By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Pineridge MP Frederick McAlpine said he will again seek to contest the Pineridge seat as an independent candidate, positioning himself as a potential spoiler after a strong second-place finish in the constituency in the last general election.

Mr McAlpine announced his move in a voice note to Pineridge constituents, saying: “I will be offering in the upcoming general elections as an independent candidate. Soon, I will officially launch my election campaign. In the meantime, I, along with members of my team, will be reaching out to you. Please feel free to share this voice note with family, friends, and neighbours in the Pineridge Constituency.”

Mr McAlpine last ran as an independent in the 2021 general election, where he garnered 1,175 votes, trailing only the PLP’s Ginger Moxey, who won the seat with 1,423 votes. The FNM’s candidate, Welbourne Bootle, finished third with 886 votes. Pineridge had 5,670 registered voters in that election.

Mr McAlpine was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Pineridge on May 10, 2017. In June 2018, he was dismissed by then-Prime Minister Hubert Minnis from his post as Chairman of the Hotel Corporation after he, along with fellow FNM MPs Travis Robinson, Vaughn Miller, and Reece Chipman, voted against the government’s proposed increase of value-added tax from 7.5 percent to 12 percent.

As an FNM member, he frequently criticised his party, ultimately severing ties with the FNM in July 2021 before running as an independent in the subsequent election.