Former Cabinet Minister Alfred Sears says unless The Progressive Liberal Party undertakes  fundamental  internal transformation, “it is unlikely that the party will regain  anytime soon the loyalty of its disaffected members  and win the  trust of the wider Bahamian electorate.”

Mr. Sears who ran for the position of leader of the PLP before said he was asked by many of the Party’s stalwart Councillors and delegates to contest  for the leadership position in the convention currently in progress.  He said  while he is grateful for the expressions of confidence in his leadership, his experience as  a candidate for leader in January 2017, as confirmed by the results of the general elections in May 2017, convinced him of “the urgent necessity  for the PLP to reconnect to its core values and institute radical internal governance reforms to create a more democratic, transparent and accountable party.”

Mr. Sears represented the people of Fort Charlotte for two consecutive terms in the House of Assembly and served as Minister of Education and Attorney general in the first Christie administration in 2002.

He said, “the Constitution of the PLP mandates that there be a National General Convention every year in the month of either October or November or as is otherwise determined by the NGC. The Convention this week will be only the second time, in about eight years, that the Branches, NGC members, Delegates and members of the Party will assemble in national convention to review the work of the Party, modify and/or establish new policies, programs and Standing Orders, make amendments by resolution to the Platform, Byelaws and Constitution, receive and adopt reports of the NGC and Branches and elect Officers of the Party.”

”This Convention is the first since the Party suffered one of its most devastating general elections loss since 1973. In Convention, we should review why the Party lost and begin to reform the Party in order to regain the trust of the Bahamian electorate.

”At the Convention in January 2017, I submitted a Leadership Platform “A Vision for Our Revolution” containing detailed proposals to grow the Bahamian economy, strengthen Local Government and establish the Commonwealth Republic of The Bahamas with checks and balances to ensure accountable, transparent and honest government as well as proposed necessary reforms within the Party. Further, for this Convention, I submitted to the Secretary General a number of select resolutions to amend the Constitution of the Progressive Liberal Party to begin the reform of the Party.

I invite Stalwart Councillors and Delegates to support the resolutions to bring about these constitutional reforms this week at the Convention. I believe that these constitutional reforms will strengthen the Party, signal to the Bahamian electorate that the reform process is underway and prepare the Party for victory in 2022,” said Mr. Sears.

”Under the current electoral process within the Progressive Liberal Party, I will not accept a nomination to contest for any leadership position at this convention.

”I am available and willing to assist the Party, working from the ground up as a Stalwart Councillor and member of the Party’s Fort Charlotte Branch, in reforming its Constitution, reengineering its internal governance processes, shaping its platform for sustainable economic development, deepening Bahamian ownership and entrepreneurship and providing servant leadership for honest and accountable national governance.

In a reformed Progressive Liberal Party, with an open, fair and accountable internal governance and electoral processes, I would be pleased to offer my candidacy and be elected to serve the Party in a leadership position, ” said the former MP.

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