Opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) leader Philip Davis told Eyewitness News Tuesday that his camp does not agree with government’s intent to introduce term limits on the office of the prime minister.
It was just yesterday that Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis confirmed that his administration will be reviewing bills which will regulate a prime minister’s tenure in office and also introduce a fixed election date.
Davis asserted that the government’s idea of introducing the proposed term limit is a direct threat to democracy.
“I think in making these statements one has to appreciate and understand the nature of our own democracy and what does it mean,” Davis said.
“Democracy requires the will of the people, in its fullest expression to be carried out.
“Are you going to now trump that by telling the people that if they want someone to serve as prime minister for more than two years that, that cannot happen because of an act introduced by parliament?”
While Davis opposed term limits on the office of the prime minister he actually supported the prime minister’s intent to introduce a fixed election date.
“Our democracy is such that the fixing of an election date is usually is something that rests at the discretion of the government. A responsible opposition would not be caught ‘off-guard,’ by what is called a snap election,” he said.
“If they (opposition) are appreciating the landscape, they ought to be able to predict what is happening or what is not happening in order to prepare themselves.”
In this vein, Davis said he supports the introduction of a set date for the General Election.
The government has, for quite some time, alluded to the introduction of set dates for the General Election and rules to govern the prime minister’s term in office, the long-awaited process will now be reviewed and tabled in the coming weeks, affirmed Dr. Minnis.
“We made a commitment that we will bring in term limits and we will do that,” Dr. Minnis said.
“We have also made a commitment that we will bring fixed dates for the General Election and we will bring that forth also.
“But we will bring those bills probably in about two weeks.”
