[1] Her appointment marked the first time that a woman, a Long Islander, or a person not leading the political party of which they were a member, was charged to be Leader of the Opposition.
However, less than three months later, McCartney announced his resignation from the Bahamas Senate on 2 March 2017, and claimed that Loretta Butler-Turner had only "sown seeds of confusion since assuming her post, bringing no real leadership or focused ideas to the fore".
[5] Reflecting on his party's growth since 2011, McCartney thanked his supporters in his farewell address, remarking that his resignation was not "throwing it in the towel", but about "clearing a path so that other bright minds within our ranks have an opportunity to shine... so that our organization can move forward with new and fresh ideas.
Fully invested in the rebuilding process, Mortimer announced that The DNA would host its second National Convention between 22 and 23 February 2019, while also declaring that he would not run for leader of the party.
[7][8] Buschme Armbrister beat out Brenda Harris-Pinder for the deputy leader spot, while DNA newcomer Omar Smith was successful over Rudy Dean in his bid for the chairman post.