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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Nassau, Bahamas - The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) ratified 5 new candidates on October 31st.
Mr. Kendal Smith - Fox Hill; Mr. Rudolph Dean - Golden Gates; Mr.
Celi Moss - Centerville; Ms. Claire Basden - North Abaco; Mr. Ethric
Bowe - Southern Shores have joined the political party.
The following are remarks by DNA leader, Branville McCartney:
I would like to congratulate all persons who were publically ratified this morning. Each and every one of them bring a different dynamic to our soon to be Parliamentary team and government.
Celi Moss and Ken Smith were two of the original Agents of Change. They ran in the 2012 elections and in the same constituencies; Centreville and Fox Hill respectively. I thank them for stepping up and stepping out again. These are determined men who have shown courage and commitment! It is now time for Centreville and Fox Hill to reciprocate to show courage and commitment and make these fine men their Members of Parliament.
About a year and a half ago, I was approach by this very forward, confident and politically astute young man. I knew who he was at the time but he reminded me of who he was and what he has done in the political arena, but for that other party, the PLP. He said he was disappointed in the way the country was running and wanted to not just criticize but be the change he wanted to see. Rudy was welcomed into the membership of the DNA along with a number of persons he brought along from that other party, the PLP. Little did I know that Rudy Dean wanted to not only be a member of the DNA but it came to my attention that Rudy wanted to be a Member of Parliament of the DNA Government. Rudy told me that he has spent many elections helping to put other persons in the House of Assembly just to be disappointed by their performance. Now he said it is his time. It’s Rudy Dean’s time to become a Member of Parliament for Golden Gates and to be instrumental in making this country a better place for all.
A few months back I got a call from our members in North Abaco who said that we must get this person to run for the DNA. They were all excited but I was not sure, at the time, whether she was a DNA. My research was unclear. I finally had the honour of speaking with Claire when I was told that she might be interested in running for the DNA. I must say that our association members in Abaco really know their stuff. At the candidate’s interview Claire Basden made DNA HISTORY when she was given a standing ovation and unanimously accepted, there and then, on the spot, as the candidate for North Abaco! Claire is our future. Claire is North Abaco’s future and I would call on the good people of North Abaco to make Claire their Member of Parliament. North Abaco surely deserves to vote for a prosperous future!
I am glad that Mr. Ethric Bowe accepted that call from Andrew Wilson on his way to Cyprus! Indeed, I am honoured that Ethric has accepted the nomination for the Southern Shores constituency. Ethric was a Vice Chairman of this party and part of the DNA Executive team. I have always admired and respected Ethric as a person and agree with his stance on issues pertaining to business and corruption. He is no nonsense and I believe truly wants better for what we now have as a country. He, like all of us here, sees the great potential in each other and in this country. Ethric has the wherewithal to help make that change for the better. He is tenacious and will get his point across somehow, someway. Moreso, I truly believe that he will get the job done! If you listened to him on Issues of the Day last week, you would understand what I mean. Southern Shores will have true and real representation with Mr. Ethric Bowe.
Lady and gentlemen, we welcome you all to the candidate’s team of the Democratic National Alliance!
The past 4 and a half years in the Bahamas must be classified as some of the worse years our country has seen in recent times! We are paralyzed by fear because of crime. Our economy continues to shrink. We are now 121st in the world in doing business out of 190 countries. Our educational system is outdated and our children have a D average. Secrecy and lack of accountability seem to be the order of the day with this PLP government. Nothing of significance has materialized under this government. We as a people and a country have gone in reverse and yet PLP, under the leadership of Mr. Christie wish to govern again for another 5 years.
They have yet to provide a workable mortgage relief plan. They have not told us where the 600 million collected in VAT has gone! And by the way Junkanoo Carnival was not meant to make a profit. It was a 20 million dollar party in the streets! And did we get the 2% back from BTC, as promised by this government. And what about the BTC Foundation. We have received no report on this. We don’t even know the business plan with Power Secure that we paid approximately 900,000.00 for??? Bahama seal the deal says where you put ma! The Bahamian people are guessing and speculating day in and day out! And in the meantime the PLP has postponed bringing the amendments to the Freedom of Information Act to Parliament. WOW!! What a government. Do we want this type of governance back?
The fact of the matter is that you cannot trust the PLP to govern this country anymore. We can’t take it.
We have approximately 6 months before the next general election. The PLP will not hand the governance of this country to us. We need to TAKE IT from them! We need to dedicate the next 6 months on working hard in the respective constituencies. We must let people know what our plans are to govern this country. We must show them, that there is a better way. They must know, because they feel it, that the status quo cannot continue.
But all this would be in vain if we do not get people registered to vote and to vote this inept government out! The voting process is the time when we the people will have the say. We will determine our future. We will decide if we wish change or more of the same? If you want more of the same of this miserable life your choice will be the PLP or the FNM…period. And you will have nobody else to blame but yourself. But if you want change, real change for one Bahamas, then you vote DNA.
You have the power! You can determine for your children, their children and their children’s children what type of future they can have. If you want a better future you must fight for it. Do not sit on your laurels and expect someone else to fight for you. You fight by voting them out. You fight to vote in the DNA. Remember your power. Remember the power you have always had.
Remember that the POWER OF THE PEOPLE IS GREATER THAN THE PEOPLE IN POWER!
The following are new candidate BIOs:
Celi Moss
Now widely known for his activism and involvement in the Bahamian film industry Celi Mancini Moss came from humble beginnings. The eldest child of Wilfred and Sheila Moss was born on July 8, 1966 in Nassau, New Providence.
He completed his early education as a student of the Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School after which he moved on the St. Augustine’s College. As a high school student, Moss worked full as part of the local hotel industry. That opportunity afforded him access and exposure to diverse cultures and broadened his horizons far beyond the realm of Nassau. It also deepened his love, passion and appreciation for his own Bahamian culture and for things which made it unique and special.
Claire Antonia Basden
Entrepreneur/Financial Advisor
Claire Basden was born to the Keith Basden (deceased) and Deborah Basden from Abaco and was raised in the settlement of Dundas Town since 1989.
Claire Basden is the owner of Your Finance which is an Accounting/Financial Firm. After graduating with honors from Forest Heights Academy in 2004, Ms. Basden worked with The Abaco Club for a year. During that year because she performed with such integrity and dedication she was afforded a full scholarship to study abroad. Ms. Basden excelled in her studies and was a recipient of the Dean’s List Award. She also became Membership Chairman for her service organization Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. where she was responsible for recruiting and grooming each new member during the intake process. In 2009, Ms. Basden graduated from the University of Tampa with a Bachelors of Science degree in Finance and Economics.
Upon her return from studies she worked with The Abaco Club in Hospitality Accounting for (6) years before venturing into creating her own brand. Claire always felt the need to assist small businesses within the community; with her Finance and Accounting background in December 2013 and her dream became a reality when she launched Your Finance International. Since its opening there has been various presentations on the subject of the new tax reform of which she was a panel speaker for. Some of these presentations included VAT and the way forward, Savings and Budgeting for your Business, VAT How To's and Investing for business; all of which were a great success. These various presentations were elements used to bring knowledge to the community of the importance of healthy finances and being prepared for the inevitable where tax reform was concerned. Since opening Ms. Basden has further established herself around Marsh Harbor assisting businesses with their taxes and accounting set up.
Ms. Basden has co-ownership in Bliss Coffee House in Marsh Harbor which was established in April 2015.
Ms. Basden with her eccentric/bubbly personality enjoys singing and dancing and she loves to travel. Though Ms. Basden remains passionate about her career; when she is not being a financial advisor or "trying to save the world" as she calls it, she is also a mother to her daughter Kaleya, who she receives the ultimate pleasure from.
That passion eventually led Moss to became a part of James Catalyn & Friends drama group where he was afforded the opportunity to fine-tune his writing, acting, producing and directing skills. His journey did not stop there, as he soon transitioned from theatre to film and was the pioneer of film festivals in The Bahamas. Committed to the industry and to his fellow Bahamians, Moss created and founded the Bahamas Film Festival (BFF) in 2004 as an avenue for aspiring Bahamian filmmakers to showcase their talents.
Moss is also a seasoned and successful salesman and has earned numerous awards in the timeshare industry but remains enthusiastic about the arts, traveling and writing.
Proud of his humble beginnings, Moss has become determined to represent the area that raised him from a boy to man.In his pursuit to empower those around him, Moss created the Farm Road Community Association to give back to the community that was so good to him as a child and of which he has fond memories. He holds firm to Ghandi’s admonition to “be the change you
Ethric Bowe
Ethric Bowe was born in Windsor Lane, a Saxon, in the year Castro took over Cuba. His family moved to Minnie St. when he was a young boy. He attended The Bahamas Government High School, then The College of The Bahamas. After COB he attended Dalhousie University where he graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering degree. Later he would complete an MBA with the University of Miami. Ethric or EBo as his friends call him, went to work at The Bahamas Oil refining Co. in Freeport until 1984. He then returned to New Providence and worked at Bacardi & Co., then Water & Sewerage Corporation. In 1994 he started Advanced Technical Enterprises Ltd. which evolved over the years into ATEL Capital Management and ATEL Outlet. He was a founding owner of AFS Insurance Agents & Brokers Ltd. and took the helm for the past six years. All the companies have enjoyed steady growth under his leadership. Ethric is also involved with a number of other enterprises as a shareholder or director or officer. He is committed to expanding the ownership class in The Bahamas.
Ethric is the husband of Linamae Bowe, a former private banker who retired and currently provides operational leadership in the several of the group’s enterprises. She has made an art of tolerating all the things he has gotten involved with – now this!
Ethric is a member of Toastmasters Club 1600, Royal Eagle Lodge No. 1 and a number of business and social groupings.
Politically Ethric is a conservative democrat and believes strongly in the protection of individual and civil rights. He has championed the fights against a number of governments and prefers to deal with issues rather than politics. While forced to wear a uniform because of system we operate in, Ethric is committed to the concept of One Bahamas. He has demonstrably focused on the content of character rather skin colour or hair texture and is fiercely loyal to his friends.
At 57 Ethric has accepted the DNA’s request that he stand up as a political front liner for two reasons – he wants the Bahamas to be better for Bahamians again, and he wants his children to return to The Bahamas with the same fervor and determination that he did in 1981 when he completed university in Halifax, N.S., Canada.
Ethric loves to read everything – technical, legal, insurance, health, biographies, self-help; he loves to learn, he loves politics which he classically defines as “the interaction of interests”, he is fanatical about his diet but enjoys ice cream and cake and wine, he loves to travel and eat exotic foods (he will literally eat anything and often says “Whatever they eat, I’ll eat. They won’t out-survive me!” Ethric is a committed entrepreneur and loves to get involved in progressive business deals. He is convinced that imagination, cooperation and good, reliable service are the keys to Bahamian business success. Ethric loves music – Bahamian, Classical, Jazz, The Blues, Old School Reggae, and Country. Ethric does not do things in moderation. He goes for it!
There are very few people that Ethric does not like. He loves his family and friends and accepts them as they are. He loves his class of 1975 from The Bahamas Government High School and they remain as close as good family.
Ethric is really a rags to riches story. He always jokes that “he wasn’t born poor, his family was poor and they forced him to live with them”.
Kendal Valentino Smith
Kendal Valentino Smith is a true native of Nassau, New Providence born in the country’s capital city on July 19, 1969 to Perry Smith and Clementina Deveaux-Smith completing his early education at the C.W. Saunders PM and later at the S.C. McPherson Junior High before eventually graduating in 1986 from A.F. Adderley Senior High.
Before beginning his tertiary education, Smith spent four years working in the structural repairs wing of the engineering department at BahamasAir. In 1990, he was accepted to the Livingstone College in Salisbury North Carolina. There he excelled as both an academic and an athlete, playing for the school’s basketball team. He eventually graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and was then afforded the opportunity to pursue a Master’s Degree at Old Dominion University, Norfolk Virginia, where he was an honors graduate and a proud recipient of a Master’s Degree in Professional Writing.
Smith, determined to contribute to the development of the Bahamas immediately returned home upon completion of his Master’s Degree. Since returning home, Ken has held various middle to upper management positions in some of our nation’s leading private sector entities.
Kendal’s vision and entrepreneurial spirit eventually led him to found Poseidon Distribution Systems, a commercial fishing operation that provides employment for independent contractors in the industry. That enterprise led him to pursue and receive his HACCP certifications – seafood safety handling procedures – as well as certifications in the field of Nautical Science; specifically the STCW certified – international safety regulations for seafarers – and his competencies for his B- level Captain’s license and is currently pursuing his A- level Captain’s license.
Smith is also professional bass player, with his talents featured on several jazz albums. He is an avid reader, an author in his own right and a student of world history and world politics; interests which have all helped shape his political point of view and which have inspired to offer himself for political office. Smith has always been passionate about the plight of the underprivileged in his country and in the world at large and believes at his core that the true measure of man cannot be found in his public accolades and achievements, but in his humanity, harnessed in the ability to show compassion to others.
A proud father of one son, Kendal Smith Jr. Smith considers himself, a patriot, a trail blazer and a fighter. His bid to run for public office will reflect that desire to reverse the plight of the down trodden and a desire to make the Bahamas great once more.
Rudy Dean
Rudolph Dean was born February 2nd, 1970. He grew up in the Kemp Road area. He grew up without modern utilities and pulled himself up without much support. He has three brothers and one sister. He is married to Clarinda nee Musgrove for 19 years and has two children: Rhea age 18 and Rudy Jr. age 14.
Mr. Dean attended Uriah McPhee Primary School and graduated at the top of his class. While there he won an award from the Ministry of Education for reading many books in a short period. He then moved on to C.I. Gibson Junior High School where he was always in the top classes. He graduated with fourteen Bahamas Junior Certificates (BJC). He then attended R.M. Bailey High School where he was also always in the top classes and graduated with six General Certificates of Education(GCE).
Mr. Dean was recognized as a leader early and was made a Prefect in the eleventh grade. He also took part in many extracurricular activities such as Key Club, Chess Club and Junior Achievement. He held leadership positions in each of those organizations. He was Captain and coach of the 1987 High School Championship Chess Team. This was accomplished by beating out both government and private high schools which all had faculty coaches. He won the award for being the Most Outstanding V.P. of Production in Junior Achievement(JA), Alpha Phi Alpha Distinguished Student Award, Bahama Host Award and earned a City Market Scholarship.
He attended the College of The Bahamas and graduated with an Associates Degree in Accounting. While there he was Treasurer of The College of The Bahamas Union of Students(COBUS). He also received an Endowment Scholarship to purse the Bachelor Degree program. In 2006 he graduated from Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) with a diploma in Masonry. He has held positions in Toastmasters and has won many “Speaker of the Night” trophies.
In 1995, he was chosen by the IDB to represent The Bahamas at their conference which was held in Israel for two weeks. Two persons from fifty countries were chosen from their headquarters in Washington D.C. after a rigorous selection process. The focus was on Youth in Development of Latin America and the Caribbean. He was also a runner up to represent the group at the Washington meeting. The following year he was chosen to represent The Bahamas at the Caribbean Youth Program (CYP) which was held in the Cayman Islands for two weeks. The focus was on Youth in Business in the Caribbean. Mr. Dean has been very active in politics and has served as a Branch Chairman, Campaign Co-coordinator and Council Representative. One day he hopes to be a Member of Parliament.
In 1988, instead of looking for a summer job, he started Rising Sun Landscaping Co. along with his long-time friend Cortez Turner. In 1990 he started Total Property Management (TPM) which is still operating today. In 1990, he won the Shell Starting Gate Award for Entrepreneurship and was given a bank loan to expand his company. He was one of the few that paid it back in full. Today Total Property Management is the parent company of TPM Landscaping, TPM Realty and TPM Construction. He is a real estate broker, appraiser, contractor and investment consultant. While building these companies, he was also employed at Atlantis and Crystal Palace Casinos in various capacities.
His short-term goals are to pursue additional courses in real estate and insurance. He would also like to complete his college education up to a Doctorate Degree. His hobbies are reading, computer programming, chess and public speaking.
His long-term goals are to expand Total Property Management both vertically and horizontally. That means he would like to include TPM Insurance and TPM Loans to his portfolio. He would also like to take the company public one day. Mr. Dean would like to be a real estate developer in all aspects of real estate including hotel ownership. He would like to take his company throughout The Bahamas and the rest of the world.
Mr. Dean’s goal is to develop a charity and give back to the less fortunate. He intends to establish a non-profit organization that caters toward education, housing employment and entrepreneurship both local and international.
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