Preamble CHAPTER I. THE CONSTITUTION 1. The State 2. The Constitution is supreme law CHAPTER II. CITIZENSHIP 3. Persons who become citizens on 10th July 1973 4. Persons who become citizens on 9th July 1974 5. Persons entitled to be registered as citizens 6. Persons born in The Bahamas after 9th July 1973 7. Persons born in The Bahamas after 9th July 1973 of non citizen parents 8. Persons born outside The Bahamas after 9th July 1973 9. Further provisions for persons born outside The Bahamas after 9th July 1973 10. Marriage to citizens of The Bahamas 11. Deprivation of citizenship 12. Renunciation of citizenship 13. Power of Parliament 14. Interpretation CHAPTER III. PROTECTION OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF THE INDIVIDUAL 15. Fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual 16. Protection of right to life 17. Protection from inhuman treatment 18. Protection from slavery and forced labour 19. Protection from arbitrary arrest or detention 20. Provisions to secure protection of law 21. Protection for privacy of home and other property 22. Protection of freedom of conscience 23. Protection of freedom of expression 24. Protection of freedom of assembly and association 25. Protection of freedom of movement 26. Protection from discrimination on the grounds of race, etc 27. Protection from deprivation of property 28. Enforcement of fundamental rights 29. Provisions for time of war or emergency 30. Saving of existing law 31. Interpretation CHAPTER IV. THE GOVERNOR GENERAL 32. Establishment of office of Governor General 33. Acting Governor General 34. Deputy to Governor-General 35. Personal staff of Governor General 36. Public Seal 37. Oaths to be taken by Governor General CHAPTER V. PARLIAMENT Part 1. Composition of Parliament 38. Establishment of Parliament Part 2. The Senate 39. Composition of Senate 40. Purpose of appointment of certain Senators 41. Qualification for appointment as Senator 42. Disqualifications for appointment as Senator 43. Tenure of office of Senators 44. President and Vice President 45. Determination of questions as to membership Part 3. House of Assembly 46. Composition of House of Assembly 47. Qualifications for membership of House of Assembly 48. Disqualifications for election as members of House of Assembly 49. Tenure of office of members of House of Assembly 50. Speaker and Deputy Speaker 51. Determination of questions as to membership Part 4. Powers and Procedure of Parliament 52. Powers to make laws 53. Privileges of Parliament 54. Alteration of this Constitution 55. Regulation of procedure in Parliament 56. Presiding in the Senate and House of Assembly 57. Quorum 58. Voting 59. Introduction of Bills, etc 60. Restriction on powers of Senate as to Money Bills 61. Restriction on powers of Senate as to Bills other than Money Bills 62. Provisions relating to Articles 59, 60 and 61 63. Assent to Bills 64. Oaths of allegiance Part 5. Summoning, Prorogation and Dissolution 65. Sessions of Parliament 66. Prorogation and dissolution of Parliament 67. General elections bye elections and appointment of Senators Part 6. Delimitation of Constituencies 68. Constituencies 69. Constituencies Commission 70. Procedure for review of constituencies CHAPTER VI. THE EXECUTIVE 71. Executive Authority 72. The Cabinet 73. Appointment of Ministers 74. Tenure of office of Ministers 75. Performance of functions of Prime Minister during absence, illness or suspension 76. Temporary Ministers 77. Allocation of Portfolios to Ministers 78. Functions of Attorney-General 79. Exercise of Governor General’s powers 80. Governor General to be informed concerning matters of Government 81. Parliamentary Secretaries 82. Leader of the Opposition 83. Certain vacancies in office of Leader of the Opposition 84. Oaths to be taken by Ministers, etc 85. Leave of absence for Ministers, etc 86. Summoning of and presiding in Cabinet 87. Quorum 88. Permanent Secretaries 89. Constitution of offices, etc 90. Powers of pardon, etc 91. Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy 92. Functions of Advisory Committee CHAPTER VII. THE JUDICATURE Part 1. The Supreme Court 93. Establishment of Supreme Court 94. Appointment of Justices of Supreme Court 95. Acting Justices 96. Tenure of office of Justices of Supreme Court 97. Oaths to be taken by Justices of Supreme Court Part 2. Court of Appeal 98. Establishment of Court of Appeal 99. Justice of the Court of Appeal 100. Other arrangements for appeals 101. Acting Justices of Court of Appeal 102. Tenure of office of Justices of Appeal 103. Oaths to be taken by Justices of Appeal Part 3. Appeals to Court of Appeal and Her Majesty in Council 104. Appeals relating to fundamental rights and freedoms 105. Appeals to Her Majesty in Council in other cases 106. Interpretation of “Court of Appeal” CHAPTER VIII. THE PUBLIC SERVICE Part 1. The Public Service Commission 107. Establishment and composition of Public Service Commission Part 2. Appointments etc. of Public Officers 108. Appointments, etc. of public officers 109. Appointments of Permanent Secretaries and certain other public officers 110. Delegation of Governor General’s powers 111. Appointments, etc. of principal representatives of The Bahamas abroad 112. Appointments on transfer in respect of certain offices 113. Appointment of Secretary to the Cabinet Part 3. The Public Service Board of Appeal 114. Public Service Board of Appeal 115. Appeals in discipline cases Part 4. The Judicial and Legal Service Commission 116. Establishment and composition of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission 117. Appointments, etc. of judicial an legal officers Part 5. The Police Service Commission 118. Establishment and composition of the Police Service Commission 119. Appointment of Commissioner of Police and other officers of the Police Force 120. Removal of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police 121. Removal and discipline of members of the Force Part 6. Pensions 122. Protection of pension rights 123. Grant and withholding of pensions, etc 124. Appeals in respect of certain decisions affecting pensions benefits Part 7. Miscellaneous 125. Procedure of Commissions 126. Removal from office of certain persons 127. Public Service CHAPTER IX. FINANCE 128. Consolidated Fund 129. Estimates 130. Authority for Public Expenditure 131. Withdrawal of money from the Consolidated Fund 132. Withdrawal of money in advance of Appropriation Act 133. Contingencies Fund 134. Public Debt 135. Remuneration of Governor General and certain other officers 136. Establishment of office and functions of Auditor General CHAPTER X. INTERPRETATION 137. Interpretation
Whereas Four hundred and eighty-one years ago the rediscovery of this Family of Islands, Rocks and Cays heralded the rebirth of the New World;
And Whereas the People of this Family of Islands recognizing that the preservation of their Freedom will be guaranteed by a national commitment to Self-discipline, Industry, Loyalty, Unity and an abiding respect for Christian values and the Rule of Law;
Now Know Ye Therefore:
We the Inheritors of and Successors to this Family of Islands, recognizing the Supremacy of God and believing in the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individual, Do Hereby Proclaim in Solemn Praise the Establishment of a Free and Democratic Sovereign Nation founded on Spiritual Values and in which no Man, Woman or Child shall ever be Slave or Bondsman to anyone or their Labour exploited or their Lives frustrated by deprivation, and do Hereby Provide by these Articles for the indivisible Unity and Creation under God of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
The Commonwealth of the Bahamas shall be a sovereign democratic State.
This Constitution is the supreme law of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, if any other law is inconsistent with this Constitution, this Constitution, shall prevail and the other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.
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