It was reported earlier this week that Leader of the Free National Movement (FNM), the Hon. Michael Pintard was of the view that an early election would be called. He said he expected a general election in September of this year or earlier.

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) National Chairman, the Hon. Fred Mitchell dismissed the claims while speaking with ZNS News on Wednesday. He said, “the election is not due until five years after the date of the first meeting of the House Of Assembly after the last general election.”

Mitchell went further saying, “Pintard, it’s not his responsibility to call the election. He has no way of know when the election is going to be called. Only one man knows that and there’s been no indication from the man who has the authority and power to do so that there is any contemplation or otherwise of an election before the mandate runs out.”

The FNM leader also accused the government of shifting focus to election messaging rather than fulfilling its 2021 mandate. He cited the many groundbreaking and contract signing events as indication that the government was readying itself for an early election.

“We know we have built houses, put people in houses. We finished the buildings that we left when we were unceremoniously dispatched from office in 2017. When we came back they hadn’t finished the projects that we left. We’ve gone about finishing them. They didn’t build one single house while they were in office for four and a half years. So again, the Bahamian public can judge who is more serious and who is going about doing their job,” Mitchell said.

The PLP Chairman also responded to Pintard’s call for a fixed election date which would require a change in the constitution. He said, “At this point no one is contemplating going back to the country with a referendum on any issues of that nature. And so fixed dates of the election while it sounds nice and all the rest of that within the present system it’s not possible.”

The last general election was held on September 16th, 2021.