Progressive Liberal Party's (PLP) candidate for Fort Charlotte Alfred Sears said he's not shaken by the support Prime Minister Perry Christie has heading into the party's leadership race at the November convention.
Over the past week, a chorus of PLP parliamentarians threw its support behind Christie to remain leader of the party, with some suggesting Sears is fighting a losing battle.
"Well, the persons who are qualified to vote are the delegates and the stalwart councillors, and I've been canvassing the stalwart councillors and party officers and I am more than encouraged by the response I'm getting," Sears told The Nassau Guardian Friday before boarding a flight to Abaco where he planned on meeting with more delegates.
PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts said this week that if there was ever a time to contest the leadership of the party, now would be that time.
However, Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson, Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald, Minister of Agriculture V. Alfred Gray, Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe and Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller all insist Christie cannot be beat.
Sears said he doesn't believe Christie has the support of all of his colleagues and the party base.
"You cannot say all because all of the members of Parliament have not spoken. You cannot say all of the party officers because all of them have not spoken. And even if all of them were to speak they're still a very small minority of the qualified stalwart councilors and delegates who will vote," he said.
"I think this is at the early stage of the process, I think you have to allow the process to unfold and I can tell you that the response I'm getting as we canvass the archipelago has been very encouraging, in fact it's been inspiring."
Critics have called Sears' leadership bid a ploy to make the party appear more democratic.
Sears said his aspiration to become leader is to motivated solely by his desire to see change in the party.
"I can tell you one thing, that I would not be getting the resistance I'm getting if it were a concocted situation," he said.
"This is an attempt to transform the progressive liberal party, to restore it to its core values, to reorient focus on Bahamian interest as priority versus other interests.
"To push and fight for the devolution of power to our communities through an effective system of local government and also to address issues of personal security within our society and the issue of social justice which are core values of the Progressive Liberal Party from its inception."
Sears is the only person to come forward and challenge Christie as leader.
Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis, who had previously indicated his willingness to run for leader of the PLP, is expected to seek reelection as Christie's deputy at the November convention.
Paige McCartney, Guardian Staff Reporter
Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian
