Moultrie requests voter statistics before end of week to complete report
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Constituencies Commission Chairman and Speaker of the House of Assembly Halson Moultrie yesterday asked Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to intervene with statistics from the Parliamentary Registration Department, noting that the commission has been unable to complete its recommendation on the boundaries for the next general election as it has not received updated voter registration data since February.
Moultrie made the appeal in Parliament during the morning session.
The Constituencies Commission was scheduled to meet yesterday, but did not due to certain members being absent.
“In the absence of the member for Mount Moriah, as chairman of the commission, I am making a public appeal to the honorable member for Killarney to request that the commission be provided with the updated statistics from the Parliamentary Registration Department by Friday of this week,” Moultrie said.
“It is the intention of the chairman of the commission to conclude its sitting on the 19th of April, which is Monday following. It is impossible and impracticable to give a reasonable report and recommendation without the empirical data.
“The last time the commission received data was on the 22nd of February, 2021, and on the 2nd of March the commission’s meeting was attended by representatives of the Parliamentary Registration Department, and at that time, there was a pledge that the commission would receive weekly updates.
“Well, from the 1st of March until today’s date, despite multiple enquiries made by Mr Flowers, who assists the clerk of the Parliament, as well as myself, the commission has not been provided with any updates.
“An analysis of the data that was provided on the 22nd of February indicates that in New Providence there are two constituencies that have more than 6,000 voters, that are approaching 7,000 voters — those are the constituencies Golden Isles and Killarney.”
According to Moultrie, 13 constituencies have between 5,000 and 6,000 voters; while another eight constituencies on New Providence have between 4,000 and 4,900 voters; and one constituency on New Providence — St Barnabas — has between 3,000 and 3,900 registered voters.
He said after an examination of the 123,783 voters on New Providence, the commission arrived at an average of 5,158 voters per constituency.
He said it is the constitutional duty of the commission to bring about voter parity and each constituency should range around 5,100 voters, plus or less 500 (4,600 to 5,600).
Moultrie said this does not necessarily require an increase in the number of seats as adjusting the boundaries is also an option.
“We need the empirical data by Friday of this week so that we can conclude our hearing and report,” Moultrie said.
“Any failure to provide the statistics that is being requested by the commission will result in the commission not rendering a report to this Parliament, which is a constitutional function, which is, in my estimation, being frustrated.”
The prime minister, who led debate on the Prospect Ridge Land Development, did not address the speaker.
Moultrie recently told Eyewitness News that the commission was considering recommending as many as four additional constituencies — three on New Providence and one on Grand Bahama, noting that some adjustments could occur for some the larger constituencies on those islands in an effort to achieve voter parity.
However, he noted that if the prime minister calls an early election, a prospect that has been the source of much speculation in political circles, the commission would not have time to draw new boundaries.
The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) said it is prepared to adjust and put forward additional candidates for the next general election based on potential changes to existing boundaries.
PLP Leader Philip Brave Davis said that, based on the view of the commission, it was “impossible” to have voter parity with the current boundaries.
