By Gerrino J. Saunders

In his weekly commentary meant for Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) members and supporters,
incumbent party chairman Fred Mitchell announced that he has the support Prime Minister Philip
Davis which could tip the scales in his favour heading into the party’s convention.
Mr. Mitchell will be challenged for the chairmanship by former Senator Robyn Lynes and
former Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister Shane Gibson at the party’s General
Convention November 9-10 at Bahamar.
On Wednesday he said, “As for me, I face an electoral contest as well on the 10 th of November
2023 for the office of chairman of the PLP. I was asked by Prime Minister Philip Davis to make
one more try at it (Chairman) which is for as far as I can see the penultimate campaign of my
career. It is a privilege to serve and I count myself amongst those who can objectify my situation
in life,” said Mr. Mitchell.
Now, while he did not mention any of his opponents when thanking PLPs for their support, it
appears as though Mr. Mitchell was sending a message to voting members of the party in terms
of the desires of the party’s leadership when it comes to the chairman’s position.
He said, “I want to thank all those who have called to wish me well, from surprising quarters
who understands the call for stability and know the nature of treachery. This is a question of a
construct in design which each particular leader of the PLP has in his head, and for a period of
five years or so the party delegates to him or her as having the chief responsibility for that
construct and design.

“Right now, that person is Philip Davis. He deserves our support and the stability, and continuity
while things are going well. The party is rebuilt, the base is sound and the new constitution is in
place,” said Mr. Mitchell.
Continuing, he went a little further in seemingly taking a jab at his opponent(s), suggesting some
party members were nowhere to be found when the PLP was recovering from the 2017 General
Election loss.
“When this technology (WhatsApp) was relatively new in 2017 and within weeks of the General
Election loss of 2017, I used a voice note to urge PLPs to put the election behind them, take up
their beds and walk, that Minnis’ victory was not messianic. Even PLPs at the time thought it
was blind bitterness, but it turns out it was the truth,” Mitchell said.
“And for years we counted down from 59 months until the elections took place in September
2021 when we went to that general elections; some people are trying now to rewrite that history,
some who were afraid to run on the party’s ticket now want to cash in while things are going
well and are stable.”
In the PLP, the chair is responsible for the organs and apparatus of the party and is its chief
executive officer, according to the party’s constitution. The chair presides over convention
and Nation General Council meetings. The chairman along with the party leader is the
spokesperson for the party.
During the convention, according convention co-chair Senator Quinton Lightbourne, the party
would discuss marital rape, legalizing marijuana for recreational use and transitioning to a
republic during closed sessions, while evening sessions will be open to the public.