By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement (FNM) chairman Dr Duane Sands said the party plans to revise its constitution—a move that comes in the wake of tensions over recent candidate selections.

He said the new provisions are aimed at improving internal operations, and could include further clarifications to the decision-making powers of constituency associations.

This comes amid ongoing tensions between the party’s leadership and several constituency branches over candidate selections. 

The FNM’s Killarney, South Beach and Bamboo Town associations have all raised objections to recent candidate picks, publicly warning the decision could cost the party the seat. However, party officials have previously said that recommendations from association branches do not guarantee a nomination.

Dr Sands told The Tribune yesterday that while the current constitution already outlines the role of constituency associations, recent developments suggest more clarity may be needed.

However, he said the matter will remain under discussion until the party holds its non-voting convention at a date to be determined.

The Tribune understands the convention was originally expected earlier this year but was delayed due to other “pressing” matters.

Dr Sands said preparations for what he described as an “imminent” general election have required significant time and focus, thus delaying the conference.

Still, he confirmed the convention will eventually be held.

“This organisation has been around for more than 50 years, and our Constitution has been revised over time - the last time in 2022 at the last voting convention after election,” he said.

“We’ve also recognised some lacuna things that our Constitution doesn’t speak to based on some of the challenges that we’ve had over the last few years, and rather than leave them undecided, okay, we will make sure that our constitution deals with.”

Dr Sands added that officials also want the constitution to address social media, noting its growing role in party communication.

“Our constitution speaks to putting ads in the paper and on the radio and in a time, when it was only newspaper and radio but we now need to address you know, what role does social media play? Email, WhatsApp, etc, Facebook, all these other types of things on notification about meetings and what have you.”

He said most people now get their information from social media, but under the current constitution such notifications are not considered adequate.

“These types of things have to be addressed in order to maintain the relevancy and the appropriateness,” he added.

Dr Sands also said the party intends to fill vacancies left by deceased meritorious council members at the upcoming non-voting convention.

The FNM’s upcoming convention will not involve the election of officers but will instead focus on constitutional changes and other party matters.

“We established that there would be no voting at this convention in the lead up to the last election so this would have no material bearing on leadership or party offices,” Dr Sands added.