Prime Minister Perry Christie
PRIME Minister Perry Christie foreshadowed the introduction of four bills in the House of Assembly this morning which, once passed, will effect a constitutional referendum which is slated for November 6.
“It is the government’s intention, subject to further consultation with the Opposition to have the four constitutional bills debated and passed in both houses of Parliament in the shortest possible time so as to maximise the time available for discussion and dialogue throughout the country in advance of a national constitutional referendum to be held on November 6, 2014,” Mr Christie told members of the House.
Mr Christie also revealed that retired Supreme Court Justice Ruby Nottage will head the education campaign which will be launched ahead of the referendum.
The prime minister had said initially the vote would take place by June of last year, ahead of the country’s 40th anniversary of independence. However in February 2013, Mr Christie announced in Parliament that he had postponed the vote until late November of that year.
But last October, Mr Christie announced that the November 2013 date had been postponed. He then said the process would take place by the end of June this year, after an extensive educational campaign. However that date was delayed.
The Constitutional Commission made its report to the government last July.
In its report, the commission outlined 73 recommendations for constitutional reform.
See tomorrow’s Tribune for more details.
Comments
Purcell 10 years, 4 months ago
What's the point for any referendum in the Banana Republic of the Bahamas when the results will be ignored anyway?
ADARVILLE 10 years, 4 months ago
Not wasting my time again!!!!!!
mangogirl01 10 years, 4 months ago
You are right! I'm not wastinig my time and energy voting on any referendum bought forth by this government, again!
pilgrimagerock 10 years, 4 months ago
I will not vote IN ANY REFERENDUM under this Government again!
TalRussell 10 years, 4 months ago
Prime Minister Christie I know how much you so dearly miss out on hearing the applause of Bahamalander's, the likes of which you sure seemed to enjoy whilst campaigning against your former law partner during the 2012 General Elections, so PM, if you really want to hear the roar of an even louder applause, here's this Comrade's political strategy for you to win back Bahamalander's. PM being you already have a reputation for resetting those ever changing referendum (opinion poll) dates, this should come easy for you to pull off over your peoples. Just go before the media to reveal you have decided to reschedule the Constitutional Opinion Poll's date from November 2014, to "Voters April Fools Me Again Day 2015.
Thank you not Jesus for putting yet another Opinion Poll in we PM's head!
sheeprunner12 10 years, 4 months ago
What % of voters will make a referendum legal??????? Cause not many Bahamians will vote ..... ever again. This is a sorry state of affairs that the PLP has caused Bahamians to lose their confidence in the most fundamental part of the democratic process ......... VOTING
realfreethinker 10 years, 4 months ago
They will have to get at least 66% of the registered voters
sheeprunner12 10 years, 4 months ago
There are about 170,000 registered voters............... it will be impossible for them to get 66% of that number. Or is it 66% of what ever number vote????
Publius 10 years, 3 months ago
Not true. There is no percentage requirement. However many voters vote is who will decide the outcome in a referendum.
Publius 10 years, 3 months ago
Only a simple majority is required to pass a referendum measure, meaning there is no minimum voter turnout requirement. If only 200 people vote in total, their decision will be the decision for all questions on the ballot
Bunni 10 years, 4 months ago
HELL NO!!
abacogrouper 10 years, 4 months ago
I will NEVER vote in another referendum under this government. Fool me once.....
TalRussell 10 years, 4 months ago
During this PLP children’s hour, if I were not such a staunch Comrade citizen for a Bahamaland Republic I might be tempted to fall for all we English memories. Presenting a very young Princess Elizabeth later to become we Bahamalander’s Queen, as she made her first public speech via a BBC radio broadcast on October 13, 1940, during a radio address to the children of the Commonwealth (to all we parents and grandparents). Young Liz was joined at the end of the broadcast by her younger sister, Princess Margaret (Princess Margaret Hospital (better known now as Little Haiti’s Newborn Baby Center).
…………..//http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJI9LPFQth4
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years, 4 months ago
This belligerent undisciplined egotistical imbecile is probably now incapable downstairs of servicing his wife properly. He certainly has no meaningful energy level upstairs to take care of the vitally important needs of our country at this time!
TigerB 10 years, 4 months ago
I just got my thumb blue for local government elections, that that exercise was worth it. I voted in the last referendum, I have no plans for this one.
dfitzerl 10 years, 4 months ago
sad that our people don't know the difference between a referendum and a nonbinding opinion poll (even an overly expensive one)
TalRussell 10 years, 4 months ago
Comrade Dfitzerl what chaps my ass is when all else fails to save this PLP from a growing revolt by the peoples against their governing administration's blatant disregard for the voices of voters, they start shouting - it's time to begin the deceiving campaign, again. Time to get their campaign workers and pundits donning their stupid and misleading gold campaign t -shirts.
Tommy77 10 years, 4 months ago
Not good at all.
http://s04.flagcounter.com/mini/kfoW/bg…" style="display:none">
sansoucireader 10 years, 4 months ago
As a Bahamian female I'd like to 'thank' PM Christie for really screwing things up for Bahamian females for eternity. Now if not enough people vote he will say, "oh, the people don't want a change" etc. I am disgusted that the future of this country is in the the hands of a man who has no idea of what he is doing--but surely loves the sound of his own voice. WE ARE DOOMED!
B_I_D___ 10 years, 4 months ago
Sadly that is very very true. He single handedly screwed it up the first time it was presented years ago...no due to differing circumstances, he is going to doom it again.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 4 months ago
No fears, there will be no referendum this year. He said the magic word "intention". I use that sometimes too. In November he can use the other magic words, "well, we intendED to but..."
B_I_D___ 10 years, 4 months ago
I must say, it's a pretty sad state of affairs. I voted YES when HAI brought the referendum up last time about equality...not because of political bias, but because the women...and if you want to carry it one step further, the gays, should have equal rights...no one person should have less rights if they are a citizen of this country, or any country. Because PGC and his little band of idiots wanted to make a political statement they dumbified the masses (more than usual) and even got a majority of the female voters to vote no. Now the time has come to try it again. I will most likely vote, and unless they try to enact something super stupid out of the 4 things they are putting forth, I would like to vote YES for the whole equality thing...AGAIN. But, after the whole gambling debacle, and the deplorable governance so far, the masses are so demoralized about the entire process that I fear this next attempt at a referendum will be a laughable joke. I know the bloggers on this site are inherently biased and bitter, but just reading the previous comments, really makes you pick up on a serious vibe.
asiseeit 10 years, 4 months ago
The fact of the matter is that our wonderful PM and his band of delinquents have in their Opinion Poll destroyed The Bahamas democratic process. Look how many people say they will not vote or believe their vote will not matter. Thank you Mr. P.M. this is Your Legacy, the destruction of Democracy. What a sad state of affairs! I grieve for my country because I understand what has happened, democracy is dead. WORST PM EVER, bumbling fool! Welcome to the new Haiti.
PKMShack 10 years, 4 months ago
Vote for what? Fu_k you. Keep your referendum. I WILL vote at election time to vote you and your fools out.
pat242 10 years, 3 months ago
Those who refuse to vote have no voice. During the voting, counting and making the decision into law process, the persons who give up their rights to vote should not saw anything because you did not aid in the decision making.
PKMShack 10 years, 3 months ago
@ Pat 242 the folks who voted in the last referendum vote did not mean nothing, hence the comments you are reading, why would we think they would honor the power of the vote when they did not before. You must be new to this conversation about the PLP and the Referendum
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