Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis and members of his party address the media during a press conference inside the Minority Room of the House of Assembly yesterday. From left are South Abaco Member of Parliament Edison Key, FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest; FNM Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis, and North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly. (Photo Ahvia J. Campbell)

Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis said yesterday the results of the constitutional referendum on Tuesday were "clearly a rejection of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government".

Voters voted overwhelmingly against the four questions on the ballot relating to citizenship and gender equality issues.

Minnis said the FNM "unreservedly" stands by the decision of the Bahamian people.

"The Bahamian people spoke loudly and peacefully, and they sent a clear message to the government, whom they do not trust, and the world that they wanted no changes to their constitution," he said at a press conference in the House of Assembly's Minority Room.

"The results were clearly a rejection of the PLP government, who unfairly favored one side above another.

"The people voted and spoke resoundingly."

Minnis said the FNM empowered Bahamians by offering them in 2002 and in 2016, a say as to what should be in the constitution.

"We in the FNM have always believed that our responsibility is to empower Bahamians, and our vote in the House of Assembly 14 years ago and again earlier this year was to empower Bahamians by giving them the right to decide what their constitution should contain," he said.

In 2002, similar questions were put to the public and they were also rejected.

"We in the FNM unreservedly accept their decision, and offer our congratulations to the people of The Bahamas for the orderly and peaceful way in which they expressed their desire in the ballot booths," Minnis said.

Minnis and other members of the Official Opposition supported the bills in Parliament. But Minnis refused to urge support for the 'yes' vote. Instead, he said Bahamians should vote their conscience.

He criticized the government for not funding the 'no' campaign.

"Unfortunately, those opposite have used their control over the government's purse to push for an outcome of their choosing instead, by funding the yes campaign while denying funding to the no campaign," Minnis said.

He added: "It is demonstrably unfair for a government to use people's taxes to fund one side of the issue while denying funding to the opposite view."

This view was also expressed by some people, who were gathered at the no vote headquarters on Tuesday night, as the results came in.

Minnis said an FNM administration would, "enact legislation to remove this discriminatory practice in future referenda".

Minnis lamented the fact that the parliamentary process had "flaws".

He said as a result of these flaws, it "could possibly cast a long, dark shadow on our country's ability to hold free and fair elections".

Up to midnight on Tuesday, the only constituencies that the Parliamentary Registration Department released numbers for were Carmichael; Elizabeth; Bamboo Town; North Andros and the Berry Islands; South Andros and Mangrove Cay; and Rum Cay, Cat Island and San Salvador.

Minnis claimed many FNM observers were denied entry into polling places because they wore red shirts, despite having an agreement with Parliamentary Commissioner Sherlyn Hall.

"Voters were instructed to write no or yes in answer to the questions rather than to mark an x," he said.

He urged the government to correct the issues encountered, "in light of the upcoming general election".

Minnis said the FNM will demand that international organizations be invited to observe The Bahamas' general election in 2017.

International observers observed the 2012 general election.

The gender equality vote was the first constitutional referendum in The Bahamas in 14 years.

Don Alleyne, Guardian Staff Reporter

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