Statement from Andre Rollins who supported the FOUR BILLS in Parliament!
This evening’s results represent a resounding, across-the-board rejection of this referendum by the Bahamian people. In the end, I continue to maintain that this was not a referendum on gender equality, but rather it was a referendum on a very unpopular PLP government and confirmation of the pervasiveness of the perception that this PLP government is not trustworthy. Mr. Christie’s government simply cannot escape blame for the outcome of this referendum exercise.
The public is entitled to receive – during the course of the impending budget debate – a complete accounting for the expenditures related to the ‘Vote Yes’ campaign and an admission by the nation’s chief that the PLP – with its history of hypocritically opposing these same questions in the 2002 referendum and its recent failure to respect the results of the gaming referendum – was the wrong party to put these questions to the Bahamian people. Furthermore, it is unacceptable for the government to reportedly spend $6 million on these last two failed referendum exercises, without holding the prime minister and his cabinet directly responsible and accountable for their overwhelming failures.
It is unheard of, and likely unprecedented, in any democratic nation for the head of the executive branch to suffer two national referendum defeats in a single term in office and not voluntarily offer his or her resignation, or be made to resign by a vote of no confidence initiated by his or her peers. The message delivered by the Bahamian people is pellucidly clear: the Prime Minister has lost his mandate to lead this country. Mr. Christie ought to resign forthwith or be made to face a vote of no confidence initiated in the House of Assembly by both PLP and FNM members of parliament.
