The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Cabinet minister George Smith said the government missed the opportunity to “adequately and fairly” educate voters on the extent of the four constitutional bills proposed in yesterday’s referendum.

Speaking to The Tribune prior to casting his ballot, Mr Smith said the lack of clarity on the amendments left scores of voters perplexed and unsure.

He noted that yesterday’s vote was beset with the same issues that plagued the 2002 constitutional referendum, insisting that the educational campaign in this vote failed to “identify the groups set to benefit from all the talk”.

“Just like we did 14 years ago, I am hoping for a successful vote,” he said before the polls closed. “But, if we fail in this bid we have to understand that there is a better way to do this. Bahamians are concerned about the large number of what they perceive to be foreigners set to come here. We should have done a better job quantifying and qualifying what this vote means.

“We never bothered to say how much people would be affected by this. Where are the statistics? Where are the counts of how many spouses are waiting, kids of Bahamian men and women that live here and are unable to gain citizenship?”

“That is what we should have compiled and educate from. The better way is to involve the voters from the beginning, say to them that this is why we saw fit to bring this. Here it is, we have ‘x’ amount of children born to Bahamian parents that are caught up. We have ‘x’ amount of spouses caught up. Give them the pros and cons, lay it all out.”

Mr Smith, who served during the Pindling era, said: “I recall when we were making the push to independence, there was certainly apprehension but we got down in the trenches, walked through constituencies and we - members of the PLP - talked to persons about their concerns and explained what was at stake.”

The former Exuma MP said the “fear of the unknown” has spread like wildfire, insisting that speculation has taken the place of fact.

“Now, everywhere all we hear is same-sex this and gay rights that. We should have started this process by getting all stakeholders together - pastors, lawyers, everyone - get them together and allow them to point the Constitutional Commission in the right direction as it relates to the wording of these bills. If we did, all these opposing claims would have been null and void.”

Mr Smith voted ‘yes’ to all four amendments.