Political implications for West GB

EDITOR, The Tribune.

From the outset I would like to extend sincere condolences to the family of the late West End and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe. His death is a grim reminder of the uncertainty and brevity of life on this side of eternity and the importance of living each day as if it would be our last, with our focus on the Lord Jesus Christ. Wilchcombe has gone on to his eternal reward. I consider him to have been a quintessential Progressive Liberal Party supporter, whose roots within that political organisation runs deep, owing to his ties with the late Sir Lynden O Pindling.

I remember him well reading the news on the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas (ZNS TV13) during the 1980s. Along with Ed Bethel, Debbie Bartlett, Calsey Johnson, Yvette Stuart, Phil Smith and Mike Smith, Wilchcombe was legendary in broadcast journalism, who helped in developing television in The Bahamas.

He will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. The sudden death of Mr Wilchcombe has forced somewhat of a referendum on the PLP government in West End and Bimini, as the Constitution calls for a by-election in the not too distant future. I believe the timeframe is sixty days. I stand to be corrected. West End is a PLP stronghold. Consequently, the PLP should win, I think. The Free National Movement has held West End twice, between 1997 and 2002 with David Wallace; and between 2017 and 2021 with Parkesia Parker -Edgecombe. If you examine the election numbers in West End and Bimini for the 2021 general election, you would see that Wilchcombe, notwithstanding his popularity in that community, only gained 53 percent of the 3,856 votes that were cast. He would lose his re-election bid in 2017. In 2012, Wilchcombe gained 2,877 or 55.42 percent of the votes. He outpolled Parker-Edgecombe by 644 votes in that election.

In 2007, Wilchcombe gained 1,820 votes to the FNM David Wallace’s 1,527. In 2002, he would capture 1,986 votes to the incumbent David Wallace’s 1,581. It would appear that Wilchcombe’s best election performance was in 2012. I think that was the year when the Boundaries Commission amalgamated West End with Bimini. Based on these election figures, Wilchcombe wasn’t unbeatable. Granted, he would win three consecutive elections in 2002, 2007 and 2012. He lost only once, which was in 2017, as mentioned above. I think his popularity in West End proper, coupled with that community’s unflinching loyalty to the PLP are two factors that helped to tip the scale in his favour four times. With him no longer being the PLP standard bearer, it will be interesting to see what kind of political support the new candidate will garner in that area.

Wilchcombe had plenty family members in the close knit community of West End — the overwhelming majority of whom are PLPs. With Wilchcombe gone, will these family members continue to throw their unflinching support behind the PLP? It was rumoured in the lead-up to the 2021 general election that the PLP top brass was pushing for another candidate to field in West End instead of Wilchcombe. Have the scores of family members and friends of Wilchcombe forgotten about this incident and have buried the hatchet with the party?

Also, we must bear in mind that Grand Bahama continues to wallow in a deep protracted economic recession exacerbated by the ongoing inflation crisis. Wilchcombe was obviously aware of the grave challenges on the ground in his mostly below middle-class constituency, especially with his portfolio as minister of social services. He recently spoke about assisting the less privileged. For the PLP, I believe that the upcoming election will be somewhat of a gauge of where the party really stands in the minds of the Bahamian people. A loss would be catastrophic. A win would only confirm what I stated earlier about West End being a PLP bastion. The PLP stands to gain virtually nothing from a win, while on the flip side a loss would greatly boost the morale of the official Opposition.

Conversely, a loss for the FNM wouldn’t mean much of anything, other than to confirm that the FNM is not strong in West End and that the party is two years into its role as the official opposition, with a scheduled general election three years away, God willing.

A win would solidify FNM Leader Michael Pintard’s grip on the party. I can only imagine that his political detractors within the FNM are hoping that the FNM fails at the by-election polls. With an FNM win, Pintard would become virtually invincible within the FNM. It will be interesting to see who Pintard runs in West Grand Bahama. Will it be Parker-Edgecombe? Or has the party moved on from her? For the PLP, the party must hope that the untimely death of Mr Wilchcombe will move many West End mourners to stand in solidarity by casting their votes for the party in tribute to their fallen MP. In the final analysis, I believe the PLP will win. But a loss isn’t beyond the realms of possibility, considering Wilchcombe’s margin of wins and the ongoing recession in West Grand Bahama. Truth be told, the FNM can win that seat, if the party can get its act together. Having said all of the above, the nation must now prepare itself to say a final farewell to one of its most interesting political figures in recent decades.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport,

Grand Bahama.

September 26, 2023.