The Districts of the Bahamas are the first-tier administrative divisions of the Bahamas; contrary to popular belief that the major island groupings are. Despite this, all islands except New Providence have regional capital cities as a means for all affairs carried out by any district located on that island to be regulated by the Central Government.[citation needed]. Although in the past there have been many methods to decentralise government ( such as through the Local Government Act 1996 , which facilitated the creation of District Councils and Town Comittees )all systems presented, though have largely been unsuccessful in providing a great deal of autonomy. [citation needed].
History
The Commonwealth of the Bahamas has always had some form of Local Government since it's inception as a British Colony. Local Government has previously existed in the form of'boards' that were appointed by the Government and were known as the 'Board of Works'. Despite that most towns and settlements had a Board governing their affairs, most final decisions were still made by Central Government through a Commissioner who served as the Chairman of all “Board of Works”. True Local Government was finally established on 8th March, 1996 when that Government of the Bahamas led by Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham passed The Bahamas Local Government Act 1996 and signed it into Law. This Act of Parliament facilitated the creation of District Councils and Town Areas whose affairs are handled by elected bodies at the local level, thus removing the outdated system of appointed Boards. Districts outlined by the Local Government Act are either Second Schedule Districts ( districts that are subdivided into Town Areas ) or Third Schedule Districts ( districts that are not subdivided into Town Areas ).[1]
Districts of The Bahamas
The Districts of the Bahamas provide a system of Local Government everywhere in The Bahamas except New Providence (where Nassau the capital is located, whose affairs are handled directly by the central government). The current system dates from 1996 when 23 districts were "created" by The Bahamas Local Government Act of 1996– a further 9 have been added since 1999.[2]
Local Government in The Bahamas has seen great success since its introduction, but there has been concern over the case of New Providence and whether or not it should have local government.
Map of Districts
District Councils
Every district in the Bahamas has a districts council.[3] A district council is a corporate body with perpetual succession; capable of entering into contracts, of suing and being sued, of acquiring, holdings, leasing and disposing of property of any description, and of doing all such things and entering into such transactions that are within the scope of the Local Government Act.[4] A District Council consists of nine members ( or any other number of members that the Minister of Local Government may specify by order ). These District Councillors are elected by the population of that district in accordance with Local Government Act.[5] Outlined by The Bahamas Local Government Act 1996, Districts councillors shall within two weeks of their election, elect from among themselves a Chief Councillor.[6] The Chief Councillor shall be the representative of a Districts Council for all affairs. He or she is to preside over all meetings and also themselves co-ordinate these meetings.[7]
Town Areas
Town Areas or Townships are the second tier administrative divisions after districts.[8] Each Town Area has a town committee, which is a corporate body with perpetual succession and a common seal that is capable of entering into contracts, of suing and being sued, of acquiring, holding, leasing and disposing of property of any description and of doing all such things and entering into such transactions that are inclusive of The Bahamas Local Government Act 1996.[9] Like District Councils, members of a Town Committee are elected directly by the population of that Town Area.[10] Each Town Committee is headed by a Chairman, who is elected from among the Town Committee members by the Town Committee members.[11]
List of Chief Councillors
This is the list of Chief Councillors of the various Districts of The Bahamas as of 2008-2011.
- Mr Cubel Davis -Central Abaco
- Mr Wayne Hall -Hope Town
- Mr Roosevelt Curry -Grand Cay
- Mr Tommy Dames -Moore's Island
- Mr. Stephen Pedican-North Abaco
- Mr Rovel Roker-South Abaco
- Mr. Roston Cox-Acklins
- Mr David Daxon-Crooked Island
- Mr Clyde Duncombe-Central Andros
- Mr Brian O’Neal Cleare-North Andros
- Mr Brian Moxey-Mangrove Cay
- Mr Zebedee Rolle-South Andros
- Mr. David Dean-Berry Islands
- Mrs. Tasha Bullard-Bimini
- Mr Hancil Strachan-Cat Island
- Mr Daschiel Robert-Harbour Island
- Mr Vincent Collins-North Eleuthera
- Mr Abner Pinder-Spanish Wells
- Mr. Alfred Loan Rolle-Black Point
- Mr Franklyn McKenzie-Exuma
- Ms Antia Doherty-City of Freeport
- Mr Lawrence Laing-East Grand Bahama
- Mr Calvis Bartlett-West Grand Bahama
- Mr Francoinn Cox-Inagua
- Mr Ian Knowles-Long Island
- Mr Clinton Collie-Mayaguana
- Mr Granville Hepburn-Ragged Island
- Mr Kirkland Knowles-Rum Cay
- Mr Jonathan Knowles-San Salvador Island
- Mr Christopher Farrington-Green Turtle Cay
Districts prior to 2006
Prior to 1996, the Bahamas were divided into 21 districts:
Major Islands
External links
References
- ^ Retrieved-November-27
- ^ http://www.bahamas.gov.bs/bahamasweb2/home.nsf/vContentW/Parliamentary+Dept--Laws+and+Acts--Parliamentary+Laws+and+Acts!OpenDocument&ExpandSection=3
- ^ Bahamas Local Government Act 1996, Part IV, Section 10:1 Retrieved-November-27
- ^ Bahamas Local Government Act 1996, Part IV, 10:2 Retrieved-November-27
- ^ Bahamas Local Government Act 1996, Part IV, 10:4 Retrieved-November-27
- ^ Bahamas Local Government Act 1996, Part IV, 11 Retrieved-November-27
- ^ Bahamas Local Government Act 1996, Part IV, 11:2 Retrieved-November-27
- ^ Bahamas Local Government Act, Part III,5:1
- ^ Bahamas Local Government Act 1996, Part III, 6:2
- ^ Bahamas Local Government Act 1996, Part III, 6:3
- ^ Bahamas Local Government Act 1996, Part III, 8:2
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
- ^ Retrieved-November-25
See also
- Chief Councillor
- Hope Town District Council
- List of Caribbean First-level Subdivisions by Total Area
- ISO 3166-2:BS
Template:Articles on first-level administrative divisions of North American countries