A leading columnist is calling for laws in The Bahamas to be changed to allow for “ineffective” ministers and Members of Parliament to be recalled.
Craig Butler, a political columnist for The Nassau Guardian, told Parliament Street talk show host Anthony Delaney yesterday that a recall system would force politicians to perform efficiently throughout their tenure, as opposed to the present system that could encourage complacency. He added that politicians sometimes fail to do their jobs under this system where the electorate is only empowered every five years to vote against them.
“Because we do not have a system like what was employed in California when Governor Gray Davis was recalled and Arnold Schwarzenegger went in,” said Mr Butler.
“The only thing that we have in our parliamentary procedure that would allow a premature recall, so to speak, is vote of no confidence to be taken in the House of Assembly.”
However, he added that when an opposition is weak, a vote of no confidence would be virtually impossible.
Backing Mr Butler was Bahamas Chamber of Commerce president, Tanya Wright, also a guest on the show. She too was not satisfied with the present parliamentary system, adding that the government has failed to hold Bahamian politicians to internationally recognised ethical standards.
“Because it just doesn’t seem as though you can shame a politician into doing the right thing,” she said. “If you look at some of the other international examples and what it takes for somebody to remove themselves from office in another jurisdiction, it almost seems insignificant compared to what our politicians are able to justify staying in office for.”
Mr Butler also hit at the morality question, referring to the government’s code of ethics, which he said was a great disappointment. Prime Minister Perry Christie told Parliament Street in January 2005 that his administration’s 14-point code of ethics covered a wide range of legal activities that parliamentarians were forbidden to breach. However, he said the moral conduct of a Member of Parliament was not included in the code.
By: MINDELL SMALL, Senior Reporter, The Nassau Guardian
