By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 1, 2021 – The announcement by Picewell Forbes, MP for Mangrove Cay and South and Central Andros, that he will not seek re-election in the upcoming general elections in The Bahamas seems to have paved the way for Monique Pindling, daughter of the late first Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Sir Lynden Pindling, to be the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) candidate for the seat once represented by her father.
Mr. Forbes made the surprise announcement in the House of Assembly on Monday morning, March 1, according to an article in The Tribune, one of The Bahamas’ leading newspapers.
“Today I stand to take my last political breath; my name would never rise again in political cycles,” The Tribune quoted him as saying. “My work is done politically.”
According to The Tribune, Mr. Forbes said the communities of his constituency are better off today than they were when he first represented the area 13 years ago and he had a message for his detractors.
“To my detractors. . . I did not get everything right,” The Tribune quoted him as saying. “There were some missteps. I am not a slave of fear but I am an imperfect child of God…I will not be offering in the 2022 general election but to those in my constituency who are concerned, I am okay. God has taken care of everything and will continue to do so.”
The tenor of Mr. Forbes’s announcement seemed to suggest that he reached the decision not to seek re-election reluctantly. Indeed, as The Tribune’s article noted, it had been anticipated that Mr Forbes “would secure a nomination for the next general election along with other Progressive Liberal Party incumbents.”
However, after Monique Pindling, who unquestionably will be a formidable candidate in South Andros, made here intentions known during in an extensive interview published in The Tribune on November 17, 2020, many political observers concluded that it was only a matter of time before Mr. Forbes decided he would not seek re-election.
In that interview, Monique Pindling told The Tribune she wants to help “fulfil the plan that was laid out for Andros so many years ago”.
According to The Tribune, she was careful “to avoid friction or draw comparisons with Mr Forbes,” noting that seeking her party’s nomination has been “challenging” and that she hoped she would “be given a fair shot.”
“I hope for an opportunity to take my message to the people of the constituency and let them decide,” The Tribune quoted her as saying. “If the branches and the people want to continue with the incumbent, I will support that. My reason for doing this is for Andros to finally get the attention it so deserves. Ultimately, the decision lies with leadership to make the process fair for everyone. No one, including myself, is entitled to an automatic nomination.”
In congratulating Mr Forbes “on all he has accomplished during his tenure in Andros,” The Tribune further quoted he as saying, “However, today we find ourselves in likely the toughest times in our country’s history. Bahamians need impactful leadership now more than ever before. As a woman who carries the responsibility of raising the next generation of Bahamians, I see and feel the roadblocks our youth face every day. I fully recognise Androsians need new passion, vitality and a plan. While I am a team player who would welcome a partnership for the sake of the constituency, I believe I am the best way forward for Central & South Andros and Mangrove Cay constituency.”
Clearly, she presented a strong case in support of her quest to win the nomination by outlining some specific suggestions when she told The Tribune that South Andros needs urgent upgrades to its roads, radio and cable services, medical facilities, police and fire facilities, garbage disposal and collection capabilities, airport, wireless and digital connections and water and sewage services.
Asked what her vision and plans would be for the constituency her father represented for 30 years, she told The Tribune said she wants to spur development that would increase tourism revenue, stimulate agriculture and fisheries production, increase export earnings, produce electrical power and sustain local employment.
She said she envisions an “approximately 12 miles bridge from Behring Point, Big Wood Cay, Little Harbour, Lizbon Creek and Driggs Hill” that connects Central Andros, Mangrove Cay and South Andros.
She said establishing “relationships with international educational institutions, universities, research colleges and centres to serve as training centres for Bahamians” would be a priority, adding: “Elevate the Bahamas past its service-oriented resort and playground of the world to being a place of higher levels of education, intellectual, scientific and academic attainment.”
“Andros is ideal for solar panel files which would reduce energy bills and aid in fighting climate change by reducing greenhouse gases and carbon emissions,” she added. “The west side of Andros is the capital of ‘mother nature,’ — vast biodiversity can offer a variety of engaging experiences. (Let’s) supply the island with fresh vegetable and fruits; extend production for the country and export; further extend production to eggs, chickens, mutton and beef.”
“My ever-present love for Andros is unwavering,” she said. “It is what drives my desire to properly serve and represent its residents.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: As a son of Andros, whose navel string is buried the Central Andros settlement of Stanyard Creek, I fully endorse the candidacy of Monique Pindling. As the daughter of the Father of our Nation, the late Sir Lynden Pindling, and Dame Marguerite Pindling, former Governor General of The Bahamas from July 8, 2014 to June 28, 2019, Monique Pinding is an excellent candidate and would be an outstanding representative for South Andros. Indeed, I am sure that her declaration that her “ever-present love for Andros is unwavering” has a lot to do with the fact that her mother, Dame Marguerite, who established an exceedingly high performance standard for future Governors General, was born and spent the early years of her life growing up at Long Bay Cay, South Andros.)
