The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

WITH rumours of an early election circulating, the Democratic National Alliance is having its share of problems as members are claiming to have been physically attacked during a party meeting.

However, the party’s leader has dismissed the claims from the members as “being dramatic”.

Sometime last week, a few voice notes went viral alleging that Boykin Smith, DNA candidate for Garden Hills, and DNA member Fayne Thompson were “attacked” during a DNA meeting.

Mr Smith has claimed that he took out his phone to record Mr Thompson, his fellow DNA member, when his phone was grabbed. Both Mr Smith and Mr Thompson appeared on a televised news show relaying their version of the story and how police had to be called in. Mr Smith claimed a party member grabbed his phone and smashed it on the ground to prevent him from recording the alleged attack on Mr Thompson.

Mr Thompson, on a radio show, went as far as referring to the situation as a manifest failure of leadership after saying the matter was now “sub judice” so he could no longer talk about it.

On the same talk show, DNA leader, Arinthia Komalafe denied receiving any legal papers pertaining to the alleged incident. She gave her version of the story.

“There was a scuffle but there was no assault,” she said. “Nobody hit Fayne Thompson. He is being very dramatic … overly dramatic because before anything was able to happen in there the guys parted him from them. I do have security, but they were not even in the room at the time.”

Mrs Komalafe said she was unaware of any claims of Mr Smith’s phone being smashed. She also explained that this ruckus took place in a meeting after an election for the positions of deputy leader and chairman where Mr Smith and Mr Thompson were challenging the results.

Former DNA deputy leader, Buscheme Armbrister recently resigned from that position and as a candidate. His resignation made the position vacant and as party chairman, Omar Smith was nominated for deputy leader so the position of chairman also became vacant.

According to Mrs Komalafe, Mr Thompson is only upset because the candidate he wanted to win the deputy leader spot did not succeed.

The Tribune contacted former chairman, Omar Smith who is also the candidate for Killarney, and he said these types of matters are not foreign to political parties.

“I was not at that meeting so I can’t give you any firsthand information,” he said. “It’s not the first time that a political organisation has had this sort of thing.”

Asked about Boykin Smith’s fate as a candidate of the party, seeing that he has gone public with the incident, the former chairman said that has yet to be decided.

“These are issues that have yet to be decided,” Omar Smith continued. “These decisions are made by an organisation and not by any one person.

“As a party we are preparing for election and we know it has to be called within the next year. The DNA is still the best choice for the Bahamian people at this time.”

Buscheme Armbrister was also contacted, but he denied being present during the melee.

“I resigned last month,” Mr Armbrister explained. “The particular meeting that they were talking about, I was not even there. So I only know as much as you know from social media. I am getting a lot of calls on this, but. . .I was not even there at that meeting.”

Derek Smith is the new chairman of the DNA and Stephen Nesbitt was voted in as deputy leader.