FNM: Pauline Nairn
Not much left of the original Yamacraw. When it was created in 1982, it was considered by all to be an FNM seat and they put up Janet Bostiwick, understanding the value of having the first woman in the house. The PLP responded by nominating a woman of their own in the new seat of Blue Hills, but Mrs. Bridgewater lost and Mrs. Bostiwick won, and so she is the one history will remember as the First Lady of Parliament. The PLP did not do much to challenge her in ’87, but in ’92 they cut the seat to include some strong PLP areas in the new Elizabeth Estates area and Michelle Pindling ran for the PLP. This probably wasn’t a great idea; while many other children of MP’s past and present have run and won, the daughter of the existing PM was a different story. Some felt that Sir Lynden was attempting to found a dynasty, though I should point out that if he really wanted, he could have found a safe seat for his daughter to run in. Either way, despite spending a lot of money, she lost and Mrs. Bostwick held her seat again in ’97. In ’02, she got hit with the PLP wave; she’d not been all that well and thus had not campaigned very hard for her seat. It’s a pity, really, that she didn’t retire rather than get voted out, but that’s the way things go in politics.
But Yamacraw today is not what it once was. Gone is Port New Providence, and area that would have delivered a large margin to the FNM. It’s the most oddly shaped seat in the whole country and the PLP did that for a reason. I think they’ve given themselves a very slight advantage there and the FNM’s Mrs. Nairn is going to have to work her butt off to return this one to the red column.
Ranking: LEAN PLP
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