The Lower House of Parliament

The House of Assembly

The House of Assembly

• Members of Parliament meet to discuss the nation’s business and pass laws.

• This is the most important part of the law making body because its members are elected by the people.

• This house is also called the LOWER HOUSE.• It is located in Parliament Square• This house is chaired by a Speaker• Speeches are timed to ensure each Member have an equal opportunity to

speak on every matter under discussion. • There had always been a time limit for speeches but for many years this

had been ignored. • Since the promulgation of the new rules of procedure in 2005, new times

were put in place for lengths of speeches.• The mover of a motion may speak for two hours, Government Ministers

may speak for one hour, and other Members may speak for half hour.• During the Budget Debate the Minister of Finance may speak for three

hours, other Ministers may speak for two hours, the leader speaker for the Opposition may speak for two hours, and all other Members may speak for one Hour.

• The colour code in the Chamber is green. In Britain the lower House is called the House of Commons. The green colour represents the common people. The regular House meeting days are Wednesdays and Thursdays. This sometimes changes to accommodate the passing of the Budget in a timely fashion.

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The Lower House of Parliament

Brief History of the House of Assembly

Located in the heart of downtown Nassau, the Bahamas House of Assembly stands among a triad of Public Buildings in Parliament Square on the southern side of Bay Street. A 1799 Act mandated House of Assembly electors to be free white males over the age of twenty-one who were of Protestant faith and who owned no fewer than two hundred acres of land.

This coral pink structure, an excellent representation of British colonial architecture, was erected in 1816 by Loyalist refugees from the new United States of America. (Lawson & Thompson, 2017). These buildings which occupies 3 sides of the square once housed the Post Office, the Legislative Council, Court Rooms (including the Court of Appeal) and the Colonial Secretary’s office and the Treasury. The Western Building was occupied by the Attorney and Surveyor General’s Office and the Provost Marshal

The first House of Assembly, convened in Nassau at the home of Mr. Samuel Lawford on the 29th day of September in 1729, consisted of twenty four members elected by two hundred and fifty individuals who were male, free, and white. ( Lawson & Thompson, 2017) The House continued to meet at private homes and in the former courthouse until 1815 when the Public Building which now hosts the body was completed.

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The Lower House of Parliament

Photo of Members of the House of Assembly Elected in 2017

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The Lower House of Parliament

To BE A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY YOU HAVE:

Be a citizen of The Bahamas. You cannot have dual citizenship or be a holder of two passports. If you have two you will have to declare loyalty to The Bahamas only and denounce or dismiss the other country.

You must be able to pay the deposit of $400.00 on Nomination Day. You must not have a criminal record. You must be of sound mind. Be at least 21years old and able to declare assets on Nomination Day. The

individual must be registered as a candidate. The person can be an independent candidate and doesn’t have to be involved with any of the major political parties.

In the constitution of The Bahamas, Article 48 d. mentions if you are bankrupt under any law you are not qualified to run for office

RUN IN A CONSTITUENCY AND RECEIVED THE MAJORITY OF VOTES

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There are 39 members of Parliament. 34 are males and 5 are females.

A Closer look:

Members of Parliament make up the Cabinet. These include Ministers for various government ministries, Minister of State, and Parliamentary Secretaries.

There are 4 females who represent the governing party and 1 female in the Opposition.

15 Cabinet Ministers 1 Minister of State 5 Parliamentary Secretaries

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The Lower House of Parliament

Key House Members The Speaker

Since 1729 there has been 54 Speakers of The House of Assembly. From this number, one was a female and she was appointed in 1997 when the Free National Movement was elected to govern The Bahamas for the second consecutive term. Her name was Rome Italia Johnson.

The current Speaker of the House of Assembly is Hon. D. Halson Moultrie, Member of Parliament for Nassau Village. The Deputy Speaker is Mr. Don Saunders. Mr. Saunders is the Member of Parliament for Tall Pines Constituency.

The Speaker is the Presiding Officer in the House. He is the person who controls the debates in the House. When the Parliament is in session the Speaker directs the procedures. When a motion is moved by a Member, the Speaker is the person who puts the questions to the Floor for the vote. When the sessions begin in the House of Assembly, the Mace is placed on the Speaker’s desk in front of the Speaker.

Whenever a Bill is presented in parliament, all motions associated with that Bill is put to the House by the Speaker. The Speaker also recognizes Members who wish to speak. The Speaker after consultation with the Prime Minister and Opposition leader appoints Members for various Committees of the House of Assembly. The Speaker also has powers to enforce the rules of the House and maintain order. These include the powers to suspend Members and have them physically removed from the House if necessary

In order for the Speaker maintain the support the respect of the House he must be impartial in his rulings. This helps to explain why the Speaker does not participate in debates. The Speaker only votes is if there is a tie, in which case the Speaker votes to maintain the status quo.

Speaker Hon. D. Halson Moultrie, M.P.

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Since 2002 Speakers included, Alvin Smith and Kendal

The Lower House of Parliament

The Government Leader in The House of Assembly

The government leader in the House of Assembly is Hon. Renward Wells, MP. for Bamboo Town. He is also the Minister of Transport and Local Government. The Government Leader controls the agenda of the parliament. He guides the government’s legislative agenda and in doing so he consults with the leader of Opposition Business in the House. He also moves the Suspension and Adjournment of motions in the House.

Hon. Renward Wells, M.P., Bamboo Town

The Opposition Leader

The Leader of the Opposition is Hon. Philip Davis. He is also the leader of the Progressive Liberal Party which is the oldest political party in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. The Opposition is the alternative to the Government. The Leader of the Opposition leads the opposition party and drives the accountability function of the Parliament. His role is to question the government and scrutinize whatever the government is doing. He also serves as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. He appoints from the Opposition Members, Shadow Ministers of the Cabinet to shadow the various government Ministers.

Hon. Philip Davis, M.P., Cat Island and Rum Cay

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The Lower House of Parliament

SYMBOLIC ITEMS IN THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

THE MACE

The Mace can be traced to medieval times. The officer who represented the king, called the Sergeant –At-Arms carried it to symbolize the power to arrest without a warrant. The Mace also became a weapon to bludgeon opponents. Since it was traditionally used as a symbol of authority it carried a stamp of Royal Arms. This was very important during the Middle Ages when few persons were literate.

The mace has changed over time to signify the authority of the Monarch. The design of the special ornament has changed with the size being decreased into an ornamental bracket and the end became more circular which carried the Royal Arms, with surmounted crown with a cross.

The Mace became a historic symbol when it was thrown out of the House of Assembly by former Prime Minister, Lynden Pindling. This incident occurred in 1965 when the boundaries commission met. Mr. Pindling protested that the commission made constituency changes that favored the United Bahamian Party by throwing the Mace out of the window. This stopped proceedings of that day and caused the House to be suspended.

The Mace after the 1965 Incident

( Photo taken from www.ramblebahamas.org )

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The Lower House of Parliament

THE HOUR GLASS

The hour glass was the instrument used to measure the time of speeches in the House of Assembly. These were fifteen minutes hour glass and the speeches lasted only fifteen minutes. The Hour Glass became famous when it was thrown out of the House of Assembly by Mr. Milo Butler who became the first Bahamian Governor General and was knighted; Sir Milo Butler. This occurred in 1965 and was commemorated as “Black Tuesday”.

The incident occurred during a meeting when the House was debating changes to the boundaries of constituencies for the upcoming elections. Mr. Butler, like his colleague Mr. Pindling, did not agree with the proposed changes. While speaking on the issue he ran out of time but continued without the approval of the Speaker. This was what prompted him to toss the hour glass out of the window.

The Gallery

This photograph was taken from the public gallery where visitors to the House of Assembly sit to hear debates in the chambers. Visitors are not allowed to participate in any of the proceedings of the Parliament and any disruption is likely to result in the removal of the stranger from the precincts of the House. Sergeant-At-Arms. The duties of Sergeant-At-Arms is performed by a Police Officer who calls the session to order and ensures the safety and protection of the Parliament.

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The Lower House of Parliament

The Clerk of the House of Parliament The Clerk is responsible for the day to day management of the Institution of Parliament. He sits immediately in front of the Speaker’s perch. The Clerk is the record keeper of the House and is responsible for the preparation of the agenda of the House. He also keeps a record of how the House voted on all matters. If a decision is called for, the Clerk keeps a record of how Members voted individually. When Bills are passed in either Houses, the Clerk is responsible for ensuring that the other House is informed. In order for Bills to become law they must pass both Houses of Parliament. The Clerk is responsible for bringing the legislative actions of one House to the attention of the other. The Clerk is also the Chief of Staff of the Parliament and is responsible for the day to day running of the Institution.

The Party Whip: is the Member of Parliament from both political parties who organizes members to vote on Bills. The Party Whip ensures that Members are present during the vote in order that they vote in accordance with the wishes of their party. The Whip ensures that their Members know how they are expected to vote.

Back Benchers: are those Members of Parliament who are not part of the Cabinet. They are referred to as “backbenchers” because traditionally, they occupied the benches in the back of the Cabinet Ministers.

Committees of the House of AssemblyMuch of the work of the Parliament is done by committees. So committees play a vital role in the functioning of the Parliament. There are two basic types of committees. (1) Sessional or Standing Committees are essential to the running of the Institution. They are a part of the actual construct of Parliament. There are seven such committees and they are appointed at the beginning of every Parliamentary session. The Sessional Committees are as follows:

i. The Public Accounts Committee: the Public Accounts Committee is responsible for examining the accounts of the Government. This is referred to as the queen of all committees because of its wide ranging

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The Lower House of Parliament

powers. It can summon Minister of the Government, any Member of Parliament, and especially Senior Civil Servants to appear before it. When witnesses appear they have to answer question put to them by members of the Committee. Most committees are made up of a majority of government Members. The Public Accounts Committee is different as it is chaired by an Opposition Member and the majority of the Members are from the Opposition Party.(PAC) will consist of two members from the majority side Adrian Gibson M.P., Long Island and Golden Gates MP Michael Foulkes. Official Opposition Leader and Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP Philip Brave Davis, Exuma and Ragged Island MP I Chester Cooper and Mr. Picewell Forbes are the remaining members of the PAC.

ii. Committee on Privilege: the Privilege Committee is responsible for maintaining the privileges of Members of Parliament. When any Member complains that his privilege has been breached the Speaker addresses the matter immediately. If the case is not clear cut the Speaker refer the matter to the Privilege Committee. The committee investigates the complaint and reports back to the House. Members are: Jeffery Lloyd, Elsworth Johnson, Marvin Dames, Philip Davis and Glenyss Hanna Martin.

iii. The Public Treasury Committee: the Public Treasury Committee is responsible for examining the state of the Public Treasury. Members include: Ms. Shonell Ferguson, Miriam Emmanuel, Carlton Bowleg, Picewell Forbes and Chester Cooper.

iv. The Library Committee: The Library Committee is responsible for the upkeep of the Parliament’s library and its facilities. This includes the purchase of books and journals and other source material. Pakeisha Parker-Edgecombe, Brensil Rolle, Adrian Gibson, Cooper and Picewell Forbes sit on this committee.

v. The Broadcast Committee: The Broadcast Committee is responsible for monitoring the broadcast of the sessions of the Parliament and reporting any unacceptable incidents to the House. Members are: Shanendon Cartwright, Hank Johnson, Carlton Bowleg, Glenyss Hanna Martin and Picewell Forbes.

vi. The Statutory Instruments Committee: the Statutory Instruments Committee’s responsibility is to examine all subsidiary legislations to ensure they comply with the Statute Laws that govern them. Any infraction of the rules or the principles that govern them are reported

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The Lower House of Parliament

back to the House. It is made up of Donald Saunders, Frederick McAlpine, James Albury, Philip Davis and Picewell Forbes.

vii. The House Rules Committee: the Rules Committee is responsible for examining the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament and where necessary to make changes. Michael Foulkes, James Albury, Jeffery Lloyd, Glenyss Hanna Martin and Chester Cooper make up the

There are also Select Committees. As the name suggest, they are selected for a specific duration and can only investigate in accordance with their term of reference. Members may request a Select Committee to investigate any matter he feels is of concern. The Member requesting the Committee is usually the Chairman of the Committee since he would be the person with the concern. Most Select Committees are requested by the Opposition Members as they seek to get information that is readily available to them on the floor.These are the two basic types of Committees that operate in the Parliament.

CHECK THIS OUT!!! DID YOU KNOW THAT????

THE LONGEST SESSION OF THE HOUSE IN LIVING MEMORY WAS FROM 10:00A.M ONE MORNING TO 10:30A.M THE FOLLOWING MORNING.

Seating Arrangements In the House of AssemblyThe Government Party sits on the Speaker’s right hand side while the Opposition Party sits of the Speaker’s left hand side. Seating arrangements are done in accordance with the order for both the Cabinet Minister and other Members of Parliament. The order for Cabinet Ministers is determined by the Prime Minister and this will affect the seating arrangement of the entire House. The Leader of the Opposition is consulted on the order and seating arrangements for Members of the Opposition.

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The Lower House of Parliament

ACTIVITYLet’s Get Started with House Activities

Part I. Glossary Write the definitions Act………………………………………………………………………………………………… Adjournment …………………………………………………………………………………… Amendment ……………………………………………………………………………………. Backbencher…………………………………………………………………………………… Bill…………………………………………………………………………………………………. Budget…………………………………………………………………………………………….. Chamber…………………………………………………………………………………………. Committee……………………………………………………………………………………….. Constitution……………………………………………………………………………………….. Honorable House……………………………………………………………………………… Honourable Member………………………………………………………………………….. Member…………………………………………………………………………………………. Members Opposite…………………………………………………………………………… MOTION……………………………………………………………………………………….. Order ………………………………………………………………………………………….. Point of Order……………………………………………………………………………….. Rise on the Point of Order……………………………………………………………….. Ruling ………………………………………………………………………………………… Session……………………………………………………………………………………….. Shadow Minister……………………………………………………………………………. Sitting ………………………………………………………………………………………..

Activity Sheet

Part II. Study the photo in Section II and answer the following questions:

i. How many members are in the House of Assembly?___________________ii. How many are females? ________________iii. How many seats are on the island of New Providence?___________iv. How many seats are for the Family Island?_____________________v. How many Cabinet Ministers are in the House of Assembly?___________vi. Who is the Government Leader in The House of Assembly? Which

constituency does he represent? ___________________vii. How many Members of Parliament are Parliamentary Secretaries?______viii. List the constituency they represent? __________________

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The Lower House of Parliament

ix. Can you name 2 former Parliamentary Secretaries who currently hold seats in the House of Assembly?______________________

x. Who is the youngest Member of Parliament?_________________________xi. Who is the oldest Member of Parliament_____________________________xii. What is the role of the Party Whip?__________________________________xiii. The Opposition Leader duties include:

____________________________________________________________ xiv. Make a list of the names of each Cabinet Minister and the Ministry they

represent.

Part III. Choose any 2 of the Following Assignments

Study the Photos of Members of Parliament to complete the following Task

1) Write three paragraphs of no more than 100 words on your favorite Member of Parliament

2) Write a poem of 3 stanzas on the House of Assembly3) Write a letter to the Speaker giving reasons why your class should visit the

House of Assembly4) Draw a design of what a new House of Assembly should look like. It should

include the following:a. Space for the Speaker, Opposition, Government Membersb. A gallery for visitorsc. Any new feature that you feel should be included in the House of Assembly

Part IV. Read over notes on How a Bill Becomes Law from the book, The Bahamas by J. Berryman to complete this exercise.

The Bill is introduced in Parliament by__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After the introduction it is read________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Debate involves _______________________ readings. The first reading involves___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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The Lower House of Parliament

The second Reading_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The third Reading __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Bill becomes law after __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How can the Senate delay a Bill?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Select one of the following to write a 300 word essay

1. “The office of Speaker should not be a Member of Parliament”. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer

2. “More women should be elected to Parliament”. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.

3. “Members of Parliament show very little of impartiality during debates”.

References

https://www.ourcommons.ca/speaker/en/role

Lawson, J., Thompson T. (2017). The House of Assembly. Retrieved from ramblebahamas.org.

[Personal Communications with David Forbes, Clerk of the House of Assembly June, 2019]

The Bahamian Parliament: 1729-2004. Commemorating the 275th Anniversary of the Parliament

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