The Nassau Guardian
DNA claims referendum delay not surprising
The delay in the proposed constitutional referendum on gender equality proves that the Christie administration does not care about the rights of women, Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Branville McCartney said yesterday.
“The PLP campaigned and won on the promise of a referendum which would finally address constitutional inequalities against women,” McCartney said in a statement.
“However, after more than 50 years since the women’s suffrage movement, months after receiving the recommendations of the Constitutional Commission, and more than two years in office, this government has not seen fit to make good on this promise.
“Prime Minister Perry Christie has instead postponed the date of the planned referendum twice and his administration has, during this time, failed to undertake the promised educational campaign intended to make the public more aware of the key points at the heart of this very important issue.”
Christie promised that a referendum on gender equality would have taken place by the end of June 2014.
He had originally set the date for the referendum for June 2013.
Back in October, when he announced a second delay for the referendum, the prime minister said the bills would be tabled before the end of 2013.
No bills have been tabled and the public education campaign has yet to begin.
McCartney said though he is saddened by the delay, he is not surprised.
“Since taking office, this administration has failed to meet its own deadlines on issues of national importance,” he said.
“As with issues such as value-added tax, National Health Insurance, the Freedom of Information Act, the implementation of the Sexual Offender’s Registry and countless others, the government has faltered consistently, failing not only to meet its own self-imposed deadlines, but also in providing the public with the necessary updates required to inspire confidence in the electoral process.”
Chairman of the Constitutional Commission Sean McWeeney has said the government may have to delay the referendum for a third time.
Christie later said no date has been set for the referendum.
The government hopes to “amend the citizenship provisions of the constitution to achieve full equality between men and women with respect to the acquisition and transmission of Bahamian nationality”, Christie previously said.
He said the government also proposes to expand the definition of discrimination in Article 26 of the constitution to “include discrimination based on sex as a prohibited ground so that women would be able to enjoy the same level of protection from discrimination that men already enjoy”.
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