Shawn Francis is energized to transform the struggling economies in his constituency of Cat Island, San Salvador and Rum Cay, should he win his bid to represent the constituency on a Democratic National Alliance ticket. His parents were very strict, God fearing and believed in bringing their son up in the way of the Lord. This has helped mold Shawn into the man that he is today. Shawn has had the
benefit of growing up in both the city of Nassau and Cat Island, when he lived and attended school in Nassau and spent the summers at Devil’s Point with his grandparents, Bertha and Culmer Rolle. In this sense, he is a true true Bahamian with good experience and understanding of the needs and pulse of the people in the city and those in the family island. Shawn is a divorced father of four beautiful children Shawn Jr., (20yrs - presently at Clarke Atlanta University), Lashawn (15yrs - New Orleans), Shannon (14yrs - up and coming tennis star), and newcomer Shanya (1yr). He believes in putting his children first and it is indeed because of his dreams for the future of his children and the children of all Bahamians that he has thrown his weight behind the party that advocates change- the DNA. And we have to understand that this power lifting champion has some serious muscle strength to bring to his campaign and challenge of the political status quo. For his early education Shawn attended Queen’s College and St. John’s College and later S.C. Mcpherson and R.M Bailey. He earned a Bachelor degree in Computer Information Systems from Fort Valley State University in Atlanta Georgia, where he graduated with honours in 1989. A former Batelco employee for 10 years where he worked as a Direct Current & Grounding Engineer, Shawn decided in 1999 to test his entrepreneurial skills by starting Francis Tiling, which has been a successful initiative under his management. He is presently planning to bring the benefits of his entrepreneurial acumen to Cat Island where he is building a resort which will employ Cat Island residents and also will mean that he will spend more time on the island and get smore insight into the difficulties that residents face. He also plans to set up opportunities for conversation exchanges with the good people of Rum Cay and San Salvador to familiarize them with his dreams for empowering the people in their communities, so they have more opportunities to make a good life for themselves. Within the next few months, he is hoping to meet with each and every one of the more than 1,500 registered voters to listen to their input and ideas for an economic transformation of San Salvador, Rum Cay and Cat Island. He is committed to change for the better for everyone and this can only happen with a commitment to critical engagement by everyone in the communities of the constituency. Shawn is no novice to politics and enters the 2012 political race with prior political experience from the last two general elections of 2002 & 2007, when he worked with the campaign for Brent Symonette in the St. Anne’s constituency. Without a doubt this weight lifter who holds national records for 600 plus pound squats and deadlifts has very broad shoulders, and the same records he has broken in the weightlifting arena, will be his in the political arena with the support of the people in Rum Cay, San Salvador and Cat Island. Shawn is determined to run an honest, clean and transparent campaign. He is quite passionate about reducing crime as it affects all Bahamians throughout the archipelago of The Bahamas. His thinking is that we all are supposed to feel safe in our country, we are supposed to own a piece of this rock at an affordable cost, we are not supposed to be second class citizens in our own country. The same investment opportunities and concessions offered to attract foreign investors should be available to local investors. Every Bahamian who wants to work should have the opportunity to work to provide the basic necessities such as food, a place to live etc. In his constituency, he sees as priorities the availability of running water and the electrification of certain settlements in Cat Island; the upgrading of roads and the airport terminal, and the building of a new school in San Salvador; and the generation of more jobs in Rum Cay. This champion body builder and power lifter is ready to become the champion of the people in his constituency by advocating for change and a better way of life.
