By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE anticipated November 6 constitutional referendum on gender equality has been postponed to 2015 at a date to be announced, Bain and Grants Town MP Dr Bernard Nottage said in the House of Assembly yesterday. 

He added that the Christie administration decided to postpone the referendum after considering recommendations from the Constitutional Commission, which sees additional time as vital to the success of its public education campaign.

The postponement of the referendum is the government’s latest setback as it attempts to enshrine equal rights for men and women in the Constitution. It will likely arm critics of the government who chide the government for missing self imposed deadlines for important issues.

This marks the fourth time the government has delayed the constitutional vote.

Prime Minister Perry Christie had initially set the constitutional referendum for June 2013 but later changed the date to November 2013. He later said the constitutional bills would be brought to Parliament before the end of 2013 and passed in February 2014.

However, he then said the referendum would take place before the end of June 2014. That deadline was not met and in July, Mr Christie announced the vote would take place in November.

Nonetheless, Dr Nottage said the postponement should not be viewed as an attempt by the government to compromise on its commitment to enshrining gender equality in the Constitution but rather as an effort to appease those requesting more time to consider the relevant issues.

“Following consultations that the Constitutional Commission has recently had with government, the religious community and various sectors of civil society, the commission has recommended to the government that a longer period of time be allowed for public education and national dialogue before a national referendum is held on the pending bills,” he said. “In this regard, the commission has informed the government that while it is generally pleased with the public’s response to its public education initiatives to date, it is evident that certain misconceptions, concerns and even anxieties persists, especially in relation to bill number two, relating to possible citizenship for foreign spouse of Bahamians and bill number four, relating to the elimination of public discrimination based on sex. These misconceptions, concerns and anxieties have been exacerbated in many instances by the feeling that insufficient time is not being given to develop a clear and thorough understanding of the bills and what they are intended to achieve.”

Dr Nottage said that mindful of these concerns, the government has agreed to hold the constitutional referendum in 2015 at a date that will be determined “following consultations with the opposition, the parliamentary commissioner and the Constitutional Commission.”

He added that despite the postponement of the referendum, the constitutional Bills presently in a committee stage will be finalised and passed soon in the House of Assembly.

“A more specific timetable in this regard will be announced following consultations between the government and the opposition,” he added.

“As the purpose for the rescheduling of the referendum is to allow a longer period of time for pubic education and dialogue on the issues, the Constitutional Commission will be proceeding with its public education programme on an expanded and sustained basis throughout the Bahamas. The government remains fully committed to constitutional reform and in particular, the four constitutional reform bills in question, which as you know, has as their common thread the establishment of full equality between men and women.

“Not only generally, as is the sole objective of bill number four, but in particular, in relation to citizenship, as is the objective of bills number one, two and three. The rescheduling of the referendum should not be viewed as either a repudiation or compromise of this commitment, but rather as a simple recognition of the fact that many of our citizenry are simply asking for more time to consider the issues before making up their minds. The government is mindful of the cries that we had heard in this regard and is therefore pleased to accommodate a rescheduling of the referendum accordingly.”