The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Please allow me a little space to see if anyone in the Bahamas can tell me what has happened to our Democracy in this country.

I was called by a friend who lives in the Family Islands and told that either the Parliamentary Officer in charge or the Government has made a decision not to have advance polls to allow people who are going to be out of the country to vote for the candidates of their choice.

He was under the impression that when the Act was changed to allow Advance Polls for the General Election it also applied to all Local Government elections as well.

I am also of the opinion that it is supposed to apply to Local Government elections and that is why I am trying to find out what happened to the rule of law and Democracy.

My fellow Bahamians it is time that you should start to be very concerned like myself, because what I see happening in our country today is a total disregard for any rules or laws that do not suit the purpose of certain individuals.

I was taught growing up that laws were made to protect the citizens of our Bahamas and were supposed to apply to all and sundry. I do not know when any law was passed which says that any Minister can operate contrary to the laws of the Bahamas and there be no repercussions .

If I am not mistaken during the former Government’s last tenure one of their Ministers had to resign over a very similar situation to do with Local Government Elections a situation which I do not perceive to be near as bad as this.

I unfortunately am very much afraid of Bahamians losing all their rights to question anything which is being done during this Government’s tenure of office and that we are heading towards a police state or dictatorship in a mild form.

It is very unfortunate when the servants of the people adopt the attitude that they are the bosses and cannot be questioned about any decision that they make.

A CONCERNED CITIZEN

Nassau,