It is never too late to do the right thing. And so for my part I apologize for the failed effort in 2002. I honestly believe that the right course of action for all Bahamians is to support the four bills in the upcoming constitutional referendum on gender equality.

I was a signatory to the constitution of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in 1972. We sought to draft a constitution that would guide this new nation in a manner to ensure that there was no discrimination on the basis of race and religion. It is surely time for us to improve upon the independence constitution that has so ably guided our nation these past 43 years.

We now have the awesome task, duty and responsibility to remove all forms of discrimination on the basis of sex, which is defined as male and female. The right to non-discrimination must be afforded all Bahamian men and women. We can achieve this by voting yes for the four alterations to the constitution on June 7, 2016.

It is not true that a yes vote for bill four would lead to same-sex marriage. It is simply not so. To suggest that is dishonest.

Some of the unfortunate comments made about bills two and four have brought out the very worst in us. We are a better and kinder people than that. All we seek to do with these constitutional alterations is to make The Bahamas a fairer and equal society.

I am a Catholic, and am proud that a yes vote for the four bills is entirely consistent with the Catholic Church's Social Teachings which are frequently reinforced by our pontiff, Pope Francis.

I have served as a member of Parliament and Cabinet minister. I was a signatory to our nation's independence constitution. I am absolutely convinced that, were he alive, "the father of the nation", Sir Lynden Pindling, who I knew very well, would have unquestionably and categorically supported each of the four bills.

By voting yes on June 7 we will not only strengthen our democracy; we will ensure that future generations of Bahamians, men and women, will have the right to enjoy the same opportunities, privileges and protections under our laws.

I therefore strongly urge Bahamians to carefully consider and prayerfully ponder their votes and to be guided by the facts, not by trepidation, confusion and misinformation. Voting yes, yes, yes and yes is the right thing to do for our country, our democracy, our sons and daughters and for generations of Bahamians yet unborn.

We must always remember that it is never too late to do that which is right.

May God guide us and bless this land we love so dearly.

o George Smith is a former member of Parliament and Cabinet.

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