Your Say
By the Rev Dr Patrick Paul
IT appears that the Bahamian people may have not just rejected the Referendum on the four “Gender Equality Bills”, but may have also sent a message to the government, expressing their belief that it is out of touch.
Apparently, Bahamians are disgusted with the administration of the Progressive Liberal Party, the major proponents of the referendum bills, Deputy Prime Minister Brave Davis, the Attorney General Allison Maynard Gibson and all Members of Parliament who agreed to the four bills.
On the June 7 Constitutional Referendum day, the people of the Bahamas spoke loud and clear. Almost three to one, in favour of the “No Vote”. The clarity echoed many reasons that led to the No Vote on all four Bills in the 2016 Referendum. Here are 43 reasons why.
1 Bahamians apparently no longer trust the Prime Minister and the administration of the PLP government to do what is in the best interest of the people.
2 Many people felt that the Bills appeared to be fraudulent.
3 Bill No.1 appeared to discriminate against those born in The Bahamas since 1973.
4 Bill No.2 promoted opportunity for foreigners to have citizenship by way of marriage, which was seen as more of a disadvantage to the vulnerable among us.
5 Bahamians saw Bill No.3 not so much about equality but rather as promoting citizenship for foreigners again.
6 Bill No.4 created anxiety of an open homosexual society in The Bahamas, bringing moral and spiritual condemnation on the nation.
7 Bahamian people rejected the involvement of the Prime Minister in the Yes Vote Campaign. As the leader, people expected him to allow the Bahamian people to make their own decisions without trying to unduly influence people to vote Yes.
8 The Prime Minister’s comments to the Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, raised suspicion of full support of the LGBT community having more rights than everybody else.
9 The Bahamian people remembered the Prime Minister’s address in the 2002 Referendum, when he urged the people to vote No.
10 Bahamian people remembered that the government rejected the concerns of the people, as noted in the Constitutional Commission Report.
11 Bahamian people believed that the government was influenced by an international agenda but refused to be transparent about it.
12 Bahamians saw the government as having its own priorities, with no regard to what was top priority for the masses.
13 The Bahamians’ concerns expressed to the Constitutional Commission was about crime and joblessness as priorities.
14 The proposed Education Committee on the Referendum turned into a Vote Yes campaign which became overly aggressive, labelling dissenters as “ignorant” and “stupid”.
15 The government appeared to have disregarded the recommendations of the Constitutional Commission that it be made clear and enshrined in the Constitution that marriage in the Bahamas will be between a male and female (at birth). This would have allayed the expressed fears of the people.
16 Bahamians therefore felt that they were not sufficiently involved in the process of the Referendum.
17 Many Bahamians felt that they were not respected in the process.
18 Many Bahamians rejected the ambiguity and uncertainties that the four bills presented.
19 Many Bahamians were offended by the fact that some in the Yes Campaign and many of their supporters referred to Bahamians as “Ignorant D average people”. After all it is our educational system that produced the D average.
20 Many Bahamians rejected the leader’s open refusal to operate in the spirit of democracy by refusing to finance the Vote No campaign.
21 The major spokesperson for the educational campaign, Ruby Ann Nottage, admitted that the bills were not tested and that they would subsequently have to look at some aspects of them.
In addition to the foregoing, the history of the PLP administration is overshadowed with many concerns in the minds and heart of the Bahamian people, with respect to the social and economic state of the country. Many Bahamians are disgusted and fed-up with how the affairs of the country are being handled.
22 Apparently the people took note of the disrespect of the principle of democracy, when the powers that be overstepped their boundaries and overthrew the majority “No Vote” on the Referendum to legalise the number houses. Many saw this as going further than Almighty God did when the children of Israel voted for a King. God permitted them to have a King.
23 The numbers houses are not properly regulated, they should not be in the communities of the poor. Furthermore, they are raping our people.
24 Many Bahamians see the government developing the spirit of dictatorship.
25 Many Bahamians want a government of the people, by the people and for the people.
26 Many Bahamians believe that the PLP has long strayed from the spirit of the Preamble of the Constitution that stresses national discipline, loyalty, unity, industry, respect for Christian values and the Rule of Law.
27 Many Bahamians do not believe that the PLP “Believe in the Bahamian People”. In 1967, The Bahamas got social equality and 43 years later there is no plan for economic empowerment for the Bahamian people.
28 Many Bahamians believe that foreigners own the Bahamian economy.
29 Many Bahamians believe that the PLP is now the greatest supporter of division in the country.
30 Many Bahamians believe that the handling of BEC is a perfect example of the strategies of the government that reflect that it does not believe in the Bahamian people.
31 Some Bahamians were told of a company that offered to give Bahamians 51 per cent share ownership in BEC via a Sovereign fund, and to decrease the cost of electricity by almost 45 per cent while absorbing the legacy debt of BEC. But they were denied.
32 41,000 Bahamians living below the poverty line.
33 30,000 plus foreigners living and working in the Bahamas
34 35,000 Bahamians are unemployed
35 15 per cent of our children go to bed every night hungry.
36 Homicide rates are the highest ever recorded in the history of the modern Bahamas. Bahamians are living in fear of their lives due to the level of crime in the country.
37 BAMSI, contracts given to contractors who have no construction insurance, resulting in taxpayers money having to be used to rebuild a destroyed building.
38 Baha Mar saga where it appears that the government favoured the Chinese over Sarkis Izmirlian.
39 Many Bahamians believe that the government is giving away Bahamian assets.
40 Many Bahamians believe that the Prime Minister’s sanctioning of Junkanoo Carnival has loosed a depraved, corrupt, immoral and sinful spirit and behaviour in The Bahamas, which will further degrade our women, pervert our men and deceive our children.
41 Many Bahamians also believe that there is no accountability for how taxpayers dollars are spent in this regard.
42 $46m stolen from Road Traffic and nobody appears to be charged or held accountable.
43 There are some preachers in The Bahamas who have been fired by Heaven.
The four bills in the Referendum and the apparent mismanagement of the Bahamas government all add up to the outcome on June 7.
In the words of a former President of the United States of America, “give the people the truth and the facts and they will figure the rest out for themselves”. There has been no facts, no transparency on VAT, BEC, BAMSI, Junkanoo Carnival, Bank of the Bahamas, Baha Mar, Resorts World Bimini and National Health Insurance (NHI).
I was told that many Bahamians want NHI but don’t trust this government to provide it for them. It appears that the government’s practice is to not produce a complete plan for the Bahamian people. Not to mention, most seem to favour foreign involvement over Bahamians. Many Bahamians want to know the cost of phase one, phase two and phase three. They want to know what is involved and what will it cost the Bahamian people each step in the development. Therefore, the information provided is insufficient, as it is not clear how much it is going to cost and how it is going to be paid for.
The Bahamian people want a government that will be willing to invest $200m over a year to five-year period, in building the human resources in The Bahamas. Successive governments have invested $200m plus in new airport facilities, $300m on roads, $200m in new Defence Force ships and $100m to bail out Bank of The Bahamas.
Tragically, The Bahamas has declined in the “Ease of Doing Business” ratings from 30th to 106th in the world. The infrastructure and systems in our country are failing all due to partisan and biased positions.
The US Embassy has put out several warnings to its citizens with regard to corruption and high crime levels in The Bahamas. Now the Canadian government is warning its citizens coming to The Bahamas to not travel with large amounts of cash etc in fear of being robbed.
Bahamians are looking for new leadership in government.
Bahamians need leadership that will bring Bahamians together; not divide us with colours.
Bahamians need leaders who will inspire us to further our education, to go further and become owners of our major industry, tourism, and our natural resources industries.
Bahamians need leadership that loves them and respects the law of democracy; “by the people, of the people and for the people”. Leadership that will bring major social and economic decisions to the people.
Bahamians need leadership that will ensure that organisation and systems are in place to guide and maintain the human integrity, recognising the potentiality of good and evil.
Bahamians need leadership that will protect the rights of being Bahamian and after elections, know how to build the bridges to build a better Bahamas.
Bahamians need leadership that will provide infrastructure, organisation and systems to assist in the secondary and collective efforts of its people.
Bahamians need leadership that will provide vision, insight and forecast that includes and speaks to people’s gifts, talents, dreams and aspirations.
• Rev Dr Patrick Paul is the former President of the Bahamas Christian Council and General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Bahamas including the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Comments
birdiestrachan 7 years, 8 months ago
Really? this sound more like a Politian who tell lies. He may be surprised as to how many persons voted Bahamian and not Party that will come later.. Perhaps if more of these preachers will preach Jesus Christ who died for all. the Bahamas will be a better place. They must admit that they are not winning to many souls for Christ. That is what they should be about. perhaps they were not called they just came. If there were more people following Jesus the Bahamas would be a better place . But the examples the ministers show are so, so poor.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 8 months ago
Rev as you find faults with the Government . look in the mirror you have many faults, perhaps much more than 43.. And as far as the Christian Council . Did you know there are many people who have no respect for that organization, , It seems to consist of to many pompous men, a few are really Good men. and while you are at it remember Jesus died for all
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago
Excellent summary of many of the reasons why Christie should have long ago resigned as PM. The likes of Sean McWeeny, Sharon Wilson and Lynn Holowesko, in addition to Ruby Nottage, do not have the interests of the Bahamian people at heart and their support of the four bills were a clear indicator to voters that something terrible was hidden and amiss in the wording of each of them.
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