By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

THE battle for the Progressive Liberal Party’s nomination for Tall Pines is heating up, with former area MP Leslie Miller adamant that he has the support of the area despite indications that PLP Senator Dr Michael Darville is the front-runner.

Yesterday, Mr Miller repeated his belief that he will be victorious come Election Day whether or not he is chosen as the PLP’s candidate for the constituency.

Both he and Dr Darville were tightlipped about the race, but Mr Miller insists that no one can stop him from offering himself as a candidate even if he is not ratified by the PLP.

“No one can stop me from running. Who is going to stop me? I am with my people and they are with me and that’s all I can tell you,” he said.

Political observers say that some PLPs are up in arms as they feel Mr Miller is being slighted and will not receive the nod for candidacy from party leader, Philip “Brave” Davis.

Mr Miller, known as “the Potcake”, has represented Tall Pines for quite some time in the past and has developed a good rapport with the constituents. However, he lost his re-election bid in the PLP wipeout in 2017.

“If I was to run independent, I will win,” said Mr Miller. “We will win by a hefty margin over the incumbent who is there now and anybody else who wants to run.”

Asked how his bid for the ratification was going, he responded, “You are saying ‘in my bid for Tall Pines?’ How can it be a bid if I was the MP there from 1987? You need to go interview Darville to see if my people are with him.

“When the polls close at 6 o’clock, you will hear the count. That is all I can tell you. Now go and call Darville and see what he has to say.”

The Tribune contacted Dr Darville who said although he is hopeful, now is not the time to elaborate on who will get the ratification as the process is ongoing.

“I am doing what I have to do and I am sure Mr Miller is doing what he has to do,” Dr Darville, former Pineridge MP, said. “We are going through a democratic process and until that process is completely resolved, I won’t comment on it. The process is not completed.

“It’s an internal party issue. Mr Miller and I are pending for the Tall Pines constituency. Until that process is completed by the National General Council, I really don’t have much comment to offer as far as what his future or my future will be for Tall Pines. I am hopeful that at the end of the day, I am chosen.”

Yesterday, PLP chairman Fred Mitchell said there will be no announcement on the issue until a final decision has been made.

“The Candidates Committee has reached the point of making a recommendation, so there will be no announcement at all until such time as the National General Council has made a decision,” Mr Mitchell noted.

The Tribune spoke with some PLP members who are a part of the Tall Pines constituency. Although somewhat concerned about a split in votes if Mr Miller ran as an independent, they seemed convinced Dr Darville will get the ratification and the overall win.

Tall Pines resident Michelle Wilson says she is “rocking with doc”, co-opting the slogan Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis used in the 2017 general election to show her support for Dr Darville.

“We have our own ‘rock with doc’ in Tall Pines. We are supporting Dr Michael Darville in Tall Pines,” she said. “We the PLPs of Tall Pines have our own little caucuses outside of those who want to be ratified and we have discussed the matter and most of us have agreed and intend to put our weight behind Dr Michael Darville.

“No offence to Mr Miller, but he has had his time. It’s time for new blood in Tall Pines. The PLP also needs new faces and new ideas and unstained reasoning. Dr Darville is our guy. It all comes down to a vote from the National Council and I strongly feel it will be Dr Darville.”

Marie Brown is of the same view.

“Dr Michael Darville is going to come out on top,” she said with confidence. “Watch! This constituency needs a fresh face. Something new. Now to answer your question about Leslie Miller being an independent candidate in the area if Dr Darville gets the nomination... That will pull some votes from the PLP, but I still feel that at the end of the day, Dr Darville will be victorious. The FNM is finished around here for sure. Done!

“We are trying to be as courteous as possible in this selection process. The PLP is different from the FNM. We don’t have cannibalism in our party. I think Mr Miller will be angry, but I do believe he will get something else to do once the Progressive Liberal Party becomes government whenever this snap election is called.”

A PLP insider told The Tribune that Dr Darville is favoured by the party to receive the nomination for Tall Pines. Dr Darville represented the Pineridge constituency in Grand Bahama between 2012 and 2017.