Dear Editor,
In an earlier opinion piece I expressed optimism that former NBA player Rick Fox would align himself with the Free National Movement (FNM) after announcing that he will run for the House of Assembly in 2026.
His latest announcement that he’ll be contesting the new St. James constituency will place him in a quandary with the FNM if he desires to join the official opposition. That’s because FNM Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright is also eyeing St. James.
Would FNM Leader Michael Pintard view Fox’s celebrity status as being so invaluable to his political organization that he would be willing to leapfrog him over the second most powerful figure in his party?
Would Cartwright be willing to stay put in St. Barnabas to accommodate Fox? Or would Fox, as ambassador at large who has been very critical of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), be open to joining that party, even though his relationship with PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell might be strained?
Fox’s criticism of the recently passed Smuggling of Migrants Bill must have also offended high-ranking PLP executives. What’s more, the PLP already has an eye on a potential candidate for St. James.
In the event Fox runs as an independent, I do not believe he would win. The Bahamas is an established two-party state where independent candidates are mostly unsuccessful.
In fact, the only independent candidates I can recall off hand being successful in election bids in recent years are Larry Cartwright (Long Island) and Whitney Bastian (South Andros) in 2002; and Hubert Ingraham and Perry Christie in 1987. Cartwright was helped by the PLP and both Ingraham and Christie were helped by the FNM.
As an independent, I cannot imagine any of the two major political parties helping out Fox by not fielding a candidate in St. James. Fox will need to run under the umbrella of either the PLP or FNM if he wants to become an MP.
Fox’s calls for accountability, transparency, energy reform and its indirect contribution towards strengthening the domestic economy, and a sound immigration policy among other (what I call) First World proposals are all noble goals.
In fact, Fox does not sound like the typical, run-of-the-mill Bahamian politician. His Facebook posts and press releases are very informed, detailed and non-partisan.
Having said that, I believe Fox must resist the thought of believing that he can win St. James by strictly posting on Facebook or issuing press releases. Fox will have to get out of his comfortable surroundings and work the grounds in St. James if he wants to make any headway.
He will have to go door to door campaigning, and he will have to hold at least several rallies. He will have to meet the voters of his constituency in order to forge alliances and build relationships. That’s how it is done in The Bahamas. Fox will not be able to rely strictly on his celebrity status to pull him through.
— Kevin Evans