see what happens.”

Mr Turnquest’s comments come as political observers watch closely for evidence of what kind of backbencher he will be: whether he will offer critical commentary about the administration he left or be fully supportive despite leaving Cabinet. After resigning as health minister in May, Elizabeth MP Dr Duane Sands has at times offered stinging criticism of the governing party.

Yesterday Mr Turnquest declined to give his views on such topical issues as oil drilling, saying he will leave that to the government to discuss.

Told he is in a prime position to comment on such matters as a backbencher, he said: “At the appropriate time I will give my views on that. However, I would again leave it to the Cabinet to comment on that. I have not polled my constituents on it so I can’t really give a position.”

His comments yesterday came at a press conference in which Bahamas Waste announced that it will start a new campaign to encourage Bahamians to wear masks.

Mr Turnquest resigned as deputy prime minister and minister of finance late last month after being mentioned in a Supreme Court lawsuit relating to an alleged $27m fraud.

In a statement of claim filed in November, Alpha Aviation Limited and Advanced Aviation Limited alleged that Randy Butler and Mr Turnquest conspired “wrongfully and with intent to injure” their companies and/or “to cause loss to them by unlawful means and/or to enrich themselves.”

Plaintiffs alleged that Mr Turnquest and Captain Butler used “some 39 fraudulent invoices and/or book entries, and for no adequate consideration” drained away some $3.8m paid by Alpha Aviation to Aviation Oversight Group via 39 separate cheque payments between February 2008 and July 2016.

They alleged that a further $3.026m was also siphoned off “as at December 31, 2017”, to AOG Maintenance Ltd, a company that owned Sky Bahamas’ maintenance hangar at Lynden Pindling International Airport.

Mr Turnquest was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit and maintains his innocence. His former Sky Bahamas partner, Captain Butler, has also said he is innocent of the accusations against him in legal action.