The Bahamas has elected Hubert Minnis of the Free National Movement (FNM) as their new leader, defeating Perry Christie's Progressive Liberal Party in a 34-5 parliamentary split, according to local media.

Official results were not complete as of late Wednesday, but early returns showed that Minnis easily won his seat and that his FNM party would hold the majority.

"My fellow Bahamians, the people have spoken," Minnis, a physician, said in a victory rally before thousands of supporters.

"We have been given a mandate for change."

Minnis was campaigning on a platform for change, seeking to impose term limits on the prime minister and promote "Bahamian ownership in the economy," according to his website.

Christie conceded defeat and made a congratulatory telephone call to Minnis, wishing him success.

"I understand as perhaps few others, the challenges that await Dr Minnis and I wish him only success on behalf of our nation. He has my full support for a smooth transition," he said.

READ MORE: Bahamas votes in closely-contested general election

Allegations of corruption and unemployment dominated the election.

Christie, finishing his second non-consecutive term as prime minister, was criticised for defiantly boasting that "not even God" could stop him, in a video posted by Tribune 242.

"I support the FNM because I feel Christie was not doing a good job in the five years we gave him," Nassau resident Jmeail Dames said of the prime minister's current term.

According to local media, the extensive delay to the opening of the $4.2bn Chinese-funded Baha Mar mega-resort along with rising unemployment and sluggish economic performance were some of the major factors that provided momentum to Minnis' platform for transparency.

"Dr Minnis has endured trial after trial and emerged victorious. He has a task ahead of him," said FNM supporter Travis Edgecombe.

"But I do believe that his new administration will provide new and innovative plans to create opportunities for Bahamians."

More than 180,000 people were registered to cast their ballots for the 39 seats in the House of Assembly.

The election was closely monitored by international observers the Caribbean Community, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of American States and the United States.</s>AS HE called for former Prime Minister Perry Christie to resign as leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) last night, Alfred Sears said he saw the sweeping defeat coming after Fort Charlotte residents repeatedly told him they could not stand the leadership of the country any longer, despite their personal affection for him.

Mr Sears, who was projected to lose to the Free National Movement’s (FNM) Mark Humes according to unofficial results, said last night that it is “obvious” the party would have stood a better chance winning the election had he been victorious in the PLP’s leadership race in January, adding that “the party made a mistake” in choosing Mr Christie.

“The outcome of the convention did not inspire trust or confidence in the Bahamian electorate but that’s behind us now and I think the party has a wonderful opportunity to rebuild and reengineer itself,” he said.

When asked if he thought Mr Christie should resign as party leader, Mr Sears said: “Certainly. I think the party needs to be refreshed. I don’t see how the party can rebuild without new leadership.”

One of Mr Sears’ peers, former State Minister for Finance Michael Halkitis, told The Tribune last night that he is now finished with frontline politics and will not run again.

Mr Halkitis was the incumbent MP for Golden Isles. Last night it appeared that he - like the majority of his colleagues - lost his seat; however all of the poll results were not made available up to press time.

Mr Sears, however, said he saw the defeat coming.

“As I canvassed, the refrain that I met almost unbearably is that ‘we like you, we respect you and we feel you would be a good member of Parliament for this constituency and also we feel that you have a significant contribution to make on the national stage. But we cannot in good conscience continue with the leadership of our country for another five years under the PLP.’ That is what I met in so many of the homes in constituencies in Fort Charlotte, including registered members of the PLP.”

PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts was the first prominent official to concede defeat yesterday, adding the party will have to enter an era of rebuilding.



He said he was surprised by the results and that officials would have to review the matter to determine the way forward for the party.

His statement came at the PLP’s headquarters on Farrington Road.

By 9.30pm the building was nearly empty as the few PLPs who had gathered in hope of celebrating victory left as the results foreshadowed a staggering loss.

Some people were near tears as they sighed while watching the results.

“Perry cause this,” one elderly man said, while others dressed in PLP paraphernalia agreed.

“Today thousands peacefully exercised their democratic right to elect the government of their choice in free and fair general elections,” Mr Roberts said. “We congratulate them on their civility as the Bahamas cherished its international reputation as one of the oldest and most stable democracies.

“They spoke loud and clear and there is an adage that the voice of the people is the voice of God. We believe this and we humbly accept their verdict. We congratulate those that are victorious. And the PLP will have to go in a mode of rebuilding.

“We would have to review this matter obviously because this was unexpected; it caught me by complete surprise but, as I said, the voice of the people is the voice of God.”

Mr Christie did not speak to supporters or the media last night. However he released a statement conceding his loss and congratulated the country’s Prime Minister elect, Dr Hubert Minnis.</s>IN a surprising and humbling defeat at the polls, outgoing Prime Minister Perry Christie lost his seat in the Centreville constituency last night by 25 votes after representing the area for more than 40 years, according to unofficial results.

Mr Christie has held the seat since 1977 and has been leader of the Progressive Liberal Party since 1997.

The former Prime Minister lost his seat to Free National Movement (FNM) candidate and political newcomer Reece Chipman, who secured the win with 1,900 votes to Mr Christie’s 1,875.

According to the unofficial results from the Parliamentary Registration Department, Mr Chipman won seven out of 12 polling divisions in the former PLP stronghold, while Mr Christie won five.

In 2012, Mr Christie won the Centreville constituency for the eighth consecutive time with 2,950 votes. He defeated the FNM’s candidate Ella Lewis by 1,349 votes at the time. Mr Christie won all but one polling division in 2012.

Although he released a statement about the loss, Mr Christie did not speak publicly or address the small crowd of sombre supporters that gathered at PLP headquarters last night expecting a victory.

In his statement after conceding defeat to Prime Minister-elect Dr Hubert Minnis, Mr Christie said it was an honour and privilege “to serve as Prime Minister of this great nation.”

He made no mention of losing Centreville in the short statement.

“I called Dr Minnis earlier this evening to congratulate him on his party’s victory. I understand as perhaps few others the challenges that await Dr Minnis, and I wish him only success on behalf of our nation. He has my full support for a smooth transition,” the statement said.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the Prime Minister of this great nation. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Bahamian people for that opportunity. To those who served alongside me, I thank them for their dedication to our shared ideals. May God bless us all, and may God bless the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”

On nomination day last month, Mr Christie told reporters that would be his last time running as a candidate for Centreville.

Mr Christie entered front line politics in 1974 as one of the youngest senators ever appointed at the age of 31. He joined the House of Assembly after the 1977 general election as the member for Centreville and went on to win his seat eight consecutive times, including the 1987 general election when he contested the seat as an independent candidate.</s>The Bahamian democracy is under assault by outside interests and big money, according to Prime Minister Perry Christie, as “dangerous people” are pouring millions of dollars into propaganda to bring the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) down.

While Christie urged Bahamians to vote for the PLP during the party’s mass rally at Clifford Park last night, he reminded them that the Free National Movement (FNM) have been funding fake scandals for a longtime.

“This isn’t just an election time act. They’ve been doing this for years. Years of hate, years of lies,” he said.

Christie said if the FNM is elected, the party will put all of the PLP’s progress in danger and stop projects like National Health Insurance and the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute.

“I think they (FNM) would do what they said they would do, try to sell Baha Mar which would mean court cases, which would mean delays and thousands of jobs at risk,” he added.

However, the prime minister said he is optimistic about today’s general election and believes the PLP will form the next government of The Bahamas.

As thousands of Bahamians head to the polls to cast their votes, Christie noted that Bahamians will decide whether the country is going forward into a brighter future or whether the clock would be turned back with a risky, unstable party that is indebt to special interests and outsiders.

“So I’m feeling good about tomorrow, when I spend time with people like you. I feel good.” he said.

He expressed that the PLP will continue to push pass its obstacles, the snakes and the critics and will not pay attention to the FNM because the party and its leader Dr. Hubert Minnis does not have the country’s best interest at heart.

The prime minister noted that today’s election isn’t just about winning, it’s about upholding the principles on which this nation was founded upon.

He said it takes a team, which is the PLP, that is stable and qualified to lead The Bahamas.

“We have the best team to make change possible,” Christie said.</s>The main opposition party in the Bahamas is celebrating after an apparent victory in national elections in the island chain.

 

 Hubert Minnis would be the new prime minister based on unofficial returns that show his Free National Movement won a strong majority in the House of Assembly.

 

 Prime Minister Perry Christie has conceded the election but results were still being tabulated and certified from the far-flung islands that make up the island chain of nearly 400,000 people.

 

 Christie and his Progressive Liberal Party have been in power since 2012. The party struggled with public anger over rising crime, a sluggish economy and allegations of corruption involving the construction of a new mega resort on the most populated island of New Providence.

 

 Official returns were expected Thursday.</s>Hubert Minnis emerged as the Bahamas’ next prime minister in general elections that saw incumbent Perry Christie concede defeat. “My fellow Bahamians, the people have spoken,” Minnis, a physician, said in a victory rally before thousands of supporters. “We have been given a mandate for change”.

Christie, leader of Progressive Liberal Party, conceded defeat in a statement in which he said he had made a congratulatory telephone call to Minnis wishing the leader of the Free National Movement success.

“I understand as perhaps few others the challenges that await Dr Minnis, and I wish him only success on behalf of our nation. He has my full support for a smooth transition,” he said.

Minnis will be sworn in as prime minister on Thursday by Governor General Marguerite Pindling.

Christie, who was finishing his second non-consecutive term as prime minister, was dogged by scandals and double-digit unemployment.

The long-delayed opening of a $4.2 billion mega-resort called Baha Mar, and last month’s spectacular failure of the Fyre music festival — which stranded partygoers who paid as much as USD 100,000 to attend — were factors in the vote.

Minnis campaigned on a platform of change, seeking to implement term limits on the prime minister and promote “Bahamian ownership in the economy,” according to his website.

“I support the FNM 100 percent, because I feel Christie was not doing a good job in the five years we gave him,” Nassau resident Jmeail Dames said of the prime minister’s current term.

Christie, 73, prompted condemnation earlier this year when he denied corruption accusations by raising his middle finger to reporters.

His education minister, Jerome Fitzgerald, is also embroiled in controversy over a shady multimillion-dollar business allegedly seeking contracts from the Baha Mar resort, which is controlled by Chinese investors.

Under construction for almost a decade with Chinese financing and construction workers, Baha Mar was taken over by a Chinese conglomerate in 2016 after its original developer tried to file for bankruptcy in the United States.

The island archipelago, which gained independence from Britain in 1973, heavily depends on tourism and foreign investment in resorts and other attractions.

More than 180,000 people are registered to cast their ballots for the 39 seats in the House of Assembly. Voting took place without incident.

However, a polling station on the main island New Providence opened late following concerns about ballots, and some of those waiting left without voting.

International observers the Caribbean Community, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of American States and the United States were invited to monitor the election.

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App now</s>Election pits party of Prime Minister Perry Christie against main opponent Hubert Minnis of the Free National Movement.

Voters in the Bahamas headed to the polls on Wednesday in a hotly-contested general election overshadowed by corruption allegations and rising unemployment.

The election pits the party of Prime Minister Perry Christie, a veteran politician from the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), against his main opponent, Hubert Minnis of the Free National Movement (FNM), a physician.

Polls opened at 8am (12:00 GMT), with more than 180,000 people registered to vote in 39 constituencies across the country. Voting was scheduled to finish at 6pm (20:00 GMT), with unofficial results expected around 10pm (00:00 GMT).

Voting was proceeding calmly, but a polling station on the main island New Providence was forced to open late following concerns about ballots, and some of those waiting left without voting.

Voters are casting ballots for 39 seats in the House of Assembly. The party with the majority of seats will form the government.

Minnis is campaigning on a platform of change, seeking to implement term limits on the prime minister and promote "Bahamian ownership in the economy," according to his website.

The election has been overshadowed by the long-delayed opening of a $4.2bn mega-resort called Baha Mar.

Critics of the 73-year-old Christie, who is finishing his second non-consecutive term as prime minister, say the time has come for him to retire.

Christie prompted condemnation earlier this year when he denied corruption accusations by raising his middle finger to reporters.

Education minister Jerome Fitzgerald is also embroiled in controversy over a shadowy multimillion-dollar business allegedly seeking contracts from Baha Mar resort, which is controlled by Chinese investors.

The island archipelago, which gained independence from Britain in 1973, depends heavily on tourism and foreign investment into resorts and other attractions.

International observers the Caribbean Community, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of American States and the United States were invited to monitor the vote.</s>Ruling party voted out in The Bahamas

The political winds of change have blown ferociously in the Bahamas.

Prime Minister Perry Christie’s Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) was tonight forced to concede defeat, after suffering a crushing general election loss and failing to secure a second consecutive term in office.

With exit polls projecting a major win for the opposition Free National Movement of Dr Hubert Minnis and the official count still in progress, the PLP, which lost all five seats on Grand Bahama, wasted no time in accepting the will of the electorate.

Party Chairman Bradley Roberts delivered his concession speech around 8 p.m. Bahamas time (9 p.m. Barbados time) from the PLP’s headquarters, telling state-run ZNS television the party would now have to regroup and carry out a thorough assessment of what went wrong.

Just before 9 p.m. (local time), Christie issued the following statement to the media:

“I called Dr Hubert Minnis earlier this evening to congratulate him on his party’s victory. I understand as perhaps few others the challenges that await Dr Minnis and I wish him only success on behalf of our nation. He has my full support for a full transition. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the prime minister of this great nation. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Bahamian people for that opportunity. To those who served alongside me, I thanked them for their dedication to our shared ideals. May God bless us all and may God bless the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”

The mood tonight in the PLP camp was the complete opposite to that in the FNM camp, where thousands of jubilant supporters, decked out in the party’s colour of red, gathered in the capital where Minnis was expected to address a victory rally.

The PLP and the FNM have dominated political life in the Bahamas since it won independence from Britain in 1973.</s>News Americas, NASSAU, Bahamas, Thurs. May 11, 2017: The opposition Free National Movement (FNM) led by Dr. Hubert Minnis are the unofficial winners of the 2017 Bahamas election.

The FNM crushed the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and Prime Minister Perry Christie last night in an election that saw the Bahamas following the trend that’s occurred at polls in the English-speaking Caribbean recently where voters have ousted the incumbents in Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, Guyana, Montserrat and nearby Turks and Caicos.

Christie conceded the election at 9:50 p.m. last night according to the Tribune, and released a statement that said: “I called Dr. (Hubert) Minnis earlier this evening to congratulate him on his party’s victory. I understand as perhaps few others the challenges that await Dr. Minnis, and I wish him only success on behalf of our nation. He has my full support for a smooth transition. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the Prime Minister of this great nation. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Bahamian people for that opportunity. To those who served alongside me, I thank them for their dedication to our shared ideals. May God Bless Us All, and May God Bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”

As of 10:30 p.m. last night, the FNM had won 9 seats Tribune reports indicated, including the seat of Christie, compared to 1 for the PLP despite issues with ballots during the election Wednesday that caused voting to be temporarily suspended and hours extended at some polling stations.

The other parties had no seats. A victory rally was held by FNM at The Q. E. Sports Center last night under the team: “It’s The People’s Time.” Prime Minister-elect Minnis told supporters: “This was a long fought battle, but the victory is not mine, the victory is yours. This is the people’s time and I am your servant.”

He said he received calls from Prime Minister Christie and from Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling. Minnis will be sworn in today, May 11, 2017 as the country’s next prime minister.

Perry’s government, which had been elected in 2012, had been dealing with a high crime rates, allegations of corruption; double-digit unemployment; scandal-ridden cabinet ministers; the falling apart of the mega Baha Mar resort deal, which has yet to open and recently, the PR nightmare following the international scandal of the Fyre Festival.</s>We wrote in this space that this election was a referendum on Perry Gladstone Christie. The Bahamian people yesterday used the Free National Movement (FNM) as a vehicle to send him home once and for all.

Our economy has not grown in four years; Christie’s Progressive Liberal (PLP) promised to solve the crime problem and it escalated; dump fires worsened; there was open corruption in the government; Christie went against the will of the people in the gambling referendum; the electricity system in New Providence went into meltdown; he introduced the largest tax in the history of The Bahamas and was about to add to that with a National Health Insurance tax; he stuck up his middle finger in front of his people; he fell asleep in public places wherever he went.

The people had enough. They were angry.

The numbers were still coming in at press time, but the PLP suffered a historic loss on May 10. No sitting government of The Bahamas has ever been thrown out like Christie’s PLP. Even Christie lost his seat based on unofficial results – a seat he held for 40 consecutive years. This has never happened to a sitting prime minister.

PLPs voted him out. FNMs voted him out. Independents voted him out. The people wanted no more. They could take no more. As we wrote this piece, people were in the streets celebrating in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Christie has been searching for a legacy his whole time as prime minister. He has one now. He is the man who ruined the PLP. He has left the SS PLP on a reef, broken, with many political fatalities. Most of the PLP’s Cabinet lost. It was difficult to confirm what seats they won, actually.

The PLP was formed by whites and light-skinned blacks. They formed it as a party to fight for the under-class. Lynden Pindling and the men and women who would become the majority rule generation transformed the party into an organization that advocated in rhetoric for the black masses who were being unfairly treated by the minority white oligarchy.

The people of the inner-city communities of New Providence kept allegiance to the PLP ever since – a run of five or six decades depending on when you start counting from. The PLP even retained a big chunk of the inner-city areas in the great loss of 1997 when it won only six seats.

Last night, the masses in black belt areas revolted against Christie. It is possible that the PLP only won Englerston in New Providence. They said with a clear voice that they did not think Christie had their best interests at heart. They said they can no longer be taken for granted by his PLP. Bringing liquor and music at election time, then disappearing after victory, is a PLP strategy the poor and working classes rejected this time.

Much analysis will go into this wipe out loss. We think, however, the PLP’s imposition of value-added tax (VAT) and the party’s inability to explain where this money went enraged the poor who disproportionately pay this. We have stood on the line in front of low-income people at the grocery store and watched them put food back because they could not afford it. Whereas the upper classes are just annoyed by the burden, those extra few cents on a can of tuna are more than many pensioners or unemployed people can afford.

The Bahamian people declared last night that there are no more safe seats. The PLP became so arrogant that it thought it could do nothing for the poor it represented and these people would still vote for them. They took note when Christie did not come to his own constituency after Hurricane Matthew until the media pointed it out. In embarrassment he visited to save face. This is a man who often said he didn’t campaign in Centreville. These people were but a tool to power for him.

What they did last night was tell him they no longer want to hear from him. If after the recount it is confirmed that he lost his seat, he won’t even be allowed to give a farewell address in the House of Assembly.

Perry Christie, you have caused the Bahamian people to have contempt for a once great organization. You will never have a chance to politically redeem yourself. The Bahamian people don’t want to hear from you anymore.
Incumbent Prime Minister Perry Christie of the Progressive Liberal Party concedes defeat to Hubert Minnis of the Free National Movement.