NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Amid accusations from Constituencies Commission Chairman Halson Moultrie that Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has “undermined” its report, the prime minister said the work of the commission continues without his involvement, to the best of his knowledge.
When prompted about Moultrie’s statement, Minnis said he awaits the commission’s report, which focuses on achieving voter parity in the next general election.
“To my knowledge, the Boundaries Commission are doing their job,” Minnis said.
“It has nothing to do with me.
“We await the report from the Boundaries Commission.”
The prime minister has already printed campaign paraphernalia with the Free National Movement (FNM) winning the existing 39 seats, according to Moultrie.
He also said the prime minister’s utterance that the boundaries will not change, in absence of the data and information in the commission’s possession, was “premature”.
Moultrie has previously said the commission could recommend the creation of four more seats or changes to the makeup of some constituencies to achieve voter parity.
“It is really unfortunate and regrettable that the prime minister prematurely undermined the work of the commission by stating there would be no changes — ‘what you have is what you have’ and has gotten his party’s paraphernalia with the number 39 and so on already made up and displaying it publicly,” Moultrie said.
“…We are professional people who make up this commission, so we will try and give the Bahamian people the most effective and professional report that we can produce.”
Once completed, the commission is expected to submit its report to the governor general, who will in turn hand the report over to the prime minister for tabling in the House of Assembly.
The commission is comprised of the speaker, Justice Deborah Fraser as vice chairman, Minister of Health Renward Wells, Minister of Agriculture Michael Pintard and Exumas and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper.
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