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PM urges public to register for votes

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has called on people to register to vote in the “shortest possible time”.

While he gave no clue as to when an election could be called, Dr Minnis said it is the collective will of the people that decides who should govern the country.

He made the remarks yesterday morning during Calvary Deliverance Church’s 39th convention where he referred to the country’s upcoming 48th anniversary of independence on July 10.

“It is a time to take pride in all we have accomplished as a sovereign nation over the last 48 years,” Dr Minnis told the congregation.

“One of the things we should be most proud of is our democracy. In our system the people select their government at the ballot box. We have free and fair elections.

“We have an orderly process in how we select those who represent us in Parliament.”

He added: “I want to encourage you all who need to register to do so in the shortest possible time. The right to vote was fought for by our founders. We should not take it for granted.

“The collective will of the people decides who should govern.”

Several voter registration sites opened back in February amid speculation Dr Minnis could call an election soon.

Dr Minnis has not done so. Instead, the Killarney MP has several times brushed off talk of an early vote.

Back in May, National Security Minister Marvin Dames urged people not “to read too deeply” into a Royal Bahamas Defence Force memo that directed departments to prepare for the possibility of an early election.

The memo, signed by Acting Captain Shawn Adderley, was sent in response to a memo from the Parliamentary Registration Department, according to RBDF Commodore Raymond King.

While some saw it as evidence that Dr Minnis was gearing up for an early election, Mr Dames said this was not necessarily the case.

“Only one person can decide that and that is the prime minister of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” Mr Dames said at the time. “Now we know that these agencies would often prepare earlier than most. That is not out of the ordinary and so I won’t read too deeply into that. This is a normal occurrence. Only one person could determine the date of the election and he hasn’t yet done so.

“Everybody is speculating…(the) Prime Minister makes that decision and when he does, we wanna make certain that these agencies are ready in advance.”

The memo, which was signed on April 29, says: “Be advised that in preparation for the possibility of an early general election, you are directed to provide a listing of all personnel in your purview voting in the advanced poll and forward the same to the base executive officer’s office by Thursday, 6 May 2021.”

Legislation passed earlier this year has allowed for a permanent voter register to be established for the first time in the country, meaning that people who registered to vote for the 2017 election will not need to register again.

However, qualified Bahamians who are not on the 2017 register or who have moved to an address different from the one on their voter’s card will need to visit a Parliamentary Registration Department centre to register or transfer their registration to a new polling division or constituency where they now reside.

Some 20,000 first time voters are expected to register this election cycle.

Acting Parliamentary Commissioner Lavado Duncanson has said 189,346 people are currently registered for the next election, including 27,997 in the Family Islands and 30,233 in Grand Bahama.

Unless called earlier, the next general election is expected in May 2022.

Comments

Sickened 3 years, 5 months ago

I would register if there was a good option out there. For now I wait.

tribanon 3 years, 5 months ago

“It is a time to take pride in all we have accomplished as a sovereign nation over the last 48 years,” Minnis told the congregation.

Is he for real?!!

The misery index in our country for the average Bahamian has never been higher and our nation, having no means by which to repay its unsustainable national debt, is now for all intents and purposes financially bankrupt. And this is what he thinks we should be proud of !!!!

This evil incompetent dingbat is indeed certifiably bonkers.

licks2 3 years, 5 months ago

What the USA, CA, UK, FR, GR, IT et al have in common with the Bahamas?? A dept that they will never ever pay back??? Or can ever pay back!!! Name any successful and developed nation you like. . .each is in the very same financial condition as the Bahamas is!!

The international governments money game is not played by our "mom and pops" rules and profile!!! They never pay off any of their national depts. . .that's not how the money is played!! The game is not designed for repayment of national depts!!

There is a netflixs series on how the international government money game is played. . .ya should watch it. . .it is very interesting!! Very interesting!! After watching that you will dismiss anybody whoever mention national dept to make you "poop" ya political pants. . .it only show how much in the dark that person is when it comes to the government money game!!

tribanon 3 years, 5 months ago

The countries you mention are all developed nations with their own fiat currency that can be exchanged for the fiat currency of any other country based on open market determined foreign exchange rates. The Bahamas has no such currency which is why the Bahamian dollar has no value, i.e. cannot be spent, in any other country.

The exchange control regime of The Bahamas therefore imposes serious limitations on our country's debt to GDP ratio because, unlike the countries you mentioned, we do not have the ability to print a fiat currency that can then be monetized and sold as sovereign debt in the international markets. Therefore comparing our debt to GDP level with the debt to GDP levels of the countries you mentioned is like comparing coconuts to caviar.

JokeyJack 3 years, 5 months ago

Dictatorships dont have voting. Doesnt he know that?

We are under an emergency order where he has absolute authority, just like Trudeau.

I wont pretend to cast a vote in this climate. Just accept we are slaves and shut up and beg for bread.

TalRussell 3 years, 5 months ago

Is somebody confusing red party's painting on their Sunday morning Christianity face makeup, alongside being the recipient singled out for Free Fishes from them two shady characters as a mandate to surround emself with a collection the weak-spined as being on a level as the gospels used to describe the fisherman of man's mandate given by Jesus to his first disciples, yes?

John 3 years, 5 months ago

So Minnis presented his fairy tale budget with all the bells and whistles attached. So will he call an early election and jump ship? The electorate is very agitated disillusioned at this time.. Minnis may seek to calm them before the election. Or maybe he wants to walk away from the PM's chair?

ohdrap4 3 years, 5 months ago

Who wrote the headline "Register FOR votes".

I thought people "Registered TO vote": to vote for their choice, not to vote for the oneallowing them to vote for him.

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