The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

LONG waits and mounting frustration defined voter registration sites on Saturday, as a surge in activity a day after Parliament was prorogued strained an already manual system.

At multiple locations, people spent hours trying to transfer or update their information, with some leaving without being processed.

At the Elizabeth Estates Post Office, one St Anne’s constituent arrived at 11.45am and was still waiting after 4pm, describing a slow, paper-based process that struggled to keep pace with demand.

Others reported similar delays. Jerome Adderley said he arrived at 10.15am and was only leaving shortly after 4pm. He said the process slowed further for those unsure how to pinpoint their address on registration maps, though he noted staff were courteous.

“If they had more workers, it would’ve been better,” he said.

Patrick Adderley, who had been waiting since 1pm, said the pace was uneven, with periods of movement followed by long pauses. He said some people left before being called, which appeared to speed up the line for those who remained.

Another person said they had been waiting since 12.15pm without a break and had still not been processed after four hours. They described a system that requires people to sign in, state whether they are transferring, verifying or registering, and then wait to be called — a process that slowed further as the afternoon wore on.

Even among those who praised the staff, there was recognition of the strain. One voter, who spent roughly three hours at the site, said the increase in turnout was expected given the timing.

The spike follows Friday’s proroguing of Parliament until April 8. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said in a national address that he is “very close to ringing that bell” and urged Bahamians to register.

Prorogation brings parliamentary business to a halt but does not dissolve the institution or trigger a general election, with members of the House of Assembly remaining in office. Parliament is expected to be dissolved next month, with a general election held around May 12.

Mr Davis said he advised the Governor-General earlier last week to prorogue Parliament under Article 66(1) of the Constitution. The proclamation was issued and delivered to Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles, who read the proclamation outside the House of Assembly on Friday.

In his national address, Mr Davis urged people to get registered.

“I want every Bahamian to know – by the time you hear that bell ring, if you are not registered, you will not be eligible to vote,” he said.

“Do not wait for the bell. Go now — to your nearest Parliamentary Registration location – and get registered. To those who have moved since the last election and have not yet transferred, I encourage you to go now and do so.”

Mr Davis also urged young people who recently turned 18 to register, saying the country’s democracy belongs to them.

He said young voters should not stay on the sidelines and stressed that their participation will help shape the nation’s future.

The heightened political activity has exposed pressure points in the current registration system, which still relies heavily on manual processing while a phased rollout of biometric voter cards continues.

The Parliamentary Registration Department has begun issuing the new cards in stages, starting with Golden Isles, St James and Carmichael, with about 2,500 expected in the initial phase. Officials have said more than 20,000 people have already requested them, and demand is expected to grow as the election approaches.

The cards use biometric data already held by the department, including facial images and fingerprints, and are intended to replace laminated cards that have been criticised as outdated and vulnerable to forgery.

By law, nomination day must come at least seven days after the writs are issued, and polling day must be at least seven days after nomination day. That means the earliest an election can be held is about two weeks after the writs are issued, though in practice, elections in The Bahamas are usually held three to four weeks after Parliament is dissolved.

An election becomes necessary when Parliament is dissolved, either early on the prime minister’s advice or automatically at the end of its five-year term. Once that happens, the Governor-General issues election writs for each constituency, setting the process in motion and outlining key dates.