A new political party has emerged on the scene as promised; the Gatekeepers are heading into the 2017 general elections with a full slate.

The party’s “coach” Rev Jeremiah Duncombe is adamant that the party will emerge as the next government.

 “Today we the Gatekeepers officially launch our campaign, for the next general election and we anticipate by the Grace of God that the Gatekeepers will form the next government.We have a broad outline of our approach and we anticipate going forward within the next two weeks in which we will introduce our candidates to the country,” he said.

“We will do this across the entire commonwealth and we will be contesting all seats.”

Rev. Duncombe insists the group is not a traditional political party and this fact will work to their advantage in the upcoming election.

“We are not a traditional party but that is very important, because in a traditional party candidates are subject to show their loyalty to a party.

“With the Gatekeepers the candidate’s loyalty apart from sharing the same philosophy, will be to the constituents. They will not have to be accountable to a party hierarchy that can pull or shove them in different directions,” Mr. Duncombe said.

Duncombe said the party does not have a leader in particular but a steering committee that runs the organization.

However, when asked who was a part of this committee, Duncombe said he would reveal at a later date.

Duncombe added that the party’s philosophies are irrevocably tied to the constitution and to the maintenance of the preamble to the constitution which is steeped in the Judeo-Christian traditions of The Bahamas.

Prominent members of the group include veteran broadcaster Steve McKinney, trade unionist John Pinder and former FNM senator John Bostwick.