Back in December of last year, Prime Minister Perry Christie said he hopes the long-awaited referendum on gender equality would be held no later than June 30, 2015. However, he said, the matter would ultimately depend on how soon the Constitutional Commission could mount a successful public education campaign. At the time, the constitutional amendment bills on gender equality had yet to be passed by the House of Assembly, with Christie saying he expected them to be debated "soon" after the Christmas adjournment. It was but the latest in several postponements.
In October 2014, Dr. Bernard Nottage, leader of government business in the House, announced that the referendum could not take place as planned because several members of the opposition were withholding support of at least one bill until certain words had been changed. It was never made clear why parliamentary unanimity on this issue was deemed necessary to move forward.
Meanwhile, even as they announced delay after delay, members of the government continued to wax lyrical about their commitment to the cause, with Nottage at one point extolling the administration's commitment to seeing the principle of equality "reflected as a golden thread in the constitutional fabric of our commonwealth".
This week, as we approach the end of May, Christie and Nottage again reiterated their support for gender equality.
Nottage insisted that the government had not abandoned the referendum. However, when asked for details he deflected, saying he will update the media when more information is available. He added the cryptic observation that: "The government supports the referendum, so any delays will not be because the government doesn't support it."
For his part, Christie could only say that he hopes to be "able to come to the Bahamian people soon" and give them answers on the matter.
Chairman of the Constitutional Commission Sean McWeeney was less elusive, though his comments were not exactly encouraging for supporters of equal rights.
When asked about the status of the referendum, McWeeney said he did not know when it would happen, but that it will "clearly not happen next month". He offered no update on the commission's educational program - upon which, the prime minister said last year, the referendum date would hinge. Nor has there been any word on if the bills will be amended to assuage certain opposition MPs, or on when they might be brought before Parliament for debate and passage.
Opposition MP Loretta Butler-Turner, a vocal supporter for the constitutional amendments, summed up the atmosphere of increasing doubt surrounding this matter, when she called the referendum "a long shot, a very long shot".
At this stage, Butler-Turner's assessment seems generous. For all the lip service paid to gender equality by senior PLP members, this lofty ideal appears well and truly lost in limbo. It seems likely to remain there for quite some time.
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