The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

In December 2021, Arinthia Komolafe resigned as leader of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), nearly three months after the September 16 general election.

I visited the party’s Facebook and discovered that the latest post is dated July 24, 2020, which suggests to me that the party is currently inactive. Its own members have apparently lost interest in the party and its vision. Moreover, who will now lead the party now that Komolafe has stepped down?

The DNA gained just 1,742 votes nationally, which means that it has haemorrhaged significant support, which wasn’t much to begin with.

On the other hand, the Coalition of Independents (COI) received over 8,500 votes - nearly seven thousand more than the DNA.

The COI and Lincoln Bain had obviously supplanted the DNA as the undisputed third party of The Bahamas, playing third fiddle to the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the Free National Movement (FNM).

Komolafe was the second leader of the DNA. I recall the hoopla surrounding her ascendancy to the top post of the party subsequent to the resignation of Branville McCartney in October 2017.

McCartney led the organisation for six years, since its inception in either April or May of 2011.

About two months prior to the launch of the DNA, McCartney resigned from the FNM. He was Bamboo Town MP between 2007-2012. The DNA’s strong showing in the 2012 general election, in which it gained 13,225 votes, was cited as one of the major reasons the FNM lost to the PLP.

The DNA played spoiler to the FNM, which was viewed as a consolation prize for certain elements within the party. It also gave DNA supporters the impression that their party would be able to go toe to toe with both the FNM and PLP, despite McCartney losing his seat in Bamboo Town to the then PLP Renward Wells.

I believe McCartney saw the writing on the wall, after the DNA got just 7,500 plus votes, less than six thousand that it got five years earlier.

The DNA’s poor showing in 2021 is an evident sign that the party is on track to be dissolved.

In my opinion, however, I believe that the DNA is already dead, politically speaking.

It has suffered the same fate as other fringe political groups. Rest in peace DNA (2011-2021).

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport, Grand Bahama.

March 13, 2022.