The Parliamentary Commissioner’s Office is in need of a total overhaul

In the Face of Incompetence
By Felix Bethel
jonesbahamas



Things are clearly going from bad to worse when a senior public officer could blithely tell the public that he – in his capacity as Parliamentary Commissioner – could fix his mouth to admit [even before a critically important bye-election], that he could not verify the accuracy of the register for that election.

This is clear evidence of one other national disgrace!

And so we conclude by way of this extended commentary; and here we also note – and regrettably so – that, there are still some Bahamians who do not get it as discussions, debate and diatribe become fixtures in that matter currently being traded between the nation’s two premier leaders; the Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham and his parliamentary counter-part, the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie.

While, each -as an important leader in his own right- deserves credit and more for the service they have rendered to the State and to the Bahamian people.

But notwithstanding their joint record of service, they do themselves and their record a profound disservice when either engages or suffers others to engage in any discourse that borders on reeking of incivility.

Sadly, some of this has entered the conversation between the two men, their party supporters and a host of other Bahamians concerning what – if anything – should be done about how the Parliamentary Commissioner’s Office is manned, runs and performs.

Evidently, something is wrong in that office; and just as obviously, something must be done about the mess if the Bahamian people are to be left with the assurance that, this vitally important office is up to the task it has been assigned.

This is the sum, then, of the entire matter.

Here we can – of only for the record – some of what we still believe concerning this matter. As we noted in an earlier commentary on the same issue: [Now that] “The dust has settled and the five protested votes have been counted in the bye-election in the Elizabeth constituency.

“Congratulations are in order for Mr. Ryan Pinder who is now the Member of Parliament-elect for that constituency…”

Interestingly, once the Elizabeth contest had been settled; it was revealed – as fact confirmed in the Elections Court – that, “…a high degree of incompetence prevails in the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner…”

This was part of the reasoned and fact-based conclusions arrived at by two senior Justices, Mrs. Anita Allen and Mr. Jon Isaacs in a well written judgment said: "Again, this process has exposed failures, omissions and errors on the part of the Parliamentary Commissioner and his staff which may, if not corrected, threaten the fairness of the electoral process and ultimately our democracy…”

There is nothing here that begs for either debate or dispute.

Simply put, the judges spoke and wrote the truth; and as such, their opinions should have factored into subsequent action.

As far as we are aware, no one did anything.

And so, today in a time of heat, recrimination and unnecessary name calling, other snide remarks, bluster and windy rhetoric; little yet is being done to fix the things that have been left broken in the Parliamentary Commissioner’s Office.

Yet again, we repeat – and therefore reiterate for emphasis – a point previously made when we indicated that, “…It is not an answer to say that the Parliamentary Commissioner did not have resources to do what he is mandated by the law to do. No court can accept that as an explanation for disenfranchising a voter."

Indeed, as is to be underscored, “…This is the second time since the 2007 general elections that the Parliamentary Commissioner came in for such scathing criticism from the same two Judges…”

Something here smacks either of contempt or reeks of the crassest kind of Bahamian-styled incompetence!

But for sure, we are quite persuaded that, “This is a clear indictment on our parliamentary democracy. It is also shameful that the Parliamentary Commissioner is upbraided again. This time there must be consequences…”
At that juncture, we called for the immediate removal of the current Parliamentary Commissioner and for the Minister with responsibility for that department to accept full responsibility for the debacle which took place.

As the record shows, that just did not happen.

Indeed, it seemed to us that ours was but one voice that cried out its truth; albeit from the depths of a wilderness.

But wilderness or no wilderness, we remain adamant in our conclusion that, the Parliamentary Commissioner’s Office is in need of a total overhaul. And for sure, when that process is complete; it should be seen and felt that, those who do so understand and respect – as fact- that when judges speak; their reasoned judgments should be factored into whatever ultimately transpires.

And so, like others who too have a say in matters such as these; we would prefer less diatribe, less windy rhetoric and more real action.

November 5th, 2010

jonesbahamas

Bahamas Blog International