Free National Movement (FNM) Senator Heather Hunt resigned from the Senate yesterday after Opposition Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis asked her to. Hunt said her resignation was in line with Minnis' decision that the appointments to the Senate would be for a period of two and a half years.
Hunt was sworn in as a senator in May 2012 along with former Pineridge MP Kwasi Thompson, former Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing and former Minister of Education Desmond Bannister, who was named leader of opposition business in the Senate.
In a statement, Minnis also said Hunt's resignation is consistent with the policy he announced in 2012 to periodically review the members of the upper chamber to allow for as "many persons to serve as senators as could do so". Minnis said he spoke with Hunt yesterday morning. However, he made no mention of Thompson in his statement. When asked whether the public should expect Thompson's resignation, Minnis declined to comment.
In the 2012 general election, Hunt ran on the FNM's ticket in Marathon and lost to now Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald. She said yesterday she will now focus again on the Marathon Constituency Association with her sights on the 2017 general election.
"It has been a tremendous honor to serve my party and the people of The Bahamas in the Upper Chamber and I thank Dr. Minnis for the opportunity extended to me over the last two and a half years," she said. "Indeed, it is the leader's privilege to appoint senators and equally to disappoint them. I look forward to continuing to work within the Free National Movement as we strategize to win the next general election. I fully expect to enjoy the support of my leader for my nomination as our party's standard bearer in the Marathon constituency. It is now left for me to give complete attention to the Marathon Constituency Association with an eye on 2017."
Minnis thanked Hunt for the "outstanding and important" role she played in the Senate. He said he looks forward to her continued support and expects her to serve at a "high level in the next FNM administration".
Laing resigned in late 2012 for "deeply personal" reasons. Weeks before Laing's resignation came into effect, Minnis spoke of his plan to introduce a rotation system with FNM senators.
"Our senators, some of them would have been informed that the policy we are moving with going forward is that we would have a rotation type procedure," he told The Nassau Guardian. "They may only be in the Senate for two or two-and-a-half years. So, when we reach the rotation, those other 10, one can chose two or three out of that group depending on how many we're rotating. All senators would have been told that in advance, so we would not have to go through this because we'll know who the senators are going forward."
Former Bains and Grants Town candidate John Bostwick replaced Laing, but was fired in May 2014. Defeated Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador candidate Michael Pintard replaced Bostwick in June 2014.
Bannister resigned in September 2013. He previously said it was never his intention to remain in the Senate for a full term.
Former FNM Chairman Carl Bethel replaced Bannister October 2013.
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