By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement has ratified 17 candidates, including some newcomers and 11 incumbents, to contest the next general election.

FNM chairman Carl Culmer told The Tribune yesterday that he’s been “surprised” by the number of prospective candidates interested in running on the party’s ticket.

The candidates were ratified at a special meeting on Monday night of the FNM’s Central Council where applications of interest were considered.

The ratification confirms that neither Brensil Rolle, Garden Hills MP, nor St Anne’s MP Brent Symonette will contest the constituencies they currently represent.

“There is a lot of interest,” Mr Culmer said yesterday, ahead of the release of a press statement announcing the ratification. “I am surprised with the numbers.

“For example, there were six people interested in the South Andros constituency and we had six people express interest for Garden Hills.”

The ratified candidates include the following incumbents: Marathon MP Romauld Ferreira, Free Town MP Dionisio D’Aguilar, Tall Pines MP Donald Saunders, South Beach MP Jeffrey Lloyd, Mount Moriah MP Marvin Dames and Bamboo Town MP Renward Wells.

Other incumbents are Yamacraw MP Elsworth Johnson, MICAL MP Miriam Emmanuel, Golden Gates MP Michael Foulkes, North Abaco MP Darren Henfield and Bain and Grants Town MP Travis Robinson.

The FNM also named well-known trade unionist and Senator Jennifer Isaacs-Dotson as a ratified candidate for Exuma and Ragged Island and Stephen Greenslade for the Garden Hills constituency.

Mr Greenslade, a businessman and former Royal Bahamas Police Force officer, was the Democratic National Alliance’s candidate for Golden Isles in the 2017 election.

Newcomers to the FNM’s ticket include Felicia Knowles for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador, Kenneth Smith for Mangrove Cay and South Andros, Brian Brown for Golden Isles and Adrian White for the St Anne’s constituency.

“On Monday, 1 February 2021, the Central Council of the Free National Movement convened a special called meeting to consider applications for the party’s standard bearers in 17 constituencies in advance of the next general election,” the party said yesterday.

“The democratic and engaging process followed the party’s constitution, which provides that the executive committee of the party be apprised of all applicants and thereafter advance its suggestions to the Central Council for consideration for ratification.

“The ratified group includes incumbent candidates and new entries to the party’s election ticket. All were ratified with exuberant consensus.

“All applicants were thanked for their commitment and dedication to the party, and their pledges to continue their support in assisting the ratified candidates in their respective constituencies.

“The party congratulates all those ratified. They take the party’s message forward as we continue our work for the Bahamian people in rebuilding our economy, tackling unemployment, encouraging entrepreneurship, developing our Family Islands, and protecting our people from the deadly global pandemic of COVID-19.

“The group of newly ratified candidates has experience, youth, professionalism, and gifted ability,” the FNM said.

There are currently 39 seats in the House of Assembly.