National

Road To Majority Rule

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Tonight we journey back to 1967 when the Progressive Liberal Party overcame a decade of struggle.

Published

12 months ago

January 10, 2024

Jerome Sawyer

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Tonight we journey back to 1967 when the Progressive Liberal Party overcame a decade of struggle.

The formation of the Progressive Liberal Party in 1953 by three men who were near white or mulatto didn’t give the early PLP much traction with the majority black population.

In 1955 a caucus of black members produced a leader in a young Lynden Pindling.

By 1956 the mostly white United Bahamian Party was formed – establishing the 2 party system. That year 6 PLP members were elected to Parliament.

Over the next 6 years the PLP gained popular support with major legislative victories like universal suffrage – giving every Bahamian over 18 the right to vote

Despite women going to the polls for the first time – the PLP was only able to get 8 seats in Parliament in the 1962 election.

The next five years were crucial. 1964 ushered in self governance. The colony of The Bahamas got its first cabinet and Premier in Roland Symonette.

The stage was now set for majority rule. As the 1967 general elections drew near the UBP’s grip on power slackened.

A rash of bad publicity over a Freeport gambling license and growing discontent with the mercantile elite who ran the county, made the party’s downfall almost eminent.

The 1964 constitutional talks gave New Providence 5 additional seats. Universal adult suffrage of one vote one person and the abolition of the company vote had leveled the playing field.

At the close of the polls on January 10th 1967 the PLP and UBP were tied with 18 seats each.

Randol Fawkes of the Labour Movement candidate and Alvin Braynen an independent candidate were the deciding seats.

Pindling flew from Andros to Nassau and convinced Fawkes to join forces with the PLP in return for a cabinet seat as Labour Minister. He would offer Braynen Speaker of the House.

After a decade of struggle, on January 10th 1967 The Progressive Liberal Party would run one of the closest elections in history and emerge victorious. For the first time Black Bahamians would run their own affairs.