The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A newly-formed civil society organisation is urging Bahamians to shake-off their “apathy” and demand the governance reforms essential for this nation’s long-term prosperity.

Principals with the Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG) told Tribune Business that Bahamians had generally “not sacrificed enough” in pushing for the changes required to set this nation back on the path to sustainable development.

Robert Myers, one of the ORG’s founders, said the Bahamas’ consistent economic and education under-performance showed that the existing system was failing to deliver the necessary results.

“What we’ve seen over the years is that the existing ststus quo is not producing the kind of positive results needed to move the country in a positive direction,” the former Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) chairman said.

“The importance of finding solutions to change that dynamic are critical for our ongoing sustainability. It’s not anti-government; our economic situation continues to decline, our education system is flawed.”

Speaking at the ORG’s ‘think-tank’ style conference last Thursday, Mr Myers said there was widespread acceptance among those present that Bahamians - and civil society groups - had not done enough to demand effective reform.

“Civil society and the citizens of the Bahamas are a large part of the problem,” he told Tribune Business. “The apathy and complacency are a large part of the problem.

“If we really look at this, we have not done enough to effect the change required, and we just leave it to Government. We have not been involved, and have not sacrificed enough, to influence that change and be part of that change.

“We used this term in the Coalition for Responsible Taxation (CRT) over VAT: If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. We’re trying to be part of the solution, and be contributors to creating solutions that lead to a sustainable Bahamas.”

Matthew Aubry, ORG’s executive director, told Tribune Business that Bahamians too often relied upon the Government to solve all this nation’s problems.

He emphasised that the required reforms needed a much more broad-based effort, with “everyone striving to bring back our country”.

Such an effort, Mr Aubry said, needed the Government, private sector and ordinary citizens to work together in identifying the problems, developing solutions, and implementing them.

He added that there was a ‘disconnect’ between Bahamian pre-occupations with obvious problems, such as crime and unemployment, and the weaknesses that underwrite these challenges - accountability, good governance, education and a growing economy.

“The day-to-day citizen is very concerned with crime and unemployment, but the issues that we have are accountability, transparency, good governance, the economy and education reform,” Mr Aubry told Tribune Business.

“They don’t hold a lot of societal value at the moment, and that’s what we have to make an effort at correcting.”

Mr Aubry said the ORG aims to “take the success, and hopes to apply the same template” as that used by the Chamber’s Coalition for Responsible Taxation in its discussions with the Government on VAT.

Emphasising that the ORG’s effort would be “non-partisan”, he explained that it intended to engage the Government, business community and wider society in a dialogue that was collaborative, not confrontational.

Mr Aubry also pointed out that the ORG was not seeking to “usurp” or take over the work of any other civil society organisation, but instead wanted to create a platform that “unified” all parties and facilitated their views.

“Our goal is not to absorb, make that idea ours,” he explained of civil society,” but how we use our resources to help them achieve their aims.

“It’s not getting them behind our concept, but providing a facilitative and collaborative role. On these core issues, we’re not trying to be the ‘be all, end all’. We’re just trying to be the platform to encourage communication on the core issues.”

Mr Aubry said civil society was “a very significant sector” in many other nations, but in the Bahamas it was extremely fragmented, with numerous groups focusing on a variety of issues.

Organisations such as the BCCEC, We the People, Citizens for a Better Bahamas and Save the Bays are said to already be “on board” with the ORG’s effort, with the Nassau Institute also supportive.

“I think there’s some apprehension on the part of all of these organisations and people, because they are concerned at the repercussions; the potential threats in trying to make changes, and they’re concerned that we aren’t perceived as being anti-government,” Mr Myers told Tribune Business.

“It’s going to take a while to build that confidence and trust between organisations. This is not a confrontational approach against any political party or form of government.

“It’s a collaborative effort to say how we might do things better. How might we improve opportunity, education, transparency and accountability,” he added.

“I don’t think anybody could argue that unemployment, crime, education and GDP growth are where they need to be, or should be.”

The ORG’s main focus is in three areas: Accountability in governance, education and the economy/GDP growth.

“There’s this critical link between all three of these,” Mr Aubry said. “Each one of these is referring to growth and accountability in other areas.”

Mr Myers said the ORG was developed when its founders realised “there was a void in creating effective change, just in the way we do business and are governed”.

They then assessed the Bahamas’ priority needs, and the core issues stemming from them. Mr Myers said the ORG was now working to develop appropriate solutions and, once this work was completed, intended to engage the political establishment in further discussions.