At 10am on Thursday, August 19th, 2021, Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle, in his role as Provost Marshall read a proclamation by the Governor-General Cornelius Smith, officially dissolving the Bahamas Parliament.
The next session of Parliament was set to be held on October 6th, 2021 at 10am, following a general election – a date for which, was not announced by Commissioner Rolle.
However, shortly after the dissolution proclamation on the steps of the House of Assembly, the public was advised that Prime Minister Hubert Minnis would give a national address at 11am on Thursday morning.
During this address, Prime Minister Minnis officially pegged the upcoming general election date as September 16th, 2021.
Events leading up to the Prime Minister’s general election call, began on Wednesday morning, August 18th, when a 9:30am proclamation by Governor-General Cornelius Smith was read aloud, just outside of the House of Assembly, by Police Commissioner Paul Rolle, proroguing the House of Assembly, suspending the current session of Parliament.
This action, took place on the same morning that the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Halson Moultrie, had planned an open session of Parliament to hear petitions and questions from the Bahamian public.
In his national address on Thursday morning, Prime Minister Minnis stated, “Your next government will have key decisions to make in enacting post-pandemic public health legislation… Your next government will have to make important decisions on rebuilding and renewing a post COVID-19 Bahamas.
“A new mandate is needed to ensure that a new government is in place to do this difficult work over the long term, as we are reaching a critical turning point in the pandemic. I have advised the Governor-General to issue the writs of election, which will be held on Thursday, September 16th, 2021. We have a long tradition of peaceful elections. Let us continue that proud tradition…”
Read the Prime Minister’s full national address here.
