You Can’t Win Without a Bench

ABAGAIL CARTWIRGHT DEAN’S BLUE HOLE

The Chicago Bulls were arguably one of the greatest teams in modern NBA history. They three-peated twice—1991–1993 and 1996–1998. Michael Jordan was pivotal, but those championships were not won by Jordan and the starting five alone.

The Bulls had a bench.

As a matter of fact, they had a deep bench.

Players like John Paxson, Toni Kukoč, Steve Kerr, Jud Buechler, and Will Perdue mattered. They were not in the starting rotation. They were bench players, role players, and a vital part of the team’s excellence. At critical moments, it was players from the bench that made crucial shots or defensive plays to win games. Championship organizations understand something important: You cannot build lasting success around one person. You must build a team.

That brings me to the FNM.

Last week, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, without calling any names, appeared to suggest to FNM supporters that the party needed new leadership. He told supporters that the FNM needed to “find someone who can win for you” and inspire people to join the party. Michael Pintard responded by describing Mr. Ingraham’s remarks as “inappropriate” and maintained that he remains the FNM’s best option.

But perhaps the FNM’s challenges go deeper than leadership.

Where is its bench?

The FNM does not have a bench.

The party lacks the depth of emerging leadership necessary to sustain its future. Where is the next generation being developed to step forward? Where are the young professionals, entrepreneurs, critical thinkers, and emerging leaders being cultivated for national leadership?

The PLP, by contrast, has deliberately incorporated younger professionals into government boards, public institutions, and conversations surrounding modernization and national development. Whether one agrees with the party or not, the PLP understands the importance of developing new political talent because, eventually, the mantle must be passed on. The party continues to attract young minds, emerging professionals, entrepreneurs, innovators, and the next generation of Bahamian leaders. Its strength in recruitment is rooted in the belief that an ordinary Bahamian can rise through the ranks—regardless of where you come from, who your parents are, or how you grew up. That creates opportunity, inspires participation, and builds leadership for the future. Simply put, the PLP has built a strong bench.

Pintard may, therefore, understand the difficulty of simply passing the baton: to whom does he pass it?

The FNM has governed before and remains an important institution in Bahamian politics.

But like every great sports franchise or any great institution, sometimes an organization must rebuild.

Rebuilding means reassessing your philosophy, recruiting talent, developing people and creating depth. This takes time, but it also requires a vision that inspires people to become part of something bigger. Currently, the bright young minds of The Bahamas do not appear to be attracted to the core values or messaging of the FNM. The FNM does not value Bahamian excellence; foreign is better. There is also a perception that advancement within the party is difficult unless one is connected to Bahamian oligarchs or influential figures within its establishment. If the FNM is serious about rebuilding, it must create a political movement where ordinary Bahamians—regardless of their connections, family name or social standing—can see a genuine pathway to leadership.

The Chicago Bulls understood that championships require more than a star. Having a strong team of bench players who understood their roles and consistently showed up was one of the secrets to their dominance.

Right now, the FNM doesn’t simply need another Michael Jordan. It needs a bench.

– Abigail Cartwright