Exuma and Ragged Island Member of Parliament (MP) Chester Cooper, while bringing remarks at the National Progressive Institute meeting on Monday, revealed several reasons he believes the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) was responsible for its own loss at the polls on May 10.

Mr. Cooper said he believes above all the reasons listed, the PLP’s lost of touch with the needed supporters was most pivotal.

With this in mind, he laid out a 10 point plan he feels would equip the party to regain the momentum it needs for 2022.

“As a part of the healing, we must undertake a reconnection tour of all 39 constituencies allowing for supporters to openly vent and share their disappointments with the party and provide input and suggestions on ways to move the party forward. We must move immediately towards the reform, rebranding and re-energizing of our party, and we must develop a clear manifesto, vision and plan beginning to return to core values,” he said.

“We must embrace the Progressive Young Liberals (PYL) putting all of the resources necessary to make it a truly viable and sustainable entity. We must pledge a serious look at its members as the next candidates in the class of 2022. We must empower the NPI to become a real forward-looking, think- tank, producing policy positions for the party.”

As Mr. Cooper sees it, the party allowed simple problems to become big issues by its failure to acknowledge them and nip them in the bud far too often.

Furthermore, he said the party hid behind a message of majority rule without updating it for new generations.

“It was neither accountable nor transparent enough.  It ignored scandals and it protected the interests of the party over the interests of the nation,” Mr. Cooper said.

He stressed that before a healing comes from within, an apology should be given to supporters.

“There should be a sincere and humble apology and repentance to our supporters and the nation in an appropriate and genuine form. I don’t expect this suggestion to be warmly embraced,” he said.

“We must without delay engage a full time PR machinery modernizing our approaches using technology, social media and alternate dedicated PLP media including radio, newspaper and I repeat a large social media component for the advancement of our re-energized brand, updated vision and plan for an empowered Bahamas.”

Mr. Cooper is just one of the opposition MPs who survived the PLP’s electoral slaughter.