Loretta Butler-Turner. (File photo)
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
FORMER parliamentarian Loretta Butler-Turner says she believes the government should legislate “a timeframe” for naturalised Bahamians to become participants in the nation’s electoral process.
In a statement posted on her Facebook page yesterday, Mrs Butler-Turner described the right to vote “as one of the greatest rewards of citizenship.”
And with the next general election to be held in less than a year, the former Long Island MP noted it appears political parties “are all geared up” and ready to go.
“Something else that seems to be accelerated as we move into these election cycles (is) the number of newspaper notices for persons who have applied and are being considered for Bahamian citizenship,” she wrote.
“Each administration, past and present, knowingly or coincidentally seems to deal with significant numbers of citizenship applications as elections approach. Under our Constitution, citizenship status gives individuals the right to become a registered voter,” Mrs Butler-Turner added.
“Those who have campaigned can share stories of newly minted naturalised citizens who proudly show their voter’s card and brand-new passports to leverage demands in exchange for their vote. In most instances, the administration that bestows the status of citizenship is usually the beneficiary of that vote. Also, most new citizens look forward to being fully participatory Bahamians by casting their very first vote.”
The former leader of the opposition said after much consideration, she believes the Minnis administration should “legislate a timeframe for naturalised Bahamians to become participants of our electoral process.”
Mrs Butler-Turner explained that just as foreign spouses receive spousal permits some five years prior to citizenship approval, naturalised Bahamians should also be required to be a citizen in the country for five years before they are allowed to vote.
“I believe that this will remove much of the widely held perceptions and belief that citizenships granted prior to an election are potentially beneficial votes for the current administration,” she continued.
“In the aftermath of countless deaths unaccounted for and attributed to Hurricane Dorian along with the displacement of many citizens from their domiciled islands, the ongoing COVID-19 challenges, as well as the government’s roll out of a first-time permanent voter register; l believe that it would be an ideal time for such a provision to be added to our immigration and citizenship laws.
“It is incumbent upon the minister of national security and the government as a whole to ensure that a clean and accurate voter register is in place prior to general elections. Ensuring that all deceased, unaccounted and incarcerated persons are removed from the new permanent register (and) also ensuring that no displaced Bahamian citizen is disenfranchised,” Mrs Butler Turner said.
Comments
TimesUp 2 years, 10 months ago
How many people are we talking about? What percentage of voters? What special interests would they lobby for and how would it influence an election?
Each of the many demographics in the country influence an election with their vote, we could all list which group tends to vote for which party. Who gets to choose which of those demographics should not vote?
Should you have to own property to vote? Should a Bahamian have to prove second generation lineage to vote? Should you have to have some level of education to vote? Should you have to be employed to vote? Or show NIB contributions to vote? Should you have had to serve our country in a prescribed way to vote?
It is a slippery slope. Unfortunately when talking about newly naturalized citizens or any immigration issue we tend to mean one particular demographic which leads to unsavory policies for the rest of the nation.
SP 2 years, 10 months ago
Please just stop the Island, I want to get off!!
ohdrap4 2 years, 10 months ago
Oh great, one more way to victimize people.
But the premise is wrong, spouses do not have citizenship pending for 5 years. The path is that they can apply for permanent residency (no right to to vote), APPLY, APPLY--it is not even automatic.
Just show your xenophobia, call it like it is, 'PAPER BAHAMIANS'.
But , while you are at it, let them wait 5 years to get a passport, open a bank account and get vaccinated.
I used to like LBT. another one bites the dust.
Tarzan 2 years, 10 months ago
A bigger nit wit was never born. Maybe there should be five classes of citizenship, one for every rainbow color.
John 2 years, 10 months ago
How asinine. The citizenship process itself takes several years. And not everyone that applies get it the first time around. So elections are every five years. So if you get your citizenship two or three years before a general election, must you wait seven or eight years before you vote? How very silly! Someone please lend he the whistle.
tribanon 2 years, 10 months ago
I thought our corrupt politicians and senior immigration officials had long ago decided that The Bahamas would only be granting Bahamian citizenship to illegal immigrants.
Chucky 2 years, 10 months ago
the right to vote , "the greatest reward to citizens"..... what a laugh
At best, voting legitimizes the elected, who we all know are elected due to no better candidates to vote for.
The elected, time and time again prove to be nothing but corrupt a*holes who are serving any interest but those of the majority.
Voting is not a privilege or reward for the citizen, but rather a fraudulently obtained rubber stamp of approval for the elected. A license to lie , cheat and steal, fill the pockets of their cronies and to legislate more and more rules to control those citizens who's lives they are destroying.
bahamianson 2 years, 10 months ago
How can they vote without knowing the candidates? Just a time for the ruling party to take advantage of our citizenship. The politician always benefits from his/her position , and we don't.
TalRussell 2 years, 10 months ago
The timing right for the Comrade Sister Loretta can seek to find balance in her thinking by calling into the Guardian's, The Revolution whilst talkie show presenter, Comrade Juan is live on air, talking about the process the brain uses to resolve How a woman's can fix Herself, emotionally
Good time for the Sister to allow Juan a few minutes to diagnose the Sister's thinking on, Restrictive Citizenship Enforcement. Comrade Juan seemingly is taking a break from the Info-commercials segments, poorly disguised as not being a personal endorsement for pushing when he frequently has that Asian Comrade Sister's and her suitcase full of Natural Health Products live on-air as his special guest.yes?
hrysippus 2 years, 10 months ago
if this report is correct Mrs. Butler Turner is proposing the creation of a second and lower class of citizens that do not have the right to vote for five years.. The right to vote is the basic right of a citizen. has she been having too much two meat lunches with Rodney, or what?
JokeyJack 2 years, 10 months ago
For those of you who disagree with Loretta, why dont we just send mail-in ballots down to Haiti and allow all 7 million adults down there to vote in our election? I suppose you would support that. It's so sad to learn how many of you out there trulu truly hate our country. You are many of the ones who helped choose the current dictator instead of Loretta. Not to worry. You're in good company. Dictatorships are now in vogue around the world and in the admistrations of all Ivy League universities.
sheeprunner12 2 years, 10 months ago
It is not the issue of how quickly a person should vote ......... it is the immersion and preparation of a non-citizen to become a Bahamian that is our challenge ......... and the secrecy surrounding WHO gets citizenship from our political leaders (there's not a publicly announced ceremony for our new citizens).
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