The new Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government has tried to challenge assertions by the leader of the opposition that Prime Minister Perry Christie failed to name an attorney general on day one of his administration by suggesting that the Constitution does not require him to do so.
The PLP has made it its practice to play fast and loose with the Constitution and indeed with the laws of our land. I strongly recommend that the new PLP government acquaints itself with the Constitution and laws of The Bahamas, and conducts itself accordingly.
Even a cursory review of the Constitution makes clear that the appointment of an attorney general is mandatory. It is the only Cabinet level appointment singled out by name in Article 72 of the Constitution. Article 72 (2) specifically mandates that: “The Cabinet shall consist of the prime minister and not less than eight other ministers (of whom one shall be the attorney general)”. Plainly, if there is no appointed attorney general, there is no Cabinet.
The new PLP government also suggests in its statement on Dr. Hubert Minnis’ comments to the press over the weekend that the new PLP government has an “overwhelming mandate” to act. This is not true. The recent election victory by the PLP resulted in it gaining an overwhelming number of seats in the House of Assembly but it was not an overwhelming mandate from the voters. Indeed the majority of voters who voted on the May 7, 2012 voted for someone other than the PLP candidate.
The new PLP government would do well to heed Dr. Minnis’ advice to govern for the benefit of all Bahamians and not only for the narrow advantage of PLP supporters. Unfortunately, the new prime minister implied in remarks delivered in North Andros over the weekend that that is exactly what his government will do, saying that PLP supporters can expect jobs and social assistance benefits which seemingly will not be available to supporters of other political parties. Such a self-serving and party-political approach to governance will only serve to sow needless division, anger and ill-will throughout Bahamian society.
If the new prime minister and his government seek the acknowledgment and support of all Bahamians, then they need to see it as their duty to govern dispassionately on behalf of every Bahamian, including the more than 65,000 persons who supported the FNM. To do otherwise is to court disaffection, disunity and ultimately disaster.
By: Carl W. Bethel
