Register Ends March 12:
By Candia Dames -
Nassau, Bahamas:

In a sure sign that the election season is heating up, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced in a televised national address last night that he has advised the governor general to close the current register of voters on Monday, March 12.

Prime Minister Christie said an order to that effect under Section 14 of the Parliamentary Elections Act was expected to be made to the governor general yesterday with a view to publication of the required ‘register of voters expiry date notice’ today.

"Now that the current register of voters is being brought to an end, it is a matter of the first importance that all Bahamian citizens who have not yet done so proceed as soon as possible to register for the forthcoming general elections," the prime minister said.

"The time between now and the next general elections is getting shorter with each passing day. I urge Bahamians to act now by registering to vote either at the Parliamentary Registration Department or at any of its many satellite offices."

Continuing his brief address, Mr. Christie said the ability to cast one’s ballot for the candidate of one’s choice is perhaps the most cherished of all the political and civil rights enjoyed by citizens of The Bahamas.

"Indeed it lies at the very heart of the democratic system of government we hold so dear," the prime minister said.

"It represents the ultimate expression of the supremacy of the electorate in determining the future governance of our country. Fellow citizens, I again take this opportunity to encourage all Bahamians of 18 years or older to ensure that they put themselves in a position of readiness to decide the future of our country by registering to vote as soon as possible."

Providing further explanation to the prime minister’s announcement late yesterday, Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel explained to the Bahama Journal that when the current register dies on March 12, it will be replaced by the new register, so the new register will then become the register in force.

"We will continue to work on the new register in preparation for an election," he said.

After March 12, he said people can still register to vote.

"If people register after that date, we would not then be doing two cards for people who are registering for the first time. We would only be registering people one time and that is on the new register, which will then become the register of record."

And people who have already registered to vote do not need to do so again.

"Those who are registered on the new register are safe," Mr. Bethel explained.

"Those who might have been on the old register, but are not on the new register they will not be safe. They will now have to make sure that their names are on the new register for them to be able to vote."

Mr. Bethel said the latest count of people who have registered on the new register is 109,000. Just over 155,000 are on the old register, according to the parliamentary commissioner.

He said his department was hoping to get at least 160,000 voters on the new register.

"I think the closing of the old register will assist us tremendously because people will then know that we are focusing on the new register and that the new register is the register that will be used. If their names are not on the new register then it would be very, very urgent that they get registered on the new register as soon as possible."

2 February 2007

Bahamian Politics>>>