The Prime Minister yesterday said he was targeting a ‘top 50’ ranking for the Bahamas in the World Bank’s ‘ease of doing business’ index within five years, arguing that its current 106th spot does not reflect its capabilities and potential.
Mr Christie, in opening remarks at a seminar on innovation, transparency and service delivery hosted by the
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in conjunction with the National Development Plan Secretariat, said this nation’s current ‘ease of doing business’ ranking is “not acceptable”.
“The 106th place on the World Bank’s Index of doing business is not acceptable for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas,” he charged.
“It doesn’t not reflect our potential and capabilities. It doesn’t reflect our years of experience as a world class financial centre, nor our first mover status in the areas of tourism and port development.
“In five years, let us try to move to the top 50 countries; that is the target. This means our reforms will be bold, our resolve must be strong and our internal evaluation of ourselves brutally honest.”
Mr Christie yesterday issued the ‘30-day challenge’ to government department heads, calling on them to come up with innovative ways to improve service delivery.
He stressed that there must be a transformation of the business climate in the country. “For far too long we have been too complacent,” Mr Christie said.
“While there have been important changes over the decades, we have not as a country made a collaborative and concerted effort to change the Bahamian business environment and we are paying heavily for that now.”
He continued: “Our business environment, unfortunately, is know for its red tape and bureaucracy. Our agencies are too often likely to say come back another day, than offer advice on how to achieve the desired outcome.
“We must continue to change this negative reality if we are to exist as a vibrant service economy, and if our Bahamian-owned businesses are to flourish. There must be clarity in our rules, certainty in our application and a zero-tolerance for graft and corruption.”
Comments
gkeato 8 years, 4 months ago
Get rid of him to give it any chance
BMW 8 years, 4 months ago
Talking to hear himself talk!
ohdrap4 8 years, 4 months ago
who invited him to talk about innovation and transparency?
SP 8 years, 4 months ago
..................... This clowns lips are moving but I can't hear a thing he's saying ......................
moncurcool 8 years, 4 months ago
I can give Christie a simple innovative change for him to give to his department heads in government that would pay dividends right away: ANSWER THE PHONE WHEN THE PHONE RINGS!!!
SP 8 years, 4 months ago
...................... LOL ................. Shock & Awe!
SP 8 years, 4 months ago
... Last thing we heard from Christie was "Bahamians First, We believe In Bahamians" ...
We haven't heard a thing from him since May 2012 and have NO INTEREST in hearing from him now!
Go back to hell Christie!
Economist 8 years, 4 months ago
He can say anything because he knows that he doesn't mean it and the general public are too stupid (Grade "D" or to dumb to write any BGCSE) to know what he is saying.
TruePeople 8 years, 4 months ago
....wtf.... ease a wha?! -- jokes --
asiseeit 8 years, 4 months ago
It is hard to be in the "top 50" when your extortion is so high. How much does it cost for a meeting? How much "lunch" am I going to have to buy. Who "must" I see before any inkling of an investment can be made?
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 4 months ago
Talk is cheap. Money buy land. He knows Bahamians are stupid.
SP 8 years, 4 months ago
4 decades flip flopping from PLP to FNM proved all Bahamians were stupid!
You people are eagerly ready to do it again making you stupendous.
SP 8 years, 4 months ago
.............................................. "Target" For The Dancing idiot ..........................................
http://www.lovebscott.com/news/say-what…
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 4 months ago
NIB. That is all
The_Oracle 8 years, 4 months ago
An obvious misprint, he means to stay within the top 150. Doubtful but more feasible. "Mr Christie yesterday issued the ‘30-day challenge’ to government department heads, calling on them to come up with innovative ways to improve service delivery." I pray this isn't the challenge he gave Bahamas Customs which created/triggered the idiotic new Regs. on imports.
SP 8 years, 4 months ago
"PM calling on them to come up with innovative ways to improve service delivery."?
He supposedly had all the answers in 2012! Perry Christies new plan is to lead from behind now?
WTF is that about?....Lol
DEDDIE 8 years, 4 months ago
The solution is quite simple. Take anything to do with business out of the government hands.
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