FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PROGRESS NOW! – 30TH OCTOBER, 2009

IN A FEW WEEKS PLPS THROUGHOUT OUR BAHAMALAND WILL GATHER IN NEW PROVIDENCE FOR OUR 51ST NATIONAL GENERAL CONVENTION. IT WILL BE A TIME FOR FELLOWSHIP, REFLECTION AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CHART A NEW COURSE AND DIRECTION FOR OUR PARTY AS WE PREPARE FOR THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION. IT IS IN THIS VEIN, THAT I SEEK THE CANDIDACY FOR THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF OUR PARTY.

I AM NOT OFFERING MYSELF FOR THE POSITION OF CHAIRMAN TO OPPOSE ANY MAN OR WOMAN WITHIN THE PLP. I SEEK THE CHAIRMANSHIP TO MOVE THE PARTY MACHINERY FORWARD, TO RECONNECT OUR PARTY WITH SUPPORTERS AND WELL-WISHERS AND CONNECT THE PARTY TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS OUR BELOVED COMMONWEALTH.

MY OBJECTIVE IS TO UNLEASH THE REAL POTENTIAL OF THIS PARTY, TO SHOWCASE THE TALENTED MEMBERS OF THIS ORGANIZATION, TO MODERNIZE THE PARTY APPARATUS AND EFFECT PROGRESS…NOW!

PROGRESS NOW, IS A CAMPAIGN FOR CHANGE, REVITALIZATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF OUR PARTY. HAVING SERVED AS A BRANCH OFFICER, BRANCH NGC MEMBER, NATIONAL PARTY VICE-CHAIRMAN AND NOW NATIONAL PARTY DEPUTY CHAIRMAN I KNOW WHAT HAS WORKED AND WHAT HAS NOT WORKED FOR THE PLP IN RECENT TIMES.

MY VISION FOR PROGRESS IN THE PLP IS PRACTICAL, RESULTS ORIENTED AND INCLUSIVE. THE ETHOS OF PROGRESS NOW IS TEAMWORK. WE NEED ALL PLPS TO RECOMMIT THEMSELVES TO OUR PARTY AND WORK TOGETHER WITH A SINGLE PURPOSE OF RESTORING THE PLP AS THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS.

WHILE THE COMPLETE PLATFORM FOR PROGRESS WILL BE LAUNCHED SOON, THERE ARE 10 MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS:

1. TIMELY & AGGRESSIVE MESSAGING

2. MEMBERSHIP RELATIONS

3. REVIEWING THE ROLES OF LEADER & CHAIRMAN AND REVITALIZING OUR BRANCHES

4. CAMPAIGN EDUCATION & TRAINING

5. RECRUITMENT & CANDIDATE SELECTION
 
6. FINANCING & SUSTAINABLE FUNDING

7. EMPOWERMENT OF YOUTH

8. EMPOWERING WOMEN

9. RECOGNIZING AND EMPOWERING DEDICATED PARTY SUPPORTERS

10. FAMILY ISLAND DEVELOPMENT & PARTICIPATION

MANY OF US RECOGNIZE THE PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL PARTY IS IN TRANSITION. THERE ARE MANY INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE PLP WHO SPEAK OF CHANGE IN OUR PARTY, BUT FEW ARE PREPARED TO DEFINE WHAT THAT CHANGE SHOULD BE. IN THIS REGARD, THIS SUNDAY, WE WILL LAUNCH OUR PROGRESS NOW  PLATFORM AND USE THIS CAMPAIGN, PRIMARILY AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FRANK AND HONEST DISCUSSIONS WITH PLPS THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THIS COUNTRY ABOUT OUR VISION AND THEIR IDEAS IN RELATION TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR PARTY’S INTERESTS.

OUR COUNTRY CONTINUES TO BE BURDENED BY THE SPIRIT OF HOPELESSNESS AND DESPAIR.  I BELIEVE A RESPONSIVE, CARING, PROACTIVE PLP CAN HELP. WE AS CITIZENS OF THIS BELOVED COUNTRY CANNOT CONTINUE TO SEE WRONG AND NOT WANT TO MAKE IT RIGHT. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO SEE SUFFERING AND NOT WANT TO HEAL IT. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO ACCEPT MEDIOCRITY WHEN THE ATTAINMENT OF EXCELLENCE SHOULD BE OUR GOAL.

I THEREFORE ENCOURAGE BAHAMIANS TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN THE POLITICAL AFFAIRS OF THIS COUNTRY AND IF ANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT THE PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL PARTY IS THE PARTY THAT BEST REPRESENTS YOUR BELIEFS, YOUR VALUES OR IS THE BEST VEHICLE TO REALIZE YOUR HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS, I INVITE YOU TO CALL OUR NATIONAL HEAD QUARTERS AT 328.0808 OR CALL ME AT 394.1823 AND JOIN THE PLP TODAY!

IN THE WORDS OF THREE POLITICAL COLLEAGUES RUNNING FOR DEPUTY LEADER…NOW IS THE TIME TO BE BRAVE… FOR OUR FUTURE IS NOW.

THANK YOU FOR COMING AND GOOD AFTERNOON.