By NOELLE NICOLLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
nnicolls@tribunemedia.net:
THE Bahamas Democratic Movement announced yesterday that party president, Cassius Stuart, will contest the Elizabeth seat in the upcoming by-election.
Mr Stuart borrowed the popular campaign phrase from US President Barack Obama saying the party is "fired up and ready to go."
"Today, the BDM draws the line in the political sand, and offer ourselves to be an innovative part of the new direction that our country needs. We are offering ourselves because we believe in what this country can be," Mr Stuart told a press conference.
When former MP for Elizabeth, Malcolm Adderley, resigned his seat on Wednesday and severed ties with the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), the door opened for candidates to vie for the constituency.
Last night BDM officials met to finalise campaign tactics and budgetary matters. Mr Stuart said he anticipated the BDM would spend about $500,000 on the election.
Of speculation about the election costing political parties $1 million or more, Mr Stuart said the BDM was not trying to pay mortgages for community members, but only to organise a fair campaign, knocking on doors, interacting with the community.
He said the plan was to solicit small donations from a broad base, noting that this approach, popularised by Mr Obama, has never been tried in the Bahamas before.
Stakes are high for the BDM who are banking on the election to act as a catalyst for future wins in the next general election. They currently have no representatives in the House of Assembly after bids in two general elections.
Referring to what was dubbed the 'Ohio Syndrome' in the last US presidential elections, when momentum coalesced in favour of then candidate Obama's campaign, Mr Stuart said the Elizabeth constituency could pave the way for a new political culture in the Bahamas. The thinking of party executives is, if Elizabeth votes for a third party bringing change to the political landscape, it will indicate the potential for more widespread change in the future.
"The politics of yesterday must be done away with and a new political must be awakened. Elizabeth, you can pave the way for that new political culture. You can be the ones to who show the entire Bahamas that it is possible to change. People of Elizabeth, you can be the lighthouse for a nation who is adrift with no clear direction," said Mr Stuart.
In the 2007 election, Mr Stuart ran in the Garden Hills constituency, securing 3.5 per cent of the votes cast. He lost to Brensil Rolle of the Free National Movement (FNM). The BDM candidate for Elizabeth in the last election was Bernard Rolle. He acquired just over 70 votes in a constituency of 4,000 voters, or less than two per cent.
Mr Rolle said despite the conservative numbers, evidence of his impact was the fact that FNM candidate, Elma Chase Campbell, blamed the BDM for the PLP win. Mr Adderley won by a margin of 42 votes over the FNM candidate.
"I feel like the people were very receptive of our platform, but some people were reluctant. This time around the people will be more free to do what their heart leads them to do and that is vote for a third party. They know that they have tried both parties and everything continues to remain the same," said Mr Rolle.
Campaign chairman, Dr Dexter Grant, said the BDM is seeking to bring innovative ideas and strong leadership into the political mix. The plan is to campaign under the slogan: "A new voice in parliament, a new voice for Elizabeth, a new direction for the country."
"In the face of economic turmoil, we believe there can be prosperity. In the face of crime and violence, we believe there can be peace. In the face of illiteracy, we believe there can be knowledge. In the face of politics that has torn our country in two, there can be unity. In the face of hopelessness, we believe there can be hope and in the face of sorrow there can be gladness," said Mr Stuart.
January 08, 2010
tribune242
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