Perhaps more fallout from the dissension in the internal ranks of the Free National Movement North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly in an interview with The Journal revealed that he will not be seeking re-election in the upcoming general election.
Mr. Neilly had indicated previously that he was leaning towards leaving the party but said he wanted to go through the proper channels before he made his decision official.
“The decision has been decided for a while now. I wanted to make sure the relevant persons that needed to be informed were informed. The process was pretty much me speaking to my family and coming to the decision not to run for re-election.
“Also speaking with the executives making sure they knew and the association itself, the reality is on Monday night we had a meeting (North Eleuthera Association) after I announced I was not running put forward another person to run for the party, to the counsel and the candidates committee.
“I’m not one to run to the media for everything, I wanted to make sure that the people that voted for me, the people that supported me, the people of North Eleuthera Association and the party executives certainly before the media,” Mr. Neilly said.
Mr. Neilly was one of the aptly named members of the “Dissident six” inclusive of Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner, Fort Charlotte MP Andre Rollins, Montagu MP Richard Lightbourne, St. Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman and Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant.
He added that he does not feel his decision will play a factor in the decision making of the other MPs and it is something he did for personal reasons.
“I don’t really know because that wasn’t a part of my decision making process at all. I want to be very clear this shouldn’t put pressure on any of them.
“They should decide on their own, any other six, four, five or any other 38 but they could make that decision on their own, it’s certainly not a part of why I made my decision and it shouldn’t pressure any of the others,” Mr. Neilly said.
Mr. Neilly downplayed the re-election of opposition leader Dr. Hubert Minnis as the driving force for his decision, citing the financial aspect of being a politician saying was become a bit much for him, adding that he did not come from a wealthy family.
As far as his political future, Mr. Neilly said he will still be actively involved in politics and the affairs of the country, adding that he feels he does not have to be in the House of Assembly to make a difference.
So far, Dr. Rollins, Mr. Grant, Bain and Grants Town candidate Leonardo Sands have all dropped out of the FNM’s candidate slate for the 2017 General Elections.
