Bahamas News
Prime Minister reveals e-Cabinet efficiency goals
#Nassau, July 23, 2019 – Bahamas – The government will embark on an e-Cabinet programme aimed at increasing the efficiency in the Public Service, Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis has announced. He was addressing the Caribbean Public Services Associations 49th Annual Conference held Sunday, July 21, 2019 at SuperClubs Breezes on Cable Beach.
In welcoming Caribbean delegates to the occasion, the Prime Minister also shared his government’s plans towards a more modern and efficient Public Service.
“The great contemporary challenge for governments and public officers in our region is the promotion of 21st Century governance.
“Such governance must be built on the platform of a service culture characterized by effectiveness, the application of appropriate technology, open government and accountability,” the Prime Minister said.
He shared with the association, some forward-looking areas his government is promoting as a part of its mission to foster 21st Century governance in The Bahamas.
“Further, to help lead our modernization and digital transformation by example, we will implement an e-Cabinet program that will increase the efficiency in government.
“This program will cause Cabinet memoranda and decisions to be paperless. Our decisions and the implementation of those decisions should be faster and more efficient,” the Prime Minister said.
To ensure greater equity and broader access to technology by all Bahamians, regardless of economic standing, he noted that the Government of The Bahamas is introducing a variety of measures.
“We are pleased that our mobile operators have begun to deploy WIFI services on buses,” the Prime Minister said.
“We are working to have widespread access to WIFI services in the parks and public spaces within the inner-city of New Providence, with a view to free WIFI in certain communities.”
He also revealed that technology would be deployed to help citizens improve their communities, such as reporting the location of potholes or other matters to the relevant government agencies through their smart and/or mobile devices.
“Innovation, creativity, disruption and transformation are words usually not associated with government but this must change in order to promote 21st Century Governance,” the Prime Minister said.
He shared that soon after coming to office in 2017, he created the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (PMDU). This unit, which had its genesis in the United Kingdom, was created to help ministries and governmental agencies to deliver concrete results in a number of key priority areas.
There are five main functions of the PMDU, which include planning, generating performance insights, problem solving, capacity building, and coordination.
These functions are achieved by:
- Collecting and analyzing relevant data;
- Coordinating individuals to ensure target results;
- Reporting regularly to the Prime Minister regarding the status of projects for the eight key priority areas; and
- Taking corrective action as necessary to achieve goals and objectives of determined projects
Other areas are energy reform, modern infrastructure, and the modernization and digitization of government services.
Energy Reform is deemed a priority in ensuring adequate electricity supply in New Providence.
“We are embarked also on a renewable and solar energy revolution, with our Family Islands all eventually supplied by renewable energy,” the Prime Minister said.
“We are building on the work of former governments to give the Bahamian people and residents the infrastructure that will boost equality of life and enhance economic development,” the Prime Minister said regarding modern infrastructure.
There is an old saying: “You don’t get what you expect. You get what you inspect.”
“In this spirit, a government may have the best intentions in terms of developmental goals, policies and programs. But good governance requires accountable governance,” the Prime Minister said.
He thanked the Bahamas Public Services Union, the Ministry of Labour, and the Ministry of the Public Service and National Insurance for their coordination in preparing for the conference.
By Lindsay Thompson
Release: BIS
Photo Caption: Prime Minister Minnis, at podium, chatting with Bahamas Cabinet Ministers, and with regional representatives.
(BIS Photos/Yontalay Bowe)
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas#RoyalCaribbean, April 23, 2024- After being delayed following its announcement in 2020, Royal Caribbean’s new 17 acre Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, is now in the works and is scheduled to be ready for 2025, according to reports. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday April 22, signifying the start of construction in the next few months. This project is huge for The Bahamas as it’s a first of kind for the nation, with a unique public private partnership allowing Bahamians to hold up to 49 percent in equity.
Nassau, THE BAHAMAS — Some of the most successful and accomplished professionals and business leaders in the country
recently shared their experiences and nuggets of wisdom with students at University of The Bahamas (UB) about thriving in a wide range of careers.
The University Centre for Counselling and Career Services and the Career and Job Placement Advisory Unit collaborated to host the 2024 Career Symposium which brought students face to face with leaders in the careers to which they aspire.
Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Maria Oriakhi, said the symposium was key to developing potential as university students strive to leave their mark on the world.
Ms. Rickell Curry
“In the spirit of collaboration and growth, let us engage in meaningful dialogue, cultivate relationships, and harness the power of collective wisdom to shape our futures,” said Dr. Oriakhi. “Together, let us embark on this journey of exploration and discovery, united in our commitment to realizing our fullest potential and making meaningful contributions to our communities and beyond.”
Promoting careers in psychology, Ms. Curry noted that psychologists are equipped with the ability to help others, troubleshoot areas of weakness within themselves, and become better people and professionals in the process.
“The floor is yours to be able to explore. There’s no job where you don’t have to deal with people, so learning, even if you get a bachelor’s in psychology, is a great grounding,” she said.
Dr. Darville, one of few interventional radiologists in The Bahamas, offered another nugget of advice on choosing an area of study.
Dr. Elizabeth Darville
“It is important to know enough about yourself in order to make the decisions you want to make,” said Dr. Darville. “You have to work on yourself first and know what you want to do. Radiology gives you a chance to have fun. It gives you a chance to mold your career closer to your personal life than other medical specialties might.”
Another growing field is project management which Mr. Hepburn called a life skill. He also urged a commitment to lifelong learning.
“Individuals that continue to learn become unstoppable, period,” said Mr. Hepburn. “It is so true. When you learn, you become unstoppable because nothing can stop you in your process of development.
Mr. Wellington Hepburn
“The more you know, the more valuable you are. We need individuals who are cross functional—that can operate in different capacities. So please understand that your learning should never stop.”
With small and medium-sized businesses helping to drive the economy at an incredible rate, Ms. Rolle affirmed the importance of entrepreneurship in any economy.
“When we talk about entrepreneurship, we usually look at it from a myopic standpoint,” she said. Ms. Rolle. “What do I mean by that? Small, but usually about self: ‘how do I make more money?’ And in some cases, some look at entrepreneurship as a way of survival. ‘I need to make a couple extra dollars, I have this bill to pay’. Those types of things.
Ms. Samantha Rolle
“But entrepreneurship really, in its truest form, is about innovation, whether it’s a new concept or any existing concept that you innovate new ways, or help expand the economy.”
The career symposium was held at the Harry C. Moore Library and Information Centre and is held every academic year.
PHOTO CAPTIONS
- Career Symposium 1: UB Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Maria Oriakhi, delivers the opening address at the 2024 Career Symposium.
- Career Symposium 2: Students and guest speakers enjoy a lighthearted moment during the 2024 Career Symposium.
- Career Symposium 3: Ms. Rickell Curry speaks to students during the 2024 Career Symposium.
- Career Symposium 4: Dr. Elizabeth Darville delivers remarks during the 2024 Career Symposium.
- Career Symposium 5: Mr. Wellington Hepburn educates students on the importance of project management during the 2024 Career Symposium.
- Career Symposium 6: Ms. Samantha Rolle talks about the role and importance of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in any economy.
Office of University Relations
University of The Bahamas
2nd Floor, Michael H. Eldon Complex
Oakes Field Campus
P.O. Box N-4912
Nassau, The Bahamas
Tel: (242) 302-4355/4354/4365
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