Parliament of the Bahamas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parliament of The Bahamas |
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| 14th Bahamian Parliament | |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses | Senate House of Assembly |
| History | |
| Founded | 4 March 1729 |
| Leadership | |
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Monarch
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Charles III
Since 8 September 2022 |
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Sir Cornelius A. Smith
Since 28 June 2019 |
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President of the Senate
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Lashell Adderley, PLP
Since 6 October 2021 |
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Speaker
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Patricia Deveaux, PLP
Since 6 October 2021 |
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Philip Davis, PLP
Since 17 September 2021 |
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Leader of the Opposition
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Michael Pintard, FNM
Since 27 November 2021 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | Senate: 16 seats House: 39 seats |
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Senate's political groups
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HM Government
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House's political groups
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HM Government
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| Elections | |
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House's voting system
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First-past-the-post |
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House's last election
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16 September 2021 |
| Meeting place | |
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| Bahamian Parliament, Nassau, The Bahamas | |
The Parliament of The Bahamas is the main law-making body for the country. It has two parts, like a two-house system: the Senate and the House of Assembly. The Parliament also includes the King or Queen, who is represented by the Governor-General.
This system is based on the Westminster system, which is used in many countries that were once part of the British Empire. The Parliament meets in the Bahamian Parliament Building in Nassau, the capital city.
Contents
History of The Bahamian Parliament
The Bahamas were first home to the Lucayan people. In 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived, marking Europe's first contact with the New World. The Spanish later took the Lucayans away as slaves. The islands were mostly empty until 1648. That's when English settlers from Bermuda arrived on Eleuthera island.
In 1670, King Charles II gave control of the islands to the Lords Proprietors of the Carolinas. They rented the islands and had rights to trade, collect taxes, and choose governors. The Bahamas became a crown colony of Britain in 1718. This happened when the British cracked down on piracy in the area.
How the Parliament Started
The first General Assembly was created in 1729. The first elections took place in September of that year. On September 29, 1729, twenty-four members met to form the assembly. These members represented New Providence, Eleuthera, and Harbour Island.
The Parliament has had two parts since it began in 1729. The Governor's Council handled both executive (managing) and legislative (law-making) duties. In 1841, Governor Francis Cockburn split the Governor's Council. He created the Executive Council for managing and the Legislative Council for making laws.
The Legislative Council was the more powerful law-making body at first. The House of Assembly was less powerful. Later, in 1964, the Legislative Council was renamed the Senate. The Senate became the less powerful "upper house." The House of Assembly became the more powerful "lower house."
Independence for The Bahamas
Bahamians gained the right to govern themselves in 1964. They became fully independent on July 10, 1973. This was within the Commonwealth of Nations. Queen Elizabeth II remained the monarch. The Parliament, as it is today, was set up by the Constitution of the Bahamas. This happened when the country became independent from the United Kingdom.
House of Assembly: The Lower House
The House of Assembly is known as the "lower chamber." It has 39 members, called Members of Parliament (MPs). These members are chosen by voters from different areas. They serve for five years.
Like other Westminster systems, the government can call new elections at any time. The House of Assembly handles most of the important law-making. The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party that wins the most seats in the House of Assembly.
Latest Election Results
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| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive Liberal Party | 66,407 | 52.53 | 32 | +28 | |
| Free National Movement | 45,730 | 36.17 | 7 | –28 | |
| Coalition of Independents | 8,560 | 6.77 | 0 | New | |
| Democratic National Alliance | 1,742 | 1.38 | 0 | 0 | |
| United Coalition Movement | 701 | 0.55 | 0 | New | |
| Kingdom Government Movement | 515 | 0.41 | 0 | New | |
| Grand Commonwealth Party | 260 | 0.21 | 0 | New | |
| Righteous Government Movement | 61 | 0.05 | 0 | New | |
| Independents | 2,438 | 1.93 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 126,414 | 100.00 | 39 | 0 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 194,494 | – | |||
| Source: BL EW | |||||
Senate: The Upper House
The Senate is the "upper house" of Parliament. It has 16 members. These members are chosen by the Governor-General. Nine senators are chosen based on the Prime Minister's advice. Four are chosen based on the Leader of the Opposition's advice. The last three are chosen by the Prime Minister after talking with the Leader of the Opposition.
The Senate can pass bills (proposed laws) just like the House of Assembly. It can also suggest changes to a bill. If the Senate makes changes, the House of Assembly must approve them. The Senate can even reject a bill passed by the House. However, if the House passes the same bill twice, and the Senate rejects it both times, the bill can still become law. It goes straight to the Governor-General for approval.
If the House passes a "money bill" (about government spending or taxes), the Senate has one month to approve it. If the Senate doesn't approve it within that month, the money bill can still go to the Governor-General to become law.
In a special vote, attorney Sharon Wilson was chosen for a second term as President of the Senate. This was the first time a woman was re-elected to lead the Senate.
What Parliament Does: Making Laws
The Parliament has the power to make laws for The Bahamas. These laws help keep peace, order, and good government. The Constitution gives Parliament the power to:
- Decide the rules and powers for both the Senate and the House of Assembly.
- Change parts of the Constitution.
- Decide how many judges there will be for the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.
- Approve the government's budget (how it plans to spend money).
Parliament also checks how the government spends money. It does this through the Public Accounts Committee. Parliament is also where important national issues and government plans are discussed.
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Most laws passed by Parliament change or update existing laws. Parliament makes laws by passing a "bill." A bill is a proposed law. Most bills are introduced by a government minister. However, any member of Parliament can introduce a bill.
For a bill to become a law, both the House of Assembly and the Senate must pass it. Then, the Governor-General must formally approve it.
There are four main types of bills:
- Public bills: These affect everyone.
- Money bills: These deal with taxes or government spending.
- Private member bills: These are introduced by an MP who is not a government minister.
- Private bills: These affect only specific people or groups.
A bill goes through several steps in each part of Parliament. A vote is taken at each step. Here's how it works in the House of Assembly:
- First Reading: The bill is formally introduced. The name of the bill is read out. Then, the Speaker orders the bill to be printed and given to all MPs. It is also made available to the public.
- Second Reading: The main idea of the bill is discussed and debated.
- Committee Stage: The entire House of Assembly acts as a committee. They look at the bill very closely, section by section. They consider any detailed changes. After this, the committee reports back to the Speaker about any changes made.
- Third Reading: This is the final step. Usually, the bill is agreed to without more debate. Once passed, the bill is sent to the Senate for their review.
Each bill has five main parts:
- Long title: This describes what the bill is about.
- Short title: This is a shorter name for the bill. It sometimes says when the bill will start to be law.
- Interpretation clause: This explains important words and phrases used in the bill.
- Main body: This contains all the rules and measures the bill is creating.
- Objects and reasons: This explains in simple terms why the bill is needed.
Members of Parliament
- List of members of the House of Assembly of the Bahamas, 2002–2007
- List of members of the House of Assembly of the Bahamas, 2007–2012
- List of members of the House of Assembly of the Bahamas, 2012–2017
- List of members of the House of Assembly of the Bahamas, 2017–2021
- List of current members of the House of Assembly of the Bahamas
See also
In Spanish: Parlamento de Bahamas para niños
- List of presidents of the Senate of the Bahamas
- List of speakers of the House of Assembly of the Bahamas
- List of legislatures by country
