REMARKS BY:
Hon. Branville McCartney, M.P.

Good evening Bahamas. Welcome to Arawak Cay. I hope you enjoyed our Family Fun Day.

This is our last mass rally before we win the next general elections of the Bahamas.

Can you feel it Bahamas? Can you see the DNA’s being victorious on Monday night? On May 7^th, Bahamas, the DNA will make history again.

12 months ago, the political landscape in the Bahamas comprised of two major political parties. Over 12 months ago, many Bahamians had no interest in voting in the 2012 general elections because quite frankly, they believed that the leaders of the other parties are one in the same and they lost hope. 12 months later, Bahamians you now have a viable option. The DNA has brought hope to all Bahamians and we believe that on Election Day you will vote us in as the next government of the Bahamas.

In 1967, the Bahamian people for the first time in its history, elected a government that represented the majority people. The Bahamian people had hope and high aspirations and they voted for change. They ushered in Change.

In 1992, The Bahamas was crying for change and they elected the Free National Movement. They elected the Free National Movement and we voted for change. We again had hope and high aspirations for a better Bahamas.

It is now time for change and that change starts on Election Day!

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Bahamian people have lost hope in their beloved country. They no longer have hope in the government, the judiciary, the educational system, and our social systems and quite frankly many have lost hope in themselves. This is not how Bahamians should be feeling in their own country and I put this at the feet of Mr. Hubert Ingraham and Mr. Perry Christie. They have failed us and they should put their heads down in shame.

I pledge to you tonight that the DNA will not fail you. We will restore hope in the Bahamas and we will restore hope in our citizenry. Give us a chance and let us restore hope and trust back in our country.

My fellow Bahamians:

We have a crime problem that is out of control. The criminals are winning and successive governments have been lagging behind. Under the last PLP and FNM governments we have had over 800 murders in the Bahamas. From these over 800 murders less than 40 men have been convicted in a court of law. This is a conviction rate of 5%.

Now Bahamians, I want you to honestly ask yourselves tonight if this is acceptable in your eyes. Look in your children’s eyes and tell them that 760 alleged murderous acts in the Bahamas have gone unpunished over the last 10 years.

The DNA believes that crime is the number one problem in the Bahamas. Our policy toward crime will be “No Tolerance”. We have the guts and the will to carry out the laws of the Bahamas and we will make no compromises. We will make the Bahamas safe again and repeat offenders will not be walking around our neighborhoods plotting their next move.

We have an immigration problem that has been out of control since the 1980’s. Under the last PLP and the FNM governments, we have seen record illegal immigrants entering our shores.

Repatriation of illegal immigrants alone is not going to keep our borders safe. We need to first establish an immigration policy so that there can be no mistake in how we want to tackle this problem. Our records of tracking illegal immigrants have been dismal and it is evident that neither the PLP nor he FNM has any interests in dealing with this problem.

If they did, they would have implemented solutions a long time ago. The DNA knows that there are over 37 shanty towns in New Providence alone. We intend to humanely regularize these areas and rid the Bahamas of all shanty towns.

We will acquire more long range defense force craft that can be on patrol for at least three weeks at a time and we will ensure that bases are constructed in strategic islands across the Bahamas. We will intercept illegal immigrants from Inagua and once these nationals are processed, we will follow a humane process to return these nationals to their country of origin.

Additionally, we will further secure our borders through increased presence at our ports of entry. We will ensure through our National Consortium Agency that all our government agencies are working in tandem when it comes to the sharing of real time information and we will ensure that the technological infrastructure is up to 21^st century standards.

Furthermore, we will open dialogue with countries where illegal immigrants originate and work together to solve this problem. Rest assured your DNA government will uphold the laws of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Christie, Ingraham and Co. has had 20 years and they have failed, failed, failed. They " gat" to go.

My fellow Bahamians:

Successive governments have spent over 2.5 billion dollars on education over the past 10 years. This is about half of our current national debt. And yet, we continue to produce students with a D average. We are still producing students who cannot compete on the world stage. This is a travesty Bahamas.

We have Bahamian students who have never heard of the Preamble to the constitution. We have Bahamian students who don’t know who Elon Moxey is. We have Bahamian students who don’t know who Michael “Sweet Bells” Thompson is. We have Bahamians who don’t even know who Sir Sydney Poitier is. Let me ask you tonight. Are you pleased with our current educational curriculum and system? Can you look in your children’s eyes tonight and tell them that you are happy that the national average of the Bahamas is a D and there are no signs of improvement?

The DNA knows that there is a problem and we will fix it. We believe that education is still the key to success. No child will be left behind under the DNA.

We believe that each child is unique and that there is something special that each child can do. We will put measures in place to ensure that these skills are recognized early and nurtured. Every student under a DNA government will know the preamble to the constitution and the constitution of the Bahamas. Every child will know Bahamian history.

You see Bahamians, the DNA knows that to get where we want to go we have to know from whence we came. The DNA will take the Bahamas’ educational system to first world status. No more D national average.

Bahamians tonight:

We have seen three economic downgrades under the FNM government. Our economy is heading in the wrong direction. Our fiscal policy is to borrow, borrow, and borrow. The last PLP and FNM governments have borrowed almost 2.5 billion dollars. The problem with this is that they have no idea how this is going to be paid back. Their fiscal recklessness is the reason why we pay 250 million dollars a year just to service our national debt. This will increase as long as we keep borrowing and get no returns on our money.

Do you know tonight that the government of the Bahamas borrows money every month to pay its bills? Yes, every month. We have no sound fiscal policy and I am telling you tonight that the PLP and the FNM will continue t borrow the Bahamas into the mud.

The DNA believes that the budget of the Bahamas needs to be balanced. We believe that we must diversify our economy. We believe that we should be finding ways of reducing our national debt. We believe that we should be finding ways to reduce the cost of living in the country. We know that thousands of you are still living without water, electricity and don’t eat one decent square meal per day.

The DNA believes that Bahamians should be thriving in their country, not starving and fighting for bread crumbs. If you have not been empowered under the PLP and the FNM, don’t believe that you will be empowered next time. Their plan is to keep awarding lucrative contracts to their same old friends, families and lovers while you starve, remain unemployed and lose hope. Under a DNA government, all Bahamians will have a fair chance to empower themselves. No more favoritism. No more will Bahamians be second class citizens in their own country. On Election Day, vote DNA and we will ensure that your hope of a better Bahamas becomes a reality. It is time to go green and vote Christie and Ingraham DNA.

Ladies and gentlemen:

We have grown over the past 45 years as a country. In 1967, our focus was majority rule. We achieved it. In 1973, we wanted Independence and we achieved it. In the 1980’s, we wanted better jobs and we achieved it. In the 1990’s we wanted a change in government and we achieved it. In the first decade of 2000 we wanted better representation from our government and we put our trust in the only choices we had, the PLP and the FNM. They failed.

In 2012, we still want better governance and in addition we want to become owners of our economy and employers rather than employees. The PLP had a chance in 2002 and they failed. The FNM had a chance in 2007 and they failed.

Do you know that 85% of this country’s wealth is still controlled by 15% of the people? This type of economic stagnation continues to flourish under the PLP and the FNM. I can tell you one thing for sure. Nothing will change on Monday if you put them back in office. We seek to become the next government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and we will change the economic direction of our country. Our forefathers’ dream of ONE BAHAMAS where Bahamians will not be discriminated against in their own country will be a reality under the DNA.

Tell the PLP that they are one and done. Tell the FNM that it too late for 2 straight. Tell them that that DNA is here to stay and you voting DNA all day on Election Day.

Ladies and gentlemen:

Hope for the Bahamas cannot come without you, the Bahamian people. Hope and relief for the Bahamas can only come with your vote. Vote DNA.

You must look to the stars and set high goals for yourselves and your country. Never set low goals. Disreali once said. “Nurture your mind with great thoughts for you will never go any higher than you think.”

If you want a chaotic society, a society where we have been starved economically, a society where we accept the status quo then chose the FNM and the PLP. If you want a society that is organized, where Bahamians become the owners of their society and where we create an educated society that can compete on the world stage, then vote DNA all day on Election Day.

Bahamians everywhere tonight, do not be afraid to have hope for a better Bahamas. Do not be afraid to cast your X in the hope column. Cast your vote next to the Lighthouse. Put your trust in the DNA. We are serious about reducing the national debt. We are serious about reducing the cost of living. We are dead serious about ensuring that you are empowered to provide for yourselves. We believe in restoring hope to the Bahamas.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Don’t put your hope in politicians who come around every five years and buy you a beer or a half pint for your vote. Don’t put your hope in politicians who will put $10.00 in your pockets for a vote. Don’t put your hope in politicians who during election time, employ you for two weeks, buy you food and drinks and when elections are over, you don’t see them again until it is time for another election.

YOU DESERVE BETTER. If you keep repeating this cycle, nothing will change.

You know, I hear people say that “he say he ga get me straight” if I vote for him”. Bahamians listen to me tonight. The DNA government will work day and night to rid our country of these types of politicians. As a Bahamian, you should be able to walk into any government or private agency and apply for a job on your own merit. You have a right to be employed in your own country. You have a right to be an entrepreneur in your own country. You have a right to live with dignity in the Bahamas. Stop being deceived by these Enemies of Change.

It is time now for you to get what you deserve Bahamians, but you must vote for it. Your voice must be loud and clear on Election Day. This is No time to be fooling around when you enter that ballot box. Mark your X to that Lighthouse.

11 months ago we were called a splinter group by the soon to be former prime minister. Now we are a major political party. Can you imagine what we can do in five years?

My name is Branville McCartney and I am agent number 05061967. Join me and the 37 other agents of change who are committed to restoring hope in the Bahamas. Join us tonight as we pledge to improve the economic wealth of impoverished Bahamians. Join us tonight as we improve our national grade average. Join us as we make our streets safe again. Join us as we reduce the cost of living. Join us as we deliver good governance that is free of corruption, victimization and mismanagement. Join us as we deliver a team of 38 honorable men and women.

Bahamas, the moment is too great to conduct business as usual. The moment is too great to put our trust in men who have proven to be untrustworthy. We need to be the change that we want to see and we must be that change starting now.

Napoleon Bonaparte said, “A leader is a dealer in hope.” Vote for the Team that had the courage to stand up against the institutions of evil. Vote for a party who is committed to restoring hope, respect and dignity back to the Bahamas. Vote for change; Put your X to the Lighthouse and vote DNA All Day on Election Day.

And remember. Remember. The power of the People is greater than the people in power.

Thank you and good night, God Bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.