In “Referendum on Equal Rights in The Bahamas Is ‘Unnecessary’, Despite Dame Sawyer,” May 18, 2016, I expressed misgivings about the country of my birth subjecting the constitutional rights of fellow citizens to a referendum.
I reasoned, in part, that the rights of citizenship at issue are necessarily implied in existing constitutional provisions. Further that we only needed the Supreme Court to duly interpret and enforce those provisions, or Parliament to codify any clarification of them, for women to enjoy all of the constitutional rights men already enjoy … and vice versa.
I lamented, in part, that only prevailing religious bigotry explains the failure of the Supreme Court and Parliament to do so. Further that there is no reasoning with people whose ignorance or religious conviction (or an insidious confluence of both) has them convinced that granting equal rights to women is tantamount to granting equal rights to LGBTs, most notably the right to marry. And, of course, these misguided souls believe with every fibre of their being that any marriage not composed of a man and a woman is an abomination to their God.
Alas, such “believers” compose the majority of the Bahamian electorate. I grew up amongst them. I know them all too well….
But don’t get me started on the pitiful irony of so many women voting “No” with feelings of joy and hopes of vindication….
That said, I commend the government-appointed Constitutional Commission for holding hundreds of public consultations around the country, for over two years – trying to disabuse our people of their ignorance, while showing due respect for their religious beliefs.
But, given the dogmatic blowback those consultations provoked, I suspect the Commissioners are not at all surprised that their efforts amounted to no avail.
Prime Minister Christie this morning called the failed gender equality [referendum on June 7] a setback for the program of constitutional reform…
‘The voice of the people has sounded in the land. It needs to be respected and honored and it will,’ the prime minister said.
(Nassau Guardian, June 8, 2016)
Incidentally, even though not entirely without merit, the claim that mistrust of the Christie’s PLP government caused this result is a red herring, which is being proffered by secular fools, religious bigots … and political opportunists.
But, given my reasoning and lamentation above, there’s clearly no point in commenting any further; except to say:
God help The Bahamas.
Related commentaries:
Referendum…