By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FORMER parliamentarian Loretta Butler-Turner says she believes the government should legislate “a timeframe” for naturalised Bahamians to become participants in the nation’s electoral process.

In a statement posted on her Facebook page yesterday, Mrs Butler-Turner described the right to vote “as one of the greatest rewards of citizenship.”

And with the next general election to be held in less than a year, the former Long Island MP noted it appears political parties “are all geared up” and ready to go.

“Something else that seems to be accelerated as we move into these election cycles (is) the number of newspaper notices for persons who have applied and are being considered for Bahamian citizenship,” she wrote.

“Each administration, past and present, knowingly or coincidentally seems to deal with significant numbers of citizenship applications as elections approach. Under our Constitution, citizenship status gives individuals the right to become a registered voter,” Mrs Butler-Turner added.

“Those who have campaigned can share stories of newly minted naturalised citizens who proudly show their voter’s card and brand-new passports to leverage demands in exchange for their vote. In most instances, the administration that bestows the status of citizenship is usually the beneficiary of that vote. Also, most new citizens look forward to being fully participatory Bahamians by casting their very first vote.”

The former leader of the opposition said after much consideration, she believes the Minnis administration should “legislate a timeframe for naturalised Bahamians to become participants of our electoral process.”

Mrs Butler-Turner explained that just as foreign spouses receive spousal permits some five years prior to citizenship approval, naturalised Bahamians should also be required to be a citizen in the country for five years before they are allowed to vote.

“I believe that this will remove much of the widely held perceptions and belief that citizenships granted prior to an election are potentially beneficial votes for the current administration,” she continued.

“In the aftermath of countless deaths unaccounted for and attributed to Hurricane Dorian along with the displacement of many citizens from their domiciled islands, the ongoing COVID-19 challenges, as well as the government’s roll out of a first-time permanent voter register; l believe that it would be an ideal time for such a provision to be added to our immigration and citizenship laws.

“It is incumbent upon the minister of national security and the government as a whole to ensure that a clean and accurate voter register is in place prior to general elections. Ensuring that all deceased, unaccounted and incarcerated persons are removed from the new permanent register (and) also ensuring that no displaced Bahamian citizen is disenfranchised,” Mrs Butler Turner said.