The Tribune

Yes Bahamas co-chairs Lady Sharon Wilson and Lynn Holowesko have sent an open letter to their fellow Bahamians on the eve of the Constitutional Referendum . . .

On the eve of this momentous referendum, we write to you filled with hope and encouragement.

Over the last six weeks, we have had the opportunity to travel the length and breadth of The Bahamas - from Cat Island to Grand Bahama - carrying the message of fairness and progress. We are hopeful because in our engagement with Bahamians we have seen the fear of what this referendum might mean transform into understanding the possibilities of a more equitable future. We are encouraged because we have also seen Bahamians from all walks of life join in support of strengthening Bahamian families and ending discrimination based on sex in our nation’s supreme law.

We are blessed to live in a sovereign democratic country where every citizen has the right to speak their mind and to vote their conscience. Unfortunately, some have used this right to spin a tale of hidden agendas, deception and disenfranchisement - attempting to displace the real purpose of this referendum.

Today we stand together across party lines - as we have throughout the entirety of this campaign - to assure the Bahamian people unequivocally that there is no hidden agenda. We stand together because the real issues at the core of this referendum - stronger Bahamian families, equality under the law for men and women, for our sons and daughters - is bigger than partisan politics.

Two framers of our Constitution, Sir Orville Turnquest and Sir Arthur Foulkes, stated that they were “proud that the Constitution we helped to create in 1972 prohibits laws which discriminate on the basis of race or religion; now this right to non-discrimination must be extended to Bahamian men and women.” With each vote Bahamians cast on June 7, we have the opportunity to continue the project of nation-building and further fulfil the promise set out in the preamble of our Constitution - an affirmation of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, now without concern for whether that individual is male or female.

Voting yes to Amendment 1 gives Bahamian women the same right as Bahamian men to pass citizenship to their child born abroad, when the other parent is not Bahamian. Many of us know children who are not Bahamian because their mothers, for any number of reasons, were abroad when they were born. Some of these mothers were working in one of our embassies abroad, or getting an education in another country, or receiving health care with a specialist. These women were unable to pass their citizenship to their children because of where they gave birth.

They are often surprised when they come home to learn that their children have no rights and no status in The Bahamas.

At this moment, the foreign husband of a Bahamian woman cannot apply for citizenship. Voting yes to Amendment 2 will allow the foreign husband of a Bahamian woman to apply for citizenship using the same process as a foreign wife of a Bahamian man. Citizenship is not automatic - the couple must reside together as husband and wife for at least ten years before the husband would even be considered for citizenship. And a new law was passed just last year to make participating in a fraudulent marriage a crime, punishable by fines and jail time.

Bill 3 would result in a new right for men. Right now, citizenship for children whose parents are not married comes from the mother only. Voting yes on Amendment 3 will allow a Bahamian father to also pass citizenship to his child born out of wedlock - if he can prove he is the father.

Because of misinformation, many people wonder if Bill 4 would open a door to same-sex marriage. If you look at the Constitution, you can see why the opposite is actually true. The word “sex” is already in our Constitution, in Article 15, but there is nothing in the Constitution that defines it. As it exists now, an activist judge could decide that “sex” not only means whether you are male or female, but that it also refers to sexual orientation.

By voting yes to Amendment 4, a judge would be forced to use the definition “male or female”. And under our law, whether you are male or female is established by your birth certificate, not the clothes you wear or any changes you make to your body.

Also, Amendment 4 would put the word “sex” in Article 26 - and here’s what’s important about that: Article 26(4)(c) offers special protection to the institution of marriage. That means that The Matrimonial Causes Act, which says that marriage in The Bahamas must be between one man and one woman in order to be legal, will receive new protection if Amendment 4 is passed.

It has been a great honour to engage Bahamians on these issues and to advocate for what we believe is an important step forward for our nation. We urge all voters not to be guided by fear but by facts, and to think carefully about not only the vote you will cast, but also the people it will affect. We pray for God’s continued blessing over this democratic and peaceful process and we look forward to a more just Bahamas where equal rights are shared by all.