Dr Hubert Minnis
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
DESPITE initially pledging the Free National Movement’s full support of the four bills that seek to enshrine gender equality into the Constitution, Opposition leader Dr Hubert Minnis made an about face in the House of Assembly yesterday declaring that the party will not support the changes.
The dramatic change in position, Prime Minister Perry Christie suggested, was surprising because Dr Minnis did not communicate in a series of consultations with the Constitutional Commission and the government in the lead-up to the opening of the debate on the bills that there were concerns about the legislation.
After Dr Minnis’ statement, Constitutional Commission Chairman Sean McWeeney said the division between the government and the opposition was “very concerning” and placed the referendum in “jeopardy”. However, he added, because the bills had yet to be officially committed, there was still sufficient time to clarify points of confusion.
During his contribution to the proposed amendments, which sparked several points of contention and at one point caused House Speaker Dr Kendal Major to stand to his feet demanding order, Dr Minnis took exception to all of the amendments particularly to the first Constitutional amendment because it would not operate retroactively.
It would enable a child born outside the Bahamas to a Bahamian woman to have automatic Bahamian citizenship at birth.
Presently, only those born in another country to a Bahamian father automatically acquire Bahamian status, but not if the father is non-Bahamian and the mother is Bahamian.
He added that bills two and three can be dealt with through legislative changes and that public concerns of the possibility of bill four leading to same-sex marriage needed to be addressed. He stressed that his party believes in gender equality, but he was not prepared to support changes to the Constitution that would lead to “disaster.”
Dr Minnis said: “The FNM believes that all children of Bahamian women and not only children of unmarried Bahamian women who are born abroad should be citizens of the Bahamas and entitled to a Bahamian passport to correct the historic wrong in the constitution. We believe this amendment conferring nationality upon the children of married Bahamian women should be retroactive to midnight on July 9, 1973.
“Forty-one years of marginalisation of children that cannot and should not be tolerated. We believe that when this is done the Bahamas would become fully compliant with the conventions to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women. We believe that amendment two and three, which are being proposed can be dealt with through legislation. Children of Bahamian men born out of wedlock may be dealt with under the Status of Children Act 2002. We believe that constitutional amendments are not required.”
Dr Minnis urged the government to give further consideration to the issue of conferring citizenship to foreign born spouses of Bahamian men upon marriage.
“This deserves further consideration and consultation. Article 10 grants a foreign woman the right to become a citizen of the Bahamas upon marriage to a Bahamian male. Parliament should consider legislating that the spouse of the Bahamian citizen be they male or female become entitled to permanent residence status with the right to work upon marriage and become eligible for citizenship after five years,” Dr Minnis said.
The Killarney MP also critcised the government’s handling of the proposed referendum thus far, adding that the Christie administration is in a “quagmire” and “complete mess and (is) trying to pull the opposition in with them.”
Mr Christie rose to express his surprise over Dr Minnis’ new position.
“With respect to what the leader of the opposition (said) of today, it is almost as if he were not in those meetings and he is not responsible for agreeing to a process that he is a part of initiating. I do not want, because of the authority of his office and his participation, to discolour what in fact was firmly committed (and) unreservedly committed to.
“When the government received the recommendations, the government of the Bahamas initiated a process through the Chairman of the Constitutional Commission (Sean McWeeney) that was intended to determine whether or not there can be a unified approach. Moving quickly to a conclusion, Mr McWeeney occasioned a meeting in the Office of the Prime Minister that was attended by the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister (Philip “Brave” Davis) and Senator Carl Bethel and the leader of the opposition.
“We agreed a process moving forward that would reflect a unified approach and at all material times was unmistakably clear that this is the only way we ought to proceed.”
When asked for comment, Mr McWeeney said the discord between the government and the opposition proved that both parties needed to again have direct dialogue.
“If members of the opposition or members of the government have concerns about particular bills,” he said, “it’s not too late. The bills haven’t been passed. They have not even reached the committee stage so if any member has any specific amendment or question that they would want the Commission to consider we will consider them. In fact we have received some submissions already. We in turn we have developed some provisional amendments and are awaiting feedback on them so it’s not a closed book.
“The whole exercise is in jeopardy. I think the parties need to get back in discussions with each other directly and ascertain whether or not there is broad support for the bills and if there isn’t to see whether the differences can be resolved through dialogue. The Constitutional Commission is quite ready, able and willing to help negotiate a resolution of those differences. You never know in politics whether this is coming from principled philosophical differences or where there are political forces at work to which we are not aware.”
Comments
sheeprunner12 10 years, 3 months ago
HAM should probably consider a U-turn when entering Bay Street ............. he is really making this term too easy for the PLP ................. and frustrating for right-thinking Bahamians that are looking for a brighter future.
HAM should just resign his seat.................. live his good rich, privileged life ................and let a better FNM candidate take his safe seat that will provide better leadership to the FNM. It wont be a disgrace ............ it would be mature statemanship.
TalRussell 10 years, 3 months ago
it has be embarrassing enough when Minnis has a policeman’s chauffeur assigned to him by the PM to drive him around but the PM withheld providing Her Majesty’s Official Opposition Leader with an actual car for him to sit in back of. Comrades I am not making this stuff up. But when you thought it couldn’t possibly get any worse, yesterday Minnis stood-up in the House of Assembly to put his party and his leadership at even greater risk when it appears he become confused upon announcing he was now canceling his party’s support for the proposed Constitutional referendum has raised new concerns that the approaching leadership storm surrounding Minnis, done causing windows to break, unstable objects are falling and furniture's is moving with chunks plaster dropping from the walls of he leadership. While it's only a rumor at this stage, it is being claimed Papa became so alarmed that even he official picture hanging over at the reds Mackey Street Headquarters - done fall off the damn wall?
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years, 3 months ago
Don't let the good cop bad cop foolishness now going on between the PLP and FNM fool you when it comes time to cast your vote in a referendum or general election. Sean McWeeney, Christie and Minnis are all seeking one thing in the long run: TO GRANDFATHER INTO BAHAMIAN SOCIETY AS MANY ILLEGAL HAITIANS AS CAN POSSIBLY BE DONE EVEN IF IT MEANS GOING BACK IN TIME TO THE DATE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS FIRST SET FOOT ON OUR SHORES. THE CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES ARE ALL ABOUT CREATING AS MANY HAITIAN VOTERS IN THE BAHAMAS AS POSSIBLE - NO JOKE, THIS IS A MOST SERIOUS VOTE GRAB BY BOTH THE PLP AND FNM ALIKE!! It won't be too long now before indigenous Bahamians are bowing down to the first full blooded Haitian Prime Minister of The Bahamas. Ouch!!!
banker 10 years, 3 months ago
Good! I can hardly wait. Then maybe the country will be run right. Anything is better than the PLP!
Cobalt 10 years, 3 months ago
Nonsense! Haitians can't manage their own country, yet you're suggesting that we give them ours??? One of the biggest problems with Haiti is that they've over populated their land... and are now attempting to do the same to ours!! They don't believe in family planning!!! They just lay down, open their legs, have children that they can't support, and then pass the burden of the these future murderers and criminals off to the State and Social Services Department (not to mention the hospitals)!!! The Bahamas population is only a quarter the size of Haiti, and you're proposing that we render and accommodate them??? They consume every natural resource leaving behind a reservoir of diseases and blood-borne illnesses!! Haitians aren't a sanitary people!! They are not civilized!!! Their national religion is voodoo which has been embedded into their culture thru their African fore fathers who themselves engaged in black-arts, witchcraft, blood sacrifices, and all other manners of pagan black-magic!! Half of our existing problems are the direct result of the Haitian occupation in the Bahamas!! Do you know how much FREE drugs I give to Haitians everyday??? And YOU'RE paying for it!!! That's why so many Bahamians can't afford to pay their light bills now!!!!
Im upset with the PLP and FNM too.... but let's not get carried away by our emotions. We need laws that will repel Haitian migration to the Bahamas; not encourage it.
TheMadHatter 10 years, 3 months ago
Haiti population is 10.5 million. Ours is just under 400,000. So we are now a quarter of their size (as you say), but instead are only 1/26th of their size.
Haitians need to understand that they CANNOT take over the Bahamas. They can only OCCUPY the land. Once they have occupied all of the Crown land that the Government refuses to give to Bahamians (but instead allows the Queen to keep) - then they will be the majority in the Bahamas and since we have "majority rule" - they will rule.
The problem they are not understanding is that at that time the Bahamas will be almost identical to Haiti (because it will be run by Haitians). They will then effectively still be living in Haiti because everything will be the same.
They will not have improved themselves at all.
TheMadHatter
PKMShack 10 years, 3 months ago
Why would a woman not want the same rights as a man in 2014, should our daughters not have the same rights as our sons under the law? Our Bahamas soon we will get with it.
TalRussell 10 years, 3 months ago
We must remain "nation brave" and try not to cry too much. Many of our Comrade Bahamalander's had so publicly expressed their deep hurt when our nation's flag was walked over and dishonored than they seem to be when it is not the strangers but our own elected officials from both sides of the House - who connive together to escalate how they can walk all over the very peoples who elected them to the House of Assembly? You go figure that one out? My Dear Comrades it is they, not we the peoples, who have become citizenship illiterate.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 3 months ago
Sigh, Minnis needs a strategy. He wants to give the appearance that he is holding the governments feet to the fire but he typically says something rash and foolish. If he took some time to sit back, look at the ten most important items for the country, developed a strategy on his to correct them, when issued popped up he could give a sensible answer....the government has to go but I don't know that anyone else is ready to step in..I'll take the chance but my hopes aren't very high..
licks2 10 years, 3 months ago
This shed is too mixed up. . .BILL#4 is not so much about female rights than a "backdoor" attempt to get a right for same sex marriage!! The problem with most of the females AND MALES them who stepping out and encouraging the nation to vote for woman rights and pass the four bills are not for the rights of female only. . .plenty of them are gay too . . and want to keep that backdoor bill for marriage for gays!!! SORRY CHARLIE. . .EVERYBODY IN THIS NATION IS NOT DUMB PLPS THEM. . .
I am going to sit this one out. . .these bills are "clustered" by sissy them so same sex marriege can catch a sure ride through on the back of rights for women!!
The right for same sex marriege will come in future. . .BUT DONT TRY THIS DUMB SHED! Tell fred go sit he lying tail down and stop tyring to be slick. . .but the word sex in that bill just means man and woman!!! THATS THE DAMN PROBLEM FOOL. . .DATS WHO SISSY THEM IS. . .MAN AND WOMAN. . .HENCE YA PROBLEM OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MAN OR WOMAN!!! I DONT CARE HA YA CUT. . .SISSY COME IN ONLY TWO TYPE. . .MAN AND WOMAN!!! WAP!
Tommy77 10 years, 3 months ago
@sheeprunner12 Well said.
http://s04.flagcounter.com/mini/kfoW/bg…" style="display:none">
pfunkf 10 years, 3 months ago
The Bahamas already have Haitian president,he came here for a conference a few weeks ago and demanded minis a Christie to invest more in Haiti or you know what
SP 10 years, 3 months ago
Christie and Minnis are both out of step with the populace.
The people are calling for a referendum on article 7 which allows illegal Haitians and others citizenship, not this stupidity Christie is trying to pull.
Add an amendment to article 7 to the coming referendum.
I will vote NO on 1,2,3 & 4.
jusscoolin 10 years, 3 months ago
This is why I don't trust this man with a can of sweet cream. You cannot make decisions by yourself . That's why he's the leader of the FNM party . Get together as a group and discuss what's goin on and what will be the next move. Lord help the FNM because if he's the leader then we might as well forget the next elections.
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