The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE House of Assembly yesterday opened debate on a bill to establish the University of The Bahamas, with Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald praising the government for fulfilling all of its promises concerning the standard of education in the country.

During the second reading of the Bill, Mr Fitzgerald told the House of Assembly that the legislation represented a “vision for the future” and would not have been possible without Prime Minister Perry Christie.

The transformation to a university, the minister said, would usher in improvements in academics, service, infrastructure and financial management.

The Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Sciences Institute (BAMSI) will also come under the umbrella administrative structure of the University of The Bahamas, Mr Fitzgerald said.

However, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman questioned whether the bill was “window dressing” as the government had been big on promises during the last four years but struggled to follow through with them.

He also questioned how all of the upgrades would be funded as the 2016/2017 budget had only increased the institution’s budget by $7m.

Regarding this, Mr Fitzgerald said costs have been absorbed incrementally by the college over time - much of it paid through the generosity of people within the college and the friends of the institution in the wider community giving freely of their time and expertise in the service of wanting to build a national university.

“It is most important to note that the University of The Bahamas Bill is drafted with the future in mind. It is also important to note that this drafting incorporates the concept of a national university for the entire country and one that will not be a Nassau-centric institution,” Mr Fitzgerald said yesterday.

“With that being said, I want to note that within the bill, the board of trustees will be authorised to approve the creation and establishment of colleges under the umbrella of the University of The Bahamas system. In other words, this bill is more than a bill to establish the university, but a bill to allow for the growth and expansion of the university throughout our islands to, it is hoped, eventually reaching every Bahamian boy and girl, every father and mother throughout our nation.

“The campus in San Salvador, a residential research institute, is completely owned by the College of The Bahamas; and, under the university, this campus will expand further, adding to the depth and breadth of anthropological and sustainability research for the benefit of the entire country. This campus can already house 250 students. It will become heavily co-ordinated with the Small Island Sustainability Research Complex at the Oakes Field Campus, which is presently under construction.

“At the San Salvador campus, the research faculty will teach and conduct seminars between the Small Island Sustainability Research Complex and on-site field stations in San Salvador. In years to come, this could be the University of The Bahamas’ College of Anthropology and Sustainability Studies.”

He continued: “The campus in Grand Bahama Island, with approximately 500 students, as I mentioned, is currently witnessing the construction of its first residential facility. Like the campus in the south, this campus will become a centre of excellence in the areas of industrial manufacturing, entrepreneurial studies and maritime studies. This campus is moving toward greater autonomy and decision-making authority. In the near future, this campus could be the College of Engineering and Technology.”

Mr Fitzgerald was adamant that the bill creates a sound legislative framework for the university. He said it ensures shared governance, autonomy, distribution of authority and accountability.

COB was expected to transition into a university by July, 2015; however that target was missed. A new transition date has not been announced.