After the Free National Movement (FNM) ratified NBA champion Rick Fox for the Garden Hills seat, constituents said yesterday that they are looking forward to seeing what he can bring to the table.
Retiree Wendell Rolle, who has been a Garden Hills resident for almost 30 years, said he desires a representative who will come into the community, assess the needs of the area, and hear the worries of the people.
“He seems to be a nice guy, and he’s alright to me; I’d just like to see him and have one or two words with him,” Rolle said.
“In my area, I’d like to see them fix the road. The road got to straighten up. It needs fixing, man. Not only me but other people living in the area, they would complain about that for months and years now, and then all they do is patch.
“Two or three weeks after that, it start tearing up again.
“You need a representative, man. Someone who’s going to represent you.”
Rolle also expressed concerns about flooding in the area, as he said about two months ago, heavy rains caused high waters to rise in his yard, and come into his home.
“My yard is low,” Rolle said.
“I called the PLP man, and he sent a lady there to look at the yard, because the yard was full of water.
“The water came in from the back door. The lady came and took a picture and told me she was coming back, but I knew that she wasn’t.
“She promised that she would be back after she took the pictures and showed it to the representative … but I never see her.”
Italia Wilkinson said though current Garden Hills MP Mario Bowleg has done good work in the constituency in the last few years, she believes Fox is a good contender for the race.
“I think so, he’s well known, so people might like him,” Wilkinson said.
“I ain’t looking for nothing special from him, [just] whatever he doing in Parliament and what they set him out to do. Cleaning the area, making sure the parks clean and all of that. That’s it, I ain’t looking for no favors from no one.”
She continued, “Maybe just the roads need to pave.
“Garden Hills looking good. The houses painted up and everything.”
Fox’s confirmation came on Tuesday night, as the FNM unveiled 12 new candidates for this year’s general election.
After he vocalized his interest in Bahamian politics, Fox was met with criticism surrounding his heritage and the motivation behind his political aspirations.
Fox previously stated that he was prepared to run as an independent candidate, and divulged that both the FNM and the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) were interested in him.
Garden Hills resident of 45 years Shanan Morley said residents need to know who Fox is behind his famous persona.
“We need to know a lot more about him,” Morley said.
“Being a candidate and representing an area like this, you can’t just come with your famous name of you as Rick Fox, and you’re an NBA player.
“We Bahamians, that don’t mean nothing.
“We need to know if this man is a man of integrity. Anybody says this and that just to get into politics. Especially with the clock winding down, only couple more months … we need to know him.
“We need to get familiar. Who is Rick Fox? Not the TV basketball player, but the person himself.
“Because most people in Garden Hills … we need to know what you’re going to do for the area. What’s your vision for the youth, for the old people?”
Morley said he feels pertinent areas for development are roadworks, as well as community activities for teenagers and children.
He said he feels Bowleg is doing what he can for the area.
“He had a presence in the last few years, he’s actually from the area,” Morley said.
“Born and raised in the area, very familiar with the area.”
He added, “He ain’t no new person. He’s active in the area. He was doing for the area before he was even a candidate.”
During the FNM’s ratification, Fox said he chose to join the FNM because his vision aligned with party leader Michael Pintard.
“As I continued to work with the leader and continued to work with the party and to look at the strategy that is in place to move forward to win the government, it’s not about me and where I want to serve,” Fox said.
“It’s about where we as a group could serve the country best.”
“Garden Hills is an example of a community that needs the service at a different level than it is getting now.”