Bahamian president to replace Governor General should not be elected by the people but selected by bipartisan Parliamentary decision
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Former Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes believes it is time for The Bahamas to move away from Great Britain and become a republic.
In an exclusive interview with Eyewitness News, Sir Arthur lent his support to the ongoing discussion surrounding the removal of the Queen as the country’s head of state and how a transition to a Republic of The Bahamas could look.
“I think it’s a natural consequence, a natural part of our growth from colonialism to full nationhood, that we should have an indigenous head of state and not a foreign monarch as our head of state,” he said.
The recent Caribbean tour by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee has sparked debate over breaking ties with Britain as Jamaica signaled its own intention to “move on” during the royal couple’s stopover in the country.
The tour also inflamed anti-colonial sentiment in the region with calls for reparations, and for former colonies to sever ties with the Commonwealth by seeking to become a republic.
Sir Arthur, who served as the ninth governor-general of The Bahamas from 2012 to 2014, insisted that despite the inevitability of the shift, he still has the highest regard for Queen Elizabeth and her legacy.
While debate for the transition is not new, Sir Arthur said “as a former colony, I think it is essential that we now move on to have our own indigenous head of state”.
The Bahamas was under British rule for nearly 200 years before it was granted its independence on July 10, 1973.
Queen Elizabeth II remains the monarch and head of state for The Bahamas, though her powers are largely symbolic as she is not involved in day-to-day governing, a constitutional role of the elected Parliament and prime ministers.
In his interview with Eyewitness News, Sir Arthur said the relationship between The Bahamas and the Crown should not change even when the Bahamas decides to make its move.
“There is no reason why sometime in the future when we become a republic, why we could not welcome a visit from the British monarch, whoever he or she happens to be at that time,” he added.
“…It’s not personal. I’m glad that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge came to visit us.
“I hope they come back next year and I hope they come back with their kids and the year after that…I hope that the next king of England or the next queen of England would visit the Bahamas as head of state of another country.”
Public education
Two previous Constitutional Commissions have made recommendations regarding the retention of the Queen of England as the Bahamas’ Head of State, with both commissions reporting mixed feelings from the public.
Sir Arthur contended that while there are external challenges such as the country’s current economic status, social ills, and global events that could delay The Bahamas’ readiness, there is also a significant need to educate the Bahamian public on moving toward a republic.
“The change from a monarchy for us to a republic would simply mean changing from Governor General to the president, that’s all,” Sir Arthur said.
“You need not to disturb anything in the constitution, except the amendments relating to the appointment of a Governor General or president and the consequential amendments that will follow with that.”
Sir Arthur, who is also one of the 15 signatories of the Bahamian constitution, noted that even though The Bahamas practices some of the principles of the Westminster system, it is only a tiny reflection of the traditional system.
He explained that The Bahamas is much too small to operate in a typical Westminster system, noting that successive governments have sought to enlarge their Cabinet sizes, taking away from the backbench.
“The British didn’t invent Parliamentary democracy…It stems from the desire of a people to be governed by their own elected representatives, that’s the essence of it.”
Sir Arthur furthered that The Bahamas’ shift could also mirror what was done in Barbados when it moved to a republic in November 2021 but dismissed the need to make the presidency an elected position.
He explained that this selection could be done with the prime minister in consultation with the leader of the opposition and then taken to Parliament including the Senate for approval and voting.
“We ought not to have a president elected at large because that would immediately become partisan and political and that is what you do not want.”
Sir Arthur said a distinction and separation must be made between the prime minister as the head of government and the president as a head of state.
He underscored the importance of the responsibilities of the Governor General in the constitution, who acts as a sort of safety valve or overseer for the protection of democracy from abuse.
“You need to have a symbolic head of state but it’s more than symbolic, it’s functional as well,” Sir Arthur said.
“His/Her duties are set out in the constitution and it is above the day-to-day politicking of the political parties.”
The Bahamas’ change to a republic would require a referendum in order to amend the constitution.
Acknowledging the country’s contentious history and failures with previous referendums, the former Governor General said he doesn’t “blame the people” but he does “blame the leadership”.
“If we do it properly. If the government and the opposition get together and we decide that this is the way we are going and we are going to have a Bahamian president instead of a foreign queen, and we take that to the people and you explain to the people why it is a good thing to have, I think the Bahamian people will say yes.”
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