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Minister plays down talk of early election

Wed, May 5th 2021, 08:29 AM
Politics Tribune Stories

NATIONAL Security Minister Marvin Dames urged people not "to read too deeply" into a Royal Bahamas Defence Force memo that directs departments to prepare for the possibility of an early election.

The memo, signed by Acting Captain Shawn Adderley, was sent in response to a memo from the Parliamentary Registration Department, according to RBDF Commodore Raymond King.
#While some see it as evidence that Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is gearing up for an early election, Mr Dames said this is not necessarily the case.
#“Only one person can decide that and that is the Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas,” he said. “Now we know that these agencies would often prepare earlier than most. That is not out of the ordinary and so I won’t read too deeply into that. This is a normal occurrence. Only one person could determine the date of the election and he hasn’t yet done so.
#“Everybody is speculating…(the) prime minister makes that decision and when he does, we wanna make certain that these agencies are ready in advance.”
#The memo, which was signed on April 29, says: “Be advised that in preparation for the possibility of an early general election, you are directed to provide a listing of all personnel in your purview voting in the advanced poll and forward the same to the base executive officer’s office by Thursday, 6 May 2021.”
#Acting Parliamentary Commissioner Lavardo Duncanson said yesterday that his department is being as proactive as possible in preparing for the next election, which he said is “scheduled on or before May 22 (2022).”
#He declined to speak about the language in the RBDF memo, particularly its reference to an early election.
#Commodore Raymond King told The Tribune on Monday night that the memo spoke in “like terms to the memo sent by the Parliamentary Registration” Department.
#“I would not speak to any inter-agency communications, but I can say that as far as the Parliamentary Registration Department, our efforts continue to be proactive as we prepare for an upcoming general election,” Commodore King said.
#“So, there’s a greater appreciation of this without speaking to inter-agency communications, as it relates to the advanced poll, you have an amendment to the Parliamentary Elections Act that has increased the amount of individuals who are eligible to apply to vote during an advanced poll.
#“You have persons who fall in the category of being 65 and older; those individuals comprise some 26,000 voters. Bearing in mind the amount of individuals who are eligible to apply, the Parliamentary Department is being proactive in seeking to confirm as much information as possible concerning an advanced poll or a general election.”
#Mr Duncanson said 189,346 people are currently registered for the next election, including 27,997 in the Family Islands and 30,233 in Grand Bahama.
#Dr Minnis has repeatedly brushed off talk of an early vote.

The memo, signed by Acting Captain Shawn Adderley, was sent in response to a memo from the Parliamentary Registration Department, according to RBDF Commodore Raymond King.

While some see it as evidence that Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is gearing up for an early election, Mr Dames said this is not necessarily the case.

“Only one person can decide that and that is the Prime Minister of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas,” he said. “Now we know that these agencies would often prepare earlier than most. That is not out of the ordinary and so I won’t read too deeply into that. This is a normal occurrence. Only one person could determine the date of the election and he hasn’t yet done so.

“Everybody is speculating…(the) prime minister makes that decision and when he does, we wanna make certain that these agencies are ready in advance.”

The memo, which was signed on April 29, says: “Be advised that in preparation for the possibility of an early general election, you are directed to provide a listing of all personnel in your purview voting in the advanced poll and forward the same to the base executive officer’s office by Thursday, 6 May 2021.”

Acting Parliamentary Commissioner Lavardo Duncanson said yesterday that his department is being as proactive as possible in preparing for the next election, which he said is “scheduled on or before May 22 (2022).”

He declined to speak about the language in the RBDF memo, particularly its reference to an early election.

Commodore Raymond King told The Tribune on Monday night that the memo spoke in “like terms to the memo sent by the Parliamentary Registration” Department.

“I would not speak to any inter-agency communications, but I can say that as far as the Parliamentary Registration Department, our efforts continue to be proactive as we prepare for an upcoming general election,” Commodore King said.

“So, there’s a greater appreciation of this without speaking to inter-agency communications, as it relates to the advanced poll, you have an amendment to the Parliamentary Elections Act that has increased the amount of individuals who are eligible to apply to vote during an advanced poll.

“You have persons who fall in the category of being 65 and older; those individuals comprise some 26,000 voters. Bearing in mind the amount of individuals who are eligible to apply, the Parliamentary Department is being proactive in seeking to confirm as much information as possible concerning an advanced poll or a general election.”

Mr Duncanson said 189,346 people are currently registered for the next election, including 27,997 in the Family Islands and 30,233 in Grand Bahama.

Dr Minnis has repeatedly brushed off talk of an early vote.

 

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