Dear Editor,

Regarding the upcoming referendum, I asked my self two questions. Firstly, will the genders truly be equal if the bills are passed? Secondly, who stands to benefit most?

It must be obvious that despite all the arguments generated by the four points posed by the drafters of this referendum, the genders will not be equal if these bills are passed. This makes the branding of this referendum as a gender equality issue disingenuous. This point alone made me question the actual intent behind the proposals.

Secondly, does the country, or Bahamians at large, really benefit? Again the answer is no. There should be clearly defined criteria for citizenship and any qualified person should be able to apply. Whether or not they are married should be irrelevant. If a single person meets the criteria for citizenship and he or she applies, should that person be denied? A married foreigner should go through the same process as the single person to qualify.

In my opinion, no foreign spouse of either sex should be granted consideration for citizenship on the basis of marriage alone. Concerning children born out of wedlock, don't they have citizenship in a country already? Are they not able to make application to become Bahamian citizens through processes now available?

With the mammoth problems facing this small nation, I question the wisdom of having this referendum at this juncture. It seems that the time, effort and public funds spent in relation to this referendum issue are a waste of time and merely a distraction. The posing of the questions of this referendum only highlights the fact that what we really need are clear guidelines and pathways to apply for Bahamian citizenship.

- JB

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