Former Chief Clerk: A Bi-Election Is On The Way

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Former Chief Parliamentary Clerk Maurice Tynes is reflecting on the life of the late minister Obie Wilchcombe as he says he was well-loved by many across the country.

He says this is an important moment in Bahamian history as many have been asking what’s next? Now that there is a void at the helm of the West Grand Bahama and Bimini constituency.

While a sitting member of parliament has not died in decades, Tynes says the Constitution provides an outline as to what should happen. 

A bi-election will have to be called but he says no announcement should be made until after the member of parliament’s funeral.

And there’s a process when parliament is in recess and the speaker of the house has to be notified of the death by the government.

While he says it’s not likely to happen there is another possibility.

Once the date of the bi-election has been announced, we will see nominations from the various political parties to contest the West Grand Bahama and Bimini seat only those registered voters in the constituency will be allowed to vote during that time.