The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

QUESTIONS over how effectively a single Member of Parliament can represent far-flung islands such as MICAL were raised during a debate in the House of Assembly yesterday as MPs considered the boundaries resolution.

While both government and opposition members supported the measure, concerns were raised about representation, parity and the practical impact of constituency changes.

Deputy Prime Minister and Exumas and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper, who chaired the Constituencies Commission, said the resolution was a constitutional requirement rather than a political exercise and stressed that the commission acted lawfully, transparently and unanimously.

He noted that all commission members, including opposition representative Shannendon Cartwright, signed the final report and that there was no dissenting or minority report.

“This was not a backroom exercise,” Mr Cooper said. “It was a constitutional body doing constitutional work.”

Mr Cooper rejected suggestions of manipulation or conspiracy, saying the commission relied on data and experience from recent elections, including the 2021 general election and subsequent by-elections, which showed that some constituencies were too large or imbalanced for effective representation.

He said the addition of two new constituencies — St James in western New Providence and Bimini and the Berry Islands — reflected the majority view of the commission and brought the total number of seats to 41.

Health Minister and Tall Pines MP Michael Darville seconded the resolution, describing the commission’s work as a serious constitutional responsibility guided by voter data, population trends and development patterns.

He said sustained growth in New Providence necessitated the creation of St James, noting that Tall Pines, Killarney and Golden Isles had become among the largest constituencies in the capital.

Turning to the Family Islands, Dr Darville said the decision to combine Bimini and the Berry Islands reflected shared economic and travel realities, while the data did not support creating an additional constituency in the southern Bahamas at this time.

Speaking for the opposition, St Barnabas MP Shannendon Cartwright said his support for the resolution did not preclude raising concerns, particularly about the practicality of representation in geographically dispersed constituencies.

“How adequately can a Member of Parliament for MICAL represent five islands that are spread out?” he asked.

Mr Cartwright also questioned whether parity was applied consistently across constituencies and called for continued scrutiny of the voter register and clearer communication ahead of the next general election.

Opposition Leader Michael Pintard said the Free National Movement supported the resolution but highlighted disparities in voter numbers, noting that some constituencies have significantly fewer registered voters than others.

While acknowledging geographic challenges, Mr Pintard cautioned against dividing established communities during boundary adjustments and said the debate underscored the need for ongoing review of how parity and representation are defined.