EDITOR, The Tribune. BOTH major political parties, the Free National Movement (FNM) and the official Opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), are in full election mode as they canvass throughout the commonwealth of the Bahamas seeking to convince the Bahamian electorate to support their 38 candidates. To date, many of the constituency offices of both parties have been officially opened. In fact, on Saturday, March 10, the constituency office of PLP candidates Gregory Moss (Marco City) and Tanisha Tynes (East Grand Bahama) was opened in Freeport, Grand Bahama. The rallies of both parties are drawing massive crowds. This is seen by some political analysts as an indication that the general election will be a close contest. So far, the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) has opened some constituency offices. The party has also held a series of "street meetings" throughout New Providence and Abaco. According to the March 8 edition of The Freeport News, the new opposition party held a street meeting in Central and South Abaco in early March for its standard bearer for that area, Roscoe Thompson III. According to the report, about 500 residents attended the event. Considering the population size of Abaco, that was a modest showing. To the best of my finite knowledge, I don't believe that the DNA has held a rally in Grand Bahama. If they have, then obviously the party's public relations machine is doing a poor job of disseminating the message of the party. Moreover, I cannot say with certainty if any of its five candidates for Grand Bahama have opened a constituency office. I stand to be corrected, but I understand that the DNA has an office in the Millennium House in Freeport. If none of the candidates on Grand Bahama has yet to open a campaign office, then this is perhaps an indication that the coffers of the party aren't that deep after all. There were rumours circulating through the press in mid-2011 that DNA Leader and Bamboo Town Member of Parliament Branville McCartney was being financed by some very wealthy white knights who had defected from the FNM. It was rumoured that these powerful benefactors were deeply dissatisfied with the way the governing FNM was being run. But it now seems as if these rumours were just that -- rumours. I seriously doubt if the party has the kind of financial resources that the FNM and the PLP have to run an effective campaign. We should not kid ourselves, it takes millions of dollars to win general elections in The Bahamas. Bahamians would be hard-pressed to cast their ballots for candidates they perceive to be broke. Why should I vote for a man who is in the same financial predicament I am in? The DNA started out with a big bang in Grand Bahama last year as it introduced some of its candidates at the Grand Lucayan Resort, but it appears as if the party has lost significant momentum in recent times. To its credit, though, the party launched its Unemployment Registration and Food Assistance Drive in Grand Bahama in early March. For what it's worth, I see this as a shrewd political strategy to endear itself to the reported 11,000-plus unemployed Grand Bahamians who are struggling to make ends meet. As the adage goes, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Nevertheless, I seriously doubt if this will be enough to give the fledgling new party even one seat in Grand Bahama. Right now, it appears as if the only relevant contenders are the FNM and the PLP. The DNA appears to be inconsequential in Grand Bahama. I think that the time has now come for Branville McCartney and his five candidates for Grand Bahama to start holding rallies on the island like the two major political parties. While the party continues to hold rallies or street meetings in New Providence, nothing, to the best of my knowledge, has been held on Grand Bahama. I would like to hear his five candidates outline their plans for the island on a podium before an audience. I would also like to see how many people the party would be able to draw to its political events. I would like to see if the DNA can go head to head with the FNM and the PLP in terms of attracting massive crowds to its rallies. I think a rally would tell us once and for all if the DNA is the real deal or if it is just hype. Appearing in the printed media to complain about oil drilling in the Bahamas; or appearing in TV and radio commercials telling Bahamians to raise a finger in support of their party will not cut the mustard. Also, I don't think going from door-to-door on the campaign trail will be of much help. The DNA needs to get its message across to the Grand Bahamian electorate by holding rallies. If the DNA thinks that it can win in Grand Bahama without holding any rallies, then it is woefully ignorant of Bahamian politics. When one considers how deeply polarised The Bahamas has become, no political party can afford to take Grand Bahama for granted. To not hold rallies in Grand Bahama would be politically counterproductive for the DNA. KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama, March 11, 2012.