The Tribune

By ADRIAN GIBSON

ajbahama@hotmail.com

The Bahamas’ electoral process and the parliamentary registration procedures are seriously flawed and are in desperate need of a complete overhaul.

With the 2017 general election setting up to be a nail-biter, there is clearly a need for reform of our electoral process, beginning with campaign finance reform. In certain quarters, the electoral campaigns have become a revealing display of naked skulduggery.

Several years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that Byron Woodside, of the Free National Movement (FNM), was the duly elected MP for the Pinewood constituency in the 2007 general election. He defeated current Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson.

Following the court’s decision to conduct a recount and disqualify 110 votes, Mrs Maynard-Gibson, who was the Attorney General at the time of the election, cheekily and disingenuously claimed that “the system was corrupted” and that she was “hoping that we all as Bahamians move quickly to address this issue as quickly as possible, so that we can see the integrity of the system restored.” But, what has she done - since being re-appointed as Attorney General - to restore the integrity of the system and press for electoral reform?

Prime Minister Perry Christie, who was then the Opposition leader, also asserted that the failures and deficiencies of the electoral process revealed a threat to the nation and clearly undermines the government. But, what has he done to effect change since he returned to the seat of power?

The 2007 general election was poorly executed and Bahamians were hurried to the polls. The constituencies order was made on March 26, the polling divisions order was made the following day and he dissolved the House of Assembly eight days later on April 4. The election was in May. As it stands, we are on course to see a repeat of 2007 in 2017.

Moving forward, radical reforms must be made to the electoral process. Once the political will is there, electoral reform can be attained. The adoption of the following suggestions could lead to a smoother electoral process:

1 Generating an accurate register that could be produced through ground work in the communities. The Parliamentary Registration Department must minimise redundant processes. We should incorporate door-to-door enumeration to register people. A secure, online voter registration system should also be developed. In the year or two prior to a general election, personnel at the department could take to the field and register prospective voters who might be domiciled in shelters, the homeless and infirmed;

2 Conducting voter outreach programmes via direct mail, multi-media advertising, a voter information centre and hotline;

3 Setting new and precise guidelines for determining someone’s eligibility to vote;

4 Implementing new ballot systems or electronic voting. The machinery of elections must be modernised. We are still using antiquated methods and technology. There is a need to reduce the long wait times that it takes to vote.

5 Organising alternative means to count votes;

6 Proposing fixed boundaries and/or an independent boundaries commission;

7 Stipulating a fixed election date;

8 Establish electoral offices in different districts of an island to stimulate voter registration and maintain a convenient presence;

9 Political parties should embrace the democratic process and have primaries in every constituency;

10 Hire youth liaison officers who visit the university and colleges, schools, employers, social media, etc to encourage registration of young voters;

11 Improve facilities for special needs voters, bettering voting tools for such people and meeting with organisations that cater to the physically disabled, and the visually and hearing impaired. There is a need for better signage at the polls, better lighting and braille stickers should be placed on ballots (if and when we move to electronic voting, braille interfaces could be used);

12 We must embrace proportional representation and a reformed Senate would deepen our democracy and cause for such representation;

13 Political party leaders and candidates in their constituencies should have at least three debates before polling day.

14 Furthermore, for various reasons - one being the fact that the fee hasn’t been raised in decades - I also think that the nomination fee should be increased from $400 to $1,000.

We must aim to improve public trust in our political system.

Over the years, the governing party at an election - Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and FNM - have been known to redraw constituencies in favour of their party. Earlier this year, Mr Christie called for a public debate between The Bahamas’ three political leaders to determine who is best suited to run the country.

“Bring Minnis here, bring Branville here, Christie here and say ‘tell us what you believe in’, and make your judgment. Ask questions, see who has a command of the country, who understands where the country ought to be going and who could speak to those issues” Mr Christie said.

Democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader Branville McCartney accepted the invitation. Thus far, there has been no acceptance from FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis. This election, we must demand that the leaders of these parties - and perhaps one or two of the fourth and fifth party leaders - participate in at least three national debates.

On April 7, Dr Minnis told a Bain and Grants Town constituency association meeting that the FNM would begin term limits for the post of Prime Minister, a recall system for members of Parliament and a primary election where parliamentary candidates would be determined by constituents. I endorse this view and have long called for such changes to the status quo.

Dr Minnis also proposed that candidates vying to represent a constituency during a general election must first be endorsed through an electoral primary by that constituency prior to the general election. It is unfortunate that we have not seen a manifestation of these proposals - by both the PLP and the FNM - this election cycle.

Prime Minister Christie is perhaps one of the most hypocritical politicians serving. In the February 18, 2010, edition of The Tribune, Mr Christie - then campaigning during the Elizabeth by-election - said that there is a serious need for campaign reform to assure third-party and independent candidates of an even playing field. His comments came as he accused FNM operatives of running an unethical by-election campaign filled with alleged promises of jobs and other incentives to voters in exchange for their support.

Mr Christie claimed that the weeks leading up to the Elizabeth by-election were “the worst I’ve ever seen it” in terms of allegations that members of the FNM were allegedly using their government clout to sway voters. He said that on the eve of the by-election, a PLP supporter told him that her daughter had been offered a job by a member of the FNM, presumably to influence her vote.

“Up to (Monday) the government was giving people jobs with a clear intention of influencing the vote. That’s not proper, ethical or fair,” Mr Christie asserted in another interview. He continued: “Both parties should look at what’s happening in the country today with a view to reorganising our approach to elections because it is awfully difficult for independent and small parties to have even a remotely small chance (to win) given what is happening on the part of the two major parties.”

I wonder if Mr Christie continues to have that view about independents and small parties? Does this mean that his government will not dole out jobs this election cycle?

In the July 28, 2012, edition of The Tribune - fresh off a general election win - Mr Christie urged Parliamentarians to promulgate a ‘new culture’ in Bahamian politics, as he sparked fresh discussions on campaign finance reform in the wake of concerns by the Organisation of American States (OAS).

Drawing on recommendations outlined by CARICOM and the OAS’ report on The Bahamas’ electoral process, Mr Christie said that “the only way (reform) is going to work is if Parliamentarians agree that there is a compelling urgency to be more accountable in what we’re doing; more transparent in what we’re doing. We are challenged to determine the extent to which foreign investors should be contributing to our democracy directly in campaign finance matters and we have to determine whether we are prepared to regulate that by way of disclosure, even if it’s to an electoral commission and not to the public,” he said.

“We are living a lie to just continue to allow this current system that we’re operating under to exist,” Mr Christie said, “because you know and I know and everyone else knows that a lot of things are happening, where you’re taking advantage of all sorts of opportunities if you’re the government and it places people at a significant disadvantage and that’s not how a democracy functions.”

Well blow me down! Mouth could say anything! Wow.

So, Mr Christie, how much money did Peter Nygard contribute to the PLP’s last general election campaign?

Mr Christie, what have you done to bring about campaign finance reform?

Mr Christie has been at the helm of a government that has been anything but transparent so one wonders if he forgot everything he said in 2012.

Election after election, we hear accounts of foreigners and local, high net worth special interests groups who view major party candidates as pieces on a political chess board.

The unabated pursuit of power and, in some cases enrichment, has become a hallmark of Bahamian politics. Bahamians are well aware of the propositions of politicians - the bribes and blatant sweeteners for votes, whether that means purchasing food, clothing or appliances, paying utility bills, raising public funds to create temporary jobs, doling out contracts for campaign favours, or unashamedly giving away money, alcohol, cellular phone cards and even drugs.

As an ever maturing electorate, we must not stand by and watch as political parties fall into the pockets of wealthy donors. When it comes to campaign financing, we should cap expenditures by putting ceilings on donations and carefully scrutinise the institutions and/or individuals contributing to the coffers of these parties.

Politicians should be made to disclose their contributors and expenditures. Restrictions must be enforced to limit the contributions of individuals and groups.

Whilst at it, let’s also adopt the approach of Barbados, where all election posters must be taken down two days before a general election. Moreover, shirts representing political parties/entities must be sold rather than given away as we do locally. This would not only cut costs associated with Bahamian elections, but also serve as a starting point for electoral reform.

Comments and responses to ajbahama@hotmail.com