By Keile Campbell
Journal Staff Writer

Former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Senator and attorney Robyn Lynes officially
announced her candidacy to be the party’s national chairperson.
While speaking with reporters, Ms. Lynes spoke of her aim to “reinvigorate” the membership
of the party and listen to concerns of the supporter base, if elected as chairperson of the PLP.
During a press conference held at her office on Market Street, where she announced her
candidacy for chairmanship, she spoke of the party needing to “reset” to its core values.
“They need to hear the PLP they know. Too many of our members are not satisfied with the
direction and the sound and that is not a critique that is meant to divide or destroy. The reason
we have our convention is that we put ourselves on appraisal. We created a process that says
search within and makes sure what we’re offering to the Bahamian people is what they need
to hear and see from a PLP,” Ms. Lynes said.
“We must focus on and take care of our home base and we have to do that while managing
successfully the task of governance. A singular focus is needed for the national chair. A focus
that is party and party priority.”
If elected, Ms. Lynes would be the second woman in the PLP’s 70-year history to hold the
seat of chairmanship, the first being Glenys Hanna-Martin.
The former PLP senator professed the PLP to be regular history-makers, though Ms. Lynes
would not be the first woman chair, she would be the youngest if elected.
Despite acknowledging the potential milestone, she doesn’t want to use her being a woman as
a selling point in her campaign.
“I’ve qualified myself. I’ve done all that work and I don’t walk away from my womanish
ways, cause I’m bringing them into this race as well, and I think that we have to serve with an
understanding that when women lead in certain spheres and certain spaces, historically,
statistically, what is being led? There’s equity, there’s greater understanding and there’s
greater success. Even in COVID, they looked at women’s leadership in crisis and those are
countries and faces that were led by women that did well. And so now, in this space of
leadership, I offer all of that and I think all of that is in a package for the consideration of our
delegates at convention and I’m excited about it,” the former PLP senator said.
Last week, at the PLP’s National General Council (NGC) meeting, Kingsley Smith was
selected as the party’s candidate to run in the upcoming by-election for West Grand Bahama
and Bimini, with news of the decision met with ire and vitriol from some supporters of the

PLP who audibly made their frustrations known outside of the PLP Headquarters where the
NGC took place.
When asked if such instances are an example of division in the party, Ms. Lynes said this.
“Listen, the PLP is family and if you know family , there will be disagreements, there’ll be
discussions as to why it should be macaroni instead of potato salad. At the end of the day, we
come back together and that’s always been the PLP way and that’s the openness of our
democracy. We want a party where we are able to say and to discuss and to debate and to
litigate. And so, at the end of the day, we come back together,” Ms. Lynes explained.
“We come back together and I think that’s going to be evident in the by-election and I
encourage our members in West Grand Bahama and Bimini because this is difficult. It’s
difficult for me. The people in West Grand Bahama and Bimini are still mourning the loss of
the Honorable Obediah Wilchcombe, who was a giant in his space and now they have to
welcome someone new. It’s challenging to do that and I think we have to look at it from all of
that is going on and so whilst it may seem as though there’s a little bit of friction, that’s
because there’s a change that’s coming, and change brings friction, but we are not divided.”
Speaking with respect to the current PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell, Ms. Lynes spoke of his
“exceptional” job in performing the role of PLP chairman, and spoke of standing with PLP
Chairman Mitchell rallying morale among PLP supporters and members in every branch
across the country after being voted out in the 2017 General Election.
She said there were many people pushing her to run for PLP chair even back then, but Ms.
Lynes reasons that it wasn’t her time or season.
Ms. Lynes, Minister Mitchell and former cabinet minister and MP Shane Gibson are expected
to run for chairmanship of the PLP.
The PLP National Convention is expected to be held November 9 -10.