The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis maintains that fixing citizenship issues remains on his administration’s legislative agenda.

His assurance comes despite he and Attorney General Ryan Pinder appearing to have differing views on how it will be prioritised this term.

Previously, Mr Davis has said the priority for him is to relieve the suffering and mental anguish of Bahamians through stabilising the country’s finances.

He also asserted he will not raise his expectations for the end of the year but those things are under review.

However, in June Mr Pinder said the government wanted to advance legislation on the issue by the end of summer.

Yesterday, Mr Davis was asked to respond to criticisms that he and Mr Pinder were not on the same page regarding this matter.

“That don’t mean we’re not on the same page,” Mr Davis said. “I’m focused on the matters I said I’m focused on. The Attorney General has his job, and he has a mandate as well. Citizenship is on our legislative agenda. He’s focusing on that and when he is ready to bring it to me then we’ll decide the time.

“At this time, I’m more focused on helping the least among us and trying to relieve the burden of our people.

“The Attorney General is focusing on our legislative agenda and he will then bring forth those legislations we think we need to put forward and we will deal with it at that time”

The government had stated in the past it intends to bring legislation to allow both Bahamian men and women to pass on citizenship in any circumstance.

Currently, children born outside of the country to a married Bahamian woman and a foreign man are not automatically granted Bahamian citizenship and thus must apply to receive it.

Bahamian men who have children with foreign women out of wedlock also cannot automatically pass on citizenship to their children.