“McCartney Not Ready”
By Sasha L. Lightbourne
jonesbahamas
A lot has been said in the wake of the official launch of Branville McCartney’s Democratic National Alliance (DNA) party.
But according to Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader, Perry Christie, the former state minister of immigration, is not ready to fight in a "real political boxing match."
In fact, Mr. Christie dubbed the DNA’s launch at the Wyndham Nassau Resort last week as "one big party."
"He has taken a very bold step," Mr. Christie said in an interview with the Bahama Journal yesterday.
"However, in my view, he has precedents of persons who have tried third party politics before and have not succeeded or even come near to succeeding. I think he has ignored those precedents and done so to his detriment, but it is clear that he has been encouraged by a body of opinion that exists in the country that believe we should have an alternative to the Free National Movement (FNM) and the PLP or rather to Perry Christie and Hubert Ingraham."
Mr. Christie, who has been in the political arena for close to four decades, said it is going to take more than a few Bahamian singers and new faces to win the Bahamian people over.
"When people come to vote, they will have to make a decision as to the future of their country and they will make a decision on the basis of real politics, that is parties with the capacity to govern and that is where Mr. McCartney has an incredible challenge and a major gap in what he is trying to do," he said.
"People will have to make a decision not on whether they give someone a seat, but on whether the people who they are voting for will form the next government and my opinion is that Mr. McCartney is not going to be in that consideration."
During the DNA’s launch, Mr. McCartney introduced Chelphene Cunningham as his party’s candidate for Garden Hills; Floyd Armbrister for Exuma; Sammy "Sammy Starr" Poitier for South Beach; Farrel Goff for Clifton; Ben Albury for Montagu; Adrian Laroda for MICAL; Roscoe Thompson for South Abaco; Charlene Paul for Elizabeth and Alfred Poitier for Kennedy.
Mr. McCartney hopes to retain his seat as the Bamboo Town MP.
But according to Mr. Christie, Bahamians will not be swayed by new faces, but by those who have stood the test of time.
In a recent statement, the PLP noted that on the face of it, the structure and function of the DNA is "rank with the stench of dictatorship."
"There is no published constitution that governs the structure, function, policies and processes of the DNA," the release said.
"There is no executive committee or council to provide the executing mechanisms that form the basis of the DNA’s policies and processes. It appears that Mr. McCartney is a self-appointed leader who in turn appointed a chairman. He apparently unilaterally appointed his candidates. To the casual political observer, this is not democracy, but dictatorship in its rankest form."
Mr. Christie again stressed that his party remains focused on preparing itself for winning the next general elections and that he believes the PLP is only one of two parties that can achieve that goal.
May 19th, 2011
jonesbahamas
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.