The Bahamas Association Of Former Members Of Parliament Send A Petition To The Members Of The House Of Assembly

Transcription Of Original Document:

THE RULE OF LIFE

Living is giving; giving, living.
All things would die if only receiving.
"Give" this is the rule of life by which we live.
"Give," said the golden sun, up rose the mist.
Safe in the silver clouds cradled and kissed;
"Give," said the thirsty earth, down came the showers,
"Give," said the raindrops, up came the flowers.

January 29, 1990

TO: THE SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

THE PETITION OF THE UNDERSIGNED HUMBLY SHEWETH:

THE BAHAMAS ASSOCIATION OF FORMER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT,

RECALLING that the Government of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is planning and managing the 1992 Quincentennial Celebrations of the discovery of the Bahamas as the first landfall of Columbus in our brave new world;

BEARING IN MIND that the preparations for the observance of the said 1992 Quincentennial Celebrations offer a useful and significant opportunity for the focusing of international attention on the Bahamian parliamentary system, its birth and development--from 1729 to date;

REALISING that the present dilapidated House of Assembly building is inadequate to meet the challenges of the 1990's because:

(i) Its four (4) containing outter stone-walls measuring approximately 30' X 70', its old wooden floors, stairway and heavy tin roof constitute a hazard to Members of Parliament and their guests especially in times of overcrowding;

(ii) Its toilet facilities are woefully inadequate and, at the present time, constitute a health hazard;

(iii) There is no modern library in the House of Assembly and the facilities for meaningful research are almost non-existent: recently important historical documents were shredded without first having them microfilmed before their complete destruction;

(iv) That almost during every session since 1967, the chairs in the debating Chamber of the House of Assembly collapsed and caused many-a-parliamentarian to lose his dignity;

(v) The photographs recently pinned on the walls and partitions in the rooms on the first floor of The House of Assembly are an insult to the dignity of the institution as the pictures have no aesthetic, moral or historical value whatsoever;

REALISING FURTHER that it was on the 10th July, A. D., 1973, during the Independence celebrations at Clifford Park that certain Cabinet Ministers and their Royal Guests narrowly escaped injury when the scaffolding and canopy which were suspended over them, collapsed thereby causing a disturbance and much embarrassment to the people and government of the newly proclaimed Independent Bahamas;

THEREFORE THE BAHAMAS ASSOCIATION OF FORMER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT PETITION THE SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY TO GIVE PRIORITY TO THE DESIGNING AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY TO BE ERECTED ON THE FORMER SITE OF THE ROYAL VICTORIA HOTEL IN THE CITY OF NASSAU OR SOME OTHER CONVENIENT PLACE. THE PROPOSED NEW PARLIAMENTARY BUILDING SHOULD CONTAIN:

(a) Offices for Members of Parliament and their administrative staff;

(b) Space should be provided for the first Clerk of the Table:

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(c) An adequate Library;

(d) Interview rooms;

(e) Radio and television studios and a Press Room

(f) Members lounge and waiting rooms,

(g) Recreational facilities;

(h) Restaurant;

(i) A room dedicated as a fitting memorial to the contributions made by former Members of Parliament;

(j) Accomodation for staff of the Department of Environmental Health who would be concerned with the upkeep of the House of Assembly

YOUR PETITIONERS, THE UNDERSIGNED, FOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE BAHAMAS ASSOCIATION OF FORMER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, CRAVE LEAVE TO SUGGEST THAT COMPETENT AUTHORITY BE INSTRUCTED TO LAUNCH A COMPETITION AMONG REPUTABLE ARCHITECTS TO PRODUCE A DESIGN FOR THE NEW PARLIAMENTARY BUILDING WITH ALL DELIBERATE SPEED.

AND AS IN DUTY BOUND YOUR PETITIONERS WILL EVER PRAY.

THE BAHAMAS ASSOCIATION OF FORMER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Per Sir Randol Fawkes
General Secretary

Cyril St. Johns Stevenson Esq.,
Chairman.

-: N O T I C E :-

YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BAHAMAS ASSOCIATION OF FORMER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AT THE COMMITTEE ROOM OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ON MONDAY 12th MARCH, 1990 at 12:0'CLOCK NOON. YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS THIS MEETING.

-: LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY :-

This month many remembered the birthday of one of the most beloved of American presidents--Abraham Lincoln who said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time; you can fool all the people some of the time; but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."

-: WHAT HAVE THEY DONE :-

The Petitions on pages 1, and 3. of this issue of THE BAHAMAS PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW were respectively handed by the Editors to Mr. Orville A. Turnquest, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, and to the Honourable Paul L. Adderley, the Leader of Government, for presentation to the Speaker and Members of The House of Assembly. To date, in spite of the urgency of the matters stated therein, neither servant of the people has done what was requested of him. A short letter from you to your representative will help. Try it!

At our next meeting on MONDAY, MARCH 12 at 12:0'CLOCK NOON IN THE COMMITTEE of THE HOUSE of ASSEMBLY, we shall discuss this matter further.

"To be good is noble; but to teach others to be good is nobler and less trouble."