Bahamas
Country comprising a group of about 700 islands and about 2,400 uninhabited
islets and cays in the Caribbean, 80 km/50 mi from the SE coast of Florida.
They extend for about 1,223 km/760 mi from NW to SE, but only 22 of
the islands are inhabited.
Government
The Bahamas are an independent sovereign nation within the Commonwealth,
with the British monarch as head of state and represented by an appointed,
resident governor general. The constitution, effective since independence
1973, provides for a two-chamber parliament with a Senate and House
of Assembly. The governor general appoints a prime minister and cabinet
drawn from and responsible to the legislature. The governor general
appoints 16 Senate members, 9 on the advice of the prime minister, 4
on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 3 after consultation
with the prime minister. The House of Assembly has 49 members, elected
by universal suffrage. Parliament has a maximum life of five years and
may be dissolved within that period.
History
The Bahamas were reached 1492 by Christopher Columbus, who first landed
at San Salvador. The British established a permanent settlement 1656,
and in 1670 the Bahamas were given to the duke of Albemarle as a proprietary
colony. The islands were a pirate area in the early 18th century and
reverted to the British crown 1717 (although they were disputed by the
Carolina colony until 1787). During the American Revolution, Spanish
forces captured the Bahamas 1782, but the islands were given back to
Britain the following year.
Independence
The Bahamas achieved internal self- government 1964, and the first
elections for the national assembly on a full voting register
were held 1967. The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), drawing its
support mainly from voters of African origin, won the same number
of seats as the European-dominated United Bahamian Party (UBP).
Lynden Pindling became prime minister with support from outside
his party. In the 1968 elections the PLP scored a resounding victory,
repeated 1972, enabling Pindling to lead his country to full independence
within the Commonwealth 1973.
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Outstanding info on the islands, but poor design
and blank pages make this site hard to navigate.
