By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement founding member Maurice Moore says the opposition cannot “back off” from the a Golden Isles by-election, warning that leaving the Progressive Liberal Party uncontested would be a mistake.

Mr Moore told The Tribune the FNM must stand and fight, even if the odds are not in its favour. While some believe the party could benefit from the late Vaughn Miller’s limited popularity in the area, he said the PLP’s financial and organisational advantage makes the race difficult but not impossible.

“We’re one of the two major parties so we have to contest it,” he said. “A heavy contest, but if we only win by 100 or so votes, I mean it shows that the FNM has the power to win a general election.”

Mr Moore added that the party’s prospects will depend heavily on its candidate selection.

The FNM has not yet confirmed whether it will field a candidate. Longtime party general Brian Brown has been ratified by the party for the general election. Party insiders say some officials prefer to skip the race to conserve funds for the national campaign, while others see the by-election as a chance to galvanise supporters and attract new financial backing.

Party leader Michael Pintard has so far declined to say whether the FNM will contest the seat, instead repeating his call for Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis to call an early general election.

The hesitation follows lessons from last year’s West Grand Bahama and Bimini by-election, when the FNM defied advice from former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham to stay out of the race. Mr Ingraham reportedly warned that by-elections typically favour the governing PLP. The FNM entered anyway and lost.

Still, Mr Moore said the opposition cannot afford to signal retreat. “If we don’t run, it gives the impression that we’ve given up,” he said. “The FNM must always be in the fight.”