’WPC[ ©d”Š ī;'1*fu&)ķc֌™7ņ³:kæF/Ōōҵ„Ą"ČžŲŪIŲ³0‚7ĄJP¤Š՚2įMč‚„ā¾–[ĄJ*.œÕO(tĮu÷Ź”žö’ŖZ”šŠfģ5†–ę€sÖ ĪŠck’āĒ"åü“hQ#²Œā=Y)ÓĆó}ÅŽZńā@ł©Š‘˜ŅsćmĆĖļTpĖÆ§Õ¹“ƒ0i<1DƾŸw˜īN/ fO—6Kō٠Ð_-H[Ēč½ Čä 䌈0qȉ]JÖpЦcø†µ¬ž…ŻžżŠKā.O§e‰õÜŽ)ijæćŪŁ?ćĻ镦Ŗn§‘'ĮˆpīX'§?®żŒ€rƒ’|ßŌ䩒u¤µįē”1wūżB©0-exjŖ—{§~_īŌA@†G­£ĢųŠxé£Å=ÅzFģ O®°óĀ*XݜRlg°ķg颊׊»Ę²=ŹPb2kŃK‰{¤Ąö pcõģč5Ž.l³9Ģp‰¬żŖźō$R3:{"L,‰éP:Œ‚)TÅ!č|I€Ų͉Sņšf_ęs„ŸÓ>š ' £m1ś(ōż_`=pµ›V_¹’ÕįĘÜžęī„W„Ų2EĖ!ĪÖ #Į¶UNw %Å 0:Ė^ w4)8 m:QNY˜HP LaserJet 4000 Series PSČŁŲŁŁŲČŁ0&Öd9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$””ŌUSUS.,Ō7…a, ½ha+ź:i¢Ų+003|x’U‹’ĄĄĄ Ż ƒüœ!ŻŌUSUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_ŌŌ€¼jč»XXŌņ ņÓ  ÓBAHAMASó óŠ ° ŠŌ€X †X»¼jčŌÓ  ÓĢņ ņŌ_ŌCERDŌ_Ō€€A/32/18€(1977)ó óŠ Ŗś ŠĢ309.€€The€initial€report€of€the€Commonwealth€of€the€Bahamas€was€brief€and€furnished€noŠ }Ķ Šinformation€on€any€measures€adopted€by€the€Government€of€the€reporting€State€to€give€effect€to€theŠ f ¶ Šprovisions€of€the€Convention.Š O Ÿ ŠĢ310.€€While€it€was€cognizant€of€the€scope€of€the€reservation€expressed€by€the€Government€of€theŠ ! q ŠBahamas€when€it€acceded€to€the€Convention,€the€Committee€was€of€the€view€that€the€reporting€StateŠ  Z  Šwas€nevertheless€duty„bound,€under€article€9,€paragraph€1,€of€the€Convention€to€furnish€informationŠ ó C  Šon€the€relevant€provisions€of€its€Constitution,€on€the€relevant€legislative€provisions€in€force,€on€itsŠ Ü,  Šjudicial€processes€in€so€far€as€they€related€to€the€Convention,€and€on€other€measures€taken€inŠ Å  Šcompliance,€for€example,€with€article€7€of€the€Convention.Š ®ž  ŠĢ311.€€The€representative€of€the€Bahamas€said€that€his€Government€would€Ō_ŌendeavourŌ_Ō€to€ensure€thatŠ €Š  Šits€next€report€contained€all€the€information€necessary€to€make€it€acceptable€to€the€Committee,Š i¹ Šbearing€in€mind€the€reservation€expressed€by€the€Bahamas€on€its€accession€to€the€Convention.€€HeŠ R¢ Šassured€the€Committee€that€he€would€convey€the€comments€made€by€its€members€to€hisŠ ;‹ ŠGovernment.Š $t ŠŠ   ] ŠŌ_Ōņ ņŌ_ŌCERDŌ_Ō€€A/34/18€(1979)ó óŠ ° ŠĢ318.€€The€second€periodic€report€of€the€Bahamas€(Ō_ŌCERDŌ_Ō/C/16/Add.3)€was€considered€together€withŠ ƒÓ Šthe€introductory€statement€made€by€the€representative€of€the€reporting€State.Š l¼ ŠĢ319.€€It€was€noted€that€the€report€was€somewhat€unbalanced€in€the€sense€that€it€dealt€mostly€with€theŠ > Ž Šapplication€of€article€5€of€the€Convention€and€that€not€all€the€information€supplied€in€the€report€wasŠ ' w Šdirectly€relevant€to€the€question€of€racial€discrimination.€€The€Bahamian€Constitution€apparentlyŠ  ` Šprohibited€racial€discrimination,€and€the€next€report€of€the€Government€of€the€Bahamas€shouldŠ ł I Šindicate€what€guarantees€existed€for€the€implementation€of€the€statements€of€principle€contained€inŠ ā 2  Šthe€second€report.Š Ė   ŠĢ320.€€Some€members€of€the€Committee€pointed€out€that€the€problems€which€had€arisen€in€theŠ ķ  Šimplementation€of€the€Convention€in€the€Bahamas€were€attributable€to€the€reservations€theŠ †Ö  ŠBahamian€Government€had€made€when€acceding€to€the€Convention.€€It€was€suggested€that,€as€aŠ oæ  Šyoung,€independent€State€desirous€of€fulfilling€its€international€obligations,€the€Bahamas€mightŠ XØ  Šconsider€withdrawing€its€reservations€and€accepting€fully€the€obligations€of€the€Convention.Š A‘ ŠĢ321.€€In€connection€with€the€implementation€of€article€2€of€the€Convention,€the€report€stated€thatŠ c Šš šthere€would€appearšš€to€be€no€specific€legislative€and€judicial€measures.€€The€Committee€hoped€thatŠ üL Šthe€next€report€would€be€more€informative€and€contain€a€precise€analysis€of€the€existing€legislativeŠ å5 Šor€administrative€provisions€so€that€the€Government€would€be€able€to€make€a€categorical€statement,Š Ī Šrather€than€one€which€indicated€some€doubt.Š · ŠĢ322.€€In€connection€with€article€3€of€the€Convention,€some€members€expressed€satisfaction€with€theŠ ‰Ł Šattitude€of€the€Government€of€the€Bahamas€towards€the€racist€regimes€of€southern€Africa.Š rĀ ŠĢ323.€€With€reference€to€article€26€(1)€of€the€Constitution,€which€provided€that€š šno€law€shall€makeŠ D” Šany€provision€which€is€discriminatoryšš,€it€was€noted€that€Ō_ŌthatŌ_Ō€rule€was€made€subject€to€theŠ -} Šprovisions€of€paragraphs€(4),€(5)€and€(9)€of€that€article,€and€that€paragraph€(4)€in€particularŠ f Šrepresented€a€far„reaching€reservation.€€It€was€suggested€that€the€Government€may€wish€to€reviewŠ ’O Šthat€paragraph€and€to€consider€whether€its€provisions€were€in€fact€compatible€with€the€GovernmentššsŠ č 8 Šobligations€under€the€Convention.€€It€was€also€suggested€that€the€Bahamian€Government€shouldŠ Ń!!  Šconsider€the€possibility€of€bringing€the€definition€of€the€expression€š šdiscriminatoryšš€into€line€withŠ ŗ" ! Šthat€of€the€Convention.Š £#ó" ŠĢ324.€€Members€of€the€Committee€observed€that,€as€appeared€from€the€report,€no€existing€penal€lawsŠ u%Å $ Šimplemented€the€obligations€set€out€in€article€4€of€the€Convention.€€The€legislation€of€the€BahamasŠ ^&®!% Šhad,€therefore,€not€been€brought€into€line€with€the€Convention€and€much€remained€to€be€done€forŠ G'—"& Šthe€fulfilment€of€that€obligation.Š 0(€#' ŠĢ325.€€As€regards€article€5€of€the€Convention,€it€was€noted€that€the€report€contained€more€completeŠ *R%) Šinformation€on€the€implementation€of€its€provisions.€€The€question€was€raised€to€what€extentŠ ė*;&* Šexceptions€and€restrictions€of€article€26,€paragraphs€5€to€10,€were€based€on€concepts€of€ethnic€originŠ Ō+$'+ Šand€what€effect€they€had€on€the€exercise€of€fundamental€human€rights.€€It€was€observed€that€noŠ ½, (, Šspecific€legislation€existed€to€implement€the€rights€listed€in€article€5€(e),€(Ō_ŌiŌ_Ō)€to€(vi),€of€the€ConventionŠ ¦-ö(- Šand€the€hope€was€expressed€that€the€Bahamian€Government€would€seek€in€future€to€bring€itsŠ ° Šlegislation€into€line€with€its€international€obligations.€€One€member€inquired€as€to€the€nature€of€theŠ ™é Šlists€of€countries,€contained€in€the€First€and€Second€Schedules€to€the€Bahamian€Nationality€Act,€andŠ ‚Ņ Šasked€what€criteria€had€been€employed€in€the€preparation€of€those€lists€and€whether€they€had€beenŠ k» Šrelated€to€racial€origin.€€Another€member€expressed€concern€regarding€the€competence€of€theŠ T¤ ŠParliamentary€Registrar€to€remove€the€names€of€persons€subject€to€a€legal€incapacity€from€theŠ =  Šelectoral€register.Š & v ŠĢ326.€€With€regard€to€the€application€of€article€6€of€the€Convention,€it€appeared€from€the€report€thatŠ ų H Šthe€legislation€in€force€in€the€Bahamas€partly€satisfied€the€obligations€deriving€from€the€article.€€TheŠ į 1  Šhope€was€expressed€that€the€Government€would€examine€the€need€to€establish€the€right€of€victimsŠ Ź   Šof€racial€discrimination€to€reparation€or€satisfaction€for€any€damage€suffered.Š ³  ŠĢ327.€€It€was€observed€that€while€the€report€contained€some€information€on€the€implementation€ofŠ …Õ  Šarticle€7€of€the€Convention,€it€seemed€to€date€back€to€the€colonial€era.€€Up„to„date€information€wasŠ n¾  Šsought€on€the€school€curriculum,€with€particular€reference€to€activities€being€undertaken€to€educateŠ W§  Šyoung€Bahamians€in€the€spirit€of€the€Convention.Š @ ŠĢ328.€€Replying€to€some€of€the€questions€raised,€the€representative€of€the€Bahamas€said€that€theŠ b ŠBahamas€could€not€be€considered€a€multiracial€society€in€the€fullest€sense€of€that€term,€sinceŠ ūK Šapproximately€80€to€85€per€cent€of€its€population€were€black.€€No€importance€was€attached€toŠ ä4 Šnational€or€ethnic€origin€of€Bahamian€citizens€and€no€distinction€was€made€between€those€who€hadŠ Ķ Šcome€from€Africa€and€those€from€the€United€States,€for€instance.Š ¶ ŠĢ329.€€Touching€upon€the€educational€system,€he€assured€the€Committee€that€there€was€noŠ ˆŲ Šdiscrimination€in€either€State€or€private€education.€€In€its€concern€to€see€an€end€to€the€policy€ofŠ qĮ Šņņapartheidóó€in€South€Africa,€the€Government€had€recently€become€involved€in€educating€BahamiansŠ ZŖ Šabout€the€crime€of€ņņapartheidóó.€€He€said€that€he€would€refer€the€questions€of€a€specific€legal€characterŠ C“ Što€his€Government€with€a€view€to€providing€more€information€in€the€next€periodic€report.Š ,| ŠŠ  e Šņ ņŌ_ŌCERDŌ_Ō€€A/38/18€(1983)ó óŠ ° ŠĢ217.€€The€third€and€fourth€periodic€reports€of€the€Bahamas€submitted€in€one€documentŠ ƒÓ Š(Ō_ŌCERDŌ_Ō/C/88/Add.2)€were€considered€by€the€Committee€together€with€the€introductory€statementŠ l¼ Šmade€by€the€representative€of€the€reporting€State,€who€pointed€out€that€the€basic€reference€for€theŠ U„ Šrelevant€constitutional€and€legislative€provisions€had€been€given€in€his€countryššs€second€periodicŠ > Ž Šreport,€which€guaranteed€the€fundamental€rights€and€freedoms€of€all€citizens€irrespective€of€race,Š ' w Šethnic€origin,€political€opinion,€Ō_ŌcolourŌ_Ō,€creed€or€sex€and€also€established€procedures€for€redress.€€HeŠ  ` Šalso€pointed€out€that€in€so€far€as€the€Convention€predated€the€Constitution€of€the€Bahamas,€it€hadŠ ł I Šinfluenced€the€drafting€of€the€Constitution.Š ā 2  ŠĢ218.€€Members€of€the€Committee€observed€that€the€report€of€the€Bahamas€added€nothing€new€to€theŠ “  Šinformation€provided€in€the€second€periodic€report€on€legislative€measures€implementing€articlesŠ ķ  Š2€to€7€of€the€Convention.€€In€answer€to€the€Committeeššs€earlier€request€for€information€onŠ †Ö  Šconstitutional€guarantees€against€racial€discrimination,€the€Government€stated€categorically€in€theŠ oæ  Šreport€that€the€Constitution€in€actual€fact€forbade€racial€discrimination€and€provided€information€onŠ XØ  Šthe€relevant€provisions€of€articles€15€to€27€of€the€Constitution€governing€the€exercise€of€the€variousŠ A‘ Šrights€described€in€article€5€of€the€Convention.€€However,€it€was€acknowledged€in€the€report€that€theŠ *z Šdefinition€of€racial€discrimination€in€the€Convention€was€broader€than€the€definition€of€the€termŠ c Šš šdiscriminatoryšš€in€article€26,€paragraph€3,€of€the€Constitution€of€the€Bahamas,€since€the€ConventionŠ üL Šreferred€also€to€fundamental€freedoms€in€economic,€social,€cultural€and€other€spheres.€€It€wasŠ å5 Šsuggested€that€the€Bahamas€should€study€the€advisability€of€bringing€its€definition€into€line€with€theŠ Ī ŠConvention.€€In€this€connection,€some€members€pointed€out€that€the€appropriate€information€shouldŠ · Šbe€supplemented€by€an€indication€of€secondary€laws€that€implemented€the€Constitution€and€theŠ  š ŠConvention.Š ‰Ł ŠĢ219.€€With€reference€to€the€information€provided€on€the€demographic€composition€of€the€populationŠ [« Šof€the€country,€members€of€the€Committee€asked€why€there€had€been€a€gradual€increase€in€theŠ D” Šforeign„born€population€„€whether€it€was€because€such€immigration€was€being€officially€encouraged,Š -} Šbecause€of€natural€causes€or€because€of€the€presence€of€expatriate€contract€workers;€what€were€theŠ f Šreasons€for€the€large€percentage€since€1963€of€the€Haitian„born€population€and€for€the€recent€influxŠ ’O Šof€Africans;€what€were€the€nationality€laws€and€how€many€persons€actually€qualified€for€citizenship?Š č 8 ŠĢ220.€€With€regard€to€article€3€of€the€Convention,€satisfaction€was€expressed€at€the€informationŠ ŗ" ! Šprovided€in€the€report€on€the€Governmentššs€anti„ņņapartheidóó€policy.€€However,€it€was€pointed€out€thatŠ £#ó" Šthe€report€made€no€mention€of€the€participation€of€the€Bahamas€in€the€sanctions€against€SouthŠ Œ$Ü# ŠAfrica.€€Additional€information€was€also€requested€on€what€contribution,€financial€or€moral,€theŠ u%Å $ ŠBahamas€had€made€to€the€struggle€of€national€liberation€movements€in€South€Africa€and€whetherŠ ^&®!% Ša€Ō_ŌprogrammeŌ_Ō€for€complying€with€United€Nations€resolutions€dealing€with€human€rights€and€theŠ G'—"& Šstruggle€against€ņņapartheidóó€and€discrimination€had€been€mapped€by€the€government.Š 0(€#' ŠĢ221.€€With€reference€to€article€4€of€the€Convention,€members€of€the€Committee€noted€that€theŠ *R%) ŠBahamas€had€made€a€declaration€or€statement€of€interpretation€which,€according€to€the€opinion€givenŠ ė*;&* Šby€the€Legal€Counsel€at€a€previous€session,€did€not€have€the€same€effect€as€a€reservation.€€The€hopeŠ Ō+$'+ Šwas€expressed€that€positive€information€concerning€the€adoption€of€legislation€to€implement€articleŠ ½, (, Š4€of€the€Convention€would€be€provided€in€the€next€report.€€Bearing€in€mind€the€fact€that€theŠ ¦-ö(- Šreservation€referred€to€judicial€process€only,€members€agreed€with€the€opinion€expressed€by€theŠ ° ŠGovernment€that€its€reservation€was€not€an€impediment€to€its€obligation€to€fulfil€its€obligationsŠ ™é Špursuant€to€the€Convention.€€Such€provisions€condemning€all€practices€which€might€seek€to€reviveŠ ‚Ņ Šdiscrimination€were€necessary,€bearing€in€mind€the€fact€that€discrimination€sometimes€manifestedŠ k» Šitself€indirectly,€and€the€fact€that€under€the€common€law€system€all€that€was€not€expressly€prohibitedŠ T¤ Šby€law€was€deemed€permissible€made€that€all€the€more€necessary.€€Moreover,€circumstances€mightŠ =  Šchange€in€the€future€in€a€society€as€mixed€as€that€of€the€Bahamas€and€it€was€always€more€prudentŠ & v Što€be€prepared€with€adequate€legislation€for€any€eventuality.€€The€Committee€also€requested€toŠ  _ Šreceive€information€in€the€next€report€of€the€Bahamas€regarding€the€expected€adoption€of€legislativeŠ ų H Šmeasures€pursuant€to€the€International€Convention€on€the€Suppression€and€Punishment€of€the€CrimeŠ į 1  Šof€ņņApartheidóó,€which€would€also€be€relevant€to€article€4€of€the€Convention€on€the€Elimination€of€AllŠ Ź   ŠForms€of€Racial€Discrimination.Š ³  ŠĢ222.€€Turning€to€article€5€of€the€Convention,€the€members€pointed€out€that€the€information€providedŠ …Õ  Šin€the€report€was€most€satisfactory.€€The€Committee€was€pleased€to€learn€that€the€exceptions€andŠ n¾  Šrestrictions€to€the€guarantees€of€human€rights€were€in€no€way€based€on€concepts€of€ethnic€origin.€Š W§  ŠHowever,€some€members€wished€to€have€more€details€about€the€types€of€education€in€the€countryŠ @ Šand€the€content€and€quality€of€the€education,€especially€with€regard€to€racial€questions€as€well€as€toŠ )y Špolicies€in€Ō_ŌfavourŌ_Ō€of€the€disadvantaged.€€With€respect€to€the€right€to€work,€it€was€asked€whether€theŠ b ŠBahamas€was€a€party€to€the€series€of€conventions€of€the€International€Ō_ŌLabourŌ_Ō€Organization€underŠ ūK Šwhich€States€parties€were€required€to€have€a€Ō_ŌlabourŌ_Ō€code€and€whether€there€were€any€plans€of€theŠ ä4 ŠGovernment€to€adopt€a€Ō_ŌlabourŌ_Ō€code.Š Ķ ŠĢ223.€€Referring€to€the€implementation€of€article€7€of€the€Convention,€the€Committee€remarked€thatŠ Ÿļ Šit€would€be€useful€to€see€in€the€next€report€information€regarding€developments€in€all€the€fieldsŠ ˆŲ Šenumerated€in€that€article€„€teaching,€education,€culture€and€information€with€a€view€to€combatingŠ qĮ Šprejudices€which€lead€to€racial€discrimination.€€It€was€also€asked€whether€any€cultural€associationsŠ ZŖ Šhad€been€formed,€any€new€campaigns€organized,€any€human€rights€committees€or€UNESCO€clubsŠ C“ Šestablished.Š ,| ŠĢ224.€€In€reply€to€a€number€of€questions€raised€by€members,€the€representative€of€the€Bahamas€statedŠ žN Šthat€the€Constitution€of€the€Bahamas€guaranteed€to€every€person€in€the€Commonwealth€theŠ ē 7 Šfundamental€rights€and€freedoms€of€the€individual,€irrespective€of€his€race€or€place€of€origin,€andŠ Š!   Šprescribed€judicial€process€to€be€observed€in€the€event€of€the€violation€of€any€of€those€rights,Š ¹" ! Šwhether€by€the€State€or€by€a€private€individual.€€Acceptance€of€the€Convention€by€the€Bahamas€didŠ ¢#ņ" Šnot€imply€the€acceptance€of€obligations€going€beyond€the€constitutional€limits€nor€the€acceptanceŠ ‹$Ū# Šof€any€obligation€to€introduce€judicial€process€beyond€those€prescribed€under€the€Constitution.€€HeŠ t%Ä $ Šhad€noted€the€continuing€concern€of€members€regarding€the€possibility€of€conflict€between€the€termŠ ]&­!% Šš šdiscriminatoryšš€used€in€the€Constitution€and€the€term€š šracial€discriminationšš€used€in€theŠ F'–"& ŠConvention.€€The€representative€stated€that€the€Government€had€considered€the€point€carefully€whenŠ /(#' Špreparing€the€report€and€it€was€contemplating€any€amendment€to€the€Constitution.€€In€any€event,€anyŠ )h$( Šdifference€between€the€two€definitions€was€very€slight.Š *Q%) ŠĢ225.€€In€reply€to€the€reason€for€the€increase€in€the€foreign„born€population,€he€drew€attention€to€theŠ Ó+#'+ ŠNationality€Act,€under€which€individuals€could€apply€for€citizenship.€€Chapter€2€of€the€ConstitutionŠ ¼, (, Šalso€contained€provisions€relating€to€persons€born€outside€the€Bahamas.€€It€was€clear€therefore€thatŠ „-õ(- Šthe€law€did€provide€for€the€possibility€of€foreign„born€persons€applying€for€Bahamian€nationality.Š ° ŠĢ226.€€With€regard€to€the€contribution€made€by€the€Bahamas€to€the€national€liberation€movements,Š ‚Ņ Šthe€representative€said€that€the€Government€had€contributed€financially€and€morally€to€the€struggleŠ k» Šagainst€ņņapartheidóó€and€racism€in€South€Africa.€€It€usually€allocated€a€very€considerable€proportion€ofŠ T¤ Šfunds€annually€to€the€trust€funds€devoted€to€Namibia€and€to€ņņapartheidóó€in€general.Š =  ŠĢ227.€€Turning€to€questions€raised€in€connection€with€article€5€of€the€Convention,€he€pointed€out€thatŠ  _ Šalthough€the€right€to€work€was€guaranteed€under€the€Constitution,€he€did€not€know€of€any€Ō_ŌlabourŌ_ŌŠ ų H Šcode€or€of€any€plans€for€such€a€code.€€There€was,€however,€an€extensive€administrative€structureŠ į 1  Šorganized€by€the€Ministry€of€Ō_ŌLabourŌ_Ō€to€ensure€that€workers€could€form€trade€unions,€that€their€rightsŠ Ź   Šwere€respected,€that€grievances€could€be€brought€before€administrative€boards€and€that€greatŠ ³  Šattention€had€been€paid€to€the€field€of€employment€and€the€exercise€of€the€right€to€work.Š œģ  ŠĢ228.€€Concerning€the€question€relating€to€information€and€cultural€associations,€with€respect€toŠ n¾  Šarticle€7€of€the€Convention,€he€said€that€there€was€very€active€interest€in€the€Bahamas€in€mattersŠ W§  Šrelating€to€racial€discrimination.€€The€Committee€on€South€Africa€was€actively€concerned€with€theŠ @ ŠSouth€African€issue€and€a€number€of€other€associations€were€concerned€with€human€rights€at€theŠ )y Šinternational€level.€€That€had€contributed€to€raising€public€awareness€of€the€subject,€quite€apart€fromŠ b Šthe€Governmentššs€own€efforts.Š ūK ŠŠ  ä4 Šņ ņŌ_ŌCERDŌ_Ō€€A/46/18€(1991)ó óŠ ° ŠĢ344.€€At€its€926ņņthóó€meeting,€on€13€August€1991€(see€Ō_ŌCERDŌ_Ō/C/SR.926),€the€Committee€reviewed€theŠ ƒÓ Šimplementation€of€the€Convention€by€the€Bahamas€based€on€its€previous€reportsŠ l¼ Š(Ō_ŌCERDŌ_Ō/C/88/Add.2)€and€their€consideration€by€the€Committee€(see€Ō_ŌCERDŌ_Ō/C/SR.610).€€TheŠ U„ ŠCommittee€noted€that€no€information€had€been€received€from€the€State€party€since€1983.Š > Ž ŠĢ345.€€The€Committee€recalled€that€the€previous€reports€had€not€conformed€to€the€reporting€guidelinesŠ  ` Šand€were€somewhat€unbalanced€in€that€they€were€largely€devoted€to€a€discussion€of€the€applicationŠ ł I Šof€article€5€of€the€Convention.€€The€Committee€also€noted€that€no€specific€legislation€had€beenŠ ā 2  Šenacted€to€make€the€provisions€of€the€Convention€directly€enforceable€before€the€courts,€on€theŠ Ė   Šgrounds€that€the€measures€set€out€in€the€Constitution€were€adequate;€that€the€definition€of€theŠ “  Šexpression€š šdiscriminatoryšš€in€article€26€of€the€Constitution€should€be€brought€into€line€with€thatŠ ķ  Šcontained€in€article€1€of€the€Convention;€and€that€no€information€had€been€provided€on€measures€forŠ †Ö  Šsecuring€the€adequate€advancement€of€certain€backward€racial€or€ethnic€groups.Š oæ  ŠĢņņConcluding€observationsóóŠ A‘ ŠĢ346.€€In€concluding€the€review,€the€Committee€regretted€that€the€Bahamas€had€not€responded€to€itsŠ c Šinvitation€to€participate€in€its€meeting€and€to€furnish€relevant€information.€€It€decided€to€request€theŠ üL ŠState€party€to€submit€the€reports€due€and€wished€to€draw€the€attention€of€the€State€party€to€theŠ å5 Šavailability€of€technical€assistance€from€the€United€Nations€Ō_ŌCentreŌ_Ō€for€Human€Rights€in€theŠ Ī Špreparation€of€reports€to€treaty€monitoring€bodies.Š · ŠŠ   š Šņ ņŌ_ŌCERDŌ_Ō€€A/52/18€(1997)ó óŠ ° ŠĢ57.€€At€its€1189th€meeting,€held€on€5€March€1997€(see€Ō_ŌCERDŌ_Ō/C/SR.1189),€the€Committee€reviewedŠ ƒÓ Šthe€implementation€of€the€Convention€by€the€Bahamas€based€upon€its€previous€reportŠ l¼ Š(Ō_ŌCERDŌ_Ō/C/88/Add.2)€and€its€consideration€by€the€Committee€(see€Ō_ŌCERDŌ_Ō/C/SR.610€and€926).€€TheŠ U„ ŠCommittee€noted€with€regret€that€no€report€had€been€submitted€to€the€Committee€since€1982,€andŠ > Ž Šthat€the€report€of€the€Bahamas€was€not€completely€satisfactory€to€the€Committee€at€that€time.Š ' w ŠĢ58.€€The€Committee€regretted€that€the€Bahamas€had€not€responded€in€a€timely€fashion€to€itsŠ ł I Šinvitation€to€participate€in€the€meeting€and€to€furnish€relevant€information.€€The€Committee€decidedŠ ā 2  Šthat€a€communication€should€be€sent€to€the€Government€of€the€Bahamas€setting€out€its€reportingŠ Ė   Šobligations€under€the€Convention€and€urging€that€the€dialogue€with€the€Committee€should€beŠ “  Šresumed€as€soon€as€possible.Š ķ  ŠĢ59.€€The€Committee€suggested€that€the€Government€of€the€Bahamas€avail€itself€of€the€technicalŠ oæ  Šassistance€offered€under€the€advisory€services€and€technical€assistance€Ō_ŌprogrammeŌ_Ō€of€the€UnitedŠ XØ  ŠNations€High€Commissioner€for€Human€Rights/Ō_ŌCentreŌ_Ō€for€Human€Rights,€with€the€aim€of€drawingŠ A‘ Šup€and€submitting€as€soon€as€possible€an€updated€report€drafted€in€accordance€with€the€reportingŠ *z Šguidelines.