Friday, September 15, 2023
By JADE RUSSELL
Tribune Staff Reporter
jrussell@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Branville McCartney said on Friday the country is still not accepting a third political party when it comes down to election time.
“We stuck on stupid and that’s our problem,” Mr McCartney said during a press conference held at Halsbury Chambers. “Whether they will be accepting of another party or other parties - no. They will give the support and they will say everything against the PLP or the FNM. But when that fateful day comes, they going to one of them. We stuck on stupid.”
The Bahamas has for decades operated within a two-party political system where the two major parties, the Free National Movement (FNM) and Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), have dominated in elections.
Mr McCartney suggested the country would be able to advance further if voters gave another political party a chance in government.
“We're not where we are because of the parties in this country. We’re where we are because of us and what we do,” he added.
Many have said the Coalition of Independents (COI), which is led by Lincoln Bain, has replaced the DNA as the unofficial third party. In the 2021 election, the newly formed COI outperformed the DNA at the polls.
When asked about critics saying the COI has overtaken the DNA as the unofficial third party, Mr McCartney said: “Well they are more out there than the DNA, certainly. And the COI and Mr Bain they are bringing the issues to the forefront which I think is a good thing.”
Mr McCartney noted he stepped down as leader of the DNA in 2017. He said he couldn’t provide details on the status of the party since then.
Although Mr McCartney said he is focused on his legal profession and family life right now, he did not fully oppose the possibility of returning to the political arena.
“Never say never I’ve learned that over my last 56 years,” he said.“I went into politics to hopefully do whatever I can do - to better the country in whatever way I can. That's still my position in terms of politics or political parties and what have you. I want to see the country do well.”
Comments
bahamianson says...
Appreciate that piece of information. Maybe we will get like America whom has had three political groups for 250 years.
Posted 15 September 2023, 10:41 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
----- Pay close attention to song's lyrics. ----- But personally, I think it's a Song that speaks drectly to Comrade Branville. --- Yes?
---Elton John - I'm Still Standing---
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHwVBir…
Posted 16 September 2023, 9:48 a.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
The first past the post system is what is killing our democracy.
If we has a representative voting system where the party gets a percentage of the seats that match its votes on election day, then our votes will really count,
But as long as it remains based on the present old style, one party CAN win 30 seats out of 39, but only get 40 perecnt of the overall votes cast.
Posted 16 September 2023, 4:22 p.m. Suggest removal
BONEFISH says...
The Bahamas has the third oldest parliament in the Commonwealth Yet the Bahamas is a primitive country, politically,socially and economically. That was the opinion of a noted political scientist and writer.
There has been a successful third party in the Bahamas. It was the Bahamian Democratic Party which served as the official opposition after the 1977 general elections. It had broken away from the FNM. Before that ,the third party was the Free PLP which eventually became the FNM.Bahamian history is not really taught in this country.
Bahamians tend to vote on hate and emotions. Also some bahamians still vote along racial and class lines.Political patronage and offering inducements for votes is common in this country. That is why third parties who do not have access to significant financial resources have such hard time getting support in this country.The Bahamas in some ways until recently was seen as semi -feudal society by some observers.
Posted 16 September 2023, 7:03 p.m. Suggest removal
hrysippus says...
Sheepruiner: while I do not totally disagree with your comment; "The first past the post system is what is killing our democracy." , we need to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The first past the post system has evolved over 500 years of English parliamentary democracy; it tends to create a stronger government mandate than the pleuritic alternative and thus results in less coalition administrations paralyzed into inertia due to diverging political agendas. See; Italy, par exemplar.
Posted 16 September 2023, 8:31 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Generally, our colony of out islands politics during election time has long stood as a teaching tool for many. --- Yes?
Posted 16 September 2023, 9:21 p.m. Suggest removal
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