Noelle Nicolls

ON ONE side of the stage, dozens of volunteer actors dressed in red flaunt their enthusiasm, jeering and cheering slogans, chants and insults, across the way. On the other side, there are yellow volunteers, equally adept in their jesting and equally inflamed. The array of colour is completed with spots of green.

Centre stage is set with an imaginary red carpet, not for a parade of clowns, which would seem appropriate given the setting, but for a parade of voters making their way to the polling booth. Such is the circus, technically known as an election. It was in full swing on Tuesday at the advanced poll, and it will peak on Monday during the general election.

The excitement of an election is like the greatest circus coming to town. Many of the people who turn out to support political parties at election time have pennies in their pockets and crumbs in their cupboards but they still manage to show up in their colours, morning until night, to invest time-money as actors at the circus.

The jostling between parties is akin to the competition between Junkanoo groups, and in the same way, the rivalry fills Bahamians with energy, excitement and the hope of bragging rights. Every five years, the people revel in the carnival atmosphere.

A FEW WEEKS ago, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham personally distributed the Free National Movement (FNM) manifesto to each of the 38 FNM candidates on stage at a mass rally. He wanted everyone to have a manifesto in hand, because it represented the plan by which they would be guided and should adhere.

I wanted to think it was ceremonial, but the Prime Minister truly gave me the impression that the candidates were no more aware of the contents of that document than anyone in the general public.

In other words, they had absolutely nothing to do with shaping the party's agenda (token inputs not considered) and therefore the agenda of the hopeful next government.

The move reinforced my belief that candidates barely matter. Nonetheless, I am committed to continuing my pursuit of the candidate in Nassau Village deserving of my vote.

For In-Depth Review: http://www.tribune242.com/news/2012/apr/23/dna-hammers-opponents-at-mass-rally-an-in-depth/?opinion

A Brief Review of the DNA Mass Rally

Talkin Sense says: I must hand it to Branville McCartney BambooTown, he gave a rousing and impressive political speech tonight at the first DNA mass rally. As far as political speeches goes (which means, empty, even outlandish, promises aside, because there were lots of those) it was a damn good political speech. As far as political strategy goes, getting the political theatre right, is as much, if not entirely more, important than even substance, because it is the political theatre that appeals to perception, which in politics is more important than 'the best man' or even the truth.

The FNM I believe has proved itself superior in this respect, in both instances. They appear to have a more organised campaign, and a more structured message. Even though RM Baily park was half full last night, you would never know or care from the television broadcast, not just because of camera angles. Between the politicians, the production team and the people, there seems to be more cohesion and better acting.

For the DNA's part, Branville told the people tonight that this election would show them that the power of the people is more important than the people in power. There was nothing novel about this message, and yet I believe he actually got his people to believe him. That is important, because his success as an orator has enabled the DNA to build, bit by bit, a base, no matter how small it may be. The Bahamian people have not dismissed Branville, and by and large he has convinced the mainstream media that the DNA is not just some fringe party, but a serious contender, worth of equal consideration for placement next to the FNM and PLP.

No other third party has been granted such consideration. No other party has been able to rob the FNM or PLP of airtime and newspaper real estate. The only people who have not acknowledged the DNA are the leaders of his competing parties. But with or without their approval, the DNA is making their voice be heard.

Love him or hate him, but Mr McCartney is no political lightweight. He convinced me of that with his performance in the theatre at tonight's mass rally. In my books, he's still "blacklisted" on spousal rape (an a host of other important issues), but for what it's worth, Talkin Sense deems the DNA not just a third party, but a political party. And that's on the record.