Today in History: February 23

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – On this day in Bahamian history, In 1961 – Parliament passed a bill that would grant women the right to vote and to hold public office.

The bill later came into effect on June 30th in 1962.

Five months later on November 27th, for the first time in Bahamian history women were able cast their ballots.

Then in 1970, Renward Ricardo Wells, the retired track and field athlete, engineer and politician, co-founded the National Development Party in 2008.

In 2011, he left the NDP and joined the Progressive Liberal Party and was elected the following year to represent the constituency of Bamboo Town.

In 2015 Wells was fired from his post as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Works over the controversial signing of a $600 million letter of intent with Stellar Martin to conduct several environmental studies.

That same year he left the PLP to join the Free National Movement and retained his seat in Parliament in the 2017 General Election.

And finally in 2012 eleven girls attempted to escape the Willie Mae Pratt Centre for Girls in Fox Hill.

Then Minister of State for Social Development Loretta Butler-Turner said fortunately, that evening the facility was well staffed as officials were able to see [what] was taking place in one of the cottages.

The girls were all charged.