The government will outline its new legislative agenda when the Speech from the Throne is read at the Opening of Parliament today, which is expected to include the Davis administration's priorities in addressing the high cost of living, crime, education, healthcare and the economy.
However, there are promises left unfulfilled from the government's 2021 agenda, which was wiped clean after Parliament was prorogued in August.
During that session, more than 100 pieces of legislation were passed, meeting some of the promises laid out in the 2021 Speech from the Throne, including a reduction in value-added tax, an increase in senior citizens' pensions, a rise in the minimum wage, and the abolishment of COVID-19 Emergency Orders, among other pledges.
Six bills died on the House of Assembly's floor due to the prorogation: an amendment to the Child Protection Act; a bill to establish an independent body to manage the administration of the courts; a bill to repeal and replace the National Health Insurance Act to provide for a minimum standard health benefit; a bill to create the Office of Ombudsman; a consumer protection bill; and a bill to create an act to regulate mineral prospecting and mining.
A key priority of the Davis administration, after it was swept into office in a landslide victory in September 2021, was to end the COVID-19 Emergency Orders employed by the Minnis administration and replace them with legislation and policies "to fully address future major health risks".
This was achieved under new Health Services Rules and the COVID-19 Pandemic (Special Provisions) Act, the latter of which was passed in both houses of Parliament in November 2021.
In late December 2021, the Davis administration fulfilled another agenda item from the 2021 Speech from the Throne when Parliament passed an amendment to the Value Added Tax Act.
This lowered the tax rate from 12 percent to 10 percent across the board - a key PLP campaign promise.
While this change was welcomed by many, the unexpected increase of previously zero-rated breadbasket items being subject to the 10 percent tax elicited outcry from some members of the public and the opposition Free National Movement as being an unfair burden on the poor.
The Davis administration also met its pledge to amend the Procurement Act, which the 2021 Speech from the Throne said would "strengthen provisions for Bahamian participation in government procurement at all levels".
The law was repealed and replaced in March 2023; however, concerns remain about the Procurement Act's transparency and the government's adherence to it. The law mandates the posting of contract opportunities and contract awards.
The Davis administration also made good on its pledge to "strengthen legislation that established a Sovereign Wealth Fund".
In December 2022, it passed the National Investments Fund Act, which replaced the Sovereign Wealth Fund Act.
In the 2021 Speech from the Throne, the government said it would "secure carbon credit payments for our natural resources".
Steps toward this were achieved when the Senate passed the Climate Change and Carbon Markets Initiatives Act in May 2022, and the Carbon Credit Trading Act in July 2022.
The government also made good on its pledge to address mental health issues. In December 2022, a bill to repeal the Mental Health Act was passed - which provides better protections for those diagnosed with mental illness.
In November 2022, parliamentarians passed a resolution to increase the national minimum wage from $210 per week to $260, while public service pensions were increased in December 2021.
But the Davis administration has fallen short on some of its 2021 Speech from the Throne promises. It has not amended the Commercial Enterprises Act "to ensure that when jobs are being filled, Bahamians receive the highest priority" nor has it introduced a regulatory framework for the cannabis industry, although work is said to be ongoing with regard to the latter.
Promises to create a new building code to increase resilience to climate change have also not been met yet.
The 2021 Speech also said the government would "work with all stakeholders to bring relief to mortgage and rent payers to prevent an increase in and reduce homelessness"; however, the status of this program is unclear.
The Davis administration has also promised to seek to reform the country's electoral process after broad consultation, but no legislation has been passed to effect this.
The Davis administration also promised in the 2021 Speech from the Throne to "build new hospitals in New Providence and Grand Bahama through public-private partnerships".
Minister of Health Dr. Michael Darville has said that a new hospital in New Providence would cost $300 million, however, just $2 million has been budgeted for the facility in the current fiscal year.
More progress appears to be underway for a new hospital in Grand Bahama - ground was broken on a new $200 million facility on that island in May.
The government also has not amended the Education Act as promised, to provide for universal pre-primary education for three and four-year olds; and a finalized Local Government Act for New Providence has not been passed.
The government has also not met its pledge to fully implement the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, however, officials have said that the first phase of a planned roll out of the legislation should be underway in November.
The Davis administration also did not introduce measures to amend the rules of the House of Assembly to enable fixed sessions of Parliament as promised in the 2021 Speech from the Throne.
It also did not introduce catastrophic healthcare insurance "to make healthcare more affordable" - though the health minister said this week this will receive priority attention in the new session.
Latrae Rahming, communications director in the Office of the Prime Minister, said that when the Davis administration assumed office, it focused on stabilizing the economy and addressing the COVID-19 crisis.
Today's Speech will focus on Prime Minister Philip Davis' five core priorities: cost of living, crime, education, healthcare, and the economy, he said.
"As the government reaches the two year mark of its term, there's an opportunity to assess where we are, to realign our focus and to make good on our commitments," Rahming said yesterday.
"... The prime minister is streamlining his efforts and focus to really deal with the issues that matter most to Bahamians, and I hope that our legislation framework speaks to improving our institutions, speaks to addressing the core issues that Bahamians feel matter most to them."
Attorney General Ryan Pinder has previously said that the bills which expired will be brought back in the new session of Parliament, which begins today. Other promises not yet addressed are expected to remain on the government's agenda.
"We have a compendium of anti-corruption legislation," Pinder said in August.
"You would have noted the Ombudsman Bill was left on the table. We look to compound that with a new Public Disclosure Act and Anti-Whistleblower Act as well as a code of conduct for the public service. We will bring that all back together as an anti-corruption suite of legislation.
"[The] National Health Insurance Amendment is also a very important part of our healthcare initiative that was left on the table. That will be brought back.
"So, needless to say, the bills that were left on the table will be retabled in the new legislative session."
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