Copyright thenassauguardian
Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Michael Pintard announced yesterday the FNM will contest the Golden Isles by-election on November 24. The party has ratified Brian Brown, who ran unsuccessfully against Vaughn Miller in the last general election. Miller, who won the seat in 2021 with 50 percent of the votes, died unexpectedly on September 28. Nomination day is this Friday. “The next member of Parliament for Golden Isles is none other than Brian Brown,” Pintard declared outside Parliament. “Brian has been in the constituency for more than eight years, and most especially over the last year, he has been listening to the cries of the residents when they talk about the broken promises of this administration.” He continued, “Brian has stepped forward to say he is ready now to serve in the capacity that he has been serving for years as a member of Parliament for Golden Isles.” Miller was buried on Friday. On Saturday, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) kicked off its campaign to reclaim the Golden Isles seat. Recently, PLPs were in the constituency donating building supplies to residents. “And the PLP now has come with the same old playbook that they have used, where they have been missing for four years in addressing the concrete issues of the community. They have not provided the help and the resources to the people of Golden Isles, despite the persistent cries,” Pintard said. “They have not undergirded the member of Parliament they had in Golden Isles. And now, 30 days out from an election, they finally realize that there are some roads that need to be paved. They have come again offering to fix houses.” Last month, Pintard called on the prime minister to call a general election instead of wasting money on a by-election. When asked if another by-election loss would affect his leadership, Pintard said, “We believe that we will be successful in the upcoming general election, and this is but one step in that direction. “And so, we’ll be still standing after this by-election and after the general election the FNM will be the government of The Bahamas, and we should focus on that.” The FNM lost the 2023 by-election in West Grand Bahama and Bimini, a seat that was held by the late Obie Wilchcombe, a PLP. PLP candidate for Golden Isles Darron Pickstock said since Brown’s loss in Golden Isles in the 2021 general election, he has not made any strides in the constituency. “I assume Mr. Pickstock has not been in Golden Isles,” Brown said in response. “He [doesn’t] know the boundaries in Golden Isles and knock on any doors. They will tell him Mr. Brown has kept his office open for the past four years, even after losing the ... general election. “I’ve had classes ... for the students ... and if he goes into Golden Isles, they will tell you, Mr. Brown is a man of action, a man who gets the business done. He can tell you that. “I understand that he said the other day that he’s the only one who can get the work done. Well, bye John. His mother didn’t only make one MP. “Brian will be the MP whenever you see the ballot box is closed on election night.” Miller won with 2,471 votes in the constituency in 2021. In that election, 2,496 of the registered voters in Golden Isles did not vote. In 2017, when he ran on the FNM’s ticket, Miller won the seat with 56 percent of the votes. In 2012, the PLP’s Michael Halkitis won with 48.11 percent of the votes (2,220). The FNM’s Charles Maynard won 39.29 percent of the votes (1,556) that year. Maynard represented the constituency during the 2007-2012 term.
