The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT - Calling on the government to "ring the bell," DNA Leader Branville McCartney says his party is ready for the upcoming general elections and becoming the next government of the Bahamas.

Mr McCartney said the party will run candidates in all 38 constituencies and will name its remaining candidates within "a few days."

"We are ready for this election and asking government to ring the bell," he told the media on Grand Bahama Thursday.

Mr McCartney was accompanied by a group of supporters, including Roger Rolle and Osman Johnson, the DNA candidates for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, and Pineridge, at a residence at Sea Spray Lane, off Royal Palm Way.

He expressed grave concerns about the poor economic state of Grand Bahama, and promised to bring positive investments back in the country.

While in Grand Bahama, Mr McCartney met with executives of the Grand Bahama Port Authority and other business persons on the island.

"Grand Bahama is in the Bahamas. It should be seen as being in the Bahamas and not just something that is pushed on the backburner," he said.

"We cannot allow our people to suffer like this anymore."

Mr McCartney said it seems that only around election time the two parties come and say what they are going to do for Grand Bahama.

He stressed that nothing has happened under the PLP administration, and the current FNM government in the past five years.

"...That is why (the PLP) got kicked out (of office) in 2002, only having one seat (in Grand Bahama).

"And certainly it has not happened under the FNM over the last five years, with five sitting MPs. Nothing has happened; it has gotten worse," Mr McCartney said.

"Driving around especially in the West End area the other day is depressing, it is sad. We should not be living like this. We in the DNA will do all we can to bring positive investments back to the country.

"We know persons who want to invest in this country. The difficulty they are having is the problem of going through the process and problems of the existing administration and not trusting the last administration.

"They are waiting for a new administration, the DNA administration.

"I think Bahamian people are sick and tired, and at this stage they are going to show both Hubert Ingraham and Perry Christie that their time is up," Mr McCartney said.

The DNA leader claims that Mr Ingraham is not a true democrat by telling Bahamians that the election is only between the PLP and FNM parties.

"I cry shame on Mr Ingraham. Obviously, Mr Ingraham seems to be running scared to say something like that. He is obviously not on the ground feeling what the people are feeling. He has lost that touch," he said.

Mr McCartney said Mr Ingraham had indicated on occasions that if he doesn't have it, he will give it to his friend Perry Christie.

"The fact of the matter is that it is not between Mr Ingraham and Mr Christie.

"And that's an insult to Bahamian people and I would be upset. That is a slap in the face to democracy to say something like that. I cry shame on you, Mr Ingraham, to say something like that.

"You are certainly not a democrat to say something like that; every person in the country would have a right to choose who they want," Mr McCartney said.

The DNA party, he said, has come on the scene in the last eight months and made history, providing an alternative viable party within such a short period of time.

"We intend to make history again. We ask Bahamians to come along with us to make history again to make us the next government of this country," Mr McCartney said.

IMG-21.JPG

Roger Rolle DNA candidate for West Grand Bahama and Bimini. Attorney Osman Johnson for Pineridge. (Photos: Denise Maycock/Tribune Staff).