By EARYEL BOWLEG 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net 

FORMER FNM Senator Jamal Moss admitted yesterday he felt “hurt” by the party’s decision to ratify Darren Henfield as the South Beach candidate, despite receiving full backing from the FNM’s South Beach Constituency Association. 

He said he believed he was the best man for the job but respected the party’s choice and felt it was time to “move on”. 

Mr Moss, who is also the party’s national vice chairman, spoke after The Tribune reported that executives of the South Beach Constituency Association were upset with the FNM leadership for ignoring their preferred candidate. 

The executives told The Tribune the association sent two letters to party officials endorsing Mr Moss because they believed he had the best vision for the constituency. They also alleged they only learned that Mr Henfield, the former MP for North Abaco, would be ratified hours before the official announcement. FNM chairman Dr Duane Sands declined to comment when contacted by The Tribune yesterday. However, this is not the first time tensions have arisen between the FNM leadership and some constituency associations over candidate selections. 

The recent ratification of Chief Councillor Jeremy Sweeting for Central and South Abaco prompted the resignation of local FNM branch chairman Roscoe Thompson. 

Meanwhile, the FNM’s Killarney Constituency Association has publicly criticised the party’s decision to deny former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis re-nomination, warning the move could cost the party the seat.