By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

JUST days after Peter Turnquest announced he’d been told by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis he would not receive a nomination to contest the next general election, the FNM’s deputy leader claimed last night he had in truth made the “difficult” decision to withdraw his candidacy.

The 180 degree turn of his position is further confused by Free National Movement Chairman Carl Culmer’s statement to The Tribune on Tuesday that party officials responsible for candidate confirmation had not made a decision regarding the former cabinet minister’s run in the upcoming election.

Mr Culmer was adamant the matter had not come through any of the party’s committees, adding if there had been a conversation about his parliamentary future “we don’t know about it”.

Mr Turnquest made no mention of his conversation with Dr Minnis in his statement last night. Instead, he said: “Serving the people of East Grand Bahama has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. The relationships we have formed have nurtured my family and I over the last eight-and-a-half years and I will remain forever indebted to the good and fine people of this constituency for the trust and support they have placed in me.

“We have formed a bond and as I have said to several of you personally, we are family and now and you can’t get rid of me yet, I’m just a quick message away.

“However, after much consideration and thoughtful prayer with my family, closest advisors, constituency executives and Free National Movement party officials, I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for the next general election.

“This difficult decision is based solely on my commitment to bolstering and supporting the FNM as we continue the work of rebuilding our country and ensuring its growth and development for further generations,” his statement continued.

“The Free National Movement, with its transformative agenda, remains the best conduit for the advancement of our people and our democracy, and I am proud of the work we have done in this term.

“As a party, we have had many challenges but also many successes. We must now prepare ourselves for the battles ahead as we cannot afford to lose ground in this critical and sensitive time in our development history.

“Yes, we still have much work to be done to restore what has been lost due to hurricanes and the pandemic, but I am confident that the Free National Movement is still the best option to manage this crisis and guide our recovery.”

Mr Turnquest said he stood ready to do his part in ensuring that “our great party is victorious at the polls once again whenever a general election is called, so that we can continue our work in building a brighter future for all Bahamians.”

The statement was in stark contrast to Mr Turnquest’s anonuncement on social media last weekend when he said: “By now you would have no doubt heard the report that I have been advised by the party leader that I will not receive the nomination for East Grand Bahama.

“I assume that council will give final confirmation or otherwise on that decision at its next sitting.”

On Monday, Dr Minnis flew into Grand Bahama to meet with executives of the East Grand Bahama Constituency Association.

When contacted by this newspaper earlier this week, Mr Culmer appeared to have little insight into what prompted Mr Turnquest’s previous statement.

“Peter Turnquest’s situation has not come through any of the committees as yet,” Mr Culmer said on Monday. “We have not made any decisions on anything to do with him. I can’t say if Turnquest was premature in sending out the note to his constituency officers. Whatever conversation went on between Turnquest and the leader, we don’t know about it. I don’t know what was said. That never came to the executive or the vetting committee or the council.

“I can’t say if Turnquest and (Dr Duane) Sands will receive nominations from the party. I am only one person. As the chairman for the council, I will put the question to the floor and leave it to the members to vote up or down. I cannot try to decide or speculate on something.”

This saga comes a little over two months after Mr Turnquest’s resignation as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance when he was mentioned in a Supreme Court lawsuit relating to an alleged $27m fraud. He is not listed as a defendant in the matter, however, and has maintained his innocence.