The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas is failing due to “systemic break downs” in leadership and governance, a newly-created civil society organisation warning that far-reaching reforms are necessary to change course.

The Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG), which is set to formally launch on March 17 via a ‘think tank’-style conference, warns in a position paper that the Bahamas’ current governance structure has produced a society divided along political lines.

Its position paper calling for more transparent, accountable governance urges Bahamians to shake off so-called ‘victimisation’ and instead demand “higher standards” from politicians and leading public officials.

“The core problems facing the Bahamas stem from a number of systemic break downs in the leadership and governance of the country,” the ORG paper states.

“At some point in the last 35 years, the needs of the political parties and the politicians became considerably more important than the greater needs of the nation.

“Politics intentionally divided Bahamians along party lines, and political parties looked after their own, and so the cycle began.”

It added: “Decades of oppression, victimisation and intimidation silenced many from speaking out and/or opposing the political system.

“This oppressive behaviour became a destructive part of Bahamian culture, and continues to deter desperately-needed decent and good-natured Bahamians from entering the political arena.

“Over time, the status quo in governance and politics has failed the nation and created massive inefficiencies and an ineffective government. The nation is heavily debt burdened, inefficient, uncompetitive, and expensive to live in, causing strained socioeconomic opportunity and growth.”

Tribune Business understands that those involved with ORG’s creation as a non-profit foundation include several well-known Bahamian businessmen, including former Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) heads, Robert Myers and Dionisio D’Aguilar.

Its position paper warns that the Bahamas can “only succeed’” if its people realise “the core issues” holding the nation back, and commit to tackling them.

“Bahamians must stand united around the need for a significant change in the way the country and political parties are governed and led,” the ORG paper said.

“Open and accountable governance provides opportunity for all citizens and not just the favoured few. Bahamians must demand higher standards and better leadership from their representatives.

“They must demand even enforcement of the rule of law, better education for their children, better vocational education that provides employment opportunities, more efficient government that results in lower taxes and costs, and the ongoing meaningful involvement of civil society in governance,” the ORG added.

“They must demand a manifesto, from all political parties, that details what the party stands for and provides specifics on how they intend on achieving their goals. It is this that will provide the change needed for a brighter Bahamas; anything less is unacceptable.”

The ORG paper also warns that the governance malaise is now impacting the Bahamas’ economic growth levels, and the prosperity and well-being of its people.

“The status quo in Bahamian governance, over the last 40 years, has not yielded long-term positive results and opportunity for all citizens of the Bahamas,” it warned.

“While the country has remained relatively stable over this period that, too, has now changed and the effects of long-term socioeconomic neglect have now become abundantly evident.

“The Bahamas needs a new culture of governance, with leadership that is committed to a collaborative and inclusive system of leadership.”

Apart from reforming the education system and improving the Bahamas’ so-called human capital, the ORG said it was vital that the Government commit to greater transparency and accountability.

This, it added, would require the passage of a Freedom of Information Act, plus legislation to protect so-called ‘whistleblowers’ and create the office of an Ombudsman to deal with public complaints.

The ORG also calls for Fiscal Responsibility-type legislation, which is something the Government has avoided kick-starting debate on, despite the Prime Minister’s pledge in last year’s mid-year Budget to develop and release a policy paper on the issue.

Arguing that these initiatives would help to stimulate economic growth, the ORG paper added: “This will require significant courage by the Government of the day, as change will require a paradigm shift in the way the Bahamas is governed and managed.

“Improvements must also be made to Immigration policies; monetary policies; trade agreements; energy costs; taxes; duties; tariffs; political party constitution; the constitution; and a number of other threads of our socioeconomic fabric.

“The importance of uniting around the needs of the nation and providing the greatest opportunity available to its citizens is the only way the Bahamas will work its way out of its economic troubles.”