“Mr Chrisite said caricom also made several recommendations including campaign funding legislation, the establishment of an independent boundaries commission, a code of conduct and the use of smaller voting booths.”

“Considerations should be given to implementing laws to govern campaign funding focusing on the source of funds, the use of funds and limits on expenditure. The establishment of an independent boundaries commission which would prevent the ruling party from seeking to effect boundary changes to its advantage”

**back to 2002**
27 Februray 2002 referendum

Q3 the creation of an independent parliamentary comissioner YES 34.5%; NO 65.5%
Q4 the creation of an independent election bondaries commission YES 35%; NO 65%

Read Fred Mitchell’s remarks 13 February 2002.

http://www.fredmitchelluncensored.com/R…

tenure

Will PM Christie resign in mid-term 2014/2015?
Are the electorate aware that there will be a change in leadership?

And the people voted all the way!

http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2012…

the bahamas government's reservations
"The Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas does not consider itself bound by the provisions of
*article 2(a)*
States Parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms, agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women and, to this end:
(a) To embody the principle of the equality of men and women in their national constitutions or other appropriate legislation if not yet incorporated therein and to ensure, through law and other appropriate means, the practical realization of this principle;

*article 9, paragraph 2*
2. States Parties shall grant women equal rights with men with respect to the nationality of their children.

*article 16(h)*
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in all matters relating to marriage and family relations and in particular shall ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women:
h) The same rights for both spouses in respect of the ownership, acquisition, management, administration, enjoyment and disposition of property, whether free of charge or for a valuable consideration.

*article 29, paragraph 1*
.Any dispute between two or more States Parties concerning the interpretation or application of the present Convention which is not settled by negotiation shall, at the request of one of them, be submitted to arbitration. If within six months from the date of the request for arbitration the parties are unable to agree on the organization of the arbitration, any one of those parties may refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice by request in conformity with the Statute of the Court.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, is often described as an international bill of rights for women. It defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.
“Under the present constitution, the way in which Bahamian citizenship is conferred on the spouses and children of Bahamian women, is, to say the least, irregular. The wives of Bahamian men are entitled to Bahamian citizenship; the husbands of Bahamian women are not granted any such entitlement and have to apply for citizenship like any other would-be immigrant. Similarly, the children of Bahamian men, whether born in the Bahamas or not, are Bahamians at birth; the children of Bahamian women have a far more complex fate. If a woman is unmarried, and has a child outside the Bahamas, her child is born Bahamian. But if she is married to a non-Bahamian, and gives birth outside the country, that child is merely entitled to apply for citizenship between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one, and may be refused. If offered citizenship, the child is then forced to renounce any other citizenship in order to receive Bahamian status.”
Source: Nicolette Bethel , Engendering The Bahamas: A Gendered Examination of Bahamian Nation Making, or National Identity and Gender in the Bahamian Context, *International Journal of Bahamian Studies*

The Bahamas’ response to CEDAW: "The Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas does not consider itself bound by the provisions of article 2(a), ... article 9, paragraph 2, ... article 16(h), ... [and] article 29, paragraph 1, of the Convention." *The sections contravene our constitution.*

The Bahamas made three reports: 5 November 1994; 5 November 1998; and 5 November 2002
Source: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/

The referendum concerning the items was held in 27 February 2002.
Question 1: The removal of gender discrimination from the constitution
Vote: 34% for and 66% against.

The claim by both the PLP and the Church "the people need more time". Visit Fred Mitchell Uncensored 2002

repercussions

We need clarification between the terms “promissory note” and “resignation”. Based on the speaker’s definition, Human Resource Managers should be shivering. Traditionally, when one resigns it is (1) effective immediately, (2) effective according to the rules (usually two weeks after the date of the letter), and (3) effective at the date indicated.

is this employment scenario possible? Imagine Joe Exuma submitting a resignation effective at a future date. Mr. Exuma’s proposed job falls through and he decides to argue that his letter was a “promissory note” and that he has the right to rescind his letter because the effective date is in the future.

The employer says no, we accepted your resignation. Mr. Exuma’s lawyer points to the Speaker's interpretation of Mr. Ingraham’s letter.

http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2012…

clarification
My interpretation of the events...this is not attributed to PM Christie.

".Apparently, the Speaker, after reading the letter of resignation, studying the rules, consulting with others about prior circumstances, concluded that he would use the Sir Orville Turnquest example. It is highly unlikely that Speaker Major would be aware of Sir Orville’s resignation and how it was handled. Someone told him. Who told him? "

I heard Mr. Bastian. I think that he would be more accurate to say that he did not make a donation to the party plp, fnm. What he did was give monies to "selected candidates" who happen to be candidates of the PLP and FNM. Perhaps those "selected candidates" elected and not elected, should "get up and stand up" and acknowledge receipt of the "illegal" funds.