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Volume: 112 No.123

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Righting the wrongs

Constitutional Referendum supplement inside

PM: It’s time to vote YES

Christie dismisses claims of LGBT agenda as ‘crazy’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net PRIME Minister Perry Christie last night urged voters to support Tuesday’s referendum, insisting that the idea of a “hidden agenda” involving the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community “is crazy.”

He stressed that gay rights were “not on the ballot” adding that he hoped Bahamians would grow tired of the “paranoid” voices in this debate.

He also hit out at what he called “defamatory” statements made about him by Dame Joan Sawyer, who

suggested recently that he has advocated for a LGBT agenda.

His statement came a day after he told a crowd in Bimini that religious groups who have recently taken issue with the referendum were given adequate time to review the four Constitutional Amendment Bills prior to their passage in the House of Assembly.

In a last ditch effort to clear up ambiguity on the referendum, Mr Christie’s statement on Sunday night said it is important to understand what is on the ballot and what is at stake.

THE Resorts World Hilton project in North Bimini has changed the way the government views sustainable Family Island developments, according to Prime Minister Perry Christie.

Speaking in Bimini at the grand opening of the resort’s new 300-room luxury property on Saturday, Mr Christie vowed that the project would expand the development of the island

RIGHT THE WRONG S

Monday, June 6, 2016

Heartbreakin families brok g stories of en by past inequality and victimisa tion

Why the June Referendum 7 Constitutional - the four bills is so important explained

FNM NAMES JULY DATES FOR FULL CONVENTION

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement will now hold its convention in July, roughly four months ahead of the pre-established November date.

The decision was made during an executive meeting called on Thursday night to quell discord among the party’s parliamentary caucus. The party has announced a “full convention” scheduled for July 27 - 29 at the Melià resort.

Sources told The Tribune that FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis opened Thursday’s meeting with a declaration that if an early convention was necessary, he would oblige.

Just over a week ago, six of the FNM’s ten MPs gave Dr Minnis an ultimatum: call an early convention or they would write to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to have him constitutionally removed as leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament.

SEE PAGE THREE

BUTLER-TURNER ‘NOT SURE’ ABOUT BID FOR LEADERSHIP

SEE PAGE FIVE

BIMINI RESORT OPENING ‘IS A DEFINING EXPERIENCE’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net

T IME TO

and ensure employment opportunities for residents.

“I want to memorialise this event because in the scheme of things in our country, it is what I call a defining experience for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Defining because we live in a country which is the closest offshore country to the Unites States of America. Meaning, God has given us a gift to maximise for the benefit of our people.”

SEE PAGE SEVEN

A DANCER during the Labour Day junkanoo parade. See page ten for more photographs from the traditional holiday event.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

SHOOTING VICTIM KILLED WHILE WAITING FOR HIS GIRLFRIEND

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net

A YOUNG man was shot multiple times and killed early yesterday morning as he sat in his car waiting for his girlfriend outside Jimmy’s Take Away off Carmi-

chael Road.

The shooting happened around 1.30am and brought the country’s murder count for this year to 52, according to The Tribune’s records.

According to police, the SEE PAGE SEVEN

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net

LONG ISLAND MP Loretta Butler-Turner said yesterday she “is not sure” if she will run again for leader of the Free National Movement at the party’s July convention.

In an interview with The Tribune, Mrs Butler-Turner said the FNM’s parliamentary caucus is pleased that FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis decided an early convention was the best way forward.

The former FNM deputy leader said the parliamentary caucus has not met yet to discuss who will contest Dr Minnis at the July convention.

“As you well know, the date was set on Thursday evening and I flew out early the next morning.

“I have not been able to think about it, but I know SEE PAGE THREE

MAN DIES AS CAR GOES UP IN FLAMES

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net A 40-YEAR-OLD man was killed in a traffic accident on Abaco over the weekend, police reported.

The accident happened around 2am on Saturday when a black 2004 Infiniti vehicle crashed into a utility

pole and erupted in flames on the S C Bootle Highway.

Treasure Cay Fire Crash and Rescue responded.

According to police, the vehicle was completely destroyed by fire and the man’s body was burned in the wreckage.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are investigating.

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PAGE 2, Monday, June 6, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

11 CUBAN MIGRANTS DETAINED BY AUTHORITIES

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net ELEVEN Cuban migrants were intercepted in the Cay Sal Bank area and taken to Freeport over the weekend by the US Coast Guard.

The USCG Cutter Robert Yared turned over the migrants to Bahamas immigration authorities at Lu-

NO Photoshop Caption found

cayan Harbour around 9am on Saturday.

The men were attempting to get to Florida on board a rustic vessel when they were spotted and picked up on May 31. According to immigration officials, four of the men had been previously intercepted at sea, and subsequently repatriated to Cuba.

The migrants will be flown to New Providence

where they will be taken to the Detention Centre to await repatriation.

Two days earlier, 18 Cubans (16 men and two women) were discovered stranded at a cay in the Bahamas when they were spotted and rescued by the US Coast Guard.

The group had been without food and water for several days before being rescued.

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THE Royal Bahamas Defence Force apprehended two persons on Saturday morning for possession of undeclared weapons aboard a vessel in the Abaco chain.

The 38-foot United States registered sailing vessel was boarded at 11.30am while anchored in the area of Great Guana Cay, Abaco.

One .25 automatic pistol, one 9 millimetre pistol, one AR 15 magazine, two .25

magazines, 20 rounds of .223, and 123 9mm rounds were found on board after a search was conducted by HMBS Arthur Dion Hanna’s boarding team.

The captain and passenger were apprehended and escorted to Marsh Harbour, Abaco where they were handed over to police and customs officials for further processing.

Additionally, the American

captain of the vessel was later fined $10,000, the weapons and ammunition were confiscated by the Department of Customs for failure to declare.

Both persons were turned over to local police for further investigation after it was also discovered that the captain had only declared one of the weapons to the Department of Customs prior to the vessel being boarded.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, June 6, 2016, PAGE 3

Ingraham return ‘not in the realm of possibility’

By RICARDO WELLS Tribune Staff Reporter rwells@tribunemedia.net FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham’s return to frontline politics “isn’t in the realm” of possibility, according to former Deputy Prime Minister Frank Watson.

Mr Watson, who served in the first Ingraham administration, said the former prime minister had “given everything he could give” to nation building over the course of his lengthy political career and had now decided to enjoy the comforts of retirement.

Mr Watson was responding to questions centred on whether the FNM’s decision to hold an early convention in July had anything to do with a possible

FORMER Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham with FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis last year. return by Mr Ingraham.

“I don’t know who all will be involved in the upcoming convention . . . but

I am fairly certain that the former prime minister has made up his mind that it is over for him,” he said when

Rollins – disseminated a damning memorandum to the party’s council.

That memo described Dr Minnis’ perceived flaws, including his failure to take command of the party “at almost every turn” despite their repeated efforts to support him.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, who served in the last FNM administration, said the party can now start its “healing process”.

Mr Symonette suggested to reporters that the early convention would allow the party to sort through its issues ahead of 2017 general election.

“It’s a beginning of a way to starting the healing process by which the party has to go through so that everyone can have their say and they can hold a vote if someone wants to run for various positions and we start to go forward to the real goal which is becoming the next government of the Bahamas,” he said on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, Darron Cash, a former party chairman, called the decision to

hold an early convention the “right choice”.

In recent weeks, Mr Cash has castigated Dr Minnis for his style of leadership, lamenting that the FNM had become “a shadow of its former self”.

He previously stated that the party was at risk of being “sunk by an anchor of leadership that has been found wanting”.

On Thursday Mr Cash said the July date allows the FNM to “self-correct” and prove that it was “connected to reality.” “...Reality is that the most important consideration in that which is in the best interest of the Bahamian people. Our objective is to make sure that we have a convention that has a meaningful election process where everyone who is interested in running for office has an opportunity to let their voices be heard,” he said.

asked of potential frontrunners heading into the three-day conclave.

“But you can’t blame him, he has done three terms as (prime minister) with the FNM and he has been involved at various levels of politics for a long time. He is a person you can look and say, ‘he has given all he could give to The Bahamas’ and be absolutely fair in saying that.”

During a special meeting called last Thursday, the party’s council announced that it will hold a “full convention” from July 27 - 29 at the Melià resort.

The decision was made after six of the FNM’s ten MPs gave Dr Minnis an ultimatum: call an early convention or they would write to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling

to have him constitutionally removed as leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament.

Mr Watson said he, like many of the FNM supporters across the country, dreaded the direction of the party in recent months.

According to the former Adelaide MP, the party had descended into a state of chaos in which policies of law and order took a back seat to personalities and factions. He said while the move away from the former prime minister was necessary, the inability to grow and develop the organisation illustrated that something was “obviously missing.”

He insisted that while the decision to move the party’s convention from November to July was “the best move

FNM, some party insiders are sceptical that Dr Minnis could emerge successful in late July.

There is speculation that his grasp of the party’s Central Council could be lessened due to the scathing criticism levelled at him in recent months, along with the assertion that the full scope of the “Toggie” and “Bobo” debacle might still be unknown.

One council representative The Tribune spoke with contended that the entire ordeal “wrecked” the “philosophy and fabric” of the FNM, going as far as to say Dr Minnis’ handling of the matter “ruined” any chances the FNM had of attacking the PLP for its practices.

“It’s hard to point the finger when your hands are doing most of the heavy lifting,” the representative said.

In their eight-page memo sent to the party’s Central Council, the six MPs suggested that Dr Minnis’ explanation about his meetings with Livingston “Toggie” Bullard could come back to harm

the party.

The MPs accused Dr Minnis and former party Chairman Michael Pintard of “wheeling and dealing” with Bullard and his associate Wisler “Bobo” Davilma.

The Tribune understands that the backlash from that ordeal will act as a springboard for anti-Minnis factions to mount their attacks in the coming weeks.

A well-placed source said: “That rock is being lifted as we speak. We have to do this because if we don’t, for certain the PLP will. We have to now protect ideals of this great party, that is what it is about now. Leaders come and go, but in order for the FNM to remain, we have to do what it takes to ensure that the ideals of this party remains.

“We love Dr Minnis, but this is problematic, when (Michael Pintard) resigned it gave the impression that we were at the root of the matter.

That’s not what the FNM is about. We need to get this corrected, we have an election to win.”

possible,” those persons vying for leadership positions should spend the coming weeks resolving the internal woes of the party and forming connections across the “unnecessary divide.”

“I am looking forward to this,” he said of the convention. “This will end all the talk and turmoil within the party. Everyone will have their say and then we can move forward as a united party. All of the deception, the disagreements and so on, all will be done and concluded after July.”

“That is what everyone should look forward to, a united party, a formidable unit ready to contest the general election. I think that a convention will determine it all, and that is good.”

FNM NAMES JULY DATES FOR FULL CONVENTION

from page one

Dr Minnis has downplayed the threat, telling The Tribune on Monday that he “has never felt so good” and is not concerned about the “noise in the market”.

However, on Thursday, a seemingly despondent Dr Minnis shunned reporters on his way out of the FNM’s Mackey Street headquarters.

When asked if the decision to hold an early convention would end persisting infighting throughout the ranks of the FNM, the Killarney MP flashed a smile, squeezed through a crowd of party supporters and left the meeting hall.

On Wednesday, the six FNM parliamentary members at the centre of the latest push to oust Dr Minnis as leader – St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman, Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly, Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant, Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner and Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre

UNCERTAINTY Despite heading into the three-day convention as the incumbent leader of the

BUTLER-TURNER ‘NOT SURE’ ABOUT BID FOR LEADERSHIP

from page one

the parliamentary caucus is happy because it is what we wanted,” Mrs Butler-Turner said.

“I imagine that people are weighing their options.

I have so many things that I am dealing with so I have not had the opportunity to put a lot of thought into it. So I do not know at this point. I haven’t sat down and met with anyone yet.

I have to sit down with the other parliamentary members and determine what it is they envision. We are pleased that this now gives the party an opportunity to create the best team moving forward and rally together to beat the PLP.” Mrs Butler Turner also said she is “not sure” if she will be ratified by the FNM to run in Long Island again.

In fact, she said she has been told that other FNMs have already begun campaigning in her constituency.

“I am the incumbent and the FNM has to make its decision and the people in Long Island will make their decision,” Mrs Butler-Turner said.

“I feel very strongly that voters in Long Island know who cares for them, who

CORRECTION

LYFORD CAY International School is involved in the Students Helping Awareness Respect Education (SHARE) initiative which was featured in The Tribune on June 1 (“Bringing life to backyard for the sake of children”) and not Tambearly School as was reported. Lyford Cay students took part in clearing and transforming a back yard space for children in a five-month project at Great Commission Ministries. We apologise for the error.

works for them and who has proven to be ever present for them. I have confidence in the people of Long Island.”

Dr Minnis and Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins, along with other FNMs, were in Long Island over the weekend as the island celebrated its annual regatta.

When contacted on the reason for the visit, Dr Minnis declined to comment.

In February, Dr Minnis said Mrs Butler-Turner

“definitely” had his support as the party’s 2017 general election candidate amid speculation that Dr Rollins was on that island reportedly to court party supporters.

At the time, Dr Minnis told The Tribune he was certain that when the ratification process takes place, Mrs Butler-Turner would have the full support of the party. However, he did not say when this would be done.

Meanwhile, more than a week ago, six of the FNMs

10 MPs, including Mrs Butler-Turner, gave Dr Minnis an ultimatum: call an early convention or they would write to Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling to have him constitutionally removed as leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament.

Dr Minnis has down-

played the threat, telling The Tribune last Monday that he “has never felt so good” and is not concerned about the “noise in the market”.

At the party’s last convention in November 2014, Mrs Butler-Turner was unsuccessful in her bid to unseat Dr Minnis.

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PAGE 4, Monday, June 6, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

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Now is the time to do what is right - vote “Yes” TOMORROW – June 7, 2016 – could go down in history as the day that Bahamians wisely decided that all Bahamians — men and women— should be equal under the law. Or it could go down in infamy as the day that having been given a second chance, Bahamians – both men and women — were so confused by naysayers that they lost the opportunity by voting “no” in the referendum.

We have never heard so many interpretations — and sinister ones at that – conjured up to convince Bahamians to vote “no” to four simple questions when a “yes” vote would seem obvious.

Today we reprint a supplement — “Time to right the wrongs” – published last week to illustrate what happens when a person’s rights are not entrenched in their Constitution. We invite you to read the tragedies suffered by so many Bahamian families – many, especially the youth who are still suffering — as a result of having no protection under the law.

Put yourself in the place of the Bahamian women of Inagua whose Turks Island husbands were sent back to Turks Island because their wives refused to vote for the PLP. Children left without fathers, women left without husbands, marriages dissolved as a result of a political agenda against which their Constitution did not protect them.

The same could not happen to a Bahamian man because his wife took his nationality on marriage. Not so, a Bahamian woman. Her nationality could not protect her husband and secure her family against the machinations of Machiavellian politicians.

Tomorrow when you go to vote on this second constitutional referendum you will be asked to vote “yes” on Amendment 2, which will allow the foreign spouse of a Bahamian woman to apply for Bahamian citizenship – just like a foreign spouse of a Bahamian man.

This “yes” vote will mean that all the articles published in today’s Tribune supplement about suffering Bahamians could never happen again. Bahamian families would be protected by their Constitution.

Read the letter by Rogan Smith, a radio personality, who voted “no” on the same question in the 2002 referendum, because she did not understand the draconian implications of a “no” vote. She was not married in 2002. Today she is married, and her marriage is to a foreigner. Suddenly question 2 has great significance for her. She writes: “None of us knows what the future holds. I certainly didn’t in 2002. I know that I won’t change the cemented minds of those who are determined to see this referendum fail.

“But, for those of you, who like me, in 2002, could have been swayed, I urge you to do the right thing and vote ‘yes’ to all four bills.”

And then there is Catherine Ramsingh Pierre, whose parents, Dr Robert Ramsingh and the late Dr Mary Ritchie, were forced to be separated for 12 years because the PLP government of that era would not grant Dr Ramsingh a work permit to be with his family in Nassau. The reason — his wife was a staunch FNM. Today Dr Ramsingh, a respected ear and throat specialist, is established in practice here. His wife is now dead.

“I think of my mother, and her anger and despair when my application for citizenship was denied twice,” wrote Catherine Ramsingh Pierre.

“I remember my shock, when upon returning home from university, I realised

that I could not get a job in my own home town without a work permit.

“And now, I think of my young cousins, in school abroad, and my nieces, still in primary school here in Nassau, and all the other young men and women of this country whose paths will take them around the world, but whose country may not accept their loved ones when they return. Please I beg you, think of them too – and vote YES.” Amendment 1 asks for a “yes” vote to allow children born abroad to obtain Bahamian citizenship from either his or her Bahamian father or mother.

Amendment 3 with a “yes” vote would allow a Bahamian father to pass citizenship to his child born out of wedlock. Why should John (see letter this page) of Freeport be forced to adopt his own daughter to obtain Bahamian citizenship so that she can grow up with him in his country?

A “yes” vote to amendment three would make this possible.

And then there is that contentious amendment 4. All sorts of “sperrids” and “bogeymen” have put a spell on this one and interpreted it as the opening of the backdoor to the LGBT movement. This spectre has thrown such a shadow on all four amendments that there are persons — even some clergymen — who are advising Bahamians to go to the polls tomorrow and vote a resounding “no” to all four. This is the height of thoughtless irresponsibility.

The Grand Bahama Human Rights Association has given amendment 4 a basic interpretation of its intent. Voting “yes”, it says, means that a qualified woman would make just as much money as a qualified man for the same work. In other words in all things Bahamian men and women would be treated as equals.

We agree with Prime Minister Christie who has said that “those who continue to spread fears are now being reckless with the future of our children and grandchildren.”

Mr Christie hoped Bahamians would not listen to “paranoid” voices but instead focus on the stories of those who have been disadvantaged by the inequality in the Constitution.

“So, I want all the citizens of this nation to be clear – gay rights is not on the ballot, politicians are not on the ballot, judges and lawyers are not on the ballot.

The only thing on the ballot is you – your rights, and the rights of your sons and daughters. The only question you have to answer is: should our sons and daughters be equal as Bahamian citizens, in our Constitution and under our laws?

“As a people with a legacy of suffering from racial injustices, it is my hope that we will not turn our backs on this opportunity to expand rights and dignity in our beloved Bahamas.”

And as one who has also suffered without legal protection under the Pindling regime, we are in a position to advise our fellow Bahamians that the only fair vote to protect all of our citizens is “YES” to all four referendum questions at tomorrow’s poll.

And, a special word, to you women out there. You might feel secure with your rights, but think of your children and your grandchildren. Are you willing to go to the polls tomorrow and vote “No” thus subjecting a future generation to the suffering of the women who you will read about in today’s supplement. If only for their sake, you should seriously consider a YES vote.

As Martin Luther King said: “The time is always right to do that which is right.”

Bahamian women, tomorrow is that time for you.

Help fathers like John EDITOR, The Tribune

JOHN has been the primary caregiver for his nineyear-old daughter for the past five years. The child was born out of wedlock in The Bahamas and has spent her whole life here, but does not have Bahamian citizen-

ship. Nor does she have the citizenship of her foreign mother.

His daughter’s lack of status is a constant source of frustration and anxiety for John, whose only hope may be to take the extraordinary step of applying to adopt his own daughter. On June

7, vote yes to Bill #3 and help fathers like John pass on Bahamian citizenship to their children.

Grand Bahama Human Rights Association, Freeport, Grand Bahama, June 6, 2016.

Dame Joan is wrong EDITOR, The Tribune AS A member of the legal fraternity, I watched the video of Dame Joan’s speech at the Bahamas Bar Association’s forum held on Thursday, May 26, in complete and utter amazement; amazement which quickly turned to sadness and disbelief.

That notwithstanding, I feel constrained once again to comment on the inaccurate and confusing statements of the law made by Dame Joan on that occasion, and to set the record straight on the upcoming referendum and amendment of the Constitution. I simply cannot sit by and allow this diet of ignorance to be fed to the public once again.

By her ill-prepared and often intemperate presentation at the forum, Dame Joan has once again done a grave disservice to her legacy, and to the people of the Bahamas who understandably look to her for erudition on such issues of public importance.

It is disingenuous of Dame Joan to equate the gambling referendum, which for all intents and purposes was an opinion poll, with the need for, and binding nature of, the present constitutional referendum. It is also legally and factually incorrect for Dame Joan to intimate that like the gambling issue, a referendum is not required for the amendment of articles 8, 9,10, 14 and 26. To insinuate that a constitutional right to citizenship can be created by ordinary legislation is preposterous and legally unsustainable.

It is trite that any law passed by Parliament must be consistent with the provisions of the Constitution.

Indeed, the Constitution in Article 2 states, that any law which contravenes it is null and void to the extent of the inconsistency. It is basic constitutional law that a government cannot amend the aforementioned

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net articles of the Constitution by means of ordinary legislation.

Yes, Parliament may pass legislation that grants citizenship, but Parliament cannot grant by way of legislation, a constitutional right to citizenship. Only an amendment to the Constitution can do that and the process for amending is clearly set out in Article 54 (3)(b)(i) and (ii). This, Dame Joan, is why we need a referendum. This, Dame Joan, is why we need to, as you say, “trouble the constitution”. Anything less leaves the granting of the right to citizenship to the whim of a government.

It is for this reason that her further assertions, nay rantings, re the changes made to the law of inheritance via the Inheritance Act, and to the law of divorce via the Matrimonial Causes Act by ordinary legislation are misleading at best. There is no constitutional right to the passing of property, nor is there a constitutional right to divorce. The aforementioned Acts therefore did not seek to amend the Constitution, neither did they seek to take away rights granted by the Constitution, and/ or give rights not contained therein. Their enactment had absolutely no effect on the Constitution. As such, Parliament was free to amend the law by ordinary Act of Parliament.

The aspect of the rant that truly astounded me was when Dame Joan said that innocent children are being used to mask what is the government’s true agenda. That agenda she states is the LGBT agenda. What the exact nature of this purported “agenda” is remains a mystery.

Truly, this part of the speech left me speechless.

Legally there is a difference between sex, sexual orientation and gender. The House of Lords in 1970 in the case of Corbett v Corbett [1971] 2 All ER 33 made the distinction between sex, sexual orientation and gender. The layman’s confusion about these matters and terms is understandable; a past Chief Justice’s ignorance is inexcusable. If the purpose of this purported “agenda” is to pave the way for gay marriage and gay rights as many persons, including Dame Joan seem to believe, then the aim of Bill 4, in simply adding the word ‘sex’ to Article 26 falls far, far short of that mark.

To attain this “agenda” will require the removal of Article 26(4)(c) from the Constitution, which permits discrimination in marriage laws; the addition of the words ‘sexual orientation’ to Article 26 of the Constitution, and the amendment of section 21 of the Matrimonial Causes Act which makes void, marriages between same sex couples.

None of these changes are on the table on June 7.

None.

Dame Joan exclaims that fairness requires one to do the right thing. She claims the honest thing to do is to correct what has been misdone. With this I wholeheartedly agree. In that vein, fairness demands correcting the discrimination evident in the citizenship provisions of the Constitution, and adding the right not to be discriminated against on the ground of sex so that, for instance, men nor women may be paid less for the same work on the basis of their sex. Indeed, the only right thing to do is to correct what has been mis-done. This is the only agenda of this constitutional referendum.

A DISAPPOINTED AND CONCERNED LAWYER Nassau, June 2, 2016.

Ruled by the Church?

EDITOR, The Tribune Re: Patterson: I’m voting no to Bill 4 (June 1).

AT some time in the future, Bahamians may have to confront a trou-

bling question - do we wish to be governed primarily by edicts from unelected clerics in a theocracy, or by deliberations from elected representatives in a democracy?

At the moment, heaven only knows which is to be preferred.

KEN W KNOWLES MD Nassau, June 3, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, June 6, 2016, PAGE 5

PRIME Minister Perry Christie taking part in the Labour Day parade through downtown Nassau.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

PM: It’s time to vote YES

from page one

“The only question before the Bahamian people is whether as citizens of our nation, men and women should have equal rights,” Mr Christie’s statement said.

“The first three bills would change the Constitution so that Bahamian men and women would have the right to share citizenship with their family members in the same way. The fourth bill would give both Bahamian men and women a new right to be treated equally under our nation’s laws.

“The idea that there is a hidden agenda is crazy,” the statement added. “Perhaps the most compelling evidence of there being no hidden agenda lies in the fact that the selection of the gender equality topic was at the insistence of the Official Opposition, whose leader made it clear that the only basis upon which he would extend the support of his party for a bipartisan campaign would be if the first round of constitutional reform was limited to the gender equality issue.

In that circumstance, only mischief-makers, who seek to distract and detract from the importance of equality for our sons and daughters, could suggest that the government is moving in furtherance of a hidden agenda.”

Mr Christie’s statement said while there is no legal basis to support the theory that bill four would lead to same-sex marriage, he understands the concern coming from a small, Christian nation.

However, he stressed that in spite of what is happening around the world, “we must not have same-sex marriage in our country”.

“I would not be supporting bill four if it would change marriage in The Bahamas,” the prime minister’s statement said. “Contrary to the egregiously false and defamatory statement made by Dame Joan Sawyer, I do not and have never advocated for an LGBT agenda. It is wrong and unfair to associate me with such a thought.

“In fact, bill four will offer new protections in our Constitution to our law that says marriage must be

between a man and a woman. The top lawyers in our country worked carefully with the religious leaders in the Christian community to ensure that bill four would not change marriage, and as a result, bill four has the support of the leaders representing nearly 80 per cent of the nation’s Christian community.

“So, those who continue to spread fears are now being reckless with the future of our children and grandchildren.”

Mr Christie said he hoped Bahamians would not listen to “paranoid” voices but instead focus on the stories of those who have been disadvantaged by the inequality in the Constitution.

“So, I want all the citizens of this nation to be clear – gay rights is not on the ballot, politicians are not on the ballot, judges and lawyers are not on the ballot.

The only thing on the ballot is you - your rights, and the rights of your sons and daughters. The only question you have to answer is: should our sons and daughters be equal as Bahamian citizens, in our Constitution and under our laws?

‘MOTHER’ PRATT GIVES SUPPORT FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia “Mother” Pratt and former Senator Telator Strachan yesterday both pledged their support for Tuesday’s referendum.

“Today in The Bahamas, women shoulder much of the responsibility for the family,” Mrs Pratt, who served in the first Christie administration, said in a statement.

“The majority of households in The Bahamas are headed by women.

“The rights to match this responsibility are long overdue. On the other hand, there are thousands of men in our country who daily give of their best for the provision and protection of their families.

“In my opinion, ensuring that the rights extended in our Constitution apply to men and women equally across the board, does not in any way disrespect the men of our country.”

Mrs Pratt added that she has always supported men adding that when both genders stand together “the family flourishes”.

“These bills will help to buttress and strengthen the foundation of the family in The Bahamas and they will in no way demean our men.

For these reasons I support the bills.”

Meanwhile, Mrs Strachan said Bahamians should vote ‘yes’ to all four Constitutional Amendment Bills on gender equality or they could regret being on the wrong side of history.

In a statement, Mrs Strachan, who was among the

first group of women voters in 1962, recalled how some women later expressed disappointment that they did not take advantage of that historic vote when they were afforded the opportunity 54 years ago.

She urged first time voters to head to the polls on this historic occasion.

“It’s important that you help to build your country,” she said.

She lamented that it has taken a long time to get to this crucial step, but added

that Bahamians should think about “the future of their children and grandchildren”.

Mrs Strachan pointed out that she raised her son and daughters so they could have “the same access to opportunities. That’s what I worked for”.

She said voting “yes” would make the Bahamas a stronger nation with men and women working equally together to build the country for future generations.

“As a people with a legacy of suffering from racial injustices, it is my hope that we will not turn our backs on this opportunity to expand rights and dignity in our beloved Bahamas.”

A day earlier, Mr Christie told a crowd in Bimini that his administration did all it could to ensure that every sector of society had an opportunity to review the constitutional bills and give recommendations, including members of the religious community.

Mr Christie went on to stress the magnitude of the looming vote, saying: “Once it is done, it is done.”

“The leaders of church groups… sat in my office and (were) given every opportunity to say what they had to and they heard me say what my positions are,” Mr Christie said on Saturday. “So for me and this Commonwealth of The Bahamas, I say to God be the glory.

“The government of The Bahamas, twinned with the opposition party of The Bahamas, at every step of the way we agreed together on matters. Then we brought to the church, the whole

church and gave the full church an opportunity to sit in a room with us to make whatever observations they wanted,” he added.

“I have taken this opportunity to urge all citizens regardless of political or religious persuasion to vote ‘yes’ to all four amendments in the interest of deepening our traditional democracy, ensuring equal rights for all, strengthening of families and the realisation of our full potential as a progressive nation through the exercise of our God-given rights.”

The Christie administration has endured heavycriticism for its handling of the referendum to date.

Opponents of a ‘yes’ vote have pointed to flaws in the wording of the amendments, particularly as it relates to bill four.

Mr Christie has gone on the defensive on several occasions to defend the constitutional bills, at times making his frustrations with the ordeal known to members of the press.

Early last month, Mr Christie insisted that samesex marriage would never happen in The Bahamas

during his lifetime, adding that he was “almost embarrassed by” this line of thinking over the referendum.

His statement came as debate raged over the implications of bill four, which some have said would open the door to same-sex union within The Bahamas.

On Saturday, Mr Christie addressed the conjecture surrounding the four constitutional bills, highlighting that they were “simply calculated to ensure that our sons and our daughters share equally under rights in our Constitution.”

Advance polls for the referendum commenced last Monday across the country and at various international locations.

Last week, Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall said only 43 per cent of the people eligible to vote in the advance poll in New Providence turned up.

PAGE 6, Monday, June 6, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Moss: ‘No’ campaign should have been funded

By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter rrolle@tribunemedia.net LOCAL pastor Rev CB Moss said he does not support any of the constitutional referendum bills, adding his voice to the momentum behind the vote ‘no’ campaign.

In a recent statement, Rev Moss also said he rejects the idea that the bills are “gender equality bills,” saying the first three proposed amendments are citizenship matters and the fourth bill “is about sex.”

“Citizenship is the greatest gift that a country can bestow upon an individual and it must not be awarded casually. Citizenship must be strongly desired by the applicant, and well deserved, based upon loyalty, commitment, and contribution to The Bahamas,” he said.

Rev Moss said he does not support constitutional entitlements to citizenship through marriage or dual citizenships.

“The subject of Bahamian citizenship, who should get it and under what conditions, should be a topic of national discussion, including the thousands of persons born in The Bahamas since 1973 to non-Bahamian parents,” he said.

He also thinks the fourth bill would provide a back door to same sex-marriages, even though the government has repeatedly said this concern is baseless.

“From all that I have read and all that I have heard, there is no doubt in my mind that the passage of bill number four will provide the basis for a successful legal challenge to the current marriage law,” he said.

Rev Moss criticised the government for “forcing” the ‘yes’ message on Bahamians while excluding supporters of a ‘no’ vote.

“Public funding should have been made available to those opposed to the government’s position as well as supporters of the ‘yes’ position,” he said.

Meanwhile, last week, Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson shot down assertions that the impending referendum is unnecessary.

Responding to claims

VOTE No campaigners taking part in the Labour Day parade in downtown Nassau. that ordinary legislation is Court of Appeal President not to be discriminated sufficient to address current Dame Joan Sawyer stressed against. That suggestion is inequities in citizenship that the government could incorrect,” Mrs Maynardmatters, Mrs Maynard- make the necessary chang- Gibson said.

“It is important to unGibson, QC, said that legis- es proposed by the referenderstand the facts and the lation cannot offer the same dum without a public vote.

Dame Joan was also ada- law. The Constitution is the guarantees that would be entrenched in constitution- mant that the Christie ad- supreme law of the land. It ministration is using the up- takes precedence over any al provisions.

She further urged citizens coming gender equality vote other law. The provisions to be cautious about misin- as a “ruse” to implement which treat men and women formation and legal distor- lesbian, gay, bisexual and differently with respect to tions in the days leading up transgender rights in order citizenship rights and freeto conform to international dom from discrimination to the June 7 vote. are entrenched provisions She said, in a press state- human rights policies.

“There has been a sugges- in our Constitution. They ment, that this is the time for sober and dispassionate tion that the constitutional can only be changed by a reflection about what Baha- referendum is not neces- constitutional referendum.

“Put another way, if we mians want the Constitu- sary, and that ordinary legtion to reflect regarding the islation is sufficient to ad- want our sons and daughability of men and women dress current inequities in ters to be guaranteed equal to enjoy equal rights under our country between men rights under the law with reand women with respect spect to citizenship and the the law.

This comes after former to citizenship and the right right not to be discriminat-

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff ed against, those rights must were drafted after an exbe written into the Consti- traordinary period of contution and entrenched at sultation with legal and oththe highest levels. Ordinary er experts. The lawyers who legislation can be passed by drafted them did so with Parliament, and it can also great precision, and with the be changed, as it often is, by benefit of hindsight from a simple majority in Parlia- the earlier process. They ment. Ordinary legislation did so in a way that would cannot offer the same guar- ensure that men and women antees as entrenched con- have equal rights under the stitutional provisions.” law as citizens of the BahaShe added: “It is the na- mas. They also did so in a ture of a Constitution to re- way that provides new conflect and protect a nation’s stitutional protections for most fundamental values. our law that says marriage That is why our Constitution must be between a man says that the state may never and a woman. Hundreds of treat citizens differently be- information sessions have cause of the colour of their been held across The Bahaskin, or because of their reli- mas so that Bahamians can gion, or their political views. see for themselves the text “The proposed amend- of the Constitution and the ments to the Constitution proposed changes.”

BISHOP ACCUSES MITCHELL OF BULLYING AND DECEPTION

By SANCHESKA BROWN Tribune Staff Reporter sbrown@tribunemedia.net

BISHOP Walter Hanchell has accused Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell of “bullying, deceiving, and demeaning” anyone who opposes the constitutional

referendum.

Bishop Hanchell, chairman of the group Citizens for Justice, said proponents of the ‘no’ vote have been called ignorant, stupid, unchristian and homophobic just for “having a difference of opinion”.

“Now Fred Mitchell has said that pastors who op-

pose these wicked bills are frightening and deceiving people as if people do not have a mind of their own to choose,” Bishop Hanchell said in a statement.

However, he accused the YES Bahamas campaign of “deception” and attempting to “brainwash the weak among us” through its fre-

quent television and radio ads.

“Rather than attack the gatekeepers of our nation, Mr Mitchell needs to stop bullying, deceiving and demeaning those who have a right to disagree with these bills placed before the Bahamian voters,” the statement said.

“This is the same Fred Mitchell who in 2002 angrily told Bahamians to vote ‘no’ in the gender equality referendum because Article 15 ensures that men and women are equal and the referendum is unnecessary.

If it was true then, it is true now.”

Bishop Hanchell also rejected that claim that women in The Bahamas do not have equal rights and also said that “most women” do not want to be equal to men.

“Nobody can honestly say that women in The Bahamas do not have equal rights as men. To the contrary, our laws favour women in this area. There is absolutely nothing a woman cannot do or have in The Bahamas that is available to men,” he said.

“The playing field has already been levelled.

Women are equal with men but function in a different role. While certain coun-

tries have promoted general equality, gender neutrality has evolved. Most women do not want to lose their difference and in The Bahamas, most women value the headship of men, not the dominance and do not want to be like a man as clearly communicated by Dame Joan Sawyer.”

Last Wednesday, Mr Mitchell spoke out against religious leaders opposing the four referendum bills, claiming that their “deceptive campaign” against the gender equality vote is “a sin”.

He also insisted that some pastors are using “false stories” to frighten Bahamians into voting against their “own interest”.

The Fox Hill MP implored his constituents to vote “yes” to all four questions on the ballot, asserting that success of the referendum would be in the best interest of all Bahamians.

THE STORIES BEHIND THE NEWS

Let your

MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

insight@tribunemedia.net

voice be heard Malcolm J Strachan urges Bahamians to ignore the fear, bigotry and hatred swirling around the Constitutional Referendum

I

n the final days and hours before tomorrow’s gender equality referendum, rumours are spreading like wildfire.

Some say there is a hidden agenda to bring gay rights to the Bahamas in order to ease international pressures. Others believe the government has secretly switched the order of the Bills to confuse voters. The political voices are shouting over each other and with such noise it can be hard to separate reality from fiction.

We owe it to ourselves and our young democracy to take a step back and calmly examine the reality of what these bills will do and who they are for.

No hidden agenda The idea of a hidden agenda has been particularly prevalent in recent days, with this theory gaining backing from such voices as Dame Joan Sawyer. But those who believe this rumour seem to forget the lengthy process that brought us to this point.

The Constitutional Commission, which had members appointed by both political parties, worked for years to gain consensus and accommodate different views and concerns. They conducted literally hundreds of public meetings and information sessions before and after the bills passed in Parliament. The process has been transparent and collaborative from the start, and in the words of Barrington H Brennen, “the bills position the Bahamas as a constitutionally balanced nation”.

Support In order for there be a hidden agenda behind these amendments, either the many leaders who have endorsed the bills are all in on the conspiracy, or some of our finest legal and religious minds have had the wool pulled over their eyes.

The list of those who support the referendum is extensive, including Founding Fathers Sir Arthur Foulkes and Sir Orville Turnquest, the College of The Bahamas, Former Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett, Thomas Evans QC, Alfred Sears QC, Wayne Munroe, QC, Fred Smith, QC, Archbishop Patrick Pinder of the Roman Catholic Church, Bishop Laish Boyd of the Anglican Communion, Reverend Dr William Thompson of the National Baptist denomination, Bishop Neil Ellis of the Global United Fellowship, and Bishop Franklin Ferguson of the Church of God of Prophecy. Regardless of whether voters support these bills on their merits, do we really think all these individuals are behind the same conspiracy?

No changes to the order of the Bills The concern about changing the order of the amendments is a ludicrous last ditch effort at creating controversy where none exists and is very, very easy to

clear up. It is a matter of law that the amendments must go before the people in the same order and language as they passed through both Houses of Parliament. We will vote on exactly the same Bills that were passed unanimously in Parliament in February.

For the unconvinced, the simple solution is for voters to take a moment to study the text of the amendments so that they can adequately vote on the question at hand regardless of the order they are presented. The full text of the amendments is reprinted here and they can also be found on the Constitutional Commission’s website, constitutionalcommission.com.

Simply summarised, the first three Bills would change the Constitution so that Bahamian men and women would have the right to share citizenship with their family members in the same way. The fourth bill would give Bahamian men and women the right to be treated equally under our nation’s laws. Nothing more, nothing less.

Bill 4 = Equality There is much anxiety that the fourth Bill will open a door to same-sex marriage. These fears are rooted in a desire to protect our small, Christian country from an outside culture and way of living. This is a reasonable concern as the world around us is changing rapidly, in ways many Bahamians are not ready to accept onto our shores.

However, in this case the concerns are unfounded and, in fact, this change does more to protect our Christian values than leaving it the way it is.

Many legal scholars say that if Bill 4 does not pass, we can expect to see one day a challenge to our current marriage law based on the word “sex” in Article 15. If Bill 4 does pass, we will have given new protection to our marriage law, by defining “sex” for the first time in the Constitution, to mean “male or female”, so that no judge could ever decide to define “sex” as “sexual orientation”. And by putting the word “sex” in Article 26, instead of just leaving it by itself in Article 15, we activate the special protection for marriage that exists in Article 26(4)(c).

Bill 4 adds two new forms of Constitutional protection for traditional marriage in the Bahamas, a fact those against the referendum seem to have conveniently forgotten.

This ‘issue’ over Bill 4 was also addressed by the Prime Minister. Perry Christie said he understood the concern about same-sex marriage, but as a lawyer for more than 40 years, he would not be supporting the bill if it would lead to same-sex marriages in the Bahamas.

“I don’t believe in it,” Mr Christie said, “and my government doesn’t believe in it so it’s nonsense to speak about backdoor entry to same-sex marriage. My government has gone to great lengths to ensure that a yes vote would mean ex-

“I don’t believe in it and my government doesn’t believe in it so it’s nonsense to speak about backdoor entry to same-sex marriage.

My government has gone to great lengths to ensure that a yes vote would mean exactly what we say, a move to ensure that our sons and daughters are equal in the eyes of the Constitution.”

- Prime Minister Perry Christie

THE WORDING OF THE FOUR BILLS IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM Bill 1: Approval of alteration to Article 8 and the repeal of Article 9 of the Constitution.

Do you approve of The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2014?

Under the proposed change to the Constitution, a child born outside of The Bahamas would, after the coming into operation of this amendment, become a Bahamian citizen at birth if either its mother or father is a citizen of The Bahamas by birth.

Yes [ ] No [ ] Bill 2: Approval of alteration to Article 10 of the Constitution.

Do you approve of The Constitution (Amendment) (No 2) Bill, 2014?

Under this proposed change to the Constitution, the foreign spouse of a Bahamian citizen would, after the coming into operation of this Article, be entitled to apply for and obtain citizenship subject to satisfying: (i) existing national security or public policy considerations; and (ii) new provisions guarding against marriages of convenience.

Yes [ ] No [ ] Bill 3: Approval of alteration to Article 14 of the Constitution.

Do you approve of The Constitution (Amendment) (No 3) Bill, 2014?

Under this proposed change to the Constitution, a Bahamian father of a person born out wedlock after the coming into operation of this amendment would be able to pass his citizenship to that person subject to legal proof that he is the father.

Yes [ ] No [ ] Bill 4: Approval of alteration to Article 26 of the Constitution.

Do you approve of The Constitution (Amendment) (No 4) Bill, 2014?

Under this proposed change to the Constitution, it would be unlawful to discriminate based on “sex”, which would be defined as “being male or female”.

Yes [ ] No [ ]

actly what we say, a move to ensure that our sons and daughters are equal in the eyes of the Constitution.”

Politics For all the politicisation and rhetoric that has been swirling around us in recent weeks, it can be tempting to vote no to teach politicians a lesson. But we should not forget the many Bahamian families whose lives will be affected by these bills. Our country’s leaders will be fine no matter the outcome of tomorrow’s vote. But for the children who cannot claim Bahamian citizenship or the women who cannot pass citizenship to their spouses simply because they are women, there is much at stake.

This should have been the overriding concern for the Leader of the Opposition over the last few weeks as well. After having publicly voted in favour of the Bills in Parliament, Dr Hubert Minnis now appears to be wavering, attempting to use ‘sleight of hand’ tactics to quietly promote a ‘No Vote’ for political purposes. We know Dr Minnis may well be in his last days as Leader of the Opposition, but he should at the very least embrace this opportunity to be on the right side of history for equal rights amongst men and women.

The Bahamian people expect and demand leaders who will stick by their word, and stand when it matters.

It’s easy to run and hide from the tough fight - but you must stand, even if you stand alone.

The MP for Long Island, Loretta Butler-Turner signifies this courage that the people need. “This referen-

dum is a test to our commitment to freedom and equality,” she said. “The notion that question 4 is somehow a pathway to same-sex marriage is indeed a red herring. It is plainly wrong.”

Vote Yes for our future In closing we would like to now turn our attention to the most important voices in this entire matter - yours, the voter. It is time to close our minds to the fearful rhetoric surrounding us and learn why these Bills matter. As discussed, all four Bills have received wide support from political and religious leaders throughout this country. Tonight, some of those religious leaders will be in Rawson Square to speak with regular Bahamians and address why they support the bills.

If you are unsure of how to vote, we encourage you to make your way there and speak with the likes of Bishop Ross Davis, Father D’Angelo Palacious, Reverend Kenris Carey and others.

We must not let fear, bigotry and hatred cripple us into non action. On Tuesday, vote not out of a sense of fear or frustration, but out of a sense of support for the many Bahamians whose lives will be affected by these bills. Vote for your sons and daughters. Vote for yourself. Vote for your future. Vote for a Bahamas in which men and women are equal.

• Comments and responses to insight@tribunemedia. net

PAGE 2 MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

Questions of reform and constant review

U

P to writing this piece last night whilst in Long Island, I remained undecided about whether I would entirely support the government’s proposed Constitutional Referendum and continued to read the arguments of both the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ campaigns, the Constitutional Commission’s report and the related legal authorities that could provide further elucidation of the issues. I have now decided.

Unfortunately, Tuesday’s constitutional referendum has become deeply mired in the political and historical hangovers and jostling from the failed 2002 referendum.

Over the last few months, I have heard arguments ranging from Bill #4 being advanced to “backdoor in same-sex marriages” to persons expressing feelings that if Bill #2 is passed, “foreign men will come into The Bahamas, marry our women, get citizenship off of them, kick them in their (expletive) and then bring in the woman who they truly love, only to give her and their children citizenship.”

Sadly, the government has not dispelled such feelings among the populace. I have listened to many in Long Island and I have been told, by a ratio of 5 to 1, that folks are voting no on Tuesday or not voting at all. Due to the government’s failure to be more tolerant, inclusive of opposing views and their failure to include a Bill #5, as suggested by the Constitutional Commission, there is the chance that the referendum will go up in smoke.

Indeed, we need to eliminate all forms of discrimination from our Constitution - the supreme law of the land. In 2002, an effort that was voted on by all Parliamentarians sought to do so. However that was subsequently torpedoed by the Progressive Liberal Party, who sought to gain political mileage leading into the general election.

‘

Adrian Gibson explains why his desire for equality in The Bahamas overrides his misgivings about some of the referendum bills

I had just entered college before that referendum and I recall much of the narrative that was heavily weighted with the language we see being used today, from “Haitians will come and breed up our women” to “Englishmen will come, sex our women, get citizenship and then bring in their true loves” to “the government is trying to promote sissying”, and so on.

Yes, Bahamians are honestly - xenophobic, anti-gay and there is a very deep religious/conservative movement. Combined with the failed gambling referendum and the government’s disregard of the people’s vote and a belief that this government is dishonest, disingenuous and untrustworthy in its proclamations to the Bahamian people unless we have a moral purgation by Tuesday - these Bills could fail. The Bills won’t fail because they are wrong, but because of what I have just stated.

Just as I’ve done previously, I spoke to several women and men this week and more women than men have told me that they will vote no.

Much of the prejudices we see today are deeply rooted and, in many ways, relate to the reality of life in The Bahamas where the vast majority of children are born out of wedlock (among other social issues).

Let me say that whatever changes are made relative to the removal of discrimination from the Constitution, the government needs to constantly and consistently clarify - along with the Church - that there is absolutely no chance of samesex marriages occurring in this country due to any constitutional changes.

People are very, very con-

Whatever changes are made relative to the removal of discrimination from the Constitution, the government needs to constantly and consistently clarify - along with the Church - that there is absolutely no chance of same-sex marriages occurring in this country due to any constitutional changes. People are very, very concerned about that.’

cerned about that.

According to Prime Minister Perry Christie, the four Bills represented the first round of constitutional reform. He asserted that the Bills are bound by a common thread: the need to institute full equality between men and women in matters of citizenship and, more broadly, to eliminate discrimination in the Bahamas based on sex.

The first bill proposed would enable a child born outside The Bahamas to a married Bahamian woman to have automatic Bahamian citizenship at birth.

Presently, only those born in another country to a Bahamian father are able to take automatically Bahamian status, but not if the father is non-Bahamian and the mother is Bahamian.

Both Mr Christie and Constitutional Commission Chairman Sean McWeeney said the change will not operate retroactively. The government will grant Bahamian citizenship to all applicants born abroad after July 9, 1973 - and before the law changes to a Bahamian-born mother and non-Bahamian father, subject to the exceptions and in accordance with procedures already prescribed by law. I support Bill #1. Fully.

No child or Bahamian woman should be unfairly discriminated against because they were born to a foreign father and/or because they fell in love with a foreign man and had a child. If I - if married to a foreign woman - could now automatically pass on my citizenship, per the Constitution, to a child born outside The Bahamas I would expect that Bahamian women married to foreign men and giving birth to children outside The Bahamas should be able to do the same. There is no debate about that.

The second bill enables a Bahamian woman who marries a foreign man to secure for him the same access to Bahamian citizenship that a Bahamian man has always enjoyed under the Constitution in relation to his foreign spouse. The bill contains provisions de-

PRIME Minister Perry Christie at the Yes Campaign launch ahead of the constitutional referendum.

Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff signed to ensure foreigners, male or female, who enter into bogus marriages with Bahamian citizens, will not be assisted by this constitutional change.

A foreign spouse who wants to acquire Bahamian citizenship based on marriage to a Bahamian will not be eligible for the constitutional change if they are no longer married to a Bahamian, if they are married but have no intention of living with the Bahamian spouse, or if it can be shown that the foreign spouse only married the Bahamian to access Bahamian citizenship. In all these cases, Bahamian citizenship applications will be denied.

In the US, there are two classes of citizenship: birth right citizenship and naturalised citizenship. The latter carry certain limitations. Thus far, I have heard no limitations proposed with respect to citizenship to be acquired by Bill #2.

The same should apply to circumstances where men also marry foreign women.

Today, I have not heard the government espouse any limitations.

The US constitution clearly states, at Article Two, that: “No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United

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States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.”

In this instance, the Americans have clearly reserved positions within government - such as the Presidency and Vice Presidency - for natural born citizens.

If the Speaker of the House is a naturalised citizen, he according to their Presidential Succession Act - will be passed over.

I have heard the argument that foreign nationals could seek political office and become elected, even eventually become Prime Minister in The Bahamas.

Whilst I think that a naturalised citizen becoming Prime Minister is unlikely, the government ought to have dispelled such fears by proposing legislation that specifically addresses such concerns. As it stands, the government can only rely upon the notion that Bahamian MPs would nix such an occurrence from ever happening.

In the United States, naturalised citizens can are free to reside and work, free to enter and leave the country, vote, stand for public office (except those specifically restricted), be called to sit on juries, participate in the military, pay taxes, invest in real property without triggering the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act and/or associated taxes, transfer US citizenship to children born abroad, are protected from deportation and so on. It is likely that many of the aforesaid conditions are already applicable in the Bahamas and will now be extended to the spouses of Bahamian women.

Whilst I have certain reservations and would require the Department of Immigration to engage in thorough due diligence exercises, I am confident that women should have the same rights much as a man already does.

The government should also take account of the political concerns of Bahamians.

I also believe that men and women seeking citizenship upon marriage should satisfy certain set requirements, namely that they have been permanent residents for a number of years, married to a Bahamian citizen for about ten years, must be of good moral character, of sound mind and able to pass citizenship exams.

Given the above, and my fundamental belief in equality, I will support Bill #2.

The third bill seeks to remediate the one area of the Constitution that discriminates against men based on

gender. Presently, an unmarried Bahamian father cannot pass his citizenship to a child born to a foreign woman. The bill will give an unwed Bahamian father the same right to pass citizenship to his child that a Bahamian woman has always had under the Constitution in relation to a child born to her out of wedlock. However, proof of paternity by one of the methods prescribed by law is required.

I wholeheartedly support Bill #3. I am so overjoyed to see this bill being proposed as many fathers have suffered inequalities due to the Constitution being discriminatory to men in this regard.

The final bill will end discrimination based on sex.

This involves the insertion of the word “sex” in Article 26 of the Constitution to make it unconstitutional to discriminate based on whether someone is male or female.

It makes clear that the existing exceptions will continue to apply. In particular, same-sex marriages will remain unlawful as prescribed under the Matrimonial Causes Act. I have tossed and turned about this bill.

Talk of same-sex marriage and rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community have come to define the debate about the referendum. Government officials and organisers of the Yes Bahamas campaign have pushed back against this narrative, stressing that tomorrow’s vote is about equal rights for men and women in the Constitution.

I am concerned that the government failed to heed the Constitutional Commission’s recommendation to include a restriction to guard against same-sex marriage, one that reads “paragraph 1 of this Article shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provisions - (f) for prohibiting same-sex marriage or rendering the same void or unlawful.” If the government had heeded this request, we would not see much of the political and religious pushback that we are now experiencing and that could possibly cause Bill #4 to be defeated.

I cannot and do not support same-sex marriage in any way. In fact, I am one of those persons who would vehemently fight against any attempt to bring about same-sex marriage in this country.

That said, I can appreciate that Bill #4 seeks to eliminate discrimination between men and women in our Constitution.

I am a supporter of equality for men and women across the board. Given that, I will support Bill #4.

We will see what the final verdict is tomorrow.

Comments and responses to ajbahama@hotmail.com

MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016 PAGE 3

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

Yes Bahamas co-chairs urge readers to support equality in referendum Yes Bahamas co-chairs Lady Sharon Wilson and Lynn Holowesko have sent an open letter to their fellow Bahamians on the eve of the Constitutional Referendum ON the eve of this momentous referendum, we write to you filled with hope and encouragement.

Over the last six weeks, we have had the opportunity to travel the length and breadth of The Bahamas - from Cat Island to Grand Bahama - carrying the message of fairness and progress. We are hopeful because in our engagement with Bahamians we have seen the fear of what this referendum might mean transform into understanding the possibilities of a more equitable future. We are encouraged because we have also seen Bahamians from all walks of life join in support of strengthening Bahamian families and ending discrimination based on sex in our nation’s supreme law.

We are blessed to live in a sovereign democratic country where every citizen has the right to speak their mind and to vote their conscience. Unfortunately, some have used this right to

YES Campaign co-chair Sharon Wilson with Prime Minister Perry Christie. spin a tale of hidden agen- partisan politics. das, deception and disenTwo framers of our franchisement - attempting Constitution, Sir Orville to displace the real purpose Turnquest and Sir Arthur of this referendum.

Foulkes, stated that they Today we stand together were “proud that the Conacross party lines - as we stitution we helped to create have throughout the en- in 1972 prohibits laws which tirety of this campaign - to discriminate on the basis of assure the Bahamian peo- race or religion; now this ple unequivocally that there right to non-discrimination is no hidden agenda. We must be extended to Bastand together because the hamian men and women.” real issues at the core of this With each vote Bahamians referendum - stronger Ba- cast on June 7, we have the hamian families, equality opportunity to continue the under the law for men and project of nation-building women, for our sons and and further fulfil the promdaughters - is bigger than ise set out in the preamble

of our Constitution - an affirmation of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, now without concern for whether that individual is male or female.

Voting yes to Amendment 1 gives Bahamian women the same right as Bahamian men to pass citizenship to their child born abroad, when the other parent is not Bahamian. Many of us know children who are not Bahamian because their mothers, for any number of reasons, were abroad when they were born. Some of these mothers were working in one of our embassies abroad, or getting an education in another country, or receiving health care with a specialist.

These women were unable to pass their citizenship to their children because of where they gave birth.

They are often surprised when they come home to learn that their children have no rights and no status in The Bahamas.

At this moment, the foreign husband of a Bahamian woman cannot apply for citizenship. Voting yes to Amendment 2 will allow the foreign husband of a Bahamian woman to apply for citizenship using the same process as a foreign

wife of a Bahamian man.

Citizenship is not automatic - the couple must reside together as husband and wife for at least ten years before the husband would even be considered for citizenship.

And a new law was passed just last year to make participating in a fraudulent marriage a crime, punishable by fines and jail time.

Bill 3 would result in a new right for men. Right now, citizenship for children whose parents are not married comes from the mother only. Voting yes on Amendment 3 will allow a Bahamian father to also pass citizenship to his child born out of wedlock - if he can prove he is the father.

Because of misinformation, many people wonder if Bill 4 would open a door to same-sex marriage. If you look at the Constitution, you can see why the opposite is actually true.

The word “sex” is already in our Constitution, in Article 15, but there is nothing in the Constitution that defines it. As it exists now, an activist judge could decide that “sex” not only means whether you are male or female, but that it also refers to sexual orientation.

By voting yes to Amend-

ment 4, a judge would be forced to use the definition “male or female”. And under our law, whether you are male or female is established by your birth certificate, not the clothes you wear or any changes you make to your body.

Also, Amendment 4 would put the word “sex” in Article 26 - and here’s what’s important about that: Article 26(4)(c) offers special protection to the institution of marriage. That means that The Matrimonial Causes Act, which says that marriage in The Bahamas must be between one man and one woman in order to be legal, will receive new protection if Amendment 4 is passed.

It has been a great honour to engage Bahamians on these issues and to advocate for what we believe is an important step forward for our nation. We urge all voters not to be guided by fear but by facts, and to think carefully about not only the vote you will cast, but also the people it will affect. We pray for God’s continued blessing over this democratic and peaceful process and we look forward to a more just Bahamas where equal rights are shared by all.

WHERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE - A LIST BY POLLING DIVISION NEW PROVIDENCE Bain & Grants Town 1 College of the Bahamas 2 College of the Bahamas 3 CR Walker Secondary School, Blue Hill Road 4 College of the Bahamas 5 College of the Bahamas 6 CR Walker Secondary School, Blue Hill Road 7 CR Walker Secondary School, Blue Hill Road 8 CR Walker Secondary School, Blue Hill Road 9 CR Walker Secondary School, Blue Hill Road 10 College of the Bahamas 11 College of the Bahamas 12 CR Walker Secondary School, Blue Hill Road 13 College of the Bahamas 14 CR Walker Secondary School, Blue Hill Road Bamboo Town 1 Prince Williams High School, Cowpen Road 2 Carleton Francis Primary School, Seven Hills 3 Carleton Francis Primary School, Seven Hills 4 Prince Williams High School, Cowpen Road 5 Prince Williams High School, Cowpen Road 6 Prince Williams High School, Cowpen Road 7 Prince Williams High School, Cowpen Road 8 Prince Williams High School, Cowpen Road 9 Carleton Francis Primary School, Seven Hills 10 Prince Williams High School, Cowpen Road 11 Carleton Francis Primary School, Seven Hills 12 Carleton Francis Primary School, Seven Hills 13 Carleton Francis Primary School, Seven Hills 14 Carleton Francis Primary School, Seven Hills Carmichael 1-14 Gerald Cash Primary School, Flamingo Gardens Centreville 1 Columbus Primary School, Collins Ave & Wulff Road 2 Columbus Primary School, Collins Ave & Wulff Road 3 Columbus Primary School, Collins Ave & Wulff Road 4 Columbus Primary School, Collins Ave & Wulff Road 5 Centreville Primary, Collins Ave 6 Columbus Primary School, Collins Ave & Wulff Road 7 Columbus Primary School, Collins Ave & Wulff Road 8 Centreville Primary, Collins Ave. 9 Centreville Primary, Collins Ave. 10 Centreville Primary, Collins Ave. 11 Columbus Primary School, Collins Ave & Wulff Road 12 Centreville Primary, Collins Ave 13 Centreville Primary, Collins Ave 14 Centreville Primary, Collins Ave Elizabeth 1-12 Thelma Gibson Primary, Elizabeth Estates Englerston 1 Ridgeland Primary School, Ridgeland Park West 2 RM Bailey Senior High, Robinson Road 3 RM Bailey Senior High, Robinson Road

4 Ridgeland Primary School, Ridgeland Park West 5 Ridgeland Primary School, Ridgeland Park West 6 RM Bailey Senior High, Robinson Road 7 RM Bailey Senior High, Robinson Road 8 Ridgeland Primary School, Ridgeland Park West 9 Ridgeland Primary School, Ridgeland Park West 10 RM Bailey Senior High, Robinson Road 11 RM Bailey Senior High, Robinson Road 12 RM Bailey Senior High, Robinson Road 13 RM Bailey Senior High, Robinson Road 14 Ridgeland Primary School, Ridgeland Park West Fort Charlotte 1 CC Sweeting High School, College Ave. 2 St Francis Joseph Primary School, Boyd Road 3 St Francis Joseph Primary School, Boyd Road 4 St Francis Joseph Primary School, Boyd Road 5 CC Sweeting High School, College Ave. 6 CC Sweeting High School, College Ave. 7 CC Sweeting High School, College Ave. 8 St Francis Joseph Primary School, Boyd Road 9 CC Sweeting High School, College Ave. 10 St Francis Joseph Primary School, Boyd Road 11 St Francis Joseph Primary School, Boyd Road 12 CC Sweeting High School, College Ave. 13 CC Sweeting High School, College Ave. Fox Hill 1 Sandilands Primary, Bernard Road 2 St Augustine’s College, Bernard Road 3 St Augustine’s College, Bernard Road 4 St Augustine’s College, Bernard Road 5 Sandilands Primary, Bernard Road 6 Sandilands Primary, Bernard Road 7 Sandilands Primary, Bernard Road 8 Sandilands Primary, Bernard Road 9 St Augustine’s College, Bernard Road 10 St Augustine’s College, Bernard Road 11 St Augustine’s College, Bernard Road Garden Hills 1 SC McPherson, Blue Hill 2 AF Adderley, Blue Hill 3 SC McPherson, Blue Hill 4 SC McPherson, Blue Hill 5 SC McPherson, Blue Hill 6 SC McPherson, Blue Hill 7 AF Adderley, Blue Hill 8 AF Adderley, Blue Hill 9 AF Adderley, Blue Hill 10 SC McPherson, Blue Hill 11 SC McPherson, Blue Hill 12 AF Adderley, Blue Hill 13 AF Adderley, Blue Hill Golden Gates 1-14 Carmichael Primary, Carmichael Road Golden Isles 1-13 Anatole Rodgers High School, Faith Gardens South

Killarney 1 St Paul’s Catholic Church, Lyford 2 HO Nash Secondary School, Dolphin Drive 3 HO Nash Secondary School, Dolphin Drive 4 St Paul’s Catholic Church, Lyford 5 HO Nash Secondary School, Dolphin Drive 6 HO Nash Secondary School, Dolphin Drive 7 HO Nash Secondary School, Dolphin Drive 8 HO Nash Secondary School, Dolphin Drive 9 HO Nash Secondary School, Dolphin Drive 10 St Paul’s Catholic Church, Lyford 11 HO Nash Secondary School, Dolphin Drive 12 Gambier Primary, Gambier Village 13 HO Nash Secondary School, Dolphin Drive Marathon 1 Claridge Primary School, Claridge Road 2 Claridge Primary School, Claridge Road 3 Claridge Primary School, Claridge Road 4 Claridge Primary School, Claridge Road 5 CI Gibson High School, Marathon Road 6 CI Gibson High School, Marathon Road 7 CI Gibson High School, Marathon Road 8 Claridge Primary School, Claridge Road 9 CI Gibson High School, Marathon Road 10 CI Gibson High School, Marathon Road 11 CI Gibson High School, Marathon Road 12 CI Gibson High School, Marathon Road 13 CI Gibson High School, Marathon Road Montagu 1 Palmdale Primary School, Bradley Street 2 Queen’s College 3 Queen’s College 4 Queen’s College 5 Palmdale Primary School, Bradley Street 6 Palmdale Primary School, Bradley Street 7 Palmdale Primary School, Bradley Street 8 Palmdale Primary School, Bradley Street 9 Queen’s College 10 Palmdale Primary School, Bradley Street 11 Queen’s College 12 St Matthew’s Church Hall, Church Street 13 Queen’s College 14 Queen’s College Mount Moriah 1 St John’s College, Bishop Drive 2 St John’s College, Bishop Drive 3 St John’s College, Bishop Drive 4 St John’s College, Bishop Drive 5 Government High School 6 Government High School 7 St John’s College, Bishop Drive 8 Government High School 9 Government High School 10 Government High School 11 St John’s College, Bishop Drive

Eldon Eldon Eldon Eldon

Eldon

Eldon

12 Government High School 13 Government High School 14 Government High School Nassau Village 1 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Saunders Highway 2 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Saunders Highway 3 BTVI, Old Trail Road 4 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Saunders Highway 5 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Saunders Highway 6 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Saunders Highway 7 BTVI, Old Trail Road 8 BTVI, Old Trail Road 9 BTVI, Old Trail Road 10 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Saunders Highway 11 BTVI, Old Trail Road 12 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Saunders Highway 13 BTVI, Old Trail Road 14 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Saunders Highway

Charles Charles Charles Charles Charles

Charles Charles Charles

Pinewood 1 CV Bethel High School, East Street South 2 CV Bethel High School, East Street South 3 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Charles Saunders Highway 4 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Charles Saunders Highway 5 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Charles Saunders Highway 6 CV Bethel High School, East Street South 7 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Charles Saunders Highway 8 CV Bethel High School, East Street South 9 CV Bethel High School, East Street South 10 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Charles Saunders Highway 11 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Charles Saunders Highway 12 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Charles Saunders Highway 13 Cleveland Eneas Primary, Charles Saunders Highway St Anne’s 1-13 St. Anne’s School, Fox Hill Road SeaBreeze 1-12 Sadie Curtis Primary School, Nassau Village South Beach 1 Bahamas Academy, Marshall Road 2 Bahamas Academy, Marshall Road 3 Bahamas Academy, Marshall Road 4 CV Bethel High School, East Street South 5 CV Bethel High School, East Street South 6 CV Bethel High School, East Street South 7 Bahamas Academy, Marshall Road 8 CV Bethel High School, East Street South 9 Bahamas Academy, Marshall Road 10 Bahamas Academy, Marshall Road 11 Bahamas Academy, Marshall Road 12 Bahamas Academy, Marshall Road Southern Shores 1-12 Garvin Tynes Primary School, Alexandria Blvd.

1-14 Road

Tall Pines Aquinas College, Gladstone

Yamacraw 1-13 St Andrew’s School, Yamacraw Road

Central Grand Bahama 1. Lewis Yard Primary 2. Bishop Michael Eldon School 3. Sister Mary Patricia Russell Junior High 4. Sister Mary Patricia Russell Junior High 5. Sister Mary Patricia Russell Junior High 6. Sister Mary Patricia Russell Junior High 7. Bishop Michael Eldon School 8. St George’s High School 9. St George’s High School 10.Bartlett Hill Primary School 11.St Vincent de Paul Catholic School 12.St George’s High School 13.St Vincent de Paul Catholic School 14.St George’s High School East Grand Bahama 1. Sweeting’s Cay Primary 2. High Rock Primary 3. Eric L Sam Centre Church of Ascension 4. Eric L Sam Centre Church of Ascension 5. Water Cay All Age School 6. McClean’s Town Primary 7. Freeport Primary 8. Maurice Moore Primary 9. Freeport Primary 10.Walter Parker Primary 11.Freeport Primary 12.Freeport Primary 13.Maurice Moore Primary 14.Maurice Moore Primary 15.Walter Parker Primary Marco City 1. Grand Bahama Church of 7th Day Adventists 2. Freeport Gospel Chapel School 3. Jack Hayward High School 4. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic School 5. Bishop Michael Eldon 6. Bishop Michael Eldon 7. Sunland Baptist Academy 8. Sunland Baptist Academy 9. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic School 10.Jack Hayward High School 11.Jack Hayward High School 12.Jack Hayward High School 13.Grand Bahama Church of 7th Day Adventists 14.Jack Hayward High School 15.Mary Star of the Sea Catholic School Pineridge 1. Hugh Campbell Primary 2. Foster Pestaina Centre Christ the King 3. Grand Bahama Catholic High School 4. Church of God Hawksbill 5. St Paul’s Methodist College 6. Grand Bahama Catholic High School 7. St Paul’s Methodist College 8. St Paul’s Methodist College 9. Central Church of God 10.Tabernacle Baptist Academy 11.Grand Bahama Catholic High School 12.Tabernacle Baptist Academy 13.Hugh Campbell Primary West Grand Bahama 1. West End Primary School 2. West End Primary School 3. West End Primary School 4. Holmes Rock Primary 5. Holmes Rock Primary 6. Martin Town Primary 7. Martin Town Primary 8. Louise McDonald High School 9. St Stephen’s Anglican Church Parish Hall 10.Roman Catholic Church Hall 11.Mt Zion Baptist Church

PAGE 4 MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2016

Today

EMAIL: insight@tribunemedia.net

THIS WEEK IN The Tribune

right the wrongs.

Insight - campaigners issue their final rallying calls for the gender equality referendum - plus a guide to where to cast your vote.

Plus the latest properties for sale and rent in the Home Buyers’ Guide.

Business - bureaucracy and red tape are strangling Bahamian businesses as government enhances rules on Tax Compliance Certificates. Neil Hartnell reports.

Woman and Health - weekly advice on taking care of your mind and body and women making waves in The Bahamas.

Sports - Brent Stubbs watches the Bahamas Davis Cup team takes shape after a long, hot day. Plus the night Father Time caught up with ‘The Greatest’.

A 16-page special section on the pain and heartbreak in inequality Bahamas and why the Constitutional Referendum is time to

World View

Tuesday

Plus comment from Nicole Burrows and sporting mischief and mayhem by Inigo “Naughty” Zenicazelaya.

Wednesday Reports, results and photographs from how The Bahamas voted in the Constitutional Referendum.

Tribune Tech - a weekly look at what’s new in the world of technology.

best in arts, music, fashion, food, books, entertainment, gardening, animal matters, fitness, history and interviews.

Plus Larry Smith’s forthright Tough Call column.

Sports - The Finish Line, a look at the local sports scene, by Brent Stubbs.

Thursday

Plus A Comic’s View - Naughty’s unique take on the week in The Bahamas.

Obituaries and Religion, a weekly review.

Young Man’s View - trenchant opinion from Adrian Gibson on the hot topics in the country.

‘On da Hook’, a weekly look at fishing in The Bahamas.

Friday Weekend - a 28-page section devoted to the

Saturday The Tribune’s Top 5: a special video review of the week’s top stories by Khrisna Virgil on www.tribune242.com.

Every day in The Tribune, news, business, sports and Classifieds Trader.

Plus breaking news and updates on your mobile-friendly tribune242.com

Haiti: No moving out and moving on

By SIR RONALD SANDERS

T

HERE is a certain illogic in the reaction of both the United Nations Secretary-General and the US State Department over the findings of a Haitian Verification Commission that evaluated the October 25, 2015, firstround general elections.

The Verification Commission (Cieve) presented a report on May 30 calling for the first-round elections to be scrapped and the elections redone because of what it concluded were widespread fraud and irregularities.

‘

Of course, no election will ever be accepted by every person who loses.

But, in this case, it is a verification committee that has rejected the validity of the first round. Its findings should not simply be dismissed so that a Haitian President can be elected, allowing external parties to move on.’

The UN Secretary-General expressed concern that “this situation has the potential to adversely affect international support to Haiti” and “reiterates the need for a democratically elected leadership to take on the growing socio-economic and humanitarian challenges the country faces”.

What this seems to suggest is that the UN Secretary-General wishes Haiti to ignore the findings of Cieve and to proceed with a second round of elections even though the first round is regarded as seriously flawed. It is an odd position for the UN Secretary-General to adopt, particularly as, in its world-wide position on elections, the UN insists on transparency and fairness in general elections as a basis for democracy.

On April 18, in a commentary entitled “No Quick Fix in Haiti”, I made the point that: “My concern for any President elected after a second round without verification of the first is that he will not command the respect and authority that validation will bestow.

Any President in Haiti who is not widely regarded as legitimately elected with a mandate to govern will not be able to hold the country together and to give it the

IN this May 14, 2016, file photo, a supporter of the PHTK presidential candidate Jovenel Moise holds up a handmade sign with a message that reads in Creole; “Deputies and senators the responsibility is yours” during a protest march demanding the resignation of interim President Jocelerme Privert in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. leadership it needs for very undoubtedly plunged the would be regarded as a ers, Jude Célestin of the tough choices that lie ahead. country into worse circum- sham.

Ligue Alternative Pour le In such circumstances, the stances than existed at the Normally, the UN would Progrés et l’Emancipation persistent poverty and un- time. During that mission, also be anxious to make Haïtienne (Lapeh) party. derdevelopment that has I met over 30 organisations sure that the validity of Mr Celestin chose not to plagued Haiti will deepen and individuals who are elections in any country is see the OAS team on the and the potential for politi- deeply involved in Haiti’s verified before proceeding basis of a continuing a myth cal conflict and civil strife political and economic af- any further. It is puzzling, that the OAS had helped fix will intensify”. I continue to fairs. Apart from Parti Haï- therefore, that there is a dif- the elections that produced hold to that position. tien Têt Kalé (PHTK), the ferent stance in relation to Michel Martelly as PresiI made that observation party of former president these elections in Haiti. dent in 2011. But, it is clear after having led a Special Michel Martelly, all parties Equally confusing is the that only a President elected Mission of the Organisation expressed deep misgivings position of the US State by a process - widely acceptof American States (OAS) about the first-round elec- Department, whose spokes- ed by the Haitian stakeholdto Haiti at the end of Janu- tions. It was clear to me man John Kirby said that ers - can command the supary/early February to help then that unless verification while the US recognises that port necessary to lead Haiti resolve a constitutional and of the first-round elections this is a Haitian-led process, through the many difficult political impasse that, with- confirmed its acceptability, “the longer it takes for Haiti conditions confronting it. out settlement, would have a second and final round to have a democratically Of course, no election will elected president, the long- ever be accepted by every er it’s going to take for the person who loses. But, in United States to consider this case, it is a verification new elements of partnership committee that has rejectin helping Haiti confront ed the validity of the first the mounting economic, cli- round. Its findings should mate and health challenges not simply be dismissed that they continue to face”. so that a President can be No one could disagree elected, allowing external with the importance of hav- parties to move on. For, in ing a democratically elected truth, they will not move on President in place. A “demo- if chaos is the consequence cratically elected President” is of a final election based on key to “taking on the growing a flawed first round. It is far socio-economic and humani- better that properly contarian challenges the country ducted and supervised new faces” as the UN Secretary- elections be held soon. To General puts it. But, that is do so, the election process the crux of the matter. Cieve’s in Haiti must be strengthconclusion that the first-round ened. The UN, the OAS elections were characterised and key governments in the by widespread fraud and ir- Americas, including those regularities means that the of the Caribbean Commuelection of a President on that nity (CARICOM) should basis will not be democratic. provide the Haitians with Further, it will be seen not the tools they need to do a to be democratic by a signifi- proper and effective job. cant section of the Haitian The provisional electoral community, particularly all council has said that a new but one of the many political electoral calendar will be parties capable of mobilising published today. The UN, demonstrations, civil strife or the OAS, CARICOM and worse. others should hold the Significantly, among the administration of the ingroups that did not dismiss terim President, Jocelerme the verification commis- Privert, and the electoral sion’s finding is Haiti’s pri- council to that date, and vate sector lobby, Forum to organising the new elecEconomique du Secteur tions as early as practicable.

Privé (Fesp), which hailed They should also provide Cieve’s “courage”. the technical and other asI hold no banner for any sistance that are required. of the political personalities The inter-American Comand parties, many of whom munity cannot move out my team and I met and held and move on. extensive discussions with.

Sir Ronald Sanders is Among them was Jovenel Antigua and Barbuda’s Moïse, of Parti Haïtien Têt Ambassador to the United Kalé (PHTK), who was deStates and the Organisaclared the front runner after tion of American States. the first-round elections. The views expressed are his The significant exception to own. Responses and previthose we met is one of the ous commentaries: www. main Presidential contendsirronaldsanders.com.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, June 6, 2016, PAGE 7

Activist visits community torn apart by murders

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net YOUTH leader Dudley Seide visited the Frobisher Circle area last week to speak with grieving families and residents after two young men of that community were killed within the past two months in suspected gang-related shootings.

Dexter Bellamy, 21, was killed on Saturday, May 28, in the area as he sat in a vehicle, and Tremecco “BamBam” Johnson, 20, also of Frobisher Circle, was killed in March at the Fish Fry in Smith’s Point.

The young men lived about 200ft away from each other.

“My heart is grieving (at the loss of our) young men,” said Mr Seide, of Reach Out Youth Organisation on Wednesday.

He runs a community centre that provides mentoring programmes for at risk young men.

“I knew both of them.

It is hurting and I cannot sleep…because some of these young men I took with me to Orlando… are dying and their families are grieving.”

Mr Seide and a group of concerned persons, including retired youth leader Terry Goldsmith, June Henderson, Pastor Tyrone Thomas and others went on a walkabout in the community.

Mr Seide stressed that

young men are being killed every day in the Bahamas.

“We cannot sit back anymore in this country, in Nassau and Grand Bahama, and watch these young people die on our streets and think it is okay. We need to come together – politicians, business persons, everyone - and solve this problem in our country now.”

Mr Seide said there must be a collective community effort with politicians, churches, parents, the corporate sector, and community leaders to address the problem.

“We must try and find a way to stop this murder spirit in the country. Here we have two young men who were in their 20s, and

two grieving mothers in this community. How can we sit back in our offices, in the churches, and in our homes and say it does not affect me? It affects all of us,” he said.

Terry Goldsmith, a wellknown youth leader in Grand Bahama, said everyone is pulling in different directions instead of coming together to address the problem.

“We got to come together; we have murders going on day by day and young people are dying…and all we do is complain about it. I am out here and the church, politicians, and other persons have got to come out here,” he said.

“We got to get off our

butts and say enough is enough. I have been in this country 50 years, I adopted the culture and I love the country, and I promised someone many years ago when I was 18 that I would make a difference in this world and I kept that promise. But now I am concerned, Bahamas enough is enough,” he said.

Pastor Tyrone Thomas, pastor of Freeport Great Faith Ministries, said they have been visiting the Garden Villas area, which is a known hot spot for criminal activities and where several murders have taken place.

He said Operation Take Back is making a difference in the area by empowering residents and uplifting the

spirit of the people.

“We want to change that ghetto stigma attached to this community,” he said.

“I feel the church can play a major role in uplifting and changing these communities – Garden Villas, Colony Club and Frobisher Circle.

“I am hurt by the murders of these two men who live in this area. We need to get to the root of the problems in these communities by sitting down with residents and talking to them and helping them,” he said.

Bellamy’s death marked the ninth murder for the year on Grand Bahama. Up to press time, the country had recorded 52 homicides this year.

SHOOTING VICTIM KILLED WHILE WAITING FOR HIS GIRLFRIEND

from page one

PRIME Minister Perry Christie flanked by Gerardo Capo, Tan Sri K T Lim and Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe in Bimini.

Photos: Peter Ramsay/BIS

BIMINI RESORT OPENING ‘IS A DEFINING EXPERIENCE’

from page one

“I do not wish the people of Bimini to be looking through the window of development, but instead, I want them to be in the room when the development is taking place. And there was no difference expressed by the developers with respect to that statement,” he said.

Resorts World Bimini occupies a 750-acre site in North Bimini.

The construction of the resort’s mega marina spurred heavy criticism from environmentalists who were critical of the government’s decision to allow the development to continue despite its negative impact on the natural eco-system of Bimini.

However, while addressing these concerns in Bimini, Mr Christie noted that the project spawned a blueprint of island-wide development that can be instituted in other islands.

Mr Christie commended the private-public partnership between the resort’s developer, Gerardo Capo

of RAV Bahamas; investor Tan Sri K T Lim of the Genting Group and the government of the Bahamas, insisting that such partnerships can guarantee sustainable developments, done parallel to infrastructural expansion and without infringing upon the unique cultures and environments of Family Island destinations.

“I indicated that whenever there is a conflict between tradition and modernisation, something new coming in, there is a challenge to traditional rights, traditional cultures, but the government of the Bahamas was mindful of the potential implications.”

“But the people of Bimini must also recognise that in our democracy, whenever people are together they are not going to have the same point of views. There will be disagreements. There will be critical observations. But the magic must be that we agree to a process that will not be harmful to Bimini in being able to address and solve the challenges as we continue the journey.”

PRIME Minister Perry Christie speaking in Bimini.

Mr Christie said his administration has made a push to ensure that developments are carried out in a continuum that would enable future generations of Bahamians to have the same wonderful experience that they have enjoyed for decades.

In addition to its investment at the Resorts World property, the Genting group has assisted in the redevelopment of the South Bimini International Airport to allow for an extended runway and enhanced amenities.

The Genting group has worked to transform Bimini into a tourist hub capable of sustaining year-round business.

Over the last two years, some 33 new businesses have been started in Bimini.

Residents are hoping that the relationship between Bimini and the Resorts World property becomes one capable of “withstanding the test of time.”

The resort has looked to “capsulate the alluring charm” of the twin-islands of Bimini, a feature developer Gerardo Capo said

has “enchanted” travel[ers for centuries.

Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe praised Mr Capo for understanding the value of Bimini.

The West End and Bimini MP spoke to the 27-year process that yielded the mega resort.

“There was a man who thought that this could happen, saw something on the horizon that many could not see, but he did,” stated Mr Wilchcombe. “He understood that the buildings of Bimini had to do with consumer capital, its structure and its proximity to the United States of America. He understood that we all have celebrated that (Bimini) is the gateway to the Bahamas and we wanted the opportunity . .

. he spoke to governments to ask for support. Then he took from his own pockets and put into the ground all that he thought this Bimini could be.”

“He went through recessions. He went through hurricanes. But now, we are celebrating today what he started. Ladies and gentleman we must remember that Gerardo Capo has been more than just a (developer) to Bimini.”

The Miami based Capo Group, in a bid to improve the global profile of its Bimini Bay resort, handed over management responsibilities of its 350-unit vacation complex to RockResorts, a subsidiary of Vail Resorts Inc. Additionally, the Capo group sought out investors

victim was sitting in his car outside the takeaway restaurant waiting for his female friend, who was closing the establishment, when a man with a handgun approached him and shot him multiple times before fleeing the area on foot.

The woman drove the victim to the parking lot of the Carmichael Road Police Station where he died shortly after his arrival.

Police have not identified the victim, but The Tribune understands he is Huey James, also known as “Slug”.

Anyone with information on this homicide is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328TIPS.

WOMAN IN HOSPITAL AFTER LABOUR DAY SHOOTING

POLICE are seeking the public’s help in solving a Labour Day shooting incident that left a woman in hospital.

According to initial police reports, shortly after 11.30pm Friday, a man and a woman were sitting in a car on Augusta and Cambridge Streets when several men armed with handguns fired on them before fleeing on foot. The woman was shot and taken to hospital where she is listed in stable condition. The man was not injured during this incident.

Investigations are continuing.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Public is invited to attend a Town Hall Meeting on Monday 27th June, 2016 at 6:30pm at the Walter Sands Community Center, Cherokee Sound, Abaco to discuss the proposed plans for the Abaco Club on Winding Bay Little Harbour Members Docking Facility. Further information on the proposed development can be located on the website of the Bahamas Environment Science and Technology (BEST) Commission at www.best.gov.bs.

PAGE 8, Monday, June 6, 2016

‘MAYOR OF SPANISH WELLS’ DIES AFTER CANCER BATTLE

ABNER Pinder, former chief councillor of Spanish Wells and North Eleuthera, died yesterday in a Florida hospital after battling cancer.

The Free National Movement (FNM) released a statement on his death saying the country had lost a great Bahamian.

“Abner was an outstanding son of the historic settlement of Spanish Wells,

Eleuthera,” the FNM’s statement said.

“He served for many years as chief councillor and council member in the local government district serving North Eleuthera and Spanish Wells. Abner, in his private avocation, was a renowned seaman and community leader. In fact, certainly in FNM circles, he had long been dubbed as ‘the mayor of Spanish Wells’.”

The party said Mr Pinder’s commitment to public service and the empowerment of his community led him to become a life-long political activist.

“As a prominent member of the FNM both on the island of Eleuthera and in the wider Bahamas, Abner was an established fixture at every political convention and very many of our meetings of the Central Council,

firstly as an advisory councillor since 2005.”

FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis expressed his personal sorrow on learning of Mr Pinder’s death.

“Abner was a great friend and an ardent FNM,” Dr Minnis said. “I and every other leader of this great party have had the benefit of his salty wit, good humour and great insights.

He was appointed by me as

a member of the National Party Executive Committee in 2012 because of his keen political insight and experience. He truly fought for the best interests of the residents throughout the communities of Eleuthera.”

“On behalf of every FNM member, we extend our deepest sympathies to his wife, Ruth, and to his extended family. May he rest in peace,” said Dr Minnis.

THE TRIBUNE

ABNER PINDER

MINNIS AND PARTY MEMBERS HEAD TO LONG ISLAND

FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, (centre in plaid shirt), is pictured in Long Island over the weekend with (from left) Ft Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins, East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman and FNM Senator Dr Duane Sands. Last week six FNM MPs, including Dr Rollins and Mr Chipman, wrote a damning memo to the FNM’s Central Council, calling Dr Minnis a “failed” leader.

Cash: FNM leadership crisis should have stayed private

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net THE leadership crisis within the Free National Movement should never have spilled out into the public domain, according to former party Chairman Darron Cash.

Mr Cash told The Tribune he was saddened by the public showdown between FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis and the six MPs

who have demanded an early convention date. He insisted that the situation would not have escalated as it has, had the party’s executive team addressed long-standing issues instead of seeking to snuff out critical voices.

The threat by parliamentarians of a petition to oust Dr Minnis as Official Opposition leader, he said, is a “cry for help.”

“It should not have come to this,” he said in an in-

terview on Thursday. “It is honestly saddening that it has come to this, but what it reflects is the complete failure of leadership. It is the leader’s job fundamentally to harmonise all the various groups within the organisation; that’s the leader’s job.

It’s his job to make sure elections are done in a manner that is fair to all sides and so the party’s affairs do not spill into public domain with threats of legal action; to iron out differences,

however acute, however difficult, however personally challenging. It’s the leader’s job to make sure that issues are resolved in a way that still maintains confidence in the party.”

On Thursday night, the FNM’s Central Council decided on an early convention date, which has now been set for July 27-29 instead of November.

Ahead of the meeting, six MPs penned an eight-page memorandum in an attempt

to convince the council to swiftly decide on an early convention. The damning memo labelled Dr Minnis as a “failed” leader who could not be trusted and had not utilised the expertise of his parliamentary team and senior FNMs. The memo came days after the same MPs threatened to petition the governor general to have Dr Minnis removed as leader of the Official Opposition.

Dated May 31, 2016, the memo names Long Island MP Loretta ButlerTurner, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman, Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant, Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly and Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins as the senders.

Mr Cash said the memo documents the resistance of leadership to heed concerns and highlights longstanding issues that were ignored. He said it was not surprising that the MPs renewed their attempt after their earlier bid failed to effect change.

“If the expectation is that you will address issues in council,” he said, “then it goes to leadership if council is a place where you are attacked for expressing a point of view, attacked for stating the obvious. Nothing was done, no dealing with the underlying issues.

If it would have happened, I fully believe we would not be here. A national political party should never be surprised that it loses a general election. If it’s doing its job properly, and has people in central leadership and Central Council prepared to honestly be a conduit for feedback from the wider community and its people, it will always know when it’s

losing touch with people.

“If council is not a place where people can speak openly and honestly on what the word on the street is then leaders will always act in a delusional state as if nothing is wrong and all is fine. When people are afraid to speak the truth because they are afraid of being attacked, vilified, or demonised, then the only voices you will have are from the people saying that all is well, things are good.”

Mr Cash would not speculate on whether Dr Minnis would remain party leader after the next convention.

“This country is in a position where we have got a large number of significant issues that will require difficult, painful, challenging, disruptive solutions for the entire country,” he said.

“You can just imagine what Cabinet debates will be like when in the midst of making difficult and painful decisions. A leader has to demonstrate now that when he is in Cabinet, corralling his heard of cats who sit around table, it’s his job to demonstrate he has the ability to bring unity, to rally people around right choices.

“If you’re not able to do it in opposition, people have legitimate reason to doubt when in the heat of battle and the country is under siege, when (there is) murder on the streets day after day, whether you’re able to effectively deal with it,” said Mr Cash.

At an earlier council meeting, there were calls by some factions within the party for Mr Cash to face disciplinary action over his critical public commentary of the party and Dr Minnis.

However, Mr Cash told The Tribune that there has been no formal appeal issued for such action.

THE TRIBUNE

Monday, June 6, 2016, PAGE 9

Ambassador pays tribute to his friend Muhammad Ali

By AZALETA ISHMAEL-NEWRY

NEWLY-APPOINTED Bahamas Non-Resident Ambassador to Qatar Tony Joudi said yesterday that he was deeply saddened to learn of the death of his friend Muhammad Ali, the former boxing champion and civil rights activist, who had made a lasting impact on his life.

Mr Ali, a three-time world heavyweight-boxing champion, Olympic gold medallist, civil rights activist and humanitarian, was admired around the world, in and out of the ring. He died on Friday night from complications arising from Parkinson’s Disease in a Phoenix, Arizona, hospital aged 74.

Mr Joudi said: “The timing of Ali’s death has caused me to reflect on our friendship and the influence he had on me.” Their friendship spanned many decades, starting as a business relationship in Chicago in the late 1970s. In the early 1980s, Mr Joudi found his love for foreign affairs when Mr Ali took him to Saudi Arabia as an Arabic interpreter for a meeting with King Khalid Bin Saud.

Over a dinner with Mr Ali at the Conference Palace that included his third wife, Veronica Porsche, and his manager, Herbert Mohammed, the boxing legend had suggested to Mr Joudi that one day he should become an ambassador as they were both passionate about foreign relations.

“We had raised funds for Ali’s many charities,” explained Mr Joudi. “Our trip to the king was successful and Ali had praised me for my language and network skills. He told me that I should put it to good use in international relations.”

A few years later, Mr Ali was instrumental in starting a chain of

“Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It’s not something you learn in school.

But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.”

Muhammad Ali

TONY Joudi worked with Muhammad Ali in Chicago from the late 1970s and is pictured (second from left) attending a function with Mr Ali and his daughters in the early 1980s. events that led Mr Joudi towards one of the Atlantis Resort.

As he moves into his new role a potential political career in the United States. Mr Ali had asked as an ambassador, a career that his attorney, Charles Lomax, a Mr Ali had predicted for him, Mr partner in the law firm, Sidley and Joudi is grateful for the time he Austin, to introduce Mr Joudi to spent with “The Greatest”.

“Muhammad Ali is a legend Sam Skinner, who was highly connected in the political world. Mr that will continue to live in my Skinner later became the secre- heart and I will remember him as tary of transportation and then a man who did what he believed, chief of staff for US President and he helped create a better world for us,” said Mr Joudi.

George Bush Sr. Muhammad Ali was born CasThey quickly realised that Mr Joudi was a perfect fit for interna- sius Marcellus Clay in Louisville, tional relations, and he was invited Kentucky. Revered by millions to join the US State Department worldwide and reviled by millions as deputy assistant undersecre- more, he cut quite a figure at 6ft tary for Near Eastern and South 3in and 210 pounds in his prime.

Asian Affairs. He was also asked His quick hands and feet marked to serve on the Republican Presi- him as a unique heavyweight boxer. He fought in three different dential Task Force.

At the time of President Bush’s decades, finished with a win-loss invitation, Mr Joudi’s work com- record of 56-5 with 37 knockouts mitments in the Bahamas had in- and was the first man to win the creased and he did not pursue US world heavyweight title three politics. He went into partnership times. Mr Ali’s last fight was in with AMEE International and to- Nassau in December, 1981, when TONY Joudi (right) next to his friend Muhammad Ali in 1982 at a roast that gether they completed many local he lost to Trevor Berbick. celebrated Mr Ali’s 40th birthday in Chicago. projects, including work on phase See Sports for more

The Taste of TheBahamas THE Taste of The Bahamas Food Festival was held at the Bahamas National Trust building over the weekend - with student chefs competing to show off their culinary skills.

From burgers to fine desserts, all manner of food was on show as competitors battled it out to earn their spot as top chef.

STUDENT chef of Samuel Guy Pinder All Age School Tinisha Miller in action at the Taste of The Bahamas Food Festival.

THE JUDGES of the Taste of The Bahamas Food Festival’s food fight and burger battle, Michael Flores, left, and Brian Paolucci, both of Johnson and Wales University.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

DANA TUCKER, a student chef from LN Coakley, taking part in the Taste of the Bahamas Food Festival.

TROPICAL STORM EXPECTED TO HIT WEST COAST OF FLORIDA TODAY

TROPICAL Storm Colin formed yesterday over the south-central Gulf of Mexico and is forecast to hit the western coast of Florida today.

The National Hurricane Centre in Miami said that the storm would produce heavy rain and possible flooding in Florida over the next few days and a Tropical

Storm Warning has been issued for the west coast from Indian Pass to Englewood.

The warning is also in effect for parts of north east Florida and south east Georgia.

The slow-moving depression formed yesterday morning but gathered speed and strength to become a tropical storm by late afternoon. At 5.30pm it was 465

miles south west of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 40mph and moving north at 12mph.

Colin - the earliest third tropical storm of a season

to form on record in the Atlantic basin - is forecast to accelerate as it moves north north eastward today before reaching the ‘Big Bend’ coast of Florida.

PAGE 10, Monday, June 6, 2016

Labour Day Parade 2016 THE traditional Labour Day Parade was held on Friday, with workers, unions and other groups taking to Bay Street to mark the holiday. Old and young took part, with a junkanoo section also celebrating the occasion.

Photos: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

SOME of the marchers on Bay Street wore political colours - such as those wearing PLP shirts, above left, and those in the colours of the DNA, above right.

PLACARDS on show by marchers included signs calling for negotiations - as well as empowering messages.

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PAGE 12, Monday, June 6, 2016

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