AG Outlines Agenda for Next Nine Months

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – As parliamentarians prepare to return to the House of Assembly in a matter of weeks, the Attorney General is outlining the government’s legislative agenda for the next nine months.

Topping the list are amendments to Public Procurement Act. He says the next nine months will also see the introduction of marijuana legislation and anti-corruption laws.

The Attorney General pointing out issues with the bill in its current form.

The AG says those issues are causing some trouble, and the act will have to be rewritten.

He says the act does not allow for government to act immediately.

“There were a few material issues with respect to the procurement, and the ability for a government to react and govern in the best interests of its people,” Pinder says.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Philip Davis said the act in its current frame isn’t workable, while admitting the Davis administration wasn’t adhering to the act which came into force on September 1st, 2021.

Pinder also taking a jab at the former administration:

“They put in a regime they couldn’t operate. They didn’t bring it into force for months, and months, and months. They brought it into force on the month they called the snap election because they knew it was going to be even more chaos for them,” he continued.

Also on the government’s agenda is anti-corruption legislation – a promise made in the run-up to the last general election.

In the Blueprint for Change, the Progressive Liberal Party promised to bring anti-corruption legislation in its first 100 days in office.

September 16th will mark one year since the PLP’s landslide win.

“We have engaged the assistance and technical assistance of the International Development Law Organization… That’s probably more on the back-end of the next three- to six-months rather than on the front end.”

Another piece of legislation on the government’s agenda is medical marijuana and hemp legislation.

Earlier this week, the agriculture minister said he’s hoping the legislation could be brought by the end of the year. It’s a timeline Pinder is looking to keep.

“That bill – the first draft of that has been provided to me. I provided initial comments back and that bill has been sent to international consultants for their review, and they assured me I would get their comments back by the beginning of next week,” Pinder explained.