In 1968, I returned to The Bahamas after studying for seven years in Britain, United States of America and the West Indies, one year after the introduction of Majority Rule and just five years prior to Independence. At that time, The Bahamas was in a state of socio-political transformation.
The winds of political change were blowing all around us, as political ferment was feverish not only in the Caribbean but Africa, Asia and the Pacific so The Bahamas and all of the other territories, which had been subjected to Colonial rule, were marching in one direction. That direction was to sovereignty.
The Bahamas faced many challenges as a territory moving from a colonial status to that of independent state. This called for a neo socio-economic political foundation. Those at the helm of the political directorate responded by putting in place replacements for the English colonial administrators who manned virtually all of the strategic administrative positions in the Public Service, with the introduction of pro-Bahamian policies like a wide ranging scholarship programme encompassing many academic and professional disciplines; the maintenance of a stable political environment in order to foster investor confidence; the upgrading of Family Island infrastructure and in many instances establishing infrastructure where there was none; the building of scores of new schools which were manned by trained Bahamian and non-Bahamian educators in order to facilitate the educational policy of universal free secondary education and by expanding healthcare facilities through the modernization of the colonial Princess Margaret Hospital and the decentralization of clinics.
Highlighting these fundamental changes were the creation of the Independence institutions i.e. The National Insurance Board, The College of The Bahamas, The Bahamas Defense Force, The Central Bank of The Bahamas and Soldier Road Industrial Park, to name a few.
Look at the progress, which has been made with the credit union movement, which is easily a half billion dollar industry. This development was the result of the establishment of the Cooperative Act which came into effect in 1974 and it was revised in 2005 to reflect the changing times. Three decades later, the Movement employs hundreds of Bahamians and is depository of millions of dollars in savings by Bahamians.
By 1980, policies, programmes and new institutions were in place and were able to set The Bahamas on a launch path, which would directly impact this archipelago’s citizenry in a positive fashion. This was reflected in the expansion of the economy, as there was positive growth in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Bahamians experienced changes in their per capita income as a new middle and professional class emerged. There has been an overall transformation in the quality of life as new, affordable and upscale residential communities have sprung up not only in New Providence and Grand Bahama but elsewhere in the Family Islands. The edge and efficiency of the government could be seen and felt. Twenty-seven years have now past and where are we as an archipelagic nation at the dawn of the 21st century in the era of globalization where mankind has created a borderless world as a result of the advances in technology, the access to information and the ability to communicate that information, in essence information.
Communication and
technology (ICT).
All countries have to be mindful of reform, be it in the political and social institutions or the change agents in the economic development process. In The Bahamas, a very obvious deficiency is the management of an independent country with an administrative tool, which was devised for the colonies of a far flung empire where one size fit all. Apart from 1964 when The Bahamas advanced to Ministerial government, there have been major administrative changes to the system of government. The governmental structure has not progressed with the political advancement of the country.
This lack of advancement has been most apparent in the services being offered by government ministries, departments and corporations.
Obtaining a reliable supply of potable water from the Water and Sewerage Corporation is still a challenge. There are still many New Providence communities that experience low water pressure and brown water. Householders still have to wait long periods to obtain telephone services. Cellular phone technology has helped but receiving "wire" telephone service is still a hassle. This past weekend New Providence residents had to suffer through power outages for long periods on Saturday and Sunday. When it rains our roads are virtually impassable, chiefly as a result of poor drainage resulting from poor upkeep and construction. The public educational system has been performing at an unacceptable level; this has been depicted by the recent national scores. There are Over-the-Hill communities where people are still going to the pump, using outside toilets and living in conditions which are unfit for human habitation. If Bay Street is an eyesore, East Street is a dump.
Apart from these island issues, there are national and global issues, which we seem to ignore resulting from our lack of concern for these matters. Where are we as a country on environmental issues such as climate change and global warming? One of these days we will wake up and find most of The Bahamas under water as a result of the rise in sea levels. The high cost of fuel has impacted our electricity bill and what we pay for gas. On the other hand, there are no policies on alternative energy sources like biofuels. The Bahamas has the capacity to produce ethanol by resurrecting sugarcane production on Abaco. Is any thing being done about universal health coverage for the man or woman in the street? For decades there has been talk about economic diversification but are there any steps being taken to make our producers or manufacturers more competitive? Are we considering a competitiveness policy for Agricultural, Manufacturing, Tourism or Financial Services Sectors respectively?
With the recent escalation in crime, one has to wonder if those policy makers with responsibility for social services and community development have considered strategies to address family life issues like parenting, single motherhood etc. Unless strategies are implemented at the community level, these problems will persist and deepen. After the recent election, there was much talk about the amount of money spent and the need to curtail election spending by regulating contributions. Will this subject reach the agenda of the House of Assembly? The Bahamas is a Caribbean State, yet no government has initiated a national discussion to define The Bahamas’ role in our region. When will it happen? This may be one of the avenues to deal with illegal immigration, be it from Haiti, Jamaica or elsewhere in the region.
As the political directorate in the 70s and 80s prepared Bahamians for their roles in an Independent Bahamas, and based on the above mentioned issues, one does not get the feeling that the country is being prepared for the new century in which we now find ourselves. Have our governments in the 90s failed in its responsibility to prepare the citizenry for the era of globalization? Proverbs teach us that "where there is no vision, the people perish".
Governments have failed us because no strategy has been devised to focus on the pertinent issues facing our country. This lack of a national focus has been responsible for our country drifting into the 21st. century.
- Austin DWI - New York DWI