The commissionﾒs chairman is the speaker of the House of Assembly Oswald Ingraham who has called the first meeting for this Friday at the House of Assembly.
Minister Roberts confirmed to the Journal yesterday that he and Mr. Davis will represent the governing party on the commission.
The Journal was also able to confirm that Supreme Court Justice Stephen Isaacs will be the commissionﾒs deputy chairman. He was appointed by the governor general acting on the advice of the chief justice.
The five-member body will examine existing constituencies to determine whether they should remain or be altered. There are presently 40 constituencies in the country.
Last month, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced in the House of Assembly that he planned to advise the governor general to appoint the commission immediately.
After Mr. Christieﾒs announcement, leader of the Official Opposition Hubert Ingraham soon announced that his choice for the Oppositionﾒs representative on the Boundaries Commission was FNM Deputy Leader and Montagu MP Brent Symonette.
Mr. Symonette said yesterday that the commission had not yet met, but that a meeting was planned soon.
Two weeks ago when he spoke to the Bahama Journal, he had expressed disappointment that the body had not yet had a meeting, and that the prime ministerﾒs choices for the government representatives had not even been announced as yet.
At the time, Mr. Symonette said, “Numerous persons in The Bahamas are concerned about how any potential changes in the boundaries will affect them as voters, as potential candidates, and also as political advocates in the forthcoming elections.
“I would have thought that to avoid the numerous rumors, and articles appearing in the press it would be advisable for Mr. Christie to ensure the early appointment of his members and also the meeting of the boundaries commission as an election must be held in less than a year.”
Yesterday, he said he thought it was good news that a meeting had finally been called.
It is understood that the government is proposing significant changes to boundaries in New Providence.
Certain boundaries could revert to their 1992 boundary lines. It is believed that the Centreville constituency will be as it used to be.
Montagu is expected to see significant changes, as will St. Margaret and Bain and Grants Town.
Also, the government proposes to make some changes to the Abaco constituencies, the Journal has learnt.
By: Candia Dames, The Bahama Journal
