The appointment of the five-member Boundaries Commission has taken place, clearing the way for members to meet to determine whether existing constituencies should remain the same or be altered.
The Guardian has confirmed that the first meeting of the Commission will be held today at 9.30 a.m. at the House of Assembly.
The meeting comes just days after Prime Minister Perry Christie appointed Bain and Grants Town Member of Parliament, Bradley Roberts, and Cat Island and Rum Cay representative, Philip Davis, to the Commission.
House Speaker Oswald Ingraham will chair the Commission and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Isaacs will serve as his deputy.
Opposition Leader Hubert Ingraham chose Montagu MP Brent Symonette to sit on the panel.
“Mr Symonette is an experienced parliamentarian with a thorough knowledge of the whole Bahamas and I am confident he will effectively represent the Opposition and the people of The Bahamas in our efforts to achieve a fair and equitable adjustment of electoral boundaries,” Mr Ingraham said.
Mr Symonette, a former Minister of Tourism during the FNM administration, is also its Deputy Leader.
The Constitution of The Bahamas provides for the appointment of a Commission to review the number and boundaries of electoral constituencies into which The Bahamas is divided, at intervals of not more than five years.
At present, there are 40 constituencies, with the governing Progressive Liberal Party holding 29 of those seats. The remaining 11 are shared between the Official Opposition with seven, and four independent MP’s, one of whom has indicated his intentions to return to the FNM.
The decisions of the Commission are considered vitally important to political parties in the process of determining in which constituencies their respective candidates will run.
Guardian sources have hinted that the government is proposing significant boundary changes in New Providence, particularly in Bain and Grants Town, and St Margaret.
It was in July, when Prime Minister Christie revealed in the House, that he proposed to immediately invite Governor General, Arthur Hanna, to appoint the body.
Political pundits believe the appointment of the Commission is a clear indication that the general election is fast approaching.
It is against this backdrop, that political observers are urging all Bahamians to register to vote as soon as possible. They say this will greatly assist the Commission in determining boundary changes and will ensure that those who register, will be able to exercise their right to vote in the event that an early election occurs.
The Guardian made several attempts to contact Mr Oswald Ingraham up to press time, but all efforts proved futile.
By: KEVA LIGHTBOURNE, The Nassau Guardian
