The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Opposition’s finance spokesman yesterday argued The Bahamas has already reached the point where citizens are losing trust in institutions as he urged “fundamental change” in governance.

Kwasi Thompson, the east Grand Bahama MP, told Tribune Business that the lack of transparency in government decision-making and policy implementation was “breeding distrust” in Bahamian democracy and governance processes and needs to be reversed to restore public faith.

Arguing that the Davis administration appears not to be treating the creation of an Integrity Commission, full implementation of the Freedom of Information Act, proper financing for the Ombudsman and restarting the Fiscal Responsibility Council as “a priority”, he asserted that “the FNM must do” all these tasks if re-elected to office.

“I think there’s a fundamental change required in the way we do governance,” Mr Thompson told this newspaper. “Transparency improves trust, and if we are not transparent that just breeds distrust. The Government has been failing at being a transparent government.”

To back his case, the MP cited yesterday’s House of Assembly debate on the revised National Crime Intelligence Agency legislation. He questioned how the Bill could proceed without ensuring there is parliamentary oversight of this agency to hold it accountable for its actions and help to redress public grievances and complaints.

Mr Thompson also pointed to uncertainty over whether the Government has selected who will man the key financial watchdog, the Fiscal Responsibility Council, and the fact its members are now effectively accountable to the minister of finance - whose ministry is the very one they will be scrutinising - rather than Parliament.

“They have failed to fund the Ombudsman Act,” he added of a post designed to help redress Bahamian complaints of maladministration by public bodies. “They’ve failed to be transparent in terms of fully implementing the Freedom of Information Act. Time and time again, when given the opportunity to be transparent, the Government fails.

“That’s why a majority of the public don’t trust the way they are governed. I don’t believe the PLP will do it. We in the FNM must do it. We have to fundamentally change the way we do governance. We have to shift towards transparency if we want the public to trust us. The PLP don’t seem interested, do not see it as a priority. The FNM must do it.”

Asked by Tribune Business whether he believes The Bahamas has reached a tipping point, where its citizens are starting to lose trust in the democratic system and its institutions, Mr Thompson replied: “I think we are already there. Therefore it requires change in the way we do governance. The PLP, they will not do it. The FNM must do it.”

Matt Aubry, the Organisation for Responsible Governance’s (ORG) executive director, told Tribune Business it was “accurate” to assert that transparency-driven change is essential for improved governance in The Bahamas.

“Transparency is easy to say,” he added. “The last two administrations talked about it, but actions that make it real have not happened yet. One of the main components is not just committing to say we agree with transparency and integrity in governance, but also understanding a critical piece of our democracy is not being utilised, and that’s the suggestions and oversight of the public.

“It’s not just transparency for transparency’s sake. If people think their own interests are not reflected in governance, and that governance is not a fair game, they will not participate and disengage. We need to find ways to actively and meaningfully engage with them. Everybody we talk to wants a fair shot, not based on affiliation or association, to make a fair living for themselves, their communities, their island and their country.”

An Integrity Commission would be a politically-independent body to receive and investigate corruption allegations, while an Ombudsman provides a pathway for citizens to redress grievances over maladministration and how they are treated by the Government, especially in accessing and receiving public services.

Their job is to investigate allegations by Bahamian citizens that there has been a “breach of fundamental rights and freedoms” in how they have been dealt with by a government body. Mr Thompson, speaking in the House of Assembly yesterday, said: “Transparency is required for trust.

“A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity when you are not open. When you are secret that breeds mistrust, and the way to enhance trust is to be transparent. The Bahamas must have a fundamental change as to how we govern. That is a principal issue as to what the dissatisfaction of the public is with the Government. They don’t trust them.”

Mr Thompson added that the Integrity Commission must be established to ensure public servants are transparent and are held accountable. “We must take a close look at the anti-corruption laws in The Bahamas and bring into force an Integrity Commission in the Bahamas,” said Mr Thompson.

“Transparency is required for trust. This includes when you’re dealing with the Integrity Commission. It includes looking at politicians, but just as important, it also includes looking at public servants, again changing the way we govern. It’s not just about politicians, but it is also about our public servants in ensuring that all of us do what we are supposed to be doing and are transparent with what we are supposed to be doing.”