Leo Ryan Pinder of the Progressive Liberal Party will be taking steps within the next ten days (being the time prescribed by law) to petition The Election Court to declare that he is the proper and lawful winner of the Bye Election in Elizabeth. The basis of the petition will be that a clear majority of the voters in the Bye Election did in fact vote for Leo Ryan Pinder of the PLP. When all of the regular ballots and protest ballots are properly accounted for, specifically the Election Court will be invited to conduct a scrutiny of the protest ballots that were cast in the Bye Election.

Our legal team is satisfied that when the protest ballots are scrutinized in accordance with well established legal principles and judicial precedent, the electorate of Elizabeth will be shown conclusively to have elected Leo Ryan Pinder as their Representative.

It is important that the public understand that the present position is that no one is or can be declared the winner of the Elizabeth Bye Election. Indeed the outcome of the Bye Election will remain up in the air until such time as the Election Court rules on the matter.

It is of the utmost importance that the proceedings before the Election Court be initiated, conducted and concluded within the shortest possible time so that the people of Elizabeth can be properly represented in the Halls of Parliament without undue delay.

We are confident that the legal process that will now be pursued will result in a vindication of our efforts and our determination to secure that Elizabeth, will remain an important part of the PLP family represented in the House of Assembly.

In the meantime Leo Ryan Pinder has committed himself to remaining fully involved in the life and affairs of the Elizabeth Constituency. As he said on Tuesday evening past “I am not going anywhere” This remarkable young Bahamian of whom we are so very proud will therefore be busying himself with the continuing stewardship of the Elizabeth Constituency.

Finally as Party Leader, let me not only congratulate Ryan on a truly outstanding campaign but also our entire Bye Election team for their heroic performance over the past several weeks and also to our many, many supporters in Elizabeth and those from far and near who have kept the vigil with us over the past three night. I also thank especially our magnificent team of Lawyers and election agents for their untiring efforts on the night of the election and throughout the recount that has taken up these last two days and nights.

Progressive Liberal Party supporters all over the Bahamas are feeling exceptionally good about what has happened in the Bye Election. They realize and indeed Bahamians everywhere that the Free National Movement Government days are numbered and the Progressive Liberal Party is now solidly on course to win the next General Election. Such a conclusion is inescapable when one considers that the entire power and might of the Government were solidly thrown into Bye Election and yet they could not win.