The Tribune

• Initiative’s revival ‘second to none’ as priority

• For Bahamas ‘rudderless ship’ as no direction

• Governance reform ‘glue’ to bind Vision 2040

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas will “end up shipwrecked” if it fails to fully revive the National Development Plan (NDP) as a mechanism to direct and benchmark improvements on key economic and social metrics, it was argued yesterday.

Gowon Bowe, Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) chief executive, told Tribune Business that revitalising the initiative known as ‘Vision 2040’ was “second to none” in terms of importance and national priorities given that the nation is the equivalent of “a rudderless ship” without.

Speaking after the Prime Minister, in his closing 2023-2024 Budget communication, pledged that the Government will “complete and implement” the National Development Plan by giving it legal effect and supporting resources, he added that it was vital to end the “silo” approach to decision-making and “be prepared to call a spade a spade” when it came to the country’s governance.

Warning the Government against making promises simply to quiet advocates who have been calling for the National Development Plan’s revival, Mr Bowe told this newspaper: “Without a National Development Pan we are a rudderless ship.”

Pointing to The Bahamas’ national anthem, and the line referring to “the weather hide the wide and treacherous shoal”, he added: “In my view, a ship without a rudder and a proper course fully mapped out is going to end up on the shoal. In my view, the absence of a National Development Plan means we are going to end up shipwrecked. From that perspective, this is second to none in terms of importance as it relates to our national progress.”

The National Development Plan, which was conceived and put together during the last Christie administration, was intended to be a cross-party, non-partisan and non-political effort to develop a ‘road map’ that would guide the country’s direction and progress The Bahamas towards the kind of nation its citizens desire.

It represented the first ever co-ordinated effort to plan the Bahamas’ development in a systematic manner using empirical data and analyses, and input was sought and obtained from multiple stakeholders including the private sector, civil society groups, non-profits and the general public.

Labelled ‘Vision 2040’, it aimed to break with The Bahamas’ past ad hoc approach to national growth by setting a clear path towards a more sustainable future. Its ‘road map’ was designed to feature measurable goals and objectives for the Bahamas to attain, so that its progress towards achieving its development targets can be judged according to set timelines.

Vision 2040 focused on four main policy pillars - the economy, governance, social policy and the environment, both natural and built - in its first 400-page draft. However, despite seeking to be non-partisan, the National Development Plan appeared to be shelved under the Minnis administration, with little to no progress made as first Hurricane Dorian, and then the COVID-19 pandemic, dominated its tenure in office.

However Philip Davis KC, in his closing Budget address, promised to fulfill his administration’s election campaign promise to revive the initiative. “In our ‘Blueprint for Change’, we promised the Bahamian people that we would complete and implement the National Development Plan. We have inherited a beautiful country and we have an obligation to protect it for future generations,” he said.

“The best way to do that is through a properly organised National Development Plan. In our prior administration we spent years consulting with Bahamians from every walk of life to create the National Development Plan, a foundational and comprehensive long-term plan for the country’s development and prosperity. We specifically promised that we would, relaunch, complete and legislate the National Development Plan. We intend to deliver on that promise.

“The Government has re-appointed the National Development Plan committee, appointing a chairman to complete the plan and then prepare an implementation plan. We are currently reviewing recommendations for the steering committee to oversee the work,” the Prime Minister continued.

“We have included civil society, the business community, labour and religious leadership on the committee. Additionally, the Government will appoint a secretariat to support the implementation of the work. We already have an initial draft legislation that will create the framework for implementation. We eagerly look forward to having a completed and updated National Development Plan, and implementation plan along with supporting legislation tabled for debate in Parliament.”

No timeframe was given for when this will happen but Mr Bowe, who was part of the previous National Development Plan effort, confirmed he was approached “a few months ago” about plans to revive it and his possible participation, although it had gone relatively quiet prior to the Prime Minister’s address.

Calling on Bahamians to drop the “silo” approach to discussing key issues and decision-making, he added: “When we are looking at progressing the country through these strategies we need to have the best information coming in, and that allows greater opportunity for the plan to come out. It’s important we have a comprehensive approach and put all we know into a complete conclusion. That will allow us to finalise plans that cover all aspects of society and the economy.”

The Fidelity chief said the National Development Plan’s social pillar focuses on issues such as health, education and crime, all of which “require significant attention”, while the economic strand looks at fiscal and other strategies. “More important, what is the identity of The Bahamas from an economic perspective?” Mr Bowe asked.

When it came to governance, he added: “It’s really saying we move away from what I call the imperial mode style approach where power is held individually, and we move to a structure that allows civil servants to better perform on merit.

“Governance in the National Development Plan is the glue that holds it all together. That is the part that the Government has to be be committed to. Governance requires you stay committed to truth and have to be prepared to call a spade a spade.”

Roderick Simms, the former Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) Family Island division head, and another advocate for the National Development Plan’s revival, told Tribune Business that the Prime Minister’s pledge to do just that is “excellent, wonderful news for all Bahamians.

“It’s about time,” he added. “This is about nation building. That plan encompasses all sectors of society, and it’s a plan to move the country in a concerted effort to a future where all Bahamians will benefit because it’s a 360-degree whole-hearted approach that involves every Bahamian from every sector and demographic of the country, and will improve the quality of life, quality of education and quality of living.

“It’s a living document that speaks to and champions the causes and the benefits to Bahamians through the lengthy and breadth of Bahamaland. It has far-reaching, widespread benefits for every Bahamian, every island of The Bahamas, and we must come together, marshall the troops and move forward in the new wilderness as a nation, as a people where no one is left behind.”

Pointing out that the National Development Plan is designed to cover every aspect of Bahamian society and the economy, he added: “Right now, we have many people who are not returning home, and the money that sends them there comes from this nation. They’re building other nations. We need them to return home and move the country forward.

“I applaud the Prime Minister for reviving the National Development Plan. All Bahamians will benefit, whether in Bain and Grant’s Town, Lyford Cay or Fox Hill. All hope is not lost. Hopefully we can marshall the troops, marshall everybody to bring us to the finish line. This has always been about the country. We need the country to be realigned with the north star.

“Hopefully the plan is legislated, comes into fruition, is executed and we start to see see realignment of our country economically, socially and educationally, and people can physically see and feel the impact the plan has on their daily lives.”