The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames said yesterday that the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Minnis administration to move from a register every five years to a continuous register.

“While concrete action regarding the change has long been discussed in different forums, the current reality is that the global pandemic has forced the inevitable,” he said. “This change will eliminate the need for long lines and reduce the costs of registering the same persons every five years.

“Shorter lines mean better adherence to social distancing, as recommended by the World Health Organisation and other leading scientists and a decrease in the spread of COVID-19. Less expense means more funds to achieve other national goals for our people which has never been so important.”

Mr Dames noted that once the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill is passed, the Bahamas would join more than 16 countries in the Commonwealth that have moved away from a quinquennial (once every five years) register to a continuous register, including Jamaica, Barbados, Canada, Ireland and South Africa.

Mr Dames said the 2017 register has more than 187,000 registrants.

He said that according to the parliamentary commissioner, “it is projected that no more than 20,000 new voters will need to be added to the register”.

Mr Dames also explained why the administration has created a provision allowing voters 65 and older to vote as special voters in an advanced poll.

He said: “According to the World Health Organisation, older persons and those with underlying health conditions are most vulnerable during this pandemic. Indeed, persons age 65 years or older represent 80 percent of the hospitalisations worldwide and have a 23-fold greater risk of death than those under 65 years.

“With this in mind, this administration thought it necessary to ensure this vulnerable group be provided with special accommodation…this administration is making the necessary amendment to ensure that our senior citizens are afforded every opportunity to remain safe, while exercising their right to vote.”

During his contribution to debate on the bill, Exuma and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper said broader reform is necessary to strengthen the nation’s democracy.

He said: “…We have to actually action it, not just talk about it like fixed election dates or a two-term limit for the prime minister and the ability to recall MPs, like this administration campaigned (on) . Likewise, the Freedom of Information Act, like you marched for with We March.”

Mr Cooper called on political actors to finally make a move on campaign finance reform, an issue Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis campaigned on but has taken few steps to facilitate.

He said: “If a country as large and awash in money as the United States of America can regulate money in elections, not that they don’t have challenges with that, then so can we.

“As the Organisation of American States pointed out in its report on the last general election: ‘The Bahamas has no regulations regarding political-electoral financing or disclosure of sources of funding. There is no public funding for political parties or candidates, meaning electoral campaigns are privately funded. The origin of private funds is not regulated and there are no prohibitions on foreign and anonymous sources.

“The Bahamas sets no limits on campaign spending and political parties are not required to disclose their finances. In 2012, the OAS recommended that The Bahamas consider adopting a legal framework on the financing of political parties and campaigns, including rules that limit campaign spending and prohibit anonymous and foreign contributions, mechanisms to oversee the money moving in and out of campaigns, and a greater disclosure of information on the use of campaign funds.’”

Mr Cooper said the public does not know who funds election campaigns.

“It is dangerous to think that the deepest pockets can bombard the public with spending and get an administration into office who is beholden more to the financiers than the Bahamian people,” he said. “Not only is the perception awful, but it is a recipe for potential corruption and inside dealing. We have no idea what foreign interest may be involved in financing election campaigns. This, too, is a dangerous threat to the integrity of our electoral process, and to our democracy.”