PINERIDGE

PLP: Anne Percentie

FNM: Kwasi Thompson

While Grand Bahama has always been considered ‘FNM Country’, Mrs. Percentie racked up an impressive 60% of the vote in 2002. In fact, outside of West End, Pineridge has been one of the more competitive seats in recent years. Garnet Levarity won it for the FNM in 1977 and handed it to Cecil Wallace-Whitfield in 1982. Whitfield switched with Marco City MP CA Smith in 1987 due to the way the boundaries had been changed, but Smith’s margin of victory was less than 200 votes. While he did well in ’92 and ’97, the PLP wave caught him unprepared and left him high and dry. Pineridge is quite winnable for the FNM but young Mr. Thompson will have to do a lot of hard work. This seat is not what you would call a walk. Mrs. Percentie has the disadvantage of a severe economic downturn in Freeport to contend with and that may be the thing that prevents her from holding the seat.

Rating: LEANING FNM