The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

It is a cruel twist of fate that Fred Mitchell, the only Parliamentarian in either of the Houses of Parliament (he was a PLP Senator at the time) to vote against the Resolution to abolish all forms of discrimination against women in The Bahamas in 2002 was given the privilege by Prime Minister Christie, of announcing in Parliament that 10 years too late, the late again-PLP finally understand that discrimination against Bahamian women is wrong. Still, as they say: “better late than never.”

Mr. Christie’s protestations about disagreement with “the process” used in the referendum in 2002 are utter and complete nonsense. The process followed in 2002 is the process established in law and the same process that must be followed now, that is, passage of the Resolution calling for amendment to the Constitution in both Houses of Parliament with the constitutionally required minimum of support followed by a referendum put to the people and voted on by all eligible registered voters.

Now that the late-again PLP have come to accept that The Bahamas cannot continue to maintain laws which discriminate against Bahamian women may we now hope that they will also find it possible to agree that rape in marriage is also wrong and so cause the necessary amendments to all relevant legislation so as to make this so in law?

As regards the Government’s proposal to extend the life of Spousal Permits from five years to indefinite, I sincerely hope that this is not a PLP ploy to delay and deny the award of permanent immigration status to the foreign born spouses of Bahamian citizens as provided for in law and in the Constitution.

FEMALE-BORN BAHAMIAN CITIZEN

Nassau,

July 27, 2012