Minister of Foreign Affairs and Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell signalled that fixed election dates are not a priority for the Davis administration, responding to calls Fort Charlotte MP Alfred Sears made during his farewell address in the House of Assembly last week.
His comments came Friday, shortly after Parliament was prorogued, and followed remarks by Mr Sears during Wednesday’s final sitting urging reforms to how elections are timed and financed.
Mr Sears urged Parliament to adopt fixed election dates and create campaign finance rules, arguing both are needed to strengthen governance.
“I have other concerns, such as campaign finance reform, so that we protect the integrity of our political process, because the wealthiest people in the world live right here,” he said. “We should always ensure that the money do not determine the outcome, but the will of the people determines, because they’re the sovereigns and that we should have a fixed election date so that we bring certainty to the business of our country.”
The Davis administration has repeatedly indicated that campaign finance reform is not a priority, even though the party promised it in its pre-election manifesto.
As for fixed election dates, Mr Mitchell said such constitutional changes are not on the government’s agenda as it prepares for an election.
“These are constitutional reform issues,” he said. “I think that ought to be left to the larger question. Certainly, that's one argument that people put but at the moment, that's not on the agenda.”
He said the focus is on presenting the party’s record and plans to voters as the term appears to be ending.
“At the moment, we have a term which is it appears may be coming to an end,” he said. “We need to face the electorate with the things which we offer going forward and that is stability, continuity, good governance, growth in the economy, young people getting an opportunity to invest and improve their country, fighting crime; those are the issues that we'll be going to the Bahamian public with.”
Pressed on whether fixed election dates would be a priority in a new term, Mr Mitchell said constitutional reform is complex and unlikely to top the agenda.
Comments
LastManStanding 7 hours, 50 minutes ago
Fixed elections should be very low on the list of political reforms as ultimately it's quite meaningless. What we really need is wholesale political reform that finally dumps the outdated and unrepresentative FPTP system in favour of a more representative model. Ever since 2012 between 4-8% of Bahamian voters have supported third parties and their voices have been completely unrepresented in our system of governance. The Coalition would have had 2 seats in a representative electoral system last election, the DNA 3 in 2012. Even if we aren't willing to adopt a proportional system at the very least a system of ranked choice voting is in order considering the fact that third parties are an established fact of the Bahamian political system and no MP should ever be elected with a mere plurality of votes. Sadly none of this is likely to happen because the red and yellow circus clowns will always put their own political interests (and those of their financial backers) first before those of the Bahamian people.
joeblow 2 hours, 48 minutes ago
... forget fixed election dates, we need term limits. There is no reason why any politician should get to serve more than 2 terms! We keep oscillating between two sets of losers! The people of this country need to demand better for themselves!
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