The Bahamas - Politics

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), led by Sir Lynden Pindling, won each general election from 1967 until 1992. Then his party, having had to deal with a recession and allegations of corruption, was ousted by the Free National Movement (FNM), led by Hubert Ingraham, a former PLP minister, the FNM winning 32 seats to the PLP’s 17. Subsequent investigations gave the FNM another seat, taking their total to 33.

Concern over crime related to drugs trafficking underlay the government’s decision to reinstate the death penalty, and in March 1996 a murderer was hanged, the first for 12 years. However, the UK’s Privy Council then commuted a death sentence to life imprisonment, and there were no further executions until October 1998, when two convicted murderers were executed. Public support for capital punishment had increased after two tourists had been murdered earlier in 1998.

Another issue of concern to Bahamians is the level of illegal immigration, mainly from Cuba and Haiti (with an estimated 60,000 Haitians involved). Heavy fines are imposed on those attempting to smuggle immigrants, and repatriation agreements have been negotiated with Cuba and Haiti. Between 1995 and 1998 some 13,000 Haitians and at least 840 Cubans were repatriated.

A series of events prior to the March 1997 elections led to a troubled campaign. A commission of inquiry found Pindling to have acted improperly during his period of office in accepting loans of US$750,000.

The elections were held on schedule in March 1997: the FNM, led by Ingraham, gained 58% of the votes, winning 34 seats, the remaining seats being taken by the PLP. The turnout was 92% of registered electors. After the elections Pindling, who had led the PLP for 32 years, stood down and was replaced by Perry Christie, former minister of agriculture and trade.

In May 2002, the PLP won a landslide victory, taking 29 seats and Christie became prime minister. The FNM took seven and independents four.

Tommy Turnquest, who had succeeded Ingraham as FNM leader before the elections, lost his seat, but was subsequently appointed to the Senate. The PLP had promised to help poorer Bahamians, stimulate investment in the archipelago’s less-developed islands, and encourage the financial services industry.

Three years after stepping down as leader of the FNM, Hubert Ingraham returned to head the party in November 2005, subsequently leading it to victory in the general elections of May 2007 – FNM taking 23 seats and PLP 18.