The Free National Movement (FNM) hosted a two-day conclave over the weekend. The event was said to be a family affair and was held behind closed doors at the campus of St. John’s College. However, a voice note of a contribution made by Long Island MP, Andre Rollins, inside the conclave was circulated online. Rollins challenged post-election research on the party’s loss discussed at the event, along with party leader Michael Pintard.
Rollins can be heard in the recording saying, “we are here for a post-mortem. This is retrospective… He also spoke about the FNM’s performance in Grand Bahama where the party won three of the five constituencies up for grabs. He questioned why the island was being presented as an FNM stronghold when the party’s advantage was so narrow.
He said, “the FNM only got less than thirty votes more than the PLP (Progressive Liberal Party) in all of Grand Bahama. But you’re saying now our leader is an asset in Grand Bahama. The numbers declined election over election for the FNM in Grand Bahama. We are on a knife’s edge in Grand Bahama.”
The Long Island MP also challenged research about Pintard’s electoral appeal. He said, “if the leader is an asset in Grand Bahama, are we then saying he’s a liability in New Providence? Because only 8% of the people in New Providence said they support our leader. Is that what we’re saying?”
Rollins further stated that the party will not get where it needs to go if it is afraid of the truth.
FNM Chairman, Dr. Duane Sands expressed disappointment about Rollins’ remarks becoming public. He said, “it’s a betrayal of trust. I certainly don’t know how somebody might believe that that is good for the organization or good for trust.”
Questions about the future of the leadership of the party still loom following defeats in two by-elections and the 2026 general election. There are reports that Rollins is considering a run for the FNM leadership along with Freetown MP Lincoln Deal and East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson.
Dr. Sands spoke to whether Pintard will remain the leader. “What I can say is that nobody in this current administration is so closely wedded to the belief that they are the only people capable of leading the Free National Movement. The vision of the Free National Movement is greater than any individual or group of individuals and anybody who would attempt to characterize things differently are really about mischief and nothing more,” he said.
