News

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GOVERNMENT YEAR IN REVIEW 2014

Published

9 years ago

January 10, 2015

COMMENTARY BY ELCOTT COLEBY
BAHAMAS INFORMATION SERVICES

Much of the Bahamas news in 2014 was driven by social media with hyped up and emotive presentation. On the governance front, there were a myriad of national issues that the Bahamas government tackled both legislatively and executively. Described by the government as doing the “heavy lifting,” Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie characterized the 2014 legislative agenda as arguably the most “reform driven” in recent history. This sentiment was also expressed by the Minister for National Security and leader of government business in the House, the Hon. Bernard J. Nottage. As the country continued to emerge from the protracted global recession and faced the inevitability of change, some very important and transformative decisions were made to facilitate the country’s transition through these changes that are a necessary part of growth and national development. Some decisions of governance, though necessary, were tough and unpopular but governance is not a popularity contest.

In 2014 The Bahamas Parliament passed tax reform with the passage of Value Added Tax (VAT) with a targeted 1st Jan 2015 implementation date; four constitutional amendment Bills centering around the theme of equality were tabled; the House passed the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Bill; the House also passed the historic Gaming Bill with modernized the laws and regulations governing land based casino operations, placing land based casinos in The Bahamas on par with top casino operations in the world such as Macau and Las Vegas. Also, the Gaming Bill legalized web shop gaming for Bahamians for the first time in this country’s history. FATCA came into effect; the condominium bill was passed; the Environment Minister tabled the Petroleum Act and attendant regulations as our first step toward energy sector reform; both House chambers passed historic Stem Cell legislation and implemented a new Immigration Policy. The Bahamas government also implemented prison reform and established the Foreign Service both with Acts of parliament while the Prime Minister appointed and chaired a national taskforce that educated and prepared the country for the newest global health threat to confront us in 2014, the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

The Ministry of Tourism celebrated its golden anniversary as a government ministry, an upgrade from the Tourism Promotion Board until 1964. Coincidentally, the country recorded its highest tourist arrival numbers in history, beating out 2013 arrivals of 6.2 million visitors. Leading the way in the resurgence of tourism was romance, religious and sports tourism. The Bahamas hosted the IAAF World Relays, the Popeye’s Bahamas Bowl, co-branded with NBA and NFL teams and launched the 16 weddings promotions to showcase the unique visitor experiences on 16 different islands. New airlift gateways from several Canadian and US cities in addition to the opening of new tourism field offices in the northeastern US seaboard, the Midwest and the west coast increased airlifts to islands such as San Salvador, Exuma, Elauthera, Bimini and Grand Bahama. Resort World Bimini with its casino and fast ferry service literally transformed the economic landscape of Bimini in 2014.

During this year of culture, The Bahamas beat a world record for most conch shells blown at one time at our 41st independence celebrations at historic Clifford Park. The Bahamas government announced and began preparations for Junkanoo Carnival 2015 and named 41 Cultural Warriors during 2014.

Dr. Rodney Smith was named President of the College of The Bahamas with the mandate to transition the country’s tertiary institution to university status by 2016 and we launched our National Development Plan at the College of The Bahamas, an important player in its crafting and shaping.

The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Resources Institute, or BAMSI, was established, received its first enrollment of students and reaped its first harvest of fruits from its commercial farm in 2014. BAMSI is a major policy thrust of the government to address the high food import bill that is in excess of one billion American dollars annually. The Prime Minister in his groundbreaking address cited the preparation of some 70,000 meals daily for the indigent as another compelling reason for government intervention to facilitate a paradigm shift in the access of affordable healthy food and bolstering the country’s level of food security.

The more than $120 million National Civil Aviation structural framework in The Bahamas made significant strides in 2014. The consultancies to determine the model options for the restructure of Civil Aviation Regulatory Oversight and Function and the provision of comprehensive, empirical data to effect evidence-based, decision-making were in the advanced stages. Additionally, enabling oversight legislation was passed in Parliament and a nationwide audit of all 28 government-owned airports was completed. The government also broke ground on a brand new multi-million dollar Radar tower that will usher in a new era in air space management, air traffic control and training in The Bahamas. By the end of 2014, this radar system was more than 85% complete.

The Bahamas, however, was not immune from and faced its share of challenges in 2014. The Prime Minister dismissed the Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Urban Development and the Minister of Financial Services resigned from the cabinet for personal reasons. It was the year Canine Distemper hit Nassau and Bahamian Rock Iguanas were smuggled out of the country from San Salvador. There was the National Security Agency (NSA) spying story where it was alleged that the NSA officials eavesdropped on the cell phone conversations of Bahamians. Also, the Bahamas government came to the aid of the ailing Bank of The Bahamas in a $100 million government bailout. The government continued to tackle the serious scourge of crime with 122 murders recorded in 2014. A compendium of crime bills, intensified saturation patrols in criminal hot spots, increased resources for the police, additional courts and an amendment to the Jury Act were some of the measures taken by the government to fight this scourge. To fight illegal poaching, illegal migration and human smuggling and other transnational crimes committed on the high seas, the $232 million asset acquisition called the “Sandy Bottom Project” materialized in 2014 with three of the nine defence force vessels turned over the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

On the 22nd of December 2014, a US federal court fined French energy giant Alstom more than $772 million for its involvement in an elaborate bribery scheme involving officials in the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and The Bahamas. Court documents revealed that a government official received some $300,000 in exchange for a contract to supply the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) with slow speed diesel engines.

Bahamas News

Nassau Cruise Port Donates Nearly $2 Million Towards Food Security

Published

7 mins ago

April 25, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Nassau, Bahamas: The Nassau Cruise Port has donated $1.95 million towards projects that will assist the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources in its aim to increase food security for The Bahamas.

The donation officially occurred at the Ministry’s offices recently, where Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Hon. Jomo Campbell, Minister of Labour Hon. Pia Glover-Rolle, Permanent Secretary Neil Campbell and Nassau Cruise Port CEO Mike Maura listened to a number of presentations including one for a poultry programme for schools, a chicken broiler production programme, the redevelopment of the Blue Hill Road Farmers Market and an Authentic Bahamian Cultural Concept Store,

Mr. Maura said he was impressed by the presentations.

“I had the privilege to listen to the presentations and review presentations that touched on food security and the need for us to be self-sufficient, which as a Bahamian I support completely. At the Nassau Cruise Port, we get excited about the prospects of offering more authentic food to the millions of visitors that we have each year,” he said.

“And then, in addition to that, we had presentations around the further development of our artisans, which is so important to us as well. The guests visiting our shores are looking for something that really touches The Bahamas and can’t be found somewhere else. The Nassau Cruise Port has made a pledge to BAIC and its affiliates. We will be supporting the projects that were presented and we can’t wait to get started.”

Minister Glover-Rolle, who is also the Member of Parliament for Golden Gates, hailed Nassau Cruise Port as a “great community partner.”

“Thank you for the opportunity to not only present but agreeing to participate. Our Minister of Agriculture has a goal of reducing food imports by 25 percent by the year 2025 and our project in the Golden Gates Community speaks to that,” she said.

“We have a number of backyard farmers, farmers and fishers in our community in Golden Gates. Being able to use the Blue Hill Road Farmers Market, which is going to be dubbed the ‘Fish Fry of the South,’ as a hub for food security but also a hub where artisans and handicraft persons can come and sell their wares is wonderful. So, we are happy that you have agreed to partner with us and we look forward to a partnership and we hope to welcome some of your visitors when this amazing renovation is done.”

Minister Campbell also lauded the Nassau Cruise Port for its efforts.

“I would like to say thank you to the presenters for the presentations that are several steps in the right direction for our country, to Mr. Maura and his board at the Nassau Cruise Port and I would like to say thanks to God for this partnership and bringing us all together as we move forward, upward, together in building a better, brighter, future for The Bahamas,” he said.

Caribbean News

Agriculture Ministry Providing Two Water Trucks to Serve St. Elizabeth and St. Catherine

Published

22 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

#Kingston, Jamaica, April 24, 2024 – The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining is to unveil two more water trucks this week, which will be used to service communities in St. Elizabeth and St. Catherine.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, made the disclosure during Wednesday’s (April 24) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

He also informed that of the $90 million earmarked to support farmers being impacted by the current drought, the Ministry will be providing additional support for storage and drip-irrigation systems.

“So, we have targeted about 600 water tanks and about 400 12-millimetre drip irrigation hoses, and that distribution has already started. Additionally, we have earmarked about $8 million to really help with our livestock farmers,” Mr. Green said.

“We know the difficulty that you’re facing now in this time; [it’s] very hard to get the right nutritional support for your animals. As such, we will be providing some hay, and we will [also] provide some trucking of water to you. Again, our livestock farmers, if you are in need, please contact the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and let us see how we can help in these times,” he further stated.

Mr. Green also encouraged farmers to download the RADA App, so that the Agency can “help guide you, not only in relation to what is happening on the rainfall side, but also in relation to your integrated pest management”.

“We do see some increases of certain types of pests during this time, and it’s important that our farmers are paying attention to that. It’s also important that you’re taking drought management seriously [by undertaking] soil mulching, looking at planting drought-tolerant crops, timely harvesting, implementing land husbandry treatments and contour ditches,” he stated.

Contact: Latonya Linton

Release: JIS

Photo Caption: Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, speaking during Wednesday’s (April 24) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.

Donald De La Haye Photo

Bahamas News

Environment State-Minister updates ‘Our Ocean’ forum on The Bahamas as SIDS leader in sustainable tourism

Published

1 day ago

April 24, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Bahamas Information Services
April 24, 2024

NASSAU, The Bahamas – In his remarks at the 9th Our Ocean Conference in Athens, Greece, the Hon. Zane Lightbourne, State-Minister in the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, pledged The Bahamas’ unwavering commitment to the practice of sustainability and emphasized that the nation remains dedicated to the development of innovative measures to adapt to, and mitigate harm to the oceanic environment.

He shared challenges and successes of The Bahamas as a leader in sustainable tourism as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS). The conference was held April 15-17, 2024 on the theme “Our Ocean – An Ocean of Potential” . It marked the official launch of Sustainable Tourism in the Mediterranean.

The conference focused on these topics:
*Sustainable tourism in coastal areas and Islands
*Reduction of marine plastic and micro-plastic pollution
*Green transition in the Mediterranean Sea and
*Green Shipping

Minister Lightbourne told participants that the health of The Bahamas’ seas, oceans and marine ecosystems is threatened by:
*Unsustainable practices, such as illegal discharges into the marine environment
*Marine litter, such as discarded fishing gear and micro-plastics
*Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing
*Unsustainable shipping and tourism activities

He said, “We must have a common response to these challenges that propel us into action both separately and collectively – and to determine the most effective sustainable initiatives that will serve as the antidote to our common, global, environmental threat.”

He noted the effects of rising ocean temperatures, the exposure of residents to threats, hurricanes and extreme coral bleaching. “The crippling impact to our coastal communities have put our country at the forefront of the climate crisis, with immediate responses needed to alleviate calamity.

“We have built resilience in these areas by implementing ecosystem-based solutions. The government has adopted a No Net Loss approach to mangroves, corals and pine forests. We have enacted a ban on selected single-use plastics that prohibits these items from import. We are training and retooling professionals across sectors to address our local, regional and international challenges.

“The Bahamas is investing millions of US dollars to the effective management of our Marine Protected Areas, which includes equipping Protected Area Managers to patrol, protect and conserve our natural environment,” he said.

State-Minister Lightbourne also outlined some of the initiatives that have been launched in The Bahamas in alignment with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #14 — Sustainable Oceans/Life Below Water.

They are:

Mission for Mangroves
In 2022, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation launched Mission for the Mangroves which promotes mangrove stock replenishment and regeneration. Mangroves are also a protected species in country since 2021, under the Forestry Act.
The Coral Reef Restoration Project
Launched in 2023, the project facilitates the establishment of Coral Nurseries through a network of dive operators who offer out-planting packages to visiting divers. The project aims to establish and maintain 50 Coral Nurseries across the Bahamian archipelago.
Economic Growth/Decent Work – SDGs 8,11, 13
The Andros Community-based Tourism Cluster Project seeks to position Andros as the premier ecotourism destination within the country, fostering economic diversification within tourism.
Nature-based services at BAMSI (Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute)

BAMSI is a tertiary institution for Marine Science that offers nationally accredited certification courses in flats-fishing and nature tourism, particularly for youth. To underscore the Government’s commitment to Sustainable Tourism, legislation has been enacted that requires flats-fishing guides in The Bahamas, to be certified and licensed. In January of this year, 40 trained and newly certified Guides graduated from BAMSI.
These projects are transformative and focus on creating a tourism sector that is environmentally sustainable, intent on preserving nature, communities, and culture.

PHOTO CAPTION

The Hon. Zane Lightbourne, State-Minister in the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, recently led a delegation to Athens, Greece, where he addressed the 9th Our Ocean Conference.

(Photos/Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources)