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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Photo: Contribution by the Hon. Dr. Hubert A. Minnis, to the 2016-2017 Budget Debate delivered to the House of Assembly on Monday, June 20, 2016.
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Nassau, The Bahamas - Contribution To The Budget Debate – 2016/2017 by The Hon. Dr. Hubert A. Minnis, Member Of Parliament for Killarney at House Of Assembly Monday, June, 20th 2016:
Mr.Speaker,
Let me thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the 2016-2017 budget communication as presented by the outgoing Minister for Finance and Prime Minister The Rt. Honourable Perry Gladstone Christie. But before I do so please allow me to express my profound gratitude to the people of Killarney who have given me the honour to represent their views in this Honourable House of Assembly and also to the Free National Movement for the confidence placed in me to continue to lead our great FNM party.
I take this opportunity to also thank my loyal staff and my family, especially my wife whose support is beyond price in this difficult period. Above all, I thank Almighty God for giving me the fortitude to persist in my duty in the face of a firestorm of criticism from without and within. I do pray to be able to continue to serve our people as his all-righteous will be done in the life of our beloved homeland. (MOTHER ROSALIE NORTH, SISTER, DORIS HALL).
THE REFERENUDM VOTE
Mr. Speaker,
It is with a great deal of humility but extreme pride that as leader of the FNM party we offer our congratulations and express our great satisfaction in the peaceful way in which the people of The Bahamas went to the polls on referendum day June 7, 2016.
Mr. Speaker,
The people spoke loudly and clearly to the nation and especially to us in parliament when they said “Do not touch our constitution.” Bahamians let me assure you that we in the FNM heard you loud and clear and we unreservedly accept and will faithfully abide by your considered decision.
Mr. Speaker,
We note with amazement that government members and others are trying to shift the blame for the failure of the YES vote away from themselves. Some have even said that if I had campaigned and spoken loudly and positively for the YES vote, the outcome would have been different. I never knew that I had such great influence; I hope The Bahamas is listening. The people have sent a clear and unmistakable message that just as they have rejected the referendum proposal in 2016 they will also reject you and your failed policies in 2017.
Photo: Contribution by the Hon. Dr. Hubert A. Minnis, to the 2016-2017 Budget Debate delivered to the House of Assembly on Monday, June 20, 2016.
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Mr. Speaker,
The PLP government did not run a free, fair and transparent referendum campaign.
Mr. Speaker,
Free and fair elections are the foundation of any democracy ours being no exception. It was wrong Mr. Speaker, for this government to use the peoples' taxes to fund the YES campaign while denying funding to the NO campaign. To ensure that no future government of The Bahamas will be able to discriminate against its citizens in this manner an FNM government will enact legislation to remove this discriminatory practice for all future referenda.
It was right Mr. Speaker, for me to advise voters to become educated on the 4 bills and “TO VOTE THEIR CONSCIENCE’ as widely reported in the media. My advice to vote their conscience demonstrated my UTMOST RESPECT for the intelligence and ability of our people to best decide for themselves, what they wanted to do, after all do we not accept their decision during a general election? Again, as leader of the FNM party, we offer our congratulations and express our great satisfaction in the peaceful way in which the people went to the polls on referendum dayand voted their conscience.
(READ PARLIAMENTARY SPEECH – VOTE CONSCIENCE: Wednesday, July 23, 2014.)
Unfortunately, the process used in the referendum highlighted a number of irregularities which resulted in many persons being denied their fundamental right to cast their ballot. These irregularities, if not corrected for future elections could possibly cast a long dark shadow in the international community on our country's ability to hold free, fair and transparent elections.
These irregularities included among other things, a lack of clear instructions from the parliamentary officials regarding the presence, and or, dress of observers while within the polling venue. The Parliamentary Commissioner agreed in advance to allow agents designated by the two major political parties to act as observers, however observers from the FNM were denied entry into the polling venues because they wore red shirts. Why Mr. Speaker should a red, green, yellow or any other colour shirt affect the voting process, and what is the legal basis for such a policy?
In many cases polls were opened and balloting proceeded in the absence of observers. Hard copies of the register of voters were not available on time, and in most cases not available at all, at some polling venues. It is unimaginable that in this modern society the administration would hold an election without hard copies of the register being available at the polling venue. This is simply unacceptable in this age of technology.
In some cases Voters were instructed to write “no” or “yes” in answer to the questions rather than to mark an “X” next to their choice.
Mr. Speaker,
In a fully wired country such as ours with all the modern technology available including the internet, telephones, faxes and Whats App we find it unacceptable that this PLP government is so incompetent that it would take almost forty eight hours to count the votes and make the final results public. We suspect a sinister motive and we demand an urgent explanation from this PLP government. The government also owes the Bahamian people an explanation as to how the chairman of thePLP could issue a statement of the defeat of the YES vote before the Parliamentary Commissioner had receivedall of the results from the various stations and made them public, and even before the completion of the vote count.
These glaring irregularities are of great concern to us especially in light of the upcoming general elections and we put the government on notice that these irregularities must be fixed and for our own part we will demand that international organizations be invited to observe The Bahamas general elections in 2017 or before, to ensure the integrity of the voting process...
Full Minnis 2016-2017 Budget Contribution attached below
© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com
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