By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

TALL Pines MP Donald Saunders said yesterday his record alone will thwart off any challenge by former area MP Leslie Miller. 

Mr Saunders also suggested constituents and by extension the country have nothing to gain from Mr Miller being elected to office again.

He said newer, younger candidates are needed in politics and questioned Mr Milller’s impact at the Bahamas Electricity Corporation and Water and Sewerage Corporation. Mr Miller served as chairman of both entities during the last Christie administration. 

On Tuesday, the former Tall Pines MP said he’s certain he can win the seat by at least 500 votes in the 2022 general election, whether or not the PLP allows him to run on its ticket. He said his prospects are just as good under party affiliation as they are being an independent candidate.

“…I don’t care if he runs with the PLP (and) I don’t care if he runs independently,” Mr Saunders said in response yesterday. “I am going to go on my soapbox in the next two years or whenever election is called and I am going to point to these various developments that we have succeeded on and the projects that we intend to succeed on.

“I have never been afraid of Leslie Miller. I have never been afraid of anyone. This is a democracy.

“During the last election he said publicly that he was going to beat me by 1,600 votes. Now he’s saying 500, whatever it is the people of the Bahamas are going to make that decision. At the end of the day I think the FNM government and my representation in Tall Pines would be one that I think they would give me the opportunity to continue in the success that we’ve seen in Tall Pines.

“I say that I would beat Leslie Miller once more as I beat him in 2017 and I think as I said earlier and you can tell Leslie Miller this: I am going to run on my record.”

He also said: “I can’t speak for the Progressive Liberal Party, but if I was in leadership of the Progressive Liberal Party I would probably tell Leslie (to) relax but that is up to him. This is a democracy. Yes, he is over 70-years-old, (but) I do believe that we need younger fresher faces to stand up and represent our people.

“Is there a need for Leslie Miller in the Bahamas today with all of our bright minds and younger persons who want to have that opportunity to serve in this Parliament? Do we need a Leslie Miller?

“What’s the significance of a Leslie Miller in Tall Pines right now? He was at Bahamas Electricity Corporation. What great stuff did we see from him there? The FNM is now putting in the new generators.

“He was at Water and Sewerage, what great news did he bring there? So what do the people of Tall Pines and by extension the people of The Bahamas need from a Leslie Miller?”

Mr Saunders said his record in Tall Pines includes addressing chronic New Providence Landfill issues; ensuring there is a community centre with homework and computer lab space; establishing community associations that focus on crime watch and neighbourhood development and establishing three new parks though the use of constituency funds, among other things.