▁second ▁pet ition ▁was ▁organ ised ▁and ▁signed ▁by ▁half ▁the ▁registered ▁vot ers ▁on ▁the ▁island . ▁Err ington ▁Wat kins ▁took ▁this ▁pet ition ▁to ▁London ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁hoping ▁to ▁influence ▁the ▁Bah am as ▁Independ ence ▁Order ▁then ▁being ▁deb ated ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Parliament . ▁A ▁sympath etic ▁MP , ▁Ron ald ▁Bell ▁introduced ▁an ▁am end ment ▁that ▁would ▁have ▁ex cluded ▁Ab aco ▁from ▁an ▁independent ▁Bah am as ▁and ▁have ▁the ▁islands ▁remain ▁a ▁British ▁col ony . ▁This ▁am end ment ▁was ▁defeated ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁and ▁the ▁Bah am as ▁Independ ence ▁Order ▁was ▁approved ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁Three ▁weeks ▁later ▁a ▁similar ▁motion ▁on ▁Ab aco ▁was ▁defeated ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁L ords . ▁ ▁A ▁last - d itch ▁attempt ▁by ▁Err ington ▁Wat kins ▁to ▁pass ▁a ▁resolution ▁in ▁the ▁Bah am as ▁House ▁of ▁Assembly ▁calling ▁for ▁a ▁United ▁Nations - super vised ▁refer endum ▁on ▁Ab aco ▁was ▁easily ▁defeated ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁and ▁the ▁Bah am as ▁became ▁independent ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁ ▁Ab aco ▁Independ ence ▁Mov ement ▁and ▁on ward ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁Bah am as ▁became ▁independent , ▁the ▁Ab aco ▁Independ ence ▁Mov ement ▁was ▁formed ▁as ▁a ▁political ▁party ▁whose ▁stated ▁aim ▁was ▁self -