The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Democratic National Alliance (DNA) has ratified three candidates in Grand Bahama who will run for the party in the next general election.

Nevar Smith, Leslie Lightbourne and Elkena Pinder were introduced as the party’s candidates for Marco City, Pineridge and East Grand Bahama respectively.

DNA Leader Branville McCartney and Deputy Leader Chris Mortimer made the announcement at the party’s new office in the Les Fountain II complex on East Sunrise Highway in Grand Bahama yesterday.

Mr Smith, 29, serves as deputy councillor for the City of Freeport Council.

“The DNA has once again proven that it deeply believes in the potential of our nation’s youth and views us as an important part of the national development process,” he said.

“I am proud to be a member of the DNA and by extension its standard bearer in the Marco City - ‘Smithy for the City’.”

Supported by his father, Lionel Smith, he thanked him for his unconditional support despite their political differences.

Mr Smith is confident that he can win in Marco City. He noted that Grand Bahamians have endured economic and unemployment challenges for some time under successive administrations.

“The DNA represents a brand new era of political governance and development in the Bahamas,” he said. “No longer will Grand Bahamians have to settle for lacklustre performance of the FNM and PLP in the governance of their affairs.

“The DNA provides all Bahamians across the length and breadth of the country with a viable, credible, dynamic alternative that has the ability to usher in the long awaited transformation that our country is in need of,” he said.

Mr Lightbourne is a veteran trade unionist and a 20-year employee of the Grand Bahama Power Company. He has been involved in labour relations for 14 years and currently serves as president of the Commonwealth Electrical Workers Union (CEWU) - a position he has held for the past six years.

Mr Lightbourne, whose family is PLP, said he decided to join the DNA against their wishes.

“I am here by myself because I am from a PLP family, but the time has come … to be an agent for change and do what is best for the Bahamian people. It grieves me not to have my family with me but I must do what I have to do,” said an emotional Mr Lightbourne. “My mother’s dream was for me to be politician for the PLP, but she got half of her dream.”

Mr Pinder, who works in the insurance industry, is a former Free National Movement (FNM) supporter. He said Grand Bahama and the country needs new leadership that can bring change.

He noted that many businesses and hotels have closed under PLP and FNM governments.

He said: “Many dreams went down and many homes were torn apart.” He noted that there are still unpaved roads, the absence of city water and the need for proper dredging of the channel in the East Grand Bahama constituency.

Mr McCartney said that the party will announce two more candidates for Grand Bahama. He commended the three men for their courage in going against the grain and choosing to join the DNA and run as candidates for the party.

“The courage that was displayed here today with Mr Smith, a young man of 29, stepping out here, it takes courage to do that; Mr Lightbourne going against some of his family members - he got emotional and I got emotional listening to him, but that’s courage – that’s what a leader does. Mr Pinder and his family who were with the FNM when the FNM started, is stepping out in the frontline with the DNA, that’s courage.

“And that’s what makes good leaders and that’s what the country needs, people with courage, to go against the grain; we cannot continue with the status quo in this country which is the PLP and FNM. We need courage to go against that and to beat them for the benefit of moving this country forward,” he said.

Mr McCartney said that both the PLP and FNM have played politics with Grand Bahama.

“Grand Bahama, you have a voice once again in this election. We are in election mode we have about 10 to 11 more months. You have a decision to make: are you going to keep the same, or going to trying something different. We are asking that you give us your support.”