Could There Be Another Historic Opening of Parliament?

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NASSAU , BAHAMAS – 2021 was a historic year for the opening of Parliament, because for the first time in history, the ceremony was held away from the historic downtown Parliament Square.

With the opening of Parliament set for May 20th, there could have been a repeat of a grand ceremony at Baha Mar’s Convention Center.

Our Jasmin Brown caught up with House Clerk David Forbes to talk about that possibility. Here’s that report.

David Forbes – Clerk, Parliament of the Bahamas

“In 2021 we did something completely different because for the first time Parliament was opened outside the city of Nassau and outside the precints of the Parliament. so in 2021 we opened Parliament in Baha Mar, which was a very unique experience.”

That was House Clerk David Forbes describing the 2021 opening of Parliament.

Shortly after winning the September 2021 general election, the newly elected Davis administration announced Parliament would be reopened on October 6th, 2021, at the Baha Mar Convention Center.

For decades, the opening of Parliament had taken place in Parliament Square.

The decision came after the government’s steering committee recommended that the reopening should move indoors for several reasons, including inclement weather, the then demolition of the nearby Churchill Building, space and seating limitations in the square, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

David Forbes – Clerk, Parliament of the Bahamas

“What made it necessary to do that was because we still had the Covid-19 restrictions in place so we needed a place we could have social distancing.”

So, there was a possibility that the upcoming opening of Parliament could have happened outside the city of Nassau again.

David Forbes – Clerk, Parliament of the Bahamas

“Whether the government is going to want to have the opening of Parliament in a place like Baha Mar again. That’s something that’s too early for us to say. We’ll have to wait until the election results are in. Then I will approach the prime minister and ask if they want to have it in the Parliament or outside the precincts of the Parliament.