By CELESTE NIXON

Tribune Staff Reporter

cnixon@tribunemedia.net

DNA leader and Bamboo Town incumbent Branville McCartney said he will step aside as party leader if not re-elected.

During the Darold Miller show on 96.9fm yesterday, Mr McCartney said that if he were not re-elected as Member of Parliament for the Bamboo Town constituency in the coming general elections, he would step aside as DNA party leader.

Mr McCartney said if he does not win his seat he would take that to be reflective of the opinions of the Bahamian people, and while it has been done in the past he would not ask DNA candidates elected to the House of Assembly to step aside for him.

He said: "If I'm rejected in my constituency and we have other candidates that are not rejected and become Members of Parliament, I believe Bahamian people have told me something.

"I would still remain instrumental in the party, but there we ought to have a new leader to take the party forward."

Mr McCartney added that there are many candidates within the DNA that have the vision to lead the party, including deputy leader Chris Mortimer.

"There are persons in my party, who in my view are leaders in their own right," he said. "I am the leader now because I am in the House of Assembly, but there are persons there who can be better leaders than me, there is no doubt about that."

"The DNA is not just Branville McCartney," he said.

Mr McCartney said Bahamians should vote in the best interest of the country and not along party lines. He noted that even he can not say he will always support one party.

He said: "I did not say I am DNA for life, I am Branville McCartney for life."

While Mr McCartney held that he would not "switch on a dime" as was put to him, he said that one of the problems with politics in the Bahamas is forming strong party allegiances even when change is needed.

"No, sir, I cannot say I am DNA for life, I am not a political. I keep on saying this I am not a person who will get into politics for politics."

We should be Bahamian first, Mr McCartney said. It should be about doing what is best for the country moving forward.

"Politics is the worst thing for good governance," he said.