The Future Begins Today
(excerpt of a speech delivered by then Party leader, W.A. Branville McCartney at the 2012 Democratic National Alliance Convention)
Good evening my fellow Bahamians;
Good evening BAHAMAS!
It was nine months ago, in this very room, thousands of you were asked to imagine. Bahamians—young and old, poor and middle-class, white and black—gathered in the same spot that you’re sitting, poised to discover if, indeed, a turn had come in our Bahamian history. Personally, that night was a humbling experience and since then you have confirmed that our people, although weighed down by social ills and mental slavery, never lost their resilience. Since that night, you’ve shared with us your hunger and hope for a safer Bahamas, a more competitive Bahamas, a first-world Bahamas, a Bahamas where our children and our children’s children are the sole beneficiaries of your good works.
My colleagues and I are humbled by your support and that so many of you have confirmed your belief that, together, we can ALL achieve what God intended for this Bahamas.
In these nine months, you have dispelled the notion that people don’t like CHANGE, that The Bahamas is not ready for CHANGE. Our message has swept through New Providence, Grand Bahama, and throughout this chain of islands like a mounting tsunami reaching far ahead of the vision and imagination of our present leadership.
Together, as we did in this room nine months ago, we stared hopelessness, tradition, and mediocrity in the eye and pledged to ‘Redefine the Possible.’ Nine months later, we have ignored the chants of “dead on arrival” to gallop triumphantly past the tombstone of failure toward what is destined to be the most historic elections since our forefathers’ victory in 1967.
Looking at you tonight, we, the 38 candidates, are taken aback that you’ve given us this rare opportunity to be your humble servants. You are witnesses of what Bahamians can accomplish, banned together by one cause. We are one people with one dream—REAL CHANGE FOR ONE BAHAMAS!
To the visionless, who said that a third party could not exist in The Bahamas, let alone be a challenger for the Government of The Bahamas, because others have tried and failed, we say just because something has never been done before does not make it impossible. In essence, they were saying that we were stuck with the shortsighted leadership, stuck with only two options—we are stuck in the mud, spinning wheels, going nowhere, fast.
In proving the pundits wrong, you, the Bahamian people have fueled a movement. From 10 to now 38 candidates, the DNA and The Bahamas have walked away from seeing things, as though they are and asking why, to seeing things as they could be and asking why not.
For almost two decades now, you have been bent, pulled down by the daunting pressures and the heavy load of economic deprivation and empty promises; but again, I applaud you, Bahamas, for showing what the resolve of the Bahamian spirit is all about, and that although you bend, you will not break. A DNA government will not allow you to break either. Your change will come and your future has begun.
In the days to come, it is going to be very important that you take charge of your future and don’t give up; become the captain of your fate and don’t give in.
Now, is certainly not the time to huddle around the shadows of our homes, around the water cooler, on the lines of radio talk shows—our comfort zones—to complain and point fingers to who should be blamed and ashamed for the current state of our beloved Bahamaland. Truth be told, we’re all to blame. We all carry an equal load for how we allow this ship to be steered.
We have been divided by mere colors; we’ve been brainwashed to believe that, because of political ties, we can not work together to move this nation forward, that somehow one group is smarter than the other, that somehow we can not co-exist. Truly, you don’t believe that? It’s not too late to shake off that force of complacency that has brought us oppression, insensitivity, ignorance, bitterness, and false impression that you don’t deserve better, and so, you should not receive better. The Bahamas is ripe with leaders, waiting for a horn to sound to arise from the ashes of doubt with a fearless desire to bring better, brighter days to one of the greatest nations of the world.
Today, more than ever before, Bahamians, we must be willing, without any reservation, to stand up, even if there is no surety that others will stand with you, and steer The Bahamas away from treacherous waters to solid ground. Today, not tomorrow is time that we pick up from where our forefathers left off and fight for a country where our children are truly the beneficiaries of our labor. Tomorrow is indeed, too late. If we are not willing to resurrect the 1967 vision of The Bahamas today, then we should prepare to live aimlessly forever. If we do not see the urgency to steer the ship toward the lighthouse we will run aground. If Bahamians are too scared to fight for our birthright, then rest assured, someone else will take it from you. If you refuse to uphold our democracy, then you have denounced your Bahamian citizenship.
But, if you are ready to fight for your rightful place in these elections, if you are willing to put away party ties and uphold the bond that ties us all if you have committed to placing politics beneath people and, seeing none, you vow to stand anyway, don’t worry about standing alone, as I and 37 others are committed to standing with you, from this day forward.
There is no doubt that we have the power to steer this ship; our adversaries and their unsuccessful tactics validate that we do. Every day since May 12, nine months ago, you have validated that the Bahamian people have the power to shift their alliance from one Party in favor of another.
You have the power to make life easier for your little boy, your little girl, all children of The Bahamas, and their children to come. You have the power to restore faith in your leadership. You have the power to realign our nation the way God destined it to be. You, and only you, have the power over who wins and loses; who will rise and who will fall. You have the final say on Election Day. You will remind The Bahamas, this region, and soon the world, that the power of the people is greater than the people in power.
Stand to your feet Bahamains WE are one vote away from possessing the Promised Land. One vote away from Bahamian ownership! One vote away from ending the scourge of government corruption. One vote away from not being second-class citizens. I say ring the bell, ring it loudly, bring it on we are ready, the DNA is ready the Bahamas is ready we are taking this country back. The time has come for Bahamians to stand up!
Rise up mighty people stand for what is rightfully yours shake loose the bonds of mediocrity and fear it’s a brand new day, a brand new Bahamas. Your FUTURE, your Kids’ FUTURE is here. It has begun. It has been redefined and revealed in front of you today. Your future has begun Bahamas your future began TODAY
May God Continue to Bless Each & every one of you. God Bless The Bahamas!