The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE referendum to reform the country’s outdated constitution has been postponed to late November 2013, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced in Parliament yesterday.

Bahamians were expected to head to the polls in June, after the Constitutional Reform Commission had completed its list of recommendations to revise the country’s guiding principles.

But Commission Chairman Sean McWeeney QC, in a letter to Mr Christie, asked that the government extend its deadline to June 30, a month after the report was to be delivered to the government.

The Prime Minister had initially set a deadline for March 31 well ahead of the 40th year of independence celebrations.

“Having regard,” Mr McWeeney said, “to the very considerable public interest in constitutional reform that continues to be manifested, the attendant need to allow as much time as is reasonably practicable for public consultations throughout the Commonwealth and the need to ensure adequate time will be made available for the electorate to properly consider and digest any recommended changes to the constitution well in advance of voting in a referendum, it is the Commission’s respectful submission that the time lines in this matter should be extended.”

Mr Christie believes that the extensions will foster the widest possible dialogue and public education well in advance of the late year referendum.

“This is an extremely important undertaking. One that is vital to the orderly growth and development of our constitutional democracy, and the rights and freedoms we hold so dear. Indeed, I would go further and suggest that the process of constitutional reform is vital to the growth and development of our civilisation as a sovereign people,” Mr Christie said.

While the Prime Minister is expected to appear before the committee soon, other public figures, including bishop of The Anglican Diocese of The Bahamas and The Turks & Caicos Islands Laish Boyd, Court of Appeal President Anita Allen, Dr Hubert Minnis, Opposition Leader, and Dr Myles Munroe have made presentations on possible constitutional reforms.

International bodies, including the United Nations, have also sent representatives to suggest how the constitution can be reformed to align itself with other jurisdictions.

To encourage further public discussion, the commission has launched a series of town hall style consultations. There are also plans to host four meetings in Grand Bahama. Other meetings will be held on the Family Islands and in New Providence.