ely ▁self - cont ained ▁and ▁fully ▁self - support ing ' ▁territory ▁under ▁British ▁juris diction . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁the ▁British ▁Government ▁refused ▁to ▁consider ▁the ▁pet ition . ▁The ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁general ▁election ▁in ▁the ▁Bah am as ▁showed ▁a ▁clear ▁majority ▁for ▁independence ▁across ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁However , ▁on ▁Ab aco ▁the ▁results ▁were ▁less ▁clear ▁cut . ▁The ▁pro - in dep end ence ▁Progress ive ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁won ▁one ▁of ▁Ab aco ' s ▁two ▁seats ▁by ▁a ▁small ▁majority , ▁while ▁the ▁Free ▁National ▁Mov ement , ▁who ▁opposed ▁early ▁independence , ▁won ▁the ▁other ▁seat ▁by ▁a ▁large ▁majority . ▁Starting ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁all ▁party ▁tal ks ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁London ▁to ▁draft ▁a ▁new ▁constitution ▁for ▁the ▁Bah am as . ▁The ▁Gre ater ▁Ab aco ▁Council ▁sent ▁represent atives ▁to ▁London ▁for ▁a ▁' coll ater al ▁conference ' ▁to ▁run ▁alongside ▁the ▁official ▁tal ks . ▁The ▁British ▁refused ▁to ▁consider ▁making ▁Ab aco ▁independent ▁separately ▁from ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁Bah am as . ▁The ▁G AC ▁accepted ▁this ▁and ▁the ▁group ▁ceased ▁activity ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁ ▁Short ly ▁afterwards , ▁Err ington ▁Wat kins , ▁the ▁Free ▁National ▁Mov ement ▁representative ▁for ▁the ▁Ab aco - Mar sh ▁Har bour ▁seat , ▁formed ▁a ▁successor ▁group , ▁the ▁Council ▁for ▁a ▁Free ▁Ab aco . ▁A