By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard said the party’s landmark 1992 election victory was a transformational moment in Bahamian history, ushering in new freedoms, opportunities, and national development.

Speaking at a service of thanksgiving at New Life Worship Center to mark the anniversary of the FNM’s first win at the polls on August 19, 1992  - after 25 years in opposition - Mr Pintard urged Bahamians to build on that legacy with the same spirit of sacrifice and service, ensuring that opportunities are not confined to the privileged few.

Joined by his wife, Berlice, and daughter Michaela, the FNM leader credited former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and countless supporters who, he said, toiled for decades out of love for country despite repeated defeats. He stressed that the victory was not about one individual but about the perseverance of men and women whose work laid the foundation for change.

Mr Pintard paid tribute to the party’s early leaders, including Cecil Wallace-Whitfield, the FNM’s founding leader, who died two years before the historic win. He said the 1992 triumph was more than a change in government—it represented a deepening of democracy and an expansion of opportunity.

He pointed to accomplishments of the period, including liberalising the airwaves to promote free expression, upgrading Family Island infrastructure, and fostering an environment where every Bahamian child could aspire to the nation’s highest offices. He said the reforms also emphasised equality and fairness: the right to own property, to be treated with dignity regardless of background, and to access opportunity without political favouritism.

While celebrating the milestone, Mr Pintard cautioned against treating 1992 as a relic of the past. He said Bahamians must once again embrace unity, fairness, and service above self-interest. He contrasted the selfless spirit of that generation—willing to sacrifice ambition for the nation’s good—with today’s restlessness, noting that people now expect leaders who serve the entire country, regardless of race or political affiliation.

The FNM leader added that while governments change and policies evolve, what endures is work grounded in faith and the determination of Bahamians to create a just society. He said the party remains committed to advancing that vision and called on citizens to rededicate themselves to building what he described as “the best little country on this side of the world.”