Dear Editor,

Perhaps the most interesting race in Grand Bahama in the upcoming general election will be in the West End and Bimini constituency. It has been rumored through the press that successful Freeport businessman Jeff Butler will be the Free National Movement's standard bearer in that constituency against Progressive Liberal Party incumbent Obie Wilchcombe. Obie Wilchcombe has represented West End since 2002.  He was able to defeat the Free National Movement Member of Parliament David Wallace in that year's election.

Wilchcombe has many family members and loyal supporters in West End.  In fact, the PLP has held a firm grip on that seat for decades before losing it in 1997.  When Wallace defeated the PLP candidate in 1997, that was the very first time an FNM candidate was successful in winning West End. We must bear in mind, though, that the 1997 general election was a very unusual election. The Opposition PLP was almost wiped out of Parliament that year.  The FNM won 35 of the 40 seats in a reduced House.

In 1992 there were 49 seats in Parliament.  Ever since the Pindling era, the people of West End have been dyed-in-the-wool supporters of that great political organization. In the 2002 general election, Obie Wilchcombe received 1,986 votes.  The FNM incumbent David Wallace got just 1,581 votes. There were 3,909 registered voters in that year's election. Three thousand, five hundred and sixty-seven registered voters cast their ballots. Over 55 percent of the voters supported Wilchcombe to only 44.32 percent for Wallace.

However, in the 2007 general election, Wilchcombe's electoral base had eroded somewhat.  He only received 1,824 votes. There were 162 less votes cast for the PLP incumbent in 2007.  On the other hand, his FNM challenger, David Wallace, received 1,526 votes. Whereas Wilchcombe's margin of victory in 2002 was a staggering 405 votes, it had dwindled in 2007 to just 298 votes. Granted, there were some 3,546 voters who had registered to vote in 2007; and of that number, only 3,350 voters cast their ballots. Additionally, Wilchcombe received 54.45 percent of the votes.  Wallace only got 45.55 percent.

As it stands right now, West End is woefully underdeveloped.  Many of the young and middle-aged citizens of Grand Bahama's first capital city are either unemployed or underemployed. West End's economy is in a depressed state.  It has been in a depressed state for years.  I believe that the PLP has taken the good people of West End for granted for too many years.

If there is one constituency that the PLP could depend on election day, it is West End.  The constituency of West End is somewhat similar to the inner city communities of Nassau that are PLP strongholds.  Like West End, these communities have almost nothing to show for their decades of loyal support to the PLP.  West End should have been as developed as Marsh Harbour, Abaco.  I believe that West End is just too far behind, in terms of economic development.

There is a lot of talk circulating through Grand Bahama about the five FNM members of Parliament being in hot water in their respective constituencies.  It cannot be denied that many Grand Bahamians are upset over Grand Bahama's ailing economy.  One cannot help but notice the high number of distressed homes and properties listed in The Freeport News' Classified section. This is clear proof that many Grand Bahamians are struggling to meet their mortgage payments.  That, coupled with the exorbitant power bills at the Grand Bahama Power Company, will seriously hurt all FNM incumbents at the polls come election day.  There are many families in Grand Bahama who are living without electricity.

It is simply astounding that none of the FNM members of Parliament from Grand Bahama have voiced their opposition to the unfair policies of the Grand Bahama Power Company.  I believe that this deafening silence of our MPs will come back to haunt them at the polls. However, no one seems to be talking about West End and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe.  It appears as if the West End MP is flying way under the radar.  No one seems to be asking what he has done in West End during the past four years.  Wilchcombe and the PLP were able to attract the Ginn developers to West End.  They had planned to build a massive resort in that settlement.  This multibillion dollar development would have been a major shot in the arm for West End.  

According to the Progressive Liberal Party, the Ginn development would have rivaled Sol Kerzner's Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island.  The Ginn developers planned to construct a four-star resort hotel, hundreds of luxury homes, two world class golf courses, an airport and a marina. However, the housing market crisis and the collapse of the United States' economy have adversely affected the Ginn development.  It seems as if many American second home buyers are simply unwilling to invest their money in Ginn.  Why should they?  As it stands right now, there is just too much uncertainty in the U.S.  Everyone is talking about the future recovery of the U.S. economy.  But who's to say that the economy will ever rebound to its pre-recession state?  

Allegedly, the Ginn Company had defaulted on a $675 million loan from Credit Suisse in 2008.  This was a major portion of the loan which was used to fund the project.  Had the Ginn Company followed through with their plans, they would have invested a whopping $5 billion in the project.  While the principals of Ginn have remained optimistic about that development's future, there is now the lurking fear throughout Grand Bahama that the initial plans for that development will never materialize.

Ever since the closure of the old Jack Tar Resort many years ago, West End's economy has been severely anemic. The Old Bahama Bay Resort has never come close to the success of the Jack Tar Resort. According to some diehard FNM supporters, the people of West End have a great opportunity to throw their support behind a very accomplished Grand Bahamian businessman, who has a financial stake in Grand Bahama.  His name is Jeffrey Butler. Jeff Butler has done a lot for West End and the wider community of Grand Bahama.  I understand that he has spearheaded a clean up program in the West End community.  He owns the $3 million Butler's Food World on West Atlantic Drive, Butler's Specialty Foods, Shenanigans Irish Pub and West End Bakery and Cafe.

While many have refused to invest in Grand Bahama's ailing economy, Jeff Butler has shown confidence in the people of this island by expanding his business enterprises.  He has also hired many Grand Bahamians.  None of his political detractors can ever accuse him of being an opportunist who is trying to get elected to Parliament in order to make money.  He is already a man of means.  Right now it seems as if Mr. Butler is doing more for West End than the current member of Parliament, with all due respect to Mr. Wilchcombe and the PLP.

One political pundit had predicted that Obie Wilchcombe should win the upcoming election contest over Jeff Butler with ease.  No one can deny that Mr. Butler will have an uphill battle in West End, if he runs of course. Butler has promised to resuscitate West End's dead economy by attracting investors to that part of the island.  He has many influential connections.  As a very accomplished business-person, Jeff Butler obviously knows how to manage money.

Moreover, Butler grew up in West End.  Like Wilchcombe, he is also a son of the soil.  Therefore, no one in West End can ever accuse Butler of being an outsider trying to represent them.  Besides, didn't Sir Lynden represent the constituency of South Andros for over two decades?  Yet he was not an Androsian. But with all that being said, the crucial question that PM Ingraham and the FNM hierarchy should ask themselves is this: Is Butler an electable candidate in West End?  Further, will Butler be able to relate with an electorate who is mostly poor and black?  I have heard that he is a friend of PM Ingraham.  If this is indeed true, then the PLP will probably use this as a political weapon during their rallies.  

They might argue that this is further evidence that the FNM is really the party of wealthy white Bahamians.  Mark my words, race will also be an issue in this election contest.  The PLP always makes it a point to remind black Bahamians that it is the party of the black masses and the marginalized.  Another question that the leadership of the FNM must ask is this: Is Butler a people person?

You can be a very accomplished political candidate, but that is not a guarantee that the voters will support you on election day.  It is crucially important that a candidate be a people person and down to earth.  If the electorate believes that you are aloof, then you are wasting your time and money.

In my humble, honest opinion, I don't think that Mr. Butler can ever win in West End, notwithstanding his many accomplishments and his many close connections in that community.  Butler, if he does run in West End, will be pummeled by Obie Wilchcombe.  The 2012 election result in West End won't even be close, I think.  I have nothing against Butler, but if PM Ingraham and the FNM are really interested in winning West End, then they must nominate a candidate who is more appealing to the West End and Bimini electorate.  As it stands right now, Obie Wilchcombe has more appeal and charisma than Butler. The political pundit mentioned above was right, Wilchcombe should win in 2012 with ease.
 
Yours etc.,
KEVIN EVANS

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian