Gov’t defends decision to amend parliamentary elections bill

NASSAU (CMC):

Prime Minister Philip Davis has defended the decision to amend the Parliamentary Elections Bill, saying it closes a loop while respecting the rights of voters, the authority of institutions, and the demand from the public for confidence in the process.

Davis told legislators that the legislation, at its core, is about safeguarding the integrity of elections and ensuring that every Bahamian eligible to vote has their voice heard.

“That is what democracy demands, and that is the standard we must uphold. We sometimes take for granted how far we’ve come. It wasn’t always the case that every Bahamian could vote,” Davis said.

He told legislators that, for much of the country’s history, voting was a reserved for privileged few men, those who owned property, those who had wealth, those who carved a narrow image of democracy and jealously guarded the right to vote for a certain segment of the Bahamian population.

He said the introduction of the secret ballot in 1937 in Nassau, and later across the islands in 1942, was a major step forward, and that no longer would Bahamians be forced to reveal their vote under the eyes of the powerful.

But he said, still, voting remained tied to property ownership and wealth and that it took the the passage of the General Assembly Elections Act of 1959 to abolish property qualifications for men to register vote.

“The Women’s Suffrage Movement then fought to secure the right to register to vote for women, and, in 1962, women voted in a general election for the first time. These were not minor adjustments. They were defining moments that moved this country closer to fairness and equality. That progress continued with Majority Rule in 1967, and with Independence in 1973, when our Constitution guaranteed universal suffrage.”

“The amendments before us today are part of that legacy. They do not break from our democratic tradition. They continue it. We are not tearing down what came before. We are building on it. We are strengthening what we inherited. We are meeting the demands of the present and preparing for the challenges of the future.

“Just as those before us debated the secret ballot, the removal of property qualifications, and the extension of the franchise to women, we now face questions about how best to manage voter identification in a modern age. That includes the introduction of biometric voter cards, which I will speak to in greater detail as we proceed.”

He said over the years, international observer missions from the Organization of American States (OAS) , the Commonwealth, and other reputable bodies have monitored the elections here and their reports have been consistent.

“While they have commended the peaceful conduct and credible outcomes of our elections, they have also expressed serious concerns about the way we manage our electoral process.

Davis said he wanted to make it clear that “this is not about electronic voting. “This legislation does not introduce online voting, digital ballots, or any form of voting by electronic device. The process of casting and counting votes remains entirely manual.

“What we are modernising is how we register voters, how we verify identity, and how we protect the integrity of the roll. Biometric voter cards and electronic poll books are tools to strengthen the front end of the electoral process not to alter how votes are cast or tabulated.“

Davis said the ballot box remains at the centre of the country’s democracy and that ‘this reform ensures that the names on the register are accurate, the credentials secure, and the process credible.

He said among the changes, the country is replacing the concept of a “permanent” voter card with a secure biometric card that carries a 10-year validity.

The Act also mandates a national voter verification exercise once every 10 years and Prime Minister Davis said during this process, voters will appear in person, confirm or update their personal and biometric information, and if needed, receive a new card.

However, the deputy leader of the main opposition Free National Movement (FNM), Shanendon Cartwright, told Parliament he does not feel that the government has “allowed enough public consultation on the matter, which will significantly change the way we vote”.