Friday, July 24, 2009

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Christie: PLP will not abandon Bridgewater By CANDIA DAMES ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com: Progressive Liberal Party Leader Perry Christie assured yesterday that though financially strapped, the PLP will not abandon former Senator Pleasant Bridgewater. Christie spoke to The Nassau Guardian a day after Deputy Registrar Ernie Wallace determined that she must pay the legal team of Marco City MP Zhivargo Laing $1 million for costs related to his defense against her Election Court challenge. "The party never abandons a candidate who seeks a resolution of concerns they have after a general election before the Election Court," said Christie, who added that he planned to speak to Bridgewater at his earliest convenience. "...The party will stand by her and, as best we can, assist her in every way to come to terms with the judgment." Bridgewater lost her challenge against Laing before the Election Court late last year and was ordered to pay costs in the matter. More than 100 witnesses testified over the course of months and most of them had to travel from Grand Bahama to attend court. Laing's lawyer, Fred Smith, has told The Guardian that the travel costs were substantial. Immediately after losing the 2007 general election, Christie advised the nation that the party through the impacted candidates planned to challenge three seats in the Election Court: Pinewood, Blue Hills and Marco City. Both the Pinewood and Marco City cases were unsuccessful for the party, and former Blue Hills MP Leslie Miller withdrew his petition, saying that elections are not won in the courtroom. Asked yesterday whether he believes the party made a mistake in pursuing the Election Court matters, Christie said, "You go in on the basis of advice. The advice, based on all the information and facts, [led] to the conclusion that it [was] a justifiable effort that we were making, and one where the prospects of victory in the case were before us. "Clearly, there were errors made with respect to calculations and assessments as to who voted for whom and what happened, or alternatively we were unable to produce the relevant evidence to support the position." Christie said the PLP has no other choice but to deal with reality. "It's an extraordinary and formidable kind of situation and very intimating in terms of the results, but it is what it is and you have to deal with it," he said. The Progressive Liberal Party remains saddled with election debt more than two years after the May 2, 2007 general election, Christie acknowledged. He said helping Bridgewater would be "very challenging". The PLP leader added, "We have to put our heads together, we have to speak to Ms. Bridgewater and we are very much aware of all factors facing us and this is what has to happen. But there's no question whatsoever. [The PLP] will not abandon someone who runs for it." Laing had a lead of 47 votes following the election, but after a recount in the Election Court that number was slashed to 27. Friday, July 24, 2009