HTML Copyright © 2001-2002, awsltd.netNATIONAL NOTES
Women’s Equality Disdained: The Bahamas held its first referendum in history on 27th February. The main item on the agenda was complete equality for women under the constitution while four other amendments concerned the establishment of a teachers’ commission, the retirement age of Supreme Court justices, and boundary commission matters. No doubt about it, amendment number one was the most important. Women make up the majority of voters in The Bahamas so the amendment was passed easily, right? Nope. It was defeated 65% to %35%. The result was inconceivable and after the results had been tallied - all five amendments were defeated by about the same margin - Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said he felt ashamed. The issues became politicised about a month before the referendum and many church leaders spoke out against deficiencies and technicalities as well as the short time allowed the public to digest the content of the amendments. It was clear that many women voted against equality or refrained from voting, and that many of the governing Free National Movement (FNM) members had voted against the amendments. The only constituencies to endorse the amendments were North Abaco, South Abaco, Long Island & Ragged Island and MICAL (Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins Island Long Cay); that is four out of forty. The opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) claimed a political victory and sent a message that the upcoming general election would be a very interesting contest.
General Election Date Announced: Bahamians will go to vote for their next government on 2nd May. Unlike in the United States, only a month of canvassing and politicking is allowed and will start on 3rd April. Bahamians have only one vote each and that must be cast for their choice of member of parliament for their district; they cannot vote for the office of prime minister. The leader of the party with the greatest number of parliamentarians will be the next prime minister. The present leaders of the two major parties are Tommy Turnquest (Free National Movement) and Perry Christie (Progressive Liberal Party).