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Columns : Letters to The Editor Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM


Pamela Burnside: The Referendum Plain and Simple‏
Aug 18, 2014 - 1:19:24 PM

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Dear Editor,

PLAIN & SIMPLE: YES or NO

This country has a whole lot of serious problems that need to be addressed, and FAST, because we are in big trouble with escalating debt, increasing crime, poverty, corruption, joblessness, hopelessness etc. etc. etc. Can our ‘leaders’ take their blinders off, get their heads out of the sand, and start doing the job they were elected to do? Right now we are getting nowhere fast – there is no vision, there is no plan, there is no unity, there is no cooperation, there is no clue – and meanwhile the country is going to hell and the people are suffering!

The upcoming Referendum is a stark example of this – we are wasting time arguing and confusing the issues, and as a result cutting off our noses to spite our face – AGAIN! This Referendum is for the benefit of ALL OF US – yes, ALL OF US - Bahamian men, women and children! So can we please calm down and pay attention so that we can sort it out and move on to other things? Simply put, this is what I understand: The purpose is to vote on 4 Constitutional Bills in order that Bahamian women, men and children can have equal rights. The public will be voting either ‘YES’ to change the Bill, or ‘NO’ to keep it the way it is.

BILL #1

A) NOW: A child born to a Bahamian MAN married to a Bahamian woman, or married to a non Bahamian woman, AUTOMATICALLY gets Bahamian citizenship

B) UNEQUALLY however, a child born to a Bahamian WOMAN who is married to a non-Bahamian man DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY obtain Bahamian citizenship

C) CHANGE WITH A ‘YES’ VOTE: A child born to a Bahamian woman who is married to a non-Bahamian man will AUTOMATICALLY get Bahamian citizenship

BILL #2

A) NOW: The non-Bahamian wife of a Bahamian man can obtain Bahamian citizenship after five years, (however citizenship is not guaranteed).

B) UNEQUALLY however the non-Bahamian husband of a Bahamian woman does NOT have the right to apply for Bahamian citizenship through marriage.

c) CHANGE WITH A ‘YES’ VOTE: The non-Bahamian husband of a Bahamian woman will have the right to obtain Bahamian citizenship AFTER FIVE YEARS (however citizenship is not guaranteed).

BILL #3

A) NOW: A child born to a Bahamian father who is NOT MARRIED to the non-Bahamian mother CANNOT AUTOMATICALLY get Bahamian citizenship

B) UNEQUALLY a child born to a Bahamian mother who is NOT MARRIED, CAN AUTOMATICALLY get Bahamian citizenship

C) CHANGE WITH A ‘YES’ VOTE: A child born to a Bahamian father who IS NOT MARRIED to the non Bahamian mother CAN AUTOMATICALLY obtain Bahamian citizenship, once it is scientifically proved he is the father

BILL #4

A) NOW: No Bahamian citizen, MAN OR WOMAN, can be denied basic human rights based on their race, place of origin, political opinions, colour or creed

B) There is NO INEQUALITY problem in this Bill – the Referendum change is to allow for the word ‘ sex’ – i.e. gender, to be added to the list

C) CHANGE WITH A ‘YES’ VOTE: the word ‘sex’ referring to person’s gender, i.e. a female or a male, would be added to the listing.

Yours sincerely,

Pam Burnside


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