An Opposition Bill to introduce absentee voting was struck from a parliamentary Order of Business before it could be debated after it was found that the legislation would cost money to implement.

Dwayne Robinson, the Shadow Minister of Tourism, Culture and Transport, said that the One Bermuda Alliance had expected to debate its Absentee Voting Act in the House of Assembly last week.

However, he added the OBA was informed on Friday that the Bill would not be allowed to go ahead because, if approved, its provisions would require money to be spent by the Parliamentary Registrar.

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of the Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation, said later that the Government had been clear from the outset that the Opposition Bill was unworkable in its existing form and had offered to discuss it.

Mr Robinson said today: “While we are disappointed that the Absentee Voting Act 2025 will be removed from the order paper for good, the OBA is proud to have put this important issue on the public agenda.

“The Government was given an opportunity to collaborate on the OBA’s Bill, but instead chose political mischief.

“We left the Bill on the order paper for two months in an effort to collaborate and there was time for amendments to be put forward, yet nothing was presented.”

Mr Robinson said that the OBA was informed that a letter from the Parliamentary Registrar had been received by the Office of the Speaker on Thursday, and on Friday Dennis Lister, the Speaker of the House, ruled the Bill was a “money bill”.

The OBA MP added: “We have no wish to question the independent office of the PR, however its budget is provided by the sitting Government.

“As the reason is budgetary, this reflects on the Minister of the Cabinet Office and the Premier, who is the Minister of Finance.

“Mr Rabain allocated $55,000 via supplementary spending to electoral reform during the last session, making the point quite redundant.

“If the Government was serious about electoral reform, it would have funded it after the February 2025 election.”

Mr Robinson said he was frustrated that the legislation would not be debated, noting that the Bill was previously cleared to go onto the order paper and remained there for two months to garner feedback and, if required, amendments.

He said: “We thought they would at least debate it and let us know what their issues were.”

Mr Rabain, however, said today: “Since the tabling of the OBA’s Absentee Voting Act 2025, the Government reached out to the Opposition in writing and offered to sit and discuss the Bill.

“From the outset, we said clearly that we support absentee voting for students studying off-island.

“At the same time, we were equally clear that the Bill, as submitted, was not workable and could not be fixed through amendments on the floor of the House.

“Unfortunately, the OBA chose not to sit down and discuss the Bill and instead decided to press ahead with it.”

Mr Rabain noted that the Government remains committed to introducing absentee voting for students as part of wider electoral reforms.

He added: “That reform must, and will, include input from the people of Bermuda. The door remains open for the OBA to take part in that work.

“Electoral reform, including absentee voting, is not something that should be done by one party acting alone.

“It requires bipartisan engagement and serious policy development if we are going to change how our elections are governed.

“The Government will continue to move forward in the right order: listening to the public, engaging stakeholders and developing clear policy before bringing legislation to the House.

“Bermudians will continue to have a voice in that process.”