Prime Minister Philip "Brave" Davis speaks during a sitting of the House of Assembly on April 17, 2024. Photo: Dante Carrer
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis rejects the United States’ observation about how women are treated in The Bahamas.
The US said in its latest human rights report that the Bahamian government is contributing to statelessness “through dis- crimination against women in nationality laws”.
Asked to react to the report yesterday, Mr Davis said: “You have to look through the perspective of our eyes. Bahamian women being unfairly treated in the Bahamas? Y’all ruling us, man. If you look at the hierarchy of the public service, more than 80 per cent are dominated by females. Look in the industry.”
“In fact, men have become endangered species in this country and I’m concerned about that, and that’s why we’re working with the young man.” The US report, released earlier this week, said: “Married Bahamian women could not confer citizenship to their children if the child was born outside of The Bahamas. Women were also unable to confer citizenship to their adopted children.”
The observation came amid uncertainty about when the Davis administration will amend the Bahamas Nationality Act to equalise citizenship access between men and women.
In March, Attorney General Ryan Pinder said he appreciated the frustration some felt waiting for the government to change the law, but that “buy-in” from the collective was necessary.
Comments
John 8 months ago
The woman in Eleuthera say Eleuthera women now have to pay men to be with them because the men leave them for younger women with better better bodies. On New Providence with over 120 men being murdered every year for the past decade or more and an equal number going to prison, women have resorted to having children with immigrants?
. So if a Bahamian woman plans for her children to be Bahamians, why not just plan to have them in The BaHAMAS? That is what immigrants do in the US. Once the child is born in America, it is automatically entitled to Bahamian citizenship. Many people take advantage of this law
Sickened 8 months ago
"So if a Bahamian woman plans for her children to be Bahamians, why not just plan to have them in The BaHAMAS?" Was that in jest or were you serious? I'm sure it was in jest because you know that life isn't that simple where Bahamian women living around the world, with careers can simply jump on a plane 6 months before giving birth to come here and hole up with family, friends or in a hotel just so that they can pass on WHAT SHOULD BE THEIR RIGHT to their child.
Sickened 8 months ago
This Davis guy will be back pedaling on these ridiculous remarks very soon. This fool likes to travel and hang with sensible leaders - once they read these 6th grade remarks he's going to hear some snickering behind his back.
John 8 months ago
Obviously you was meaning your mother with your ‘fool’ remark. Apparently you feel you have exclusive entitlement to this blog with your mostly racist and degrading and hate speech. I advise you to stop pushing the wrong buttons. You don’t know me and let’s keep it that way. Be mature ( yes it’s difficult) and make your comments about the post and not about me.
ExposedU2C 8 months ago
ROWL. You talking about being mature makes me laugh so hard that my ribs hurt.
mandela 8 months ago
Mr Davis you are spot on. The public and private sector no matter which one are dominanted by women in top position 8 out of 10, all bosses. The young men today need 10 times more attention. God created heaven and earth, man was there in harmony and then he created women to enjoy men and the paradise he created, but what happened that wasn't good enough for her she wanted more, she could not satisfy, focus needs to be on uplifting our young men, can you imagine the destruction that will happen if we let our young men fall and not be the kings they are, we may think it's bad now, but it can and will get worst as long as we don't focus on the young men.
Sickened 8 months ago
You must be a priest or something. Unless you're Davis using the name Mandela?? Bringing forth an argument of young men VS all women. Can't both groups get the attention and support and equality that they deserve? Just because our young men are failing in society that means all women's rights and equality should continue to be ignored?
ROFL!
moncurcool 8 months ago
Davis is not spot on. He is trying to change the narrative.
The issue is not whether women have a work position. The issue is whether women can pass on citizenship to their children if they are born outside the country. This is what he should speak too.
Or speak to the issue of statelessness, as that is not such a thing.
But Davis will never speak to an issue.
John 8 months ago
So if it’s a case of statelessness to children born to ( unwed) mothers outside the country, what are the laws of the country on which they are born? And what is the nationality of the father? For if he is a Bahamian it is a non-issueSnd if he is not a Bahamian, then one can see the conflict if the mother registers the child as Bahamian without the knowledge and consent of the father. And what if the law did permit for children born to Bahamian women outside the country. The question of verification arises as well of not dual but duplicate nationality.
ExposedU2C 8 months ago
Are you off your meds again?
TalRussell 8 months ago
Has considered the possibility tis signs usually begin to appear on day 953 post general election day of being on job as colony's premiership. --- Lose direction in his way of responding to the pressures issues important to womans'.(Showing respect for whatever gender identity). --- Yes?
Porcupine 8 months ago
An excellent example of why The Bahamas needs to focus on education. Perhaps one day, we could find a reasonable, educated, and decent Prime Minister. It might be awhile, but judging by what we have today, it will be worth the wait.
John 8 months ago
Blow Joe Biden or Racist Donald Dump
birdiestrachan 8 months ago
some believe that whatever the usa says is gospel ask the people of GAZA Young men are at a disadvantage too many have gone the wrong way too many are in jail and too many have died they should be lifted up Mr Davis is correct. never mind Rolle down low and going lower
birdiestrachan 8 months ago
BAHAMIANS VOTED AGAINST WOMEN PASSING ON THEIR CITIZENSHIP EVEN IF THE USA DOES NOT KNOW BAHAMIANS KNOW IT WAS NOT THAT LONG AGO MAYBE ROLLE WAS NOT BORN YET.
rosiepi 8 months ago
So women rule you say? And yet the statistics of rape, sexual, domestic abuse and murder of women and children prove this is a lie. We’ve heard such foolishness forever, words are cheap in the Bahamas.
Show us the law that protects the rights of women and more importantly, the means by which this law will be enforced by both the judicial system and law enforcement officers.
TalRussell 8 months ago
The Referendum strategy was intentionally made confusing! --- Voters' had vote for all the four bills proposed in the referendum. -- If it had been successful, it would've changed the Constitution in four ways. --- Yes?
John 8 months ago
‘ A child born outside the United States or its outlying possessions to two U.S. citizen parents, in wedlock, is entitled to citizenship, provided one parent has, prior to the birth of the child, been resident in the United States or one of its outlying possessions. No specific period of time is required.’ Maybe I’m ‘D average’ but it does say to qualify for US citizenship, BOTH parents have to be US citizens and have to have resided in the US for an unspecified period prior to birth. In the case of married Bahamians, there would be no issue because the child gets citizenship through his father.
John 8 months ago
The condition of the young men in this country is a direct result of when consecutive governments were duped by the US and it’s FAKE ‘War on Drugs ‘ and declared war on the young people of The Bahamas, Bahamian men were treated worse than Black Americans! They were denied job and employment opportunities, the freedom of movement, the right to assemble and many were thrown in jail, just like Black and Hispanic Americans. They are still being labeled ‘dangerous’ and ‘’lazy’ and violent and rapists. Many lost their lives in this war declared on them and many young Black men had to leave New Providence just to survive. Just to stay alive. Many who speak about guns and violence fail to mention that 97% of ALL murders committed by guns in the Western Hemisphere are committed with American made weapons. Cocaine trafficking into the US has increased TENFOLD since the 1980’s . But cocaine busts and drug arrests have declined to almost a trickle. The major ports of entry is California and Nee York with the Southern border third.
John 8 months ago
For clarity; ‘ A child born outside the United States or its outlying possessions to two U.S. citizen parents, in wedlock, is entitled to citizenship, provided one parent has, prior to the birth of the child, been resident in the United States or one of its outlying possessions. No specific period of time is required.’ Maybe I’m ‘D average’ but it does say to qualify for US citizenship, BOTH parents have to be US citizens and have to have resided in the US for an unspecified period prior to birth. In the case of married Bahamians, there would be no issue because the child gets citizenship through his father.
rosiepi 8 months ago
Wrong again John! Please reference the correct info here. Unlike the Bahamas’ antiquated and misogynistic laws, women of other countries including America may pass on their citizenship rights to their children. https://nl.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-se…
John 8 months ago
Obviously you didn’t read the link you posted. A child born to an unwed American mother abroad will still have to meet certain criteria and go to a naturalization process, not unlike children born to foreign parents must go through in The Bahamas. So basically it is easier for children born to immigrants in the US to obtain citizenship than it is for children born to an unwed outside the US especially if the mother hadn’t visited the US in recent times
rosiepi 8 months ago
That’s not true. A child born to a US Mother abroad wed or not, before 2017 is eligible for citizenship at birth if that Mother spent at least a year in the US or it’s territories before the birth. If a child is born after 2017, the rule is she must have lived in the US for 5 years with 2 of those years after she turned 14.
And the process of acquiring citizenship thru birth to a US parent will always be easier than for that for immigrants who didn’t acquire it at birth, ie. born in the US. The means of attainment in the Bahamas like most everything else like justice an/or human rights is and always has been misogynistic. Success now lies with one’s political connections not one’s civil rights. That should be an anathema, not the rule.
John 8 months ago
A British woman can pass down citizenship one generation to children born outside the UK. So her children born outside the UK will be British but not her grandchildren if they are born outside the UK and don’t have another British parent.
ExposedU2C 8 months ago
Let's be unequivocally clear here:
The U.S. government has absolutely no position or standing whatsoever to tell the government of The Bahamas and the Bahamian people that the The Constitution of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas must be amended to allow for the right to obtain Bahamian citizenship to fully conform to the wishes of the U.S. government.
Can you imagine any situation in which our government would have the temerity, audacity and gall to tell the U.S. government who should or should not be allowed to obtain U.S. citizenship under the citizenship provisions of the U.S. Constitution???!!!
And this matter has nothing to do with Davis's absurd refusal to amend our statute law to specifically criminalise marital rape.
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