Free National Movement (FNM) North Abaco candidate Greg Gomez should not have qualified for the government’s 52-week job programme because he is not under 30, according to Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Bradley Roberts, who went a step further yesterday and said payments to the candidate were “improper.”

Mr. Gomez is 39.

In a statement on Monday, Mr. Roberts said Mr. Gomez’s participation in the programme likely deprived a deserving young person of an opportunity.

Mr. Gomez, who recently officially entered the North Abaco bye-election race, confirmed last week that the former Ingraham administration appointed him to the position of Family Island administrator.

However, he said was fired shortly after the PLP Government took office.
 
He now claims he was victimised by the Christie administration.
Prime Minister Perry Christie has since shrugged off the claims.

“An invented claim of victimisation is a very sad basis for a campaign,” Mr. Roberts said.
“Gomez lived for a decade in the United States, and only returned quite recently. Perhaps he’s simply out of touch with the concerns of the people, and doesn’t quite know how to get started.”
 
Mr. Roberts said the PLP’s candidate, Renardo Curry, has a different idea about what is important to the people of North Abaco – education, job opportunities, fishing, and tourism.