The Bahamas Independence Order 1973

Alteration of this Constitution

54.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Article, Parliament may, by an Act of Parliament passed by both Houses, alter any of the provisions of this Constitution or (in so far as it forms part of the law of The Bahamas) any of the provisions of The Bahamas Independence Act, 1973.

(2) In so far as it alters—

(a) Articles 32, 33, 34, 35, 41, 42, 43, 47, 48, 49, 79, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, or 136 of this Constitution; or

(b) Articles 127 or 137 of this Constitution in their application to any of the provisions specified in sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph,

a Bill for an Act of Parliament under this Article shall not be passed by Parliament unless:—

(i) at the final voting thereon in each House it is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all the members of each House, and

(ii) the Bill, after its passage through both Houses, has been submitted to the electors qualified to vote for the election of members of the House of Assembly and, on a vote in such manner as Parliament may prescribe the majority of the electors voting have approved the Bill.

(3) In so far as it alters—

(a) this Article;

(b) Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 38, 39, 40, 45, 46, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, or 105 of this Constitution; or

(c) Articles 106, 127 or 137 of this Constitution in their application to any of the provisions specified in sub-paragraphs (a) or (b) of this paragraph; or

(d) any of the provisions of The Bahamas Independence Act 1973, a Bill for an Act of Parliament under this Article shall not be passed by Parliament unless:—

(i) at the final voting thereon in each House it is supported by the votes of not less than three-quarters of all the members of each House, and

(ii) the Bill, after its passage through both House has been submitted to the electors qualified to vote for the election of members of the House of Assembly and, on a vote taken in such manner as Parliament may prescribe the majority of the electors voting have approved the Bill.

(4) In this Article—

(a) references to any of the provisions of this Constitution or the Bahamas Independence Act 1973 include references to any law that amends or replaces that provision; and

(b) references to any of the alteration of any of the provisions of this Constitution or The Bahamas Independence Act 1973 include references to the amendment, modification or re-enactment with or without amendment or modification, of that provision, the suspension or repeal of that provision and the making of a different provision in lieu of that provision.

(5) No Act of Parliament shall be construed as altering this Constitution unless it is stated in the Act that it is an Act for that purpose.