By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell said at least four or five people have expressed interest in running in each of the MICAL, Fort Charlotte, and North Eleuthera constituencies after announcements that the current MPs will not seek renomination.

Mr Mitchell said the party’s candidates committee will not begin deliberating on replacements until later this month or next month, when it formally convenes.

He said: “As I’ve said before, we have members of parliament. They’re all working in their areas, so the question of candidates doesn’t really arise at this point, because we have people who are there and the presumption is that, unless there’s something to the contrary, the incumbent has the first bite at the cherry so to speak, although everybody has to be re-nominated.”

He said the party is not yet at the stage of finalising candidates but is ensuring current MPs remain active in their constituencies to maintain support.

He declined to say whether all incumbents will be guaranteed renomination, noting that all potential candidates must complete a training course before appearing before the candidates committee.

“The candidates committee reviews your record. There’s been an assessment of all constituencies, all of that will be presented the candidates committee, and then at the end of the day, a recommendation made to the national general council. But to me, it’s early days yet and the election is a year or more away,” he said. 

His comments come as political parties ramp up their election efforts, with the Free National Movement ratifying 17 candidates last week.

So far, Fort Charlotte MP Alfred Sears, MICAL MP Basil McIntosh, and North Eleuthera MP Sylvanus Petty are the only PLPs to publicly confirm they won’t seek re-election. House Speaker Patricia Deveaux, the MP for Bamboo Town, and South Abaco MP John Pinder has said that they are is still considering their options.