EDITOR, The Tribune.

CENTRAL Grand Bahama MP Iram Lewis blindsided his constituents - and perhaps Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard - by switching his political allegiance to the fledgling Coalition of Independents and its increasingly popular leader Lincoln Bain. It was just several days ago that an internet political tabloid alleged that former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, Desmond Bannister, Renward Wells, Adrian Gibson and Lewis were handed notices by the Pintard camp that they will not be receiving FNM nominations this upcoming election cycle. Now, what is the common denominator between Lewis, Gibson, Wells and Bannister? They’re all sympathetic to Minnis. They all support the former FNM leader.

Lewis served as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Works; Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness, Management And Reconstruction and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture in the Minnis government. When Lewis received his first nomination to contest an election, it was in 2017 while Minnis led the FNM. Lewis would succeed former Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant, who was a member of the Rebel Seven, a group of disgruntled FNM MPs led by Loretta Butler-Turner that wrested control of the FNM from Minnis in the House of Assembly. I believe Lewis does not view Minnis the same way Pintard and his base does. I am willing to bet that the COI MP views himself as being greatly indebted to the Killarney MP, who placed him in a traditionally safe seat for the FNM. For Lewis, to attack Minnis on behalf of the Pintard camp would have been the height of ingratitude. His loyalty to Minnis was amply demonstrated when he, in March of 2023, voiced his disapproval of the move by the FNM leadership in preventing Minnis from addressing constituency association meetings.

Lewis used strong words in describing the attempts at silencing Minnis as “undemocratic” and “anti-FNM”. I don’t believe Lewis was happy with the way Minnis has been treated by the FNM. His perceived loyalty to Minnis is the main reason he has been on the outside looking in since Pintard assumed control of the FNM. He has probably heard the same rumors as the tabloid about him being denied a nomination. He has undoubtedly seen rank-and-file FNMs question his effectiveness as an MP in the hours following his announcement in the House of Assembly.

My question to these FNMs is this: did you come to the conclusion that Lewis was ineffective in Central Grand Bahama before or after him joining the COI? Had Lewis come out in public and stated his disapproval of Minnis and his unflinching support for the FNM leader, would his critics still hold to the same view of him being ineffective?

Any negative criticism about Lewis at this juncture is obviously motivated by partisan politics. I will not pile it on the MP who has just made the most difficult decision in his political career. Whatever FNM critics say about Lewis can be said about every MP on Grand Bahama, owing to the abysmal state of that island’s economy.

The aforementioned tabloid further gossiped that Pintard, sensing that his hold on Marco City was tenuous at best, had set his eyes on the Central Grand Bahama seat. Hence, the rumoured move to jettison Lewis. At this point this is all pure speculation. In fact, I don’t believe this particular rumor at all. I believe Pintard is very safe in Marco City. An election loss in Marco City would be a catastrophe for the FNM leader - and the FNM as well. Still, I believe Pintard should make a public statement regarding his future plans for Marco City in order to allay the fears of his constituents and to dispel persistent rumors of him abandoning that seat for greener pastures. He has worked hard in his area. Any move by Marco City voters to replace Pintard would be a definite downgrade. These rumors give the perception that the FNM is in complete disarray.

Regarding Minnis, the rumored attempts to unceremoniously remove Minnis has the potential to backfire spectacularly. Pintard has to weigh his options very carefully, as this situation can escalate into a bloody mess. With Lewis, however, the people of Central Grand Bahama deserve answers.

In light of all the above, I believe Lewis’ move to the COI may have been preemptive. He saved himself from the embarrassing ordeal of being denied a nomination. He has the distinction of being the very first (and perhaps only) COI Parliamentarian. This move brings to mind former Democratic National Alliance Leader Branville McCartney abandoning the FNM to start up his own political party in 2010 or thereabouts; and the late Dr Bernard Nottage, who left the PLP in 1997 to set up the Coalition for Democratic Reform. Both men were sitting MPs at the time they left the FNM and PLP respectively. And both lost their seats. Neither the CDR nor the DNA won those seats that the two held. I feel Lewis is on the very same trajectory. Central Grand Bahama is an FNM stronghold.

The most disappointing issue stemming from Lewis’ abandonment of the FNM is the apparent lack of communication between him and Pintard. This was the very same issue that dogged Minnis as Prime Minister. It is difficult for the writer to understand why Lewis wasn’t given the assurance that his nomination for Central Grand Bahama was a guarantee. All of this could have been avoided. The only true victors in this political drama are members of the COI. Lewis’ amalgamation to the COI legitimises Bain in the eyes of thousands of swing voters who are weary of the Progressive Liberal Party and the FNM.

For the next year and a half, the COI will have a representative in the House of Assembly for a seat that rightly belongs to the FNM. Lewis has given Bain a massive platform to advertise his policies to a listening nation. Voters will be anxious to hear what Lewis has to say in the months ahead. Central Grand Bahama/Lucaya has voted FNM from the creation of that seat. For the FNM, Pintard is now tasked with finding a suitable replacement for Lewis. I wish Lewis all the best moving forward.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport, Grand Bahama

April 2, 2025.