The last two Progressive Labour Party primaries will be fought this week, so this is as good a time as any to look at how the process has worked.As stated previously, the good news is that the process has deepened democracy within the PLP, and given ordinary members a genuine opportunity to have a say in who should represent them in a general election.There is also a reasonable amount of evidence to suggest that those MPs who work hard in their constituencies have less to fear than those who are of the “election time visit only” variety.That is a positive element too, although this can penalise Cabinet Ministers who have less time than backbenchers or challengers to canvass. But the lesson should be clear. MPs who forget who put them in the House of Assembly do so at their peril.This newspaper opined that after former UBP MP Darius Tucker crossed the floor and was then rejected by his PLP branch, that former UBP leader Wayne Furbert should be nervous as well. In the event, Mr Furbert won with some ease, dispatching both Senator LaVerne Furbert and former PLP candidate Charles Clarke in the process.That reinforces the idea that good constituency MPs with deep local roots and indvidual power bases can overcome other potential objections.Still, it is questionable whether Premier Paula Cox has exactly the team of candidates she wants going into what looks like a very close general election campaign.The loss of Wayne Perinchief, who has done an enormous amount to improve the PLP’s crime-fighting credentials as National Security Minister, will be a loss, while the possible repudiation of Estates Minister Neletha Butterfield, who faces a second round of voting this week, would throw into question Ms Cox’s Cabinet selections. How can you be a worthy Minister if your own branch rejects you?Health Minister Zane DeSilva’s move from marginal constituency Southampton East Central to PLP stronghold Southampton East suggests the PLP has thrown in the towel in his former constituency as a result of boundary changes. That will send a negative message to the voters there.Indeed, perhaps the biggest problem for the PLP will be the negative feelings and divisions that this process has thrown up so close to a possible election.Lame duck MPs will be less interested in showing up at Parliament or helping their successors to canvass. And it is hard to see rejected candidates being able to summon much enthusiasm for a campaign, especially if Ms Cox calls it soon, before wounds have had time to heal.One advantage that it does give the PLP is that it can say it has gone through a democratic process. It seems unlikely that the One Bermuda Alliance will be able to say the same, especially if there is a Christmas election; there simply is not the time.That may turn out to be a less effective weapon if OBA Leader Craig Cannonier delivers a thumping by-election victory in Devonshire South Central, but a close result would hurt his fledgling party. Still, in the end, voters wil look at the strength of the candidates, not how they were selected,It is still concerning that very few people can have control over a major decision. If only 25 or 30 people vote for candidates, it is easy for this result to be skewed.It is inarguable that it is up to members to turn out to vote, but the lesson to all candidates now will be to sign up as many people as possible or risk defeat.