The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

ANTI-CORRUPTION legislation such as the ombudsman bill will still be tabled during the new Parliamentary session, according to Attorney General Ryan Pinder - although it was not mentioned during the reading of the Speech from the Throne yesterday.

When Parliament prorogued in August, Mr Pinder said when Parliament returned all bills not passed during the previous session will be tabled again. Yesterday, he maintained “not everything is in the speech from the throne” and that the bills will still be tabled during this session.

In August, Mr Pinder said outstanding anti-corruption legislation will be brought back as “an anti-corruption suite” of legislation.

He said: “We have a compendium of anti-corruption legislation. You would have noted the ombudsman bill was left on the table. We look to compound that with a new Public Disclosure Act and an Anti-Whistleblower Act as well as a code of conduct for the public service and bring that all back together as an anti-corruption suite of legislation.”

Governor General Cynthia “Mother” Pratt read the Speech from the Throne yesterday at the opening of Parliament and said that several bills will be introduced for the financial sector, including a securities industry bill and a new Digital Assets Registered Exchanges (DARE) bill for the regulation of digital assets.

She said: “[The] government remains committed to development and innovation in the Financial Services industry. It is committed to compliance with international best practice, while being innovative in new product and service development.

“A new Securities Industry Bill will be presented that will ensure that our financial services industry and its regulation, maintain the highest level of regulatory integrity. A new Digital Assets Registered Exchanges Bill will also be advanced, which will ensure that our country continues to lead from the front in the digital assets industry.”

She also said the Family Island Airport Renaissance project unit will be formed to “accelerate” the redevelopment’ of Family Island airports and that a local government bill will be introduced to “enhance” the responsibilities and operations of Family Islands.

She said: “[The] government will implement the Family Island Airport Renaissance Project to accelerate the redevelopment of airports throughout The Bahamas.

“[The] government will implement a new Local Government Bill that will enhance the operations and responsibilities of local government throughout our family of islands.”

The administration also pledged to implement an online registry portal to assist the registrar general in the registration process and to introduce a registrar general office bill to reorganise the department.

She said: “A new Registrar General Bill to re-organise the operations of the Registrar General’s Office. This will help to ease the burden of doing business in The Bahamas. My government will launch a new online company registry portal which will help to make the process of registration more efficient. My Government will also launch a new online civil platform, to provide efficient and transparent services to Bahamians.”

She noted that the high cost of living in the Bahamas causes ‘financial stress and psychological distress” and pledged that consumer protection leglislation will be introduced. The second phase of the National Health Insurance which covers catastrophic healthcare will be introduced in the upcoming Parliament session as well a cannabis and hemp legislation. She added that legislation that ensures public access to all beaches will also be tabled.

She said: “The high cost of living is a major cause of financial stress and psychological distress in the country. In a number of sectors, poorer people pay disproportionately higher costs than the wealthier sections of society. My Government is also mindful of the need to provide for greater protection of consumers, and will therefore introduce consumer protection legislation.

“[The] government prioritises public health, mental health and wellness initiatives, and is moving aggressively to implement the second phase of National Health Insurance, with the introduction of catastrophic healthcare cover. This will make healthcare more affordable for all Bahamians.

“New opportunities will be created by legislation regulating cannabis and hemp. Several rounds of public consultations have already been completed, and my government notes the widespread enthusiasm amongst the public for this new health and economic sector.

“Every Bahamian’s quality of life should be enhanced by legislation which will be put forward to ensure public access and right of way to beaches, by requiring at least one public access to every beach.”