The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) incumbent chairman has seen off an election challenge to retain her post for a second two-year term.

Khrystle Rutherford-Ferguson successfully defeated the rival bid from Hubert Edwards, principal of Next Level Solutions, a corporate governance and risk management consultancy, to maintain leadership of the private sector advocacy group.

Tribune Business revealed last week that the Chamber’s annual general meeting (AGM), and election of its officers and directors, was being held in a climate where there were growing concerns from some that the organisation has lost its way at a time when it is needed most given ongoing efforts to rescue the economy from COVID-19’s clutches.

Sir Franklyn Wilson, the Sunshine Holdings and Arawak Homes chairman, who pre-election said those worries reflected his own sentiments, yesterday confirmed that the outcome had done little to alter his views.

However, voicing optimism that Mrs Rutherford-Ferguson and the newly-elected Chamber Board have been provided with a fresh “mandate” via the election results, he pledged to “do whatever I can” to support them in their efforts on the private sector’s behalf.

“We wish them luck; we wish them success,” Sir Franklyn told this newspaper. “We must do all we can to rebuild the Chamber and support it, and wish they have the best term possible.

“The fact of the matter is there’s a new mandate, and one of the benefits of democracy is a new mandate gives an opportunity to revisit and do things better. Hopefully the new mandate will result in just that.... As someone who is a member of the private sector, I will do whatever I can to reasonably try and help.”

Speaking pre-election, Sir Franklyn had suggested that the Chamber organise a merger or tie-up between itself and the Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG). “I’m at a bit of a loss to understand why there are two groups with such overlapping objectives and such common mandates in existence,” he said.

“I’m at a bit of a loss as to where one stops and the other starts... In other forums I’ve advocated that there be some type of merger between the Chamber of Commerce and ORG. ORG appears to have more effective leadership at the moment, and appears to have more resources. I just don’t see why we need both.

“To me, it’s a merger waiting to happen. I go further to say it’s time now for the leadership of the Chamber of Commerce and leadership of ORG to seriously consider whether it’s in the national interest for them to have a serious conversation about collaboration.”

Mrs Rutherford-Ferguson could not be reached for comment last night, while Mr Edwards declined to comment on the election. The outcome also saw Tim Ingraham, Summit Insurance Company’s president, re-elected unopposed as vice-chairman.

Don Williams was voted in as treasurer, while Nadine Frazier defeated Nikia Forbes for the secretary’s post. Elected as directors were Peter Goudie; Vernice Walkine; Sean Moree; Royann Dean; Antoinette Russell; Cristobal Gomez; Keith Roye; Michele Moodie; Odetta Morton; and Christel Sands-Feaste.

The two who missed out were Marisa Ahwai and Debbie Deal, the latter being the division chair for the Chamber’s energy and environment committee. Ms Deal told Tribune Business last night she “was a little shocked” about not being re-elected to the Board, but said it would have no impact on her plans or activities.

“There are a number of things we need to do, and want to do, that we had in motion, but myself and the team will be able to continue those through other areas we are involved in,” she said. “It will continue.”

Pointing to her role and connections to bodies such as the National Climate Change Committee; Bahamas Bureau of Standards and Quality; and the Bahamian Contractors Association (BCA), Ms Deal thanked Mr Goudie and Michelle Patterson, as well as former Chamber chief executive, Edison Sumner, for bringing her on to its energy and environment committee in 2016.

That committee was then-headed by Romauld Ferreira, who would go on to become minister of the environment and housing, with Ms Deal succeeding him. “I have learned a lot, met some amazing people on the Board over the years, and met some amazing people in the energy and environment sector, and other countries,” she said.

“Whatever happens, happens. My work seeks to make a difference, and I will push on with that work. That will continue. It’s not going to stop. I have really worked hard and will not disappear. The work needs to get done.”

Ms Deal pointed to the energy and environment division’s achievements during her term in office, which included the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Ministry of the Environment on banning single-use plastic bags, plus the 12 energy efficiency and conservation videos produced with the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) help.

And there is also the drive to eliminate mercury in man-made products, particularly CFL light bulbs, to ensure The Bahamas fulfills its obligations under the Minamata Convention that it signed up to in 2019.

“We were working with the larger stores on eliminating CFL bulbs and going to LED only,” Ms Deal said. “It’s very difficult to collect them. We figured we’d use the border. If we don’t bring them in, they would not be here to buy.”

This work, Ms Deal said, would continue via the National Climate Change Committee.