Franchise and Constituencies (Hansard, 30 January 1958)

21. Mrs. White
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what proposal he has in mind for extending the basis of the franchise in the Bahamas.

§ 35. Mr. D. Jones
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will call the attention of the Governor of the Bahamas to the desirability of establishing adult suffrage and equal constituencies in the Bahamas, when questions of constitutional reforms are being considered there.

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
Electoral legislation is a matter for the Bahamas Legislature. Proposals for changes in the present basis of the franchise have not so far had the support of a majority in that Legislature. I nevertheless took the opportunity to discuss the question of franchise and constituencies when delegations from the Bahamas House of Assembly had talks with me on constitutional matters last November.

Mrs. White
Is the right hon. Gentleman saying that he has no power to intervene except by influence, because if that is so, the position is desperate, because the people in power at present will continue to be a self-perpetuating oligarchy unless something can be done to persuade them that it is in their financial interests, possibly, to do something to extend the franchise, abolish pocket boroughs and abolish plural voting?

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
The constitution in the Bahamas is very ancient and sometimes the most effective voice can be spoken by those whose power is limited to influence.

§ Mr. D. Jones
The right hon. Gentleman cannot ride off quite as easily as that. He knows better than anyone else in the House—[HON. MEMBERS: "Question"]—that the composition of the Bahamas Legislative Council—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Member must ask a question, not make a speech.

§ Mr. Jones
I was about to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he was aware that the constitution is so archaic that he is not likely to get any consent from the present Legislative Council to make any alterations. Will he agree that it is in such a deplorable state and that constituencies vary so much, from very small to very big, that some action will have to be taken if there is to be peace and quiet in the Bahamas?

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
Like many old constitutions, it could do with some changes here and there.

§ Mr. Callaghan
Again, do not all these questions and answers reveal that there is far more in the dispute than a difference between two commercial interests? While acknowledging that the Colonial Secretary has kept the way open by not accepting or rejecting the idea of an inquiry, can he tell us how soon it will be before he is ready to give an answer on that matter?

§ Mr. Lennox-Boyd
I am sure hat the hon. Member will keep on prodding me and I hope to make up my mind fairly soon.