Constitution of The BahamasIn briefRequires the House of Assembly to elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker from members who are not Ministers, and sets out when they leave office or step aside.
When the House of Assembly first meets after any general election and before it proceeds to the dispatch of any other business, the House shall, in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed by the rules of procedure of the House, elect from among the members who are not Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries one member to be the Speaker of the Assembly and another member to be Deputy Speaker; and, if the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker falls vacant at any time before the next dissolution of the House of Assembly, the House shall, as soon as practicable, proceed in like manner to fill the vacant office.
When the House of Assembly first meets after any general election, and before it deals with any other business, the House must elect one member to be Speaker of the Assembly and another member to be Deputy Speaker, following the procedure set out in the House's rules of procedure. Only members who are not Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries can be chosen. If the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker becomes vacant at any time before the next dissolution of the House of Assembly, the House must fill it in the same way as soon as practicable.
A person shall vacate the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker-
A person leaves the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker:
if he ceases to be a member of the House of Assembly:
if they stop being a member of the House of Assembly:
Provided that the Speaker shall to vacate his office by reason only that he has ceased to be a member on a dissolution of Parliament, until the House of Assembly first meets after that dissolution;
But the Speaker does not leave office only because they stopped being a member on a dissolution of Parliament (the end of the life of a Parliament, so that a general election follows) until the House of Assembly first meets after that dissolution;
if he is appointed to be a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary;
if they are appointed as a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary;
if he announces the resignation f his office to the House of Assembly or if, by writing under his hand addressed, in the case of the Speaker, to the Clerk of the House and, in the case of the Deputy Speaker, to the Speaker (or if the office of Speaker is vacant or the Speaker is absent from The Bahamas, to the Clerk), he resigns that office; or
if they announce their resignation from the office to the House of Assembly, or resign from it by a signed letter addressed, in the case of the Speaker, to the Clerk of the House and, in the case of the Deputy Speaker, to the Speaker (or, if the office of Speaker is vacant or the Speaker is away from The Bahamas, to the Clerk); or
in the case of the Deputy Speaker, if he is elected to be Speaker.
in the case of the Deputy Speaker, if they are elected Speaker.
If by reason of Article 49(2) of this Constitution the Speaker or Deputy Speaker is required to cease to perform his functions as a member of the House of Assembly, he shall also cease to perform his function as Speaker or Deputy Speaker and those functions shall, until he vacates his seat in the House or resumes the performance of the functions to his office, be performed-
If, under Article 49(2) of this Constitution, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker must stop performing their functions as a member of the House of Assembly, they must also stop performing their functions as Speaker or Deputy Speaker. Until they give up their seat in the House or resume the functions of their office, those functions are performed:
in the case of the Speaker, by the Deputy Speaker or, if the office of Deputy Speaker is vacant or the Deputy Speaker is required to cease to perform his functions as a member of the House of Assembly by virtue of Article 49(2) of this Constitution, by such member (not being a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary) as the House may elect for the purpose;
in the case of the Speaker, by the Deputy Speaker or, if the office of Deputy Speaker is vacant or the Deputy Speaker must also stop performing their functions as a member of the House of Assembly under Article 49(2) of this Constitution, by a member (not a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary) elected by the House for that purpose;
in the case of the Deputy Speaker, by such member (not being a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary) as the House may elect for the purpose.
in the case of the Deputy Speaker, by a member (not a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary) elected by the House for that purpose.
If the Speaker or Deputy Speaker resumes the performance of his functions as a member of the House in accordance with the provisions of Article 49(4) of this Constitution, he shall also resume the performance of his functions as Speaker or Deputy Speaker, as the case may be.
If the Speaker or Deputy Speaker resumes their functions as a member of the House under Article 49(4) of this Constitution, they also resume their functions as Speaker or Deputy Speaker, as the case may be.