Contribution to the 2013/4 Budget Debate

By The Hon. Melanie S. Griffin, M.P., Minister of Social Services and Community Development.

Introduction

Mr. Speaker,

It is indeed myspecial privilege and honor to rise and make yet another contribution on behalfof the very fine residents of the great Constituency of Yamacraw in particularand our country in general in this 2013/2014 Budget exercise and I give thanksto Almighty God for the opportunity to do so.

Recent Flood

Mr. Speaker,

Iwould also wish to express my heartfelt concern over the damages incurred by floodvictims, particularly those of Yamacraw. For many of them this was ‘déjà vu’ as they relived the flood of some 15years ago. The only difference was thesefloods were worst.

Mr.Speaker, I join my colleagues from Pinewood, Sea Breeze and other flooded areasin commending the work of NEMA and all its participating agencies which includeparticularly for the assessment exercises Social Services, Ministry of Works,Defence Force and BIS. We thank you foryour commitment, loyalty and continued efforts in service to our country. Just to reiterate information for personsaffected by the floods, assessment applications and duty exemption forms areavailable in the Urban Renewal Centers in affected areas and also at theElizabeth Estates Police Station during the day and Epiphany Anglican Churchafter 4:00 p.m. until further notice. You may also contact NEMA at 322-6081/5 or visit their office on thefirst floor of the Churchill Building for assessment or further information.

Expressions of Congratulations

Mr. Speaker,

On behalf of entire staff of theSocial Services, I want to send a shout out to Social Worker, Ida Seymour whowas joined in marriage to Mr. Walter Walkes at Transfigruation Baptist Churchon Saturday. Best wishes and blessingsto Ida and her husband as they begin their new life together.

Constituency Update

Just a quick Constituency update, Mr.Speaker. Apart from our ongoingprogrammes, we are currently replacing the monument sign to the entrance ofNassau East South, work is imminent to improve playground area on the park onWillet Road in Eastern Estates, resurface the walking track on the Winton Parkand replace the track on the Rugby Road Park east of Winton.

I am also excited and wish to proceedwith a project I initiated in June 2010 to develop a community park at the bluehole site in Colony Village, Mr. Speaker, and will resume dialogue with theBahamas National Trust and the residents of Colony Village in short order.

Plans are also underway to bringUrban Renewal to the east, Mr. Speaker and I wish to thank Rt. Hon. PrimeMinister and Member of Parliament for Centreville for delivering on thiscommitment he made to residents at a meeting in Yamacraw in January.

The Budget

Mr. Speaker,

We are all cognizant of the challengesour country continues to face as we recover from the throes of the global recession. It has not been easy but, I am proud to be a partof a Government that is committed to making sound decisions, notwithstandingthat they may be unpopular to some, to get our country back on track and to increaseopportunities for employment and entrepreneurship.

Mr. Speaker,

This2013/ 2014 Budget Communication as presented by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister andMinister of Finance, represents a bold, aggressive and comprehensive policyinitiative to address public finances, introduce much needed reforms in thefight to rescue our economy, reduce crime, create jobs, secure our borders,satisfy our mandate as set out in our Charter for Governance and provide reliefto the disadvantaged and needy in our midst in keeping with the politicalideology and philosophy of the founding fathers of this great ProgressiveLiberal Party.

In this regard, I commend the Rt.Hon. Member for Centreville in his capacity as Minister of Finance and theHonourable Member for Golden Isles in his capacity as Minister of State forFinance along with the staff of the Ministry of Finance for producing as the PrimeMinister said in his communication and I quote “a budget that secures the future of all Bahamians.”

Mr. Speaker,

This Budget expresses the heart of acaring, considerate and compassionate Leader and Government with an aggressivesocially-driven agenda to ‘wash every tear from every eye’. The eyes of children who find it difficult tolearn because they are not getting enough food to eat; the eyes of parents whofeel a sense of hopelessness because they can no longer provide the most basicneeds of food, clothing and shelter for their families, the eyes of olderpersons who feel like no one cares about them, the eyes of young people whofeel like no one is on their run, the eyes of persons with disabilities whofeel that no one is addressing their needs and the eyes of all those who are vulnerable among us who justfeel that nobody cares. This Budgetdeclares today, Mr. Speaker, that the “people first” Government is back.

We don’t mind the naysayers, Mr.Speaker, their job is to oppose and they do it well, never mind the fact thatit was their failed policies and bad management of the financial affairs ofthis country that have us in the deplorable state we are in today with almost oneof every four dollars in revenue going to pay interest charges on the publicdebt and cover debt repayment, instead of going towards social, security,health and educational programmes to advance our people. We will let them talk and try to rewritehistory, Mr. Speaker. The Bahamian people,with the help of God, know well how to determine what is best for them. That is why they spoke so resoundingly on May7th, 2012. We also have alegacy of abiding faith in a loving and caring God. Even though we may be going through somedifficult times right now, we know within our hearts that the formeradministration and their disastrous fiscal policies have not taken us, whereour God cannot reach us. That is why theRt. Hon Member for Centreville could say with assurance, “The economy hasclearly turned the corner and we can anticipate steady, ongoing growth and employmentcreation in the period ahead.” If wewere in church, Mr. Speaker, I would certainly call for an “amen”.

Mr. Speaker,

The Ministry of Social Services and CommunityDevelopment has been at the forefront of delivering services to those who havebeen hardest hit by the recession. The Government through the Department ofSocial Services has been as responsive as possible to those in distress andthis is indicative from data provided by the Department. See Annex I

There is no doubt, Mr. Speaker, thatpersons who receive assistance are appreciative of what is provided but many bemoanthe length of time it can take for their application for assistance to beprocessed and approved or having to wait on long lines for hours to collect food coupons at the end of the month, or not getting much needed schooluniforms for their children in time for the start of the new school year. Letme hasten to say that these issues are not caused by the staff of theDepartment not fulfilling their duties; the reality is that the volume ofclients has increased and the processes involved from the time of applicationto the investigation, approval and disbursement of assistance are labourintensive and have not kept up with the times. These issues have caused frustrationsfor clients and staff alike and for years we have heard the comment, “theremust be a better way”. Mr. Speaker, thefact is that there is a better way tomake the delivery of social service more efficient and less stressful for clientsand staff of the Department and its supporting agencies and even for thebusiness establishments, which provide the goods and services for clients. Yes,there is a better way to ensure that those most in need receive assistance andyes, there is a better way to break the cycle which feeds the need forcontinuous governmental support. Many of our counterparts in the regionand other parts of the world have discovered the way and we in the The Bahamasare well on our way to joining them.

Social Safety Net Reform

Mr. Speaker,

Itwas this Government that initiated the dialogue with the Inter-AmericanDevelopment Bank in 2002 on Social Safety Net Reform and began the process inthis regard. It was this Government that signed the loan agreement with the IDBon 30 August, 2012 for The Bahamas Social Safety Net Reform Project and thisGovernment will through this project implement the necessary reforms to bringabout a better and more efficient means of delivering social assistance. I am pleased to inform Members that the Projectis well underway and when fully implemented will revolutionize the delivery ofsocial services and strengthen the Department of Social Services.

While the Ministry of Social Servicesand Community Development is the executing agency for the Project, it is being undertakenin partnership with the Ministries of Education, Science and Technology,Health, Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government and the Departmentsof Statistics and Information Technology of the Ministry of Finance. A majorcomponent of the project is the consolidation of a number of existingprogrammes of the Department of Social Services and the introduction of aConditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Programme which will target:

v Householdswith children

v Householdswith elderly persons

v Householdswith pregnant women

v Householdswith adult poor but without children

Mr. Speaker, this means that once theCCT is implemented, approved applicants will instead of receiving assistancefrom various prorgammes, receive a cash transfer to help them meet daily livingexpenses however, households with children will be required to meet certainconditions intended to improve the health and education of the children so asto help break the cycle of poverty.

Mr. Speaker, the current process bywhich people apply for and are approved for social assistance is verysubjective. This subjectivity will be removed through the introduction of aProxy Means Test (PMT) which will be a requirement for all applicants. Eachquestion on the PMT will be given a numerical weight and a state of the artmanagement information system will determine eligibility and the applicant willbe informed on the outcome immediately, before leaving the office. Personsdetermined eligible will be visited by a social worker who will verify the informationon the PMT. There will be an appeals process for persons deemed ineligible andan appeals board will be established for this purpose.

Mr. Speaker,

I can report that the PMT was pilotedlast month in four islands, New Providence, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera and CatIsland. I had the opportunity to sit in on the debriefing session with thestaff from the four islands who administered the PMT, the IDB consultant whodesigned it and the project team leader. The consensus was that while therewere some minor issues primarily with the wording of some questions, the pilotwent very well. The feedback will allow for the consultant to make thenecessary adjustments to the form so as to ensure that it meets its intendedpurpose when put into use.

The health and educational conditionsthat households with children will have to meet have been determined by therespective Ministries and are being fine tuned with the assistance of externalconsultants. Households with children who meet the stipulated conditions willreceive the full monthly benefits but those who fail to do so will receive areduced benefit. It is not the intent to create hardships for persons byreducing benefits but we must appreciate the need to enhance the health andeducation of our children so that they are not destined for a life of povertyand the objectives of the project is to build human capital and modify behaviorto eliminate dependency on welfare.

Mr. Speaker,

Several options for the payment ofthe transfer are being explored and while the proposed method has not yet beendetermined, I can tell you that persons will no longer have to queue up at theend of the month outside an outreach centre, often exposed to the elements andwait on lines sometimes for hours to receive assistance. (The consultants assisting in determining whatthe method of transfer should be are in town this week for meetings with pubicofficers and private institutions including banks. They will also make visitsto Cat Island and Eleuthera.)

Child Welfare Matters

Mr. Speaker,

In Aprilthe Department of Social Services in conjunction with the National ChildProtection Council and the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect Unit (SCAN) of theMinistry of Health held a very successful Child Protection Month. In additionto participating in a number of the activities in New Providence, I attendedfunctions in Grand Bahama and Eleuthera. The theme for this year was ‘Protecting Children in a Changing World’. This was indeed a very timely theme, Mr.Speaker, because it is important that we raise the level of public awarenessabout some new threats emerging that can bring us all harm, but particularlycan cause harm to our unsuspecting and trusting children. These include theinternet and other high tech gadgets and equipment, which can be very helpfulif put to good use, but can also be harmful when used the wrong way.

Mr.Speaker, at a the Child Protection Youth Rallies in New Providence andEleuthera I discovered that a high percentage of our children have access tocomputers at home or at school and that many of them personally own I-Pads,I-Pods, I-Phones, Kindles, Samsung Galaxy V or some other technological devicethat allows them to connect with the world at the touch of a button. The mostfrightening thing for me, Mr. Speaker, was the large numbers of children whoindicated that they had access to Skype or some other device which allows themto see and talk to the person they are connected to in very real time. Parents and guardians, I implore you tomonitor your children’s use of technology and warn them of the dangers ofposting pictures, videos or comments on the internet that could causeembarrassment to them and their families in any way. The use of chat rooms and social networkslike Facebook should also be monitored. Technology has opened the door to new ways for sexual predators to reachour children. We have all seen how viralthe videos and photos can go on the internet. Please remember, there is nosubstitution for parental guidance. (Statistics)

Additionally,during Child Protection Month, a series of seminars were held for childrenentitled “I gat a right”. The seminars were designed to educate children andyoung persons about the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Sessions are continued throughout the courseof the year.

Simpson Penn and Willie Mae Pratt Centres.

Mr. Speaker, in my contribution tothe 2012/2013 budget debate, I made members aware of the deplorable physicalconditions at the Simpson Penn Centre for Boys. In my contribution to the Mid-YearBudget Statement, I shared some of the improvements that have been made up tothat point and I am pleased today to say that there has been a tremendous improvementin the physical conditions at the Centre, some may even refer to it as atransformation. To date, the Government has spent some two hundred and eightyeight thousand dollars ($288,000.00) on repairs and upgrades to thefacility. These include the following:

· construction of a new security boothat the entrance

· repairs to the roof of the multipurposebuilding, which houses the kitchen and dining room

· new security bars and doors

· electrical upgrades in cottagesincluding the installation of tamper resistant lights

· replacements of windows and screens(which is still in progress)

· purchase of durable, institutionalbunk beds complete with lockable drawers for storage of small personal items

· purchase of new mattresses

· contracted private waste collectionservices

· new fencing around the pavilion atthe front of Cottage 2; and

· an automatic transfer switch for thegenerator.

Mr. Speaker,

I have no doubt that that the money waswell-spent or rather, well-invested. (Montague and prison) We cannot in goodconscious have high expectations for juvenile offenders after they arereleased, if they are housed in the type of environment these young men had toendure for the last few years.

But, Mr. Speaker, as indicated thework is not complete. Currently, extensive plumbing works are being undertakenin the cottages at a cost of $222,962. These include the gutting of thebathrooms and the replacement of tiles and pipes and the installation ofstainless steel, institutional bathroom fixtures. I am truly impressed by the work thus far and Iam advised that the plumbing contractor has exceeded the scope of works of thecontract and included upgrades that were not scoped or included in the cost athis expense. We are indeed grateful to him for these extras. Further, while notincluded in the contract the contractor has at our request made provisions forthe placement of a commode and basin in each dormitory of the cottage for useat night and we are seeking the necessary approvals so that these can be functional in short order.

But, Mr. Speaker, we arestill not completed. The Government has approved additional works for theCentre in the amount of $199,792.00. These include:

· repairs to the Administrationbuilding inclusive of electrical,plumbing and air-conditioning works at an estimated cost of $160,845

· the construction of a pavilion to theeast of the security booth to serve as a waiting area for visitors, and

· repairs to the tailor shop

Mr. Speaker, the works atSPC total a whopping $710,754 which does not include the commode and basin forthe dormitories, which will cost an estimated $128, 066 in additional fundingfor a grand total of $838,820.

Mr. Speaker, we are wellaware that the physical improvements will mean little if there is no rehabilitationof residents and the transmission of practical skills. For the first time, to my knowledge, TheBahamas Technical and Vocation Institute conducted a training programme on siteover a period of fifteen weeks for the older residents who are past themandatory school age. The residentsparticipated in a masonry and painting programme and also courses in English,Maths and First-aid. As a part of thetraining, the residents completed minor repairs and painted some of thebuildings on the compound. Three residents who have since been discharged weresuccessful in gaining full time admission to BTVI. We already have a proposalfrom BTVI for the continuation of the programme in September and budgetaryprovisions have been made in the Draft Estimates for this.

Mr. Speaker,

ThePenn/Pratt Co-educational Unit on the compound of the Simpson Penn Centre is operatedby the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and allows for thecontinued education of residents of both the Simpson Penn and Willie Mae PrattCentres who have not attained the mandatory school leaving age. We havecommenced dialogue with the Ministry of Education with the view of having theolder residents continue their education as well. There are some issues whichwill need to be resolved but hopefully this may be possible in the new schoolyear along with the BTVI programme for older residents.

Mr. Speaker, the technical officersof my Ministry have been in dialogue with technical officers at the BahamasAgricultural and Industrial Corporation (BIAC) for some time for theestablishment of an agricultural programme at the Simpson Penn Centre. We havea considerable amount of land available to us and it is a travesty for thisland to be idle. We are more thanexcited that the Centers and our seniors and children’s homes have beenincluded in the programme foreshadowed by the Rt. Hon. Member for Centrevillein his budget communication for the installation for greenhouses for gardeningpurposes. This programme will provide much needed therapy, employment and producefor the tables of the respective facilities.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend the VisitingCommittee of the Simpson Penn Centre under the chairmanship of Mr. PatrickSmith for the successful Gala Ball held last month to raise funds for theCentre. At the ball, a number of personsand organizations were honored for their volunteer work at the Centre and forrecognizing a simple fact, an investment in our youth is a long-term investmentin national development or in the words of the theme for the event, “SavingBoys, Building Men.” We were pleasedthat Mr. Oswald Ingraham, a former member and speaker of this Honourable Houseattended the event in his capacity as Deputy to the Governor General and thatthe Member for Bain and Grants Town and Minister of National Security, the Hon.Dr. Bernard Nottage provided good food for thought as the guest speaker.

Willie Mae Pratt Centre

Mr. Speaker, the physicalcondition of the Willie Mae Pratt Centre was not found to be in the same stateas the Simpson Penn Centre, but there is still much work to be done to improvethe environment and the programmes for the residents and staff. The improvements undertaken to date include:

· some electrical upgrades

· contracted private waste collectionservices

The Ministry of Works andUrban Development has already indicated the need for plumbing upgrades in thecottages and the construction of a new security booth at the entrance however weare awaiting a full technical assessment to determine the scope of works and will move swiftly tohave these completed. I am pleased to confirm however that a contract in theamount of $10,000 has been awarded for repairs for a portion of the roof of theadministration building and this work is expected to commence this week.

Mr. Speaker, we have alsoobtained the commitment from BTVI to offer onsite training for the residents atthe Willie Mae Pratt Centre in September and this will include computer classes,sewing, cosmetology, English and Math. We are grateful to Mr. Jeffrey Ambrose andthe Rotary Club of Nassau for the donation of six computers to facilitate the computerprogramme.

Mr. Speaker, the residents of the WPC decided not to let theyoung men at SPC outdo them and I am happy to report that four residents of theWPC participated in the Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture’s E. ClementBethel National Arts Festival Individual Verse Speaking Competition for NewProvidence for grades 10 to 12. Theywere coached by a volunteer to the Center, Mrs. Helen Turnquest. Three of the young ladies were successful inearning a first, second and third place award. One of these residents is now discharged and has been accepted to BTVIwhere the Department of Social Services will assist with the fees.

I also wish to take thisopportunity Mr. Speaker to commend Mrs. Doris Barry and the Visiting Committeeof the WPC for their commitment to work with the residents and to raise fundsfor various projects.

Community Affairs Division

Mr. Speaker, while tourismexpenditure and the benefits derived from offshore banks are vital for theadvancement of our economy, our potential lies in our people. The Community Affairs Division provides anddevelops programmes that strengthen families and communities and this is doneprimarily through Family Life Centres in Flamingo Gardens, Elizabeth Estatesand Ardastra Estates.

The Division has operated an after-schoolprogramme at the Centres in Elizabeth Estates and Flamingo Gardens for severalyears, which is conducted by trained teachers Monday to Thursday of each weekduring the school term and it, is projected that a similar programme willcommence at the Ardastra Estates Centre in September of this year. Fridayafternoons at Flamingo Gardens and Elizabeth Estates allow children and youngpersons to engage in structured “fun” activities through the Boys and GirlsClubs.

Since its opening, activities at theCentre in Flamingo Gardens have been held primarily in the afternoons onlyhowever, we have now moved to have this Centre open throughout the day and aCommunity Affairs Officer has been posted to the Centre for this purpose.Efforts are now underway to form a senior citizens group and the introductorymeeting was held on Friday, May 17, 2013.

The senior citizens group at the Centre in Elizabeth Estatesthough small continues to meet regularly. We have increased the staff at theCentre hence we anticipate the expansion of the group. This along with theestablishment of similar groups in Flamingo Gardens and Ardastra Gardens willensure that our seniors continue to be an integral part of their community, maintaintheir dignity and sense of well-being and enrich their lives throughinteraction with peers and various activities.

Mr. Speaker, members will be aware ofthe phenomena called the “Digital Divide”. The term is used to explain another difference been the haves andhave-nots, which is access to information on the internet. The Government recognizesthe need to bridge the divide hence we propose to upgrade and increase thenumber of computers at both Flamingo Gardens and Elizabeth Estates so thatcomputer classes are available to persons in these communities. The newestFamily Life Centre in Ardastra Estates is fully equipped with computers and withthe assistance of a qualified instructor, some fifteen (15) adults and seniorcitizens seized the opportunity to enhance their skills or become computerliterate.

Mr. Speaker, during my first tenure as Minister of Social Services andCommunity Development, a literacy programme was operated at the Centre inElizabeth Estates. We know that literacy is still a concern with segments ofour population; we propose to reintroduce this programme later this year at allthree Centres. Higher literacy rates within our communities allow for bettereconomic development in the long-run.

Wealso propose to introduce a Community Mentoring Programme geared towardsyoung persons and monthly forums at each Centre on topical issues.

Gender Based Violence

Mr. Speaker, we would all agree thatthe level of domestic violence in our country, as is the case globally, isunacceptably high. Efforts are being made at both the international and locallevels to address this problem. In December 2012, along with a CabinetColleague and a multidisciplinary team of public officers, I attended a CaribbeanDialogue on the Rule of Law and Gender Based Violence in Miami, Florida,organized by The United States Department of State Secretary’s Office of GlobalWomen’s Issues in collaboration with the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairsand the College of Law of Florida International University. The dialoguebrought together rule of law practitioners to advance the agenda for theprevention and response to gender based violence and inter alia share bestpractices from within the Caribbean and across Latin America.

In March, this year, I attended the Fifty-SeventhSession of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women held at the UNHeadquarters along with a delegation including representatives fromnon-governmental organizations, the theme of which was “Eliminationand Prevention of all Forms of Violence Against Women and Girls.”

The theme for this year’s InternationalWomen’s Day observed annually on March 8 was “A Promise is a Promise, Time toEnd Violence Against Women.” A half day forum on gender based violencewas held in New Providence on International Women’s Day. A portion of the forumwas carried live over Radio Bahamas15:40 a.m.’s Immediate Response. I wasalso pleased to travel to Grand Bahama that afternoon and lend the support of theMinistry to the Fourth Annual “Join Me on the Bridge event hosted by the womenthere.

Mr. Speaker, my Ministry’s efforts inaddressing domestic violence includes the initiative launched in July of lastyear, “Domestic Violence is Everybody’s Business,” which is acommunity based public education campaign on the Domestic Violence (ProtectionOrders) Act, 2007.

I also wish to thank the UnitedStates Embassy for facilitating the visit in April of Mr. Ulester Douglas, AssociateDirector of the organization, MenStopping Violence who participated in a number of events including a men’ssummit, a panel discussion along with a number of local presenters and a Trainthe Trainers session geared primarily for men, all of which were well received.

Mr. Speaker, no one agency of theGovernment has the capacity to address the issue of domestic violence and in additionto the initiatives of my Ministry I am aware that initiatives are alsoundertaken by other agencies of the Government as well as non-governmentalorganizations but often details of these are not readily known or shared. Thisoften results in duplication of efforts and resources or even unmet needs.Recognizing the need for a more coordinated and focused approach, thegovernment has approved the establishment of a multi-sectoral Task Force underthe Ministry of Social Services and Community Development, whose mandate includes refining andimplementing a national strategic plan and other initiatives to address genderbased violence. Additionally a Cabinet Committee comprising of Ministersresponsible for social services, health, education, national security and legalservices will have oversight of the work of the Task Force. A Chairperson forthe Task Force has been identified and both groups are expected to becomeoperational by next month.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, theDepartment of Social Services will expand its Family Services Division toinclude a Domestic Violence to better assist persons subjected to abuse. The Unit’s services will include assistanceto persons in securing Protection Orders, assistance with alternative shelter, counselingand support services.

Bureau of Women’s Affairs.

Mr. Speaker, in2002, the Bureau of Women’s Affairs was placed under my portfolio of SocialServices and Community Affairs. At that time, for the first time, I wassuccessful in having a line item included in the Ministry’s Head for theBureau. The first allocation in the line item was $10,000. When this government was returned to office in2012, the line item stood at $65,000. Inthe 2012/2013 Budget, this government increased the line item to $100,000,which enabled the Bureau’s staff to conduct more workshops and implement activitiesas well as events for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of theenfranchisement of women. Provisions have again been made for the allocation of$100,000 for the new fiscal year.

While the Bureau of Women’s Affairsis one of the smallest units within my Ministry, it has responsibility forensuring that the Government of The Bahamas lives up to a number of signed internationalagreements and responsibilities that pertain to the elimination ofdiscrimination and violence against women and young girls, the empowerment ofwomen and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners andhuman rights.

Mr. Speaker, Istill recall with much pride, the events organized last November in celebrationof the 50th Anniversary of the enfranchisement of women in ourcountry, the culmination of which was the historic Joint Sitting of Parliamenton Monday, November 26, 2012, where the 1959 petition by the Late Dame Dr. Doris Johnson on behalf of theSuffragettes, was read into the record by female parliamentarians across thedivide and the passing of the resolution to “honour, recognize and forevercelebrate: The vision and courage of theleaders and members of the Women Suffrage Movement; the enfranchisement,universal suffrage and social and political change in The Bahamas; the 50thAnniversary of the enfranchisement of women; the continued work of the Women’sBureau;” and “commit to amending the Constitution of The Bahamas through dueprocess to remove all forms of discrimination against women so as to fully andirrevocably engage and utilize the indomitable spirit of Bahamian womanhood innation building.” Those events reminded us of the life and times of those bravewarriors of the Women’s Suffrage Movement who joined forces to ensure that womengot the right to vote and to participate in many of those roles we now hold inour society today. Above all, itdemonstrated what can be achieved when we unite for a common cause and a greatergood. We owe it to them to ensure thatthis type of unity continues.

Mr. Speaker

Last year on July 20, 2012, some 19years after The Bahamas signed on to the Convention on the Elimination of AllForms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), The Bahamas’ initial and up tothe fifth periodic reports to the Convention were considered by the Committeeon the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at the United Nations in NewYork. I had the honour to head the team that attended the dialogue and to givean account of our stewardship in meeting the articles of the Convention, whichis often referred to as the “Women’s Bill of Rights.”

Mr. Speaker, theprocess was indeed rigorous but the experience was educational and enlightening. I would like to thank all those who played arole in assisting us in finally achieving this major milestone and in guidingus through the process.

Mr. Speaker, weare grateful for grants from two regional bodies, the United Nations Entity forGender Equality, known as UNWomen and the United Nations Populations Fund(UNFPA) to advance the work of the Bureau. UNWomen provided two grants, totalingFifty-Four Thousand Dollars ($54,000) one of which facilitated the drafting ofa five year strategic plan for the Bureau, a major milestone, which sets out aclear course towards the elevation of the Bureau to a Department of GenderAffairs and the second for the implementation of a project on StrengtheningState Accountability and Community Action for Ending Gender Based Violence, whichis expected to begin shortly. The grant from UNFPA facilitated the drafting of aNational Gender Equality Policy for The Bahamas, which is currently being refined.I wish to publicly thank the Caribbean Regional office of both UNWomen andUNFPA for their tremendous support of the Bureau and its work.

Mr. Speaker, inaddition to working with non-governmental women’s organizations, the Bureau’s isalso working with men in their efforts to eliminate violence against women, inparticular, the local branch of the Caribbean Male Action Network(CARIMAN). Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful andoptimistic that as this organization grows and develops, it will play animportant role working with men and young boys to decrease violence againstwomen and young girls.

Mr. Speaker, mostof the activities of the Bureau over the years have focused on New Providenceand to a lesser extent Grand Bahama. We have moved to increase our activitiesin Grand Bahama and the Family Islands. Lastmonth, two officers from the Bureau travelled the length of Eleuthera over twodays and held sessions in North, Central and South Eleuthera, which I amadvised were well received. Visits to theFamily Islands will be made on a regular basis to inform women throughout thearchipelago about the work of the Bureau, dialogue with them on issues facingwomen in their community and the means by which the Bureau can support them inaddressing these issues.

Disability Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I continue to becognizant of the many challenges and discriminatory practices facing thecommunity of persons with disabilities throughout the Commonwealth of TheBahamas and the need for legislation in this regard. Upon returning to office in May 2012, I meta draft bill for legislation to protect the rights of persons with disabilities,which I reviewed in depth. After several lengthy sessions with legal officersfrom the Office of the Attorney General and technical officers in my Ministry, we decided to revamp the draft to a simpler,easy to read document written in a language that is easily understood by thecommunity for whom it is intended, while not compromising the intent of theproposed legislation; to address the elimination of all forms of discriminationon the basis of disabilities as well as the provision of equal opportunitiesfor full participation in and access to areas such as education, employment,housing, transportation and health care. Also included in the draft legislation,is the establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilitieswhich is intended to be a corporate body with oversight of the legislation.

The Disability Affairs Division ofthe Department of Social Services has been intimately involved in thediscussions on the drafting of legislation to protect the rights of personswith disabilities and I am grateful for their input.

Late last year, I attended aConference organized by The Bahamas National Council for Disability and made acommitment to bring the legislation to Parliament by June and I am workingdiligently to fulfill this commitment.

Mr. Speaker, with advice from theAttorney General’s Office in hand, we are now able to move forward in signingthe United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Cabinet Paper to seek the approval of mycolleagues is being prepared as I speak.

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt thatthe Government for persons with disabilities is back. In addition to signing on to the UNConvention and bring the disability bill, the Rt. Hon. Member for Centrevillein his budget communication indicated the intent of the Government to “rent andrenovate Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School to accommodate some 100 specialneeds children.”

The Prime Minister did not stopthere, Mr. Speaker, he went further to announce the Government’s intent to constructon New Providence an educational and multipurpose facility for persons withspecial needs. I am elated about thisand the tremendous potential that both of these projects bring for thecommunity of persons with disabilities. My Ministry looks forward tocollaborating with the relevant ministries of the Government and non-governmentalorganizations on the multi-purpose facility.

My Ministry in conjunction with theMinistries of Education, Science and Technology and Health and The BahamasAssociation for the Physically Disabled continue to operate the Centre in theBAPD building on Dolphin Drive for children with severe physical disabilities. Onan average, the Centre accommodates some twenty-six (26) children each week day.While its reach is limited given its size and resources, the Centre is meetinga great need as it allows for the parents and guardians to work knowing thattheir children are in a safe setting and stimulated to the extent possible.Last summer, a group of students from Emporia University along with theirprofessors spent a week at the Centre interacting with the children and theyall had a wonderful time. Hopefully another group of students will be availableto do so again this summer. I wish to commend the Bahamas Association for thePhysically Disabled for its ongoing commitment to this Centre, and inparticular Sir Durward Knowles who has taken a personal interest in the Centreand ensures that no need goes unmet. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons he isnot as active as he used to be so his daughter has taken up the mantle, SirDurward continues to give the instructions, of course.

Social Services

Mr. Speaker, The Department of SocialServices is projected to receive $39,868,059 in the 2013/2014 fiscal year. Whilethis is marginally less than the approved estimates for 2012/2013, given thatnational insurance contributions and rent costs in particular (which far exceedthe minimal reduction) have been pulled out from Head 44 and placed under otherHeads, the projected allocation is generous and indicative of the Government’s ongoingcommitment to provide social protection to those in need. Just over $2.8m is proposed for Family IslandOperations, excluding Grand Bahama and Abaco, which are provided for under therelevant line items. Increased provisions have been made for the FoodAssistance Programme and the National Lunch Programme.

Previously the allocation for theDepartment’s Work Assistance Programme was by way of a line item – Assistance to Individuals under the 90 Blockbut this item has been removed and provisions for Work Programme participantshas been made in Block 1 under Salary – ContractualWorkers.

Mr. Speaker, Social Services is oftenthe recipient of negative comments but many persons do not realize orappreciate the many roles the Department is required to play. One such role is indisasters. We are all aware of the extensive flooding in New Providence lastmonth. Officers were present at NEMA around the clock on a rotation basis whenthe emergency operations centre was activated. When the decision was taken toopen shelters, the Department immediately secured emergency relief supplies andopened and operated the shelters with staff as shelter managers. Officers fromthe Department were once again called into action to serve on the assessmentteams going door to door in affected communities to assist in determiningneeds. On Sunday past, a representative from the Department was part of theteam that visited Exuma to assess the flooding on that island. I wish tocommend the staff for their quick and committed response.

Mr. Speaker, more and more theDepartment is being called upon to respond to persons who for various reasonsfind themselves homeless. We aregrateful to The Salvation Army and Great Commission Ministries which offeremergency shelter and favourably responds to our requests once space isavailable. While there is a small number of small motels that accept homelesspersons on a short term basis, there is need for more facilities like thoseoperated by the Salvation Army where in addition to persons being provided witha bed and a meal, there is some level of counseling and support to assistpersons in getting themselves together. I had a discussion with the Christian Council last year on this matterand I call upon the religious community to give further consideration toassisting in this regard.

Mr. Speaker, The National Parentingprogramme of my Ministry is now well established and accommodating morerequests. It is currently facilitated in New Providence and Grand Bahama. In 2012 a total of 293 parents and guardiansparticipated in the programme. In addition to parenting classes, the programmealso offers individual, marriage and family therapy. To assist in ensuringparticipation, the Department renders voluntary services for the supervision ofchildren while parents participate in the sessions. The Programme also conductsa Support Group for all participants who successfully complete training. Personswho complete the programme are provided with a certificate of participation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my firm beliefthat it should be mandatory for parents and guardians of residents at theSimpson Penn Centre for Boys and the Willie Mae Pratt Centre for Girls toparticipate in the Programme. This would assist them in better understandingtheir role and preparing for the return of their children. There are parentsand guardians who once the child or young person is committed have little or nocontact with them and are relieved that the “government” is nowresponsible for the child or young person. This cannot be right. Further, fartoo many of the residents at the centres are there because of”uncontrollable” behavior, which in my view is often indicative ofissues in the home. The Child Protection Act makes provision whereby if ajuvenile court makes a determination that the charge against the child or youngpersons is proven the court may amongother things order the parent or guardian and the offender to attend togetherparenting and counseling classes and we need this provision to be evoked morefrequently so as to ensure that parents and guardians of this specialpopulation are provided the necessary skills to effectively rear theirchildren. In the new fiscal year we will once again move to offer the programmein selected Family Islands based on the greatest need.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to reportthe completion of repairs at the Early Childhood Development on East StreetSouth, which is operated by The Department of Social services. The repairs includedexterior painting and replacement of defective shingles at a cost of $48,000. TheSchool Welfare Division of the Department has oversight for this facility,whose thrust is on child development and seeks to foster healthy infants, toddlersand preschoolers in a nurturing yet challenging atmosphere. The currentenrolment is fifty (50) children, eighteen of whom will move on to grade one inprimary school in September.

Urban Renewal

Mr. Speaker, the socialservices component of Urban Renewal 2.0 is now operational in New Providenceand Grand Bahama. Last November, the Government approved the engagement ofseventeen social workers specifically for the programme and the first group ofsix began work in New Providence in January 2013 and to date, nine of theCentres in New Providence are outfitted with social workers who work feverishlyto address the social needs of the respective communities. Their activities include:

· walkabouts in the communities withthe police and other agencies,

· conducting investigations to assistclients who are in need of assistance, conducting parenting seminars,

· therapeutic group and individual counselingwith suspended students and at one centre, counseling with children who havewitnessed violence

· Assessments for house repairs whichcomprise the bulk of the work and

· Assistance with flood assessments.

Additionally the NewProvidence workers assisted with activities for Child Protection Monthincluding the rally on Windsor Park.

With respect to GrandBahama, four persons have been engaged in addition to the Coordinator, and anadditional two persons are expected to start shortly. The workers like theircounterparts in New Providence, have been attached to Centres and performsimilar duties.

I wish to commend theCoordinators and the staff for the enthusiasm with which they have approachedthe assignment and their willingness to work on weekends and beyond normalworking hours.

Accommodations

Mr. Speaker, for the past severalyears, the administration of Social Services and Community Development wasconducted from two locations; East Hill Street and Frederick Street. This ofcourse has been very challenging and negatively impacted cohesion. In April, the staff from the Frederick StreetOffice was relocated to East Hill Street and while the accommodations arecramped, we are under one roof. The Ministry however is scheduled to move tonew accommodations by the summer in Aventura Plaza on Bethel Avenue and John F.Kennedy Drive. In addition to the two story suite for the Ministry andsupporting units including human resources and accounts, the Bureau of Women’sAffairs, the Social Safety Net Reform Project and the Community AffairsDivision will each have a suite in the complex. Further, a suite in the complex will beutilized as an afterschool centre for children of employees in the complex whichwill be operated by the Community Affairs Division of my Ministry. We areanxiously awaiting the move to more spacious accommodation, which I am surewill boost staff morale and increase efficiency.

Mr. Speaker, the ongoing unsatisfactoryphysical conditions of the accommodations of Department of Social Services inthe Clarence Bain Building continues to negatively impact productivity and staffmorale. These include issues with the air-conditioning and plumbing inparticular. The Ministry of Public Works and Urban Development continues toaddress these issues but it seems that as soon as one issue is addressedanother comes up. I am aware that aworkable solution is under consideration and hopefully the staff of SocialServices will be adequately accommodated in the shortest time.

I am also acutely aware of the accommodationissues at the Department’s outreach centre on Horseshoe Drive, which arenegatively impacting staff and clients alike and here again it seems like assoon as one issue is addressed another comes up. The Ministry of Works facilitatedthe replacement of two air-condition units mid May however they have not workedas expected. The matter hopefully will be corrected shortly.

Mr. Speaker, this Centre has outgrownits clientele, which includes communities in southwest New Providence. We have been diligently seekingaccommodations in the Carmichael Road area to open a Centre to serve this segmentof New Providence. A number of buildings have been viewed and we havedetermined one of these as the best option and are in discussion with theowners regarding terms that would be mutually agreeable.

The Department recently relocated itsoffice in North Eleuthera to new accommodation as the previous one was indeplorable condition. I know that the staff in particular is extremely pleasedto be in these accommodations, which will assist them in better serving thepeople of North Eleuthera.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report thatwe have secured additional space in Park Plaza, Fox Hill to facilitate theexpansion of the outreach centre in east. This expansion once work is completedwill ease the cramped conditions of the Centre and make it more comfortable forstaff and clients.

Mr. Speaker, approval has been givenfor the relocation of the Department of Social Services in Freeport, whichcurrently operates out of three suites in the National Insurance Building. Therelocation to Sun Plaza will allow for expansion and result in all areas beinghoused under one roof. Currently some internal configuration and repairs arebeing undertaken and this should be completed for relocation in July.

Career Path

Mr.Speaker, I am happy to report that work was done on the Career Path for SocialWorkers and a proposal submitted to the Public Service Union. We are awaiting the counter-proposal from theUnion for consideration in order to proceed with the process. Hopefully, this matter can be finalized earlyin this new fiscal year.

Mr.Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Permanent Secretary,senior officers and staff of the Ministry and Department of Social Services forthe yeoman’s task they do in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Let’s continue to work together to create aSocial Service of which can all be proud.

National TrainingAgency

Mr.Speaker, as the Minister of Social Services and Community Development I lookforward to the implementation of the National Training Agency and what it meansto the future development of our human capital and I wish to commend the Prime Minister and theMinister for Labour and National Insurance for this bold and progressiveinitiative which will equip Bahamians with the necessary practical competenciesand skills to meet the current and future demands of the workforce share inemployment and entrepreneurial opportunities which will present themselvesthrough the various developments in New Providence and many of our familyislands. I encourage our people toprepare themselves for the National Training Agency and take advantage of allit has to offer.

Closing

Mr. Speaker, as we approach our 40th Anniversary ofIndependence, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind all Bahamians of ourshared dreams and values. I believethere is more that unites us than divides us. Let us work together to rebuildthis country and ensure the future of generations yet to come.

Mr. Speaker, Yamacraw confirms itsconfidence in the member for Centreville, the Rt. Hon Perry Gladstone Christie,the undisputed Father of the House and his ability, along with his team to keepthis ship of state ‘steady as she goes’ and steer it to safe port. Mr. Speaker, Yamacraw supports thisprogressive and people-centered Budget

THE 2013-2014– BUDGET COMMUNICATION
13th June 2013
MR. SPEAKER,
MY MINISTRY INCLUDES, AGRICULTURE, MARINE RESOURCES, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND MY MINISTRY WAS ALLOCATED $ 51.8 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE YEAR 2013-2014.
MR. SPEAKER, WITH FISCAL PRUDENCE I BELIEVE THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT, AS THIS BUDGET SEEKS CLEARLY TO SECURE THE FUTURE, FOR ALL BAHAMIANS.

THE BUDGET
MR. SPEAKER, IF BAD FINANCED MANAGEMENT WAS CRIME, THE FNM, WOULD BE IN JAIL. THEY LEFT THIS COUNTRY IN A FINANCIAL MESS AND ITS TAKING LONGER THAN WE DREAMT TO CLEAN IT UP. BUT CLEAN IT UP WE WILL.
MR. SPEAKER, OUR PRIME MINISTER HAS INDICATED THAT THE ECONOMY HAS TURNED THE CORNER, AND WE CAN EXPECT – STEADY, ONGOING GROWTH AND EMPLOYMENT CREATION IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD.
MR. SPEAKER, EVERY BAHAMIAN BUSINESSMAN THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO IN REGARD TO THE BUDGET THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST BUDGET PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT IN RECENT TIMES.
MR. SPEAKER, THE AIM OF THE GOVERNMENT IS TO BRING ABOUT A MORE HEALTHIER STATE OF OUR PUBLIC FINANCES, THAN WE MET WHEN WE CAME TO OFFICE.
WHEN WE CAME TO OFFICE MR. SPEAKER, THERE WAS A NATIONAL DEBT OF ABOUT 5 BILLION DOLLARS AND COUNTING, WITH UNPAID OUTSTANDING BILLS OF OVER $100 MILLION AND NOTHING IN THE TREASURY WITH WHICH TO PAY FOR THE GOVERNMENT SERVICES WHICH WERE NECESSARY.
SO MR. SPEAKER, THE FIRST PAINFUL DECISION WHICH WE HAD TO MAKE, WAS TO BORROW ENOUGH MONEY ( $450 MILLION TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE YEAR 2012 – 2013). THIS YEAR MR. SPEAKER, THE $465 MILLION, WHICH THE GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO BORROW IS TO COVER THE SHORT FALLS WHICH IS ANTICIPATED FOR THE YEAR 2013-2014.
MR. SPEAKER, TO SAY THAT WE HAVE BORROWED $1BILLION IN ONE YEAR IS JUST NOT TRUE BECAUSE THIS YEAR’S BORROWING IS FOR THE YEAR 2013 – 2014 AND WILL OR SHOULD TAKE US TO JUNE 30TH 2014.
AGRICULTURE
MR. SPEAKER, AGRICULTURE SECTOR HAS
THE CAPACITY TO CREATE HUNDREDS OF JOBS FOR THE YOUNG AND NO SO YOUNG.
MR. SPEAKER, OUR ECONOMY IS BUILT ON SEVERAL PILLARS – TOURISM, BANKING, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND MR. SPEAKER, I CAN SAY TO YOU TODAY, IN THIS 40TH YEAR OF INDEPENDENCE THAT, AGRICULTURE IS FAST BECOMING THAT 4TH PILLAR OF OUR ECONOMY. IT IS ENVISAGED, THAT BY THE END OF THIS TERM, OUR FOOD IMPORT BILL COULD BE REDUCED BY $150 MILLION OR ABOUT 15% – ( OF THE PRESENT ALMOST $1 BILLION.) MR. SPEAKER, IN ORDER FOR US TO DO THIS, THERE MUST BE A COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF EVERY BAHAMIAN TO “GROW WHAT WE CAN AND BUY WHAT WE MUST”.
AGRICULTURE, MR. SPEAKER, IS ON THE MOVE AND THIS SECTOR OF OUR ECONOMY IS BEING TRANSFORMED BY THE ADOPTION OF MODERN TECHNOLOGIES, AND BY MORE SCIENCED BASED FARMING. TO THIS MR. SPEAKER, TWO NEW AND INNOVATIVE UNDERTAKINGS ARE FORESHADOWED FOR THIS YEAR:
BUILDING AGRICULTURE & MARINE SCIENCE SCHOOL IS TRANFORMATIONAL AGRICULTURE AND IS THE BRAIN CHILD OF THE RT. HON PERRY CHRISTIE.
1)THE CONSTRUCTION OF A AGRICULTURE AND MARINE SCIENCE SCHOOL (NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION) IN NORTH ANDROS.
2)THE ALLOCATION OF $1 MILLION FOR
IMPLEMENTATION OF GREEN HOUSES
IN NEW PROVIDENCE, AS PART OF
THE URBAN RENEWAL PROGRAMME.
MR. SPEAKER, WHEN THESE PROGRAMMES ARE IMPLEMENTED, IT IS INTENDED THAT A NEW CITY WILL BE DEVELOPED AROUND THE NORTH ANDROS SCHOOL , AND THAT GREEN HOUSE TECHNOLOGY WILL SOON BE COMMON PLACE THROUGHOUT NEW PROVIDENCE, WITH A HOPE OF EXPANDING THIS TECHNOLOGY TO THE FAMILY ISLANDS AS WELL.
MR. SPEAKER, TO SHOW WHAT SHE THINKS OF FARMING, I CAN TELL YOU MR. SPEAKER, THE WIFE OF OUR PRIME MINISTER IS NOW INTO BACK YARD GREEN HOUSE FARMING – THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, MRS. SHARON WILSON IS INTO FARMING. MR. SPEAKER, I INTEND TO SEEK TO EMPLOY MR.
EDDISON KEY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AS CONSULTANT TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN THE NORTHERN BAHAMAS AND THE BAHAMAS AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION (BAIC), IN ORDER TO ASSIST IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF OUR AGRICULTURAL EFFORTS. MR. SPEAKER, IN SOME OF OUR PACKING HOUSES, WE INTEND BY PUBLIC, PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO THE ESTABLISH CANNERIES, WHERE PINE-APPLES BECOME PINEAPPLE JUICE, TOMATOES CAN BECOME TOMATO PASTE. MR. SPEAKER, WE EXPECT THE ONION DYING HOUSES TO BE REPAIRED,
AND CASSAVA WAXING MACHINES TO BE RE-PAIRED FOR IMMEDIATE USE.
THE FOOD TECHNOLOGY LAB
MR. SPEAKER, THE LAB IS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND WILL SOON BOASTS THE ACQUISITION STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT, WHICH WILL REPLACE THE AGING EQUIPMENTS WHICH ARE BECOMING OBSOLETE. $50 k HAVE BEEN BUDGETED FOR THE UP- GRADE OF ALL REPAIRS TO THIS UNIT LOCATED AT GRAC, GLADSTONE ROAD.
MR SPEAKER, THE FOOD SAFETY AND TECHNOLOGY LAB IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SYSTEMS IN MY MINISTRY WHICH
SUPPORTS LOBSTER EXPORTS FROM THE BAHAMAS TO THE USA, CANADA AND EUROPE. THESE COUNTRIES HAVE VERY STRICT FOOD SAFETY REQUIREMENTS, WHICH TO DATE WE WERE ABLE TO MEET, BUT THE LAB OVER THE PAST FOUR (4) YEARS OR SO, HAVE NOT BEEN STAFFED OR PROPERLY STAFFED BY SUFFICIENT TECHNICIANS, TO KEEP OUR STANDARDS AS THEY SHOULD BE, SO I AM PLEASED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECENTLY APPROVED THE HIRE OF FOOD TECHNOLOGISTS AND SCIENTISTS TO ENSURE THAT OUR STANDARDS REMAIN HIGH AND GLOBALLY ACCEPTABLE.
MR. SPEAKER, IN ADDITION TO ENSURING STANDARDS, THIS DEPARTMENT ASSIST IN TEACHING BAHAMIANS BY HOSTING WORKSHOPS IN THE ART OF FOOD PROCESSING AND THE CREATION OFSMALL COTTAGE INDUSTRIES IN THE PRODUCTION OF JAMS, SAUCES AND WINES TO NAME A FEW.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEGUN TESTING ON THE PACKAGING OF SHREDDED CABBAGE WITH A VIEW TO CREATING A NEW INDUSTRY FOR THE LOCAL MARKET FOR THE PRE- PARATION OF CABBAGE SLAW, A POPULAR BAHAMIAN SIDE DISH. THIS COMMODITY IS PRESENTLY BEING IMPORTED, SOON THE NEED FOR IMPORT WILL BE NO MORE.
LAND TENURE
MR. SPEAKER, DURING THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF LAND HAVE BEEN LEASED TO FARMERS, ALL OVER THE BAHAMAS.
A) IN NEW PROVIDENCE MORE THAN 105 ACRES;
B) IN ABACO, ALMOST 450 ACRES;
C) IN ANDROS ALMOST 500 ACRES;
D) IN GRAND BAHAMA ALMOST
300 ACRES.
MR. SPEAKER, THAT’S ABOUT 1,300
ACRES OF LAND LEASED TO FARMERS AND POTENTIAL FARMERS IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO. FORMAL LEASES IN SOME CASES HAVE BEEN ISSUED AND SCORES OF NEW ONES ARE BEING PREPARED FOR ISSUE AS WE SPEAK.
LAND SURVEYORS
THE SURVEY OF THESE LAND HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT ASPECT OF OUR WORK – AND I’M SEEKING THE SERVICES OF TWO(2) SURVEYORS FOR MY MINISTRY AND BY GOD’S HELP, I SHOULD HAVE THEM ON STAFF SOON. MR SPEAKER, WITH THE NEW SURGE OF INTEREST IN FARMING, I RENEW THE GOVERNMENT INCENTIVE PLANS, TO ASSIST FARMERS IN – LAND CLEARING , FENCING, IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, SEEDS, FERTLIZER AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BY PROVIDING AGRICULTURAL ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE ESPECIALLY IN OUR FAMILY ISLANDS.
WTO – LEGAL FRAMEWORK
THE LAW – MR SPEAKER, NEW LEGISLATION WILL SOON BE TABLED FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF OUR PHYTO AND PHYTO-SANITARY LAWS, MEANING NEW LAWS TO BE REGULATE PLAND AND ANIMAL HEALTH IN THE BAHAMAS, AS WE SEEK TO GET READY FOR ENTRANCE TO THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO). AS A MATTER OF FACT, MR. SPEAKER, THE CABINET HAS ALREADY APPROVED FOR TEN (10) PERSONS TO BE HIRED TO THE PLANT PROTECTION AGENCY, AND THESE APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEFORE THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL. ONCE APPOINTED, THIS UNIT WILL OVERSEE THE READINESS PROCESS FOR ENTRY INTO WTO AS FAR AS AGRICULTURE IS CONCERNED.
FAO
MR SPEAKER, SINCE WE LAST SPOKE ON BUDGETARY MATTERS – MR. GODFREY ENEAS HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS THE BAHAMAS AMBASSADOR TO FAO. MR. SPEAKER, FAO AND IICA HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO US, IN OUR FORWARD MOVE IN THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR. WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR CONSTANT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
MR. SPEAKER – THE PHYSICAL PLANT OF MY MINISTRY WAS MET ALMOST IN SHAMBLE –
1) THE PRODUCE EXCHANGE, HAS BEEN RENOVATED AND NEW COOLING SYSTEMS IN­ THE LAST 6-8 MONTHS.
2) THE OFFICE COMPLEX AND TOILET BLOCK AT POTTER’S CAY DOCK HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND PAINTED.
3) THE FISH AND FARM STORE HAS BEEN RENOVATED.
4) THE MARINE RESOURCES OFFICE, EAST BAY STREET HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND PAINTED.
5) THE PACKING HOUSE IN LONG ISLAND IS UNDER REPAIRS.
6) THE MILLS HOUSE FOR ACKLINS IN UNDER CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION.
7) THE MILLS HOUSE IN SOUTH ANDROS IS NOW UNDER CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION.
8) THE MILL HOUSE IN LONG ISLAND IS TO BE REPAIRED IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. ALL OF THE BUILDINGS AT GRAC ARE UNDER CONTRACTS FOR REPAIRS.
9) THE PIGGERY AND ANIMAL LIVESTOCK HOUSES AT GLADSTONE ROAD AGRICULTURAL COMPLEX (GRAC) ARE NOW UNDER CONTRACT FOR REPAIRS.
10) THE SECURITY AT GRAC AS OF MONDAY JUNE 10TH, 2013 HAS HAD TO BE CONTRACTED BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT STEALING OF THE ANIMALS, (GOATS, SHEEP, PIGS AND EVEN THE FEED AT THE FEED MILL IS BEING STOLEN.
MR. SPEAKER, I HAD TO MAKE A JUDGEMENT CALL TO CUT AROUND AND CLEAN THE ENTIRE PERIMETER OF OUR PROPERTY AT GRAC (10-15 FEET PATH) BY TRACTOR, IN ORDER TO DETECT CRIMINALS SEEKING TO ENTER THE PROPERTY, THROUGH THE BACK FENCES.
I ALSO INTEND TO CAUSE PERMIMETER SOLAR LIGHTS, TO BE INSTALLED AT GRAC IN ORDER TO ELIMANATE STEALING AND THE SKULL DUGGERY AT GRAC.
MR. SPEAKER, PERSONS HAVE REPORTED THE COMPLICITY OF STAFF AT GRAC IN THINGS BEING STOLEN- WATER PUMPS, COOLING FANS ETC. – AND SO MR. SPEAKER, WE WILL BE INSTALLING CAMERAS AT THE SITE WITH A VIEW TO ASSIST US IN DEALING WITH THESE PROBLEMS.
PACKING HOUSES
MR. SPEAKER, I INTEND TO CAUSE A NEW PACKING HOUSE TO BE BUILT AT MT. THOMPSON, EXUMA, AND REPAIRS TO BE DONE TO THE PACKING HOUSE AT CAT ISLAND, NORTH ANDROS AND NORTH AND SOUTH ELEUTHERA.
ABBATOIRS
MR. SPEAKER, THE PRESENT ABBATOIR WILL BE REPAIRED, AND WE HOPE TO BUILD TWO NEW ONES, ONE IN LONG ISLAND AND ONE ELEUTHERA, WHICH WERE FORE SHADOWED IN THE HALF YEAR BUDGET COMMUNICATION IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
MR. SPEAKER, I ENVISAGE, THAT IN THE COMING YEARS, HUNDREDS OF JOBS WILL BE CREATED IN AGRICULTURE AND AGRO BUSINESS – PARTICULARLY AMONG WOMEN AND YOUNG PEOPLE – TO THIS END I FULLY COMMIT MYSELF AND MY MINISTRY.
VENDORS POTTERS & ARAWAK CAY
MR. SPEAKER, POTTERS CAY AND ARAWAK CAY ARE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC HUBS FOR THE YOUNG AND NOT SO YOUNG, AND TOGETHER THEY PROVIDE JOBS FOR ALMOST 350 BAHAMIANS. THE VENDORS AT POTTER’S CAY AND ARAWAK CAY ARE DOING MUCH BETTER, BUT I EMPLORE VENDORS TO PLEASE CONTINUE TO PAY THEIR LEASES ON TIME AND KEEP THE AGREEMENTS, WHICH THEY MADE WITH THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE SPACES THEY LEASED.

MARINE RESOURCES
MR. SPEAKER – THE FISHERIES SECTOR IN THE BAHAMAS IS THRIVING AND EXPANDING – THE LANDINGS IN NEW PROVIDENCE ALONE FOR 2012-2013, WAS 5.4 MILLION POUNDS OF FISH VALUED AT $37.3 MILLION. ELEVEN OTHER ISLANDS MAKE UP THE MAIN FISHERIES AREAS OF THE BAHAMAS, ABACO, ACKLINS, ANDROS & BERRY ISLAND, BIMINI, ELEUTHERA, EXUMA, GRAND BAHAMA, LONG ISLAND, MAYAGUANA AND RAGGED ISLAND. THE COLLECTIVE LANDINGS IN THESE ISLANDS WERE $7.5 MILLION POUNDS VALUED AT $64.5 – FOR THE YEAR 2012-2013. TOTAL LANDINGS OF FISHERIES IN THE BAHAMAS WAS THEREFORE OVER $101.8 MILLION FOR 2011-2012 AN INCREASED AS 23% OVER 2010-2011.
MR. SPEAKER, THE ACP (2) PROJECT FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION IN THE AMOUNT OF $350K. THEY ARE PREPARING THE DRAFT FISHERIES ACT AND LEGISLATION, AND IT WILL SOON BE PRESENTED TO CABINET FOR ITS APPROVAL. CONSULTATION HAVE ALREADY TAKEN PLACE AND WHEN PRESENTED AND APPROVED, WILL REVOLUTIONIZE THE FISHING INDUSTRY, AND OUR APPROACH TO THE FISHERIES SECTOR.
MR. SPEAKER – THE QUEENS CONCH FISHERY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE BAHAMIAN ECONOMY, AND IS A STAPLE OF THE BAHAMIAN DISH. AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, MOVE IS PRESENTLY BEING MADE TO STOP THE EXPORT OF CONCH TO THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE.
WE ARE ABLE TO TELL YOU MR. SPEAKER, THAT THAT SECTOR OF OUR FISHERIES IS BEING PROPERLY MANAGED, BUT TO ENSURE THE SUSTAINBILITY OF THIS SECTOR THE CABINET HAS APPROVED A FIVE (5) YEAR SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF THIS SECTOR, COSTING OVER $1.8 MILLION DURING THAT 5 YEAR PERIOD.
UPON THE COMPLETION OF THE STUDY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SAY EMPHATICALLY THAT THE STATE OF OUR CONCH FISHERY, WHICH FROM ALL INDICATIONS, ARE BEING PROPERLY MANAGED, AND IN A HEALTHY STATE.
AQUACULTURE – MR. SPEAKER THERE IS PRESENTLY (3) APPLICATIONS BEFORE MY MINISTRY FOR CONSIDERATION FOR CONCH (FARMING OR FISH) – THEY ARE PRESENTLY UNDER REVIEW AND A DECISION ON THE APPLICATIONS, WOULD BE MADE SHORTLY.
THE SPINY LOBSTER FISHERY LANDING IN 2012 WAS ABOUT $77.9 MILLION, AND WE EXPECT ABOUT THE SAME VALUE OF LANDING DURING THE YEAR.
MR. SPEAKER, I’D LIKE TO SAY THANKS TO THE WORKING GROUP WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED AND APPROVED BY CABINET IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR. THEY ARE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB, IN ADVISING THE GOVERNMENT ON ISSUES RELATED TO THE MANAGEMENT OF THE SPINY LOBSTER FISHERY IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTED STANDARDS.
THE CLOSED SEASONS OF THE GROUPER AND CRAWFISH (LOBSTER) WILL CONTINUE AND WE BEG THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE FISHERIES SECTOR IN THESE REGARDS.
ILLEGAL FISHING – IS ON THE DECLINE – AND WE NOW HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND THE SAME IS IN PROGRESS AND WORKING WELL.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
MR. SPEAKER, THERE ARE 31 DISTRICT COUNCILS THROUGHOUT THE BAHAMAS, AND THESE COUNCILS, PAID HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES, WHO WORKED FOR THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, AS JANITRESS IN THE SCHOOLS, CLINIC,ADMINISTRATOR OFFICE, MINISTRY OF WORKS, ETC., THROUGHOUT THE BAHAMAS.
MR. SPEAKER, MY GOVERNMENT MADE A DECISION TO CAUSE THESE PEOPLE TO BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE LOCAL GOVERN- MENT BUDGET TO THE CENTRAL GOVERN- MENT UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT – ON ONE YEAR PROBATION. MR. SPEAKER, THE NUMBERS WERE SO LARGE – THAT WE COULD NOT APPROVE ALL OF THOSE IN THE LAST BUDGET, AND SO WE HAD TO LIMIT THE FIRST GROUP TO THOSE WHO WERE WORKING FOR FIFTEEN (15) YEARS OR MORE.
MR. SPEAKER THOSE PEOPLE HAVE NOW BEEN HIRED AND ARE NOW IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT BEING PAID BY MY MINISTRY.
I HOPE NEXT YEAR, WE MAY BE ABLE TO INCLUDE THE REST OF SUCH EMPLOYEES. MR. SPEAKER, I GIVE NOTICE THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT TO BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE PLACES WHERE THEY PRENTLY WORK – THE ONLY THING WE EXPECT TO HAPPEN IS THAT THEY WILL NOW BE PAID BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.
MR SPEAKER, THE MONIES WHICH IS LEFT IN THE BUDGET, SHOULD BE USED FOR GENERAL UPKEEP OF THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES, AND I EXPECT THAT ALL WILL BE SO, AND NOT FOR THE HIRE OF NEW PERSONS TO THEIR STAFF. WHERE STAFF IS NECESSARY, I EXPECT THAT THEY WILL BE HIRED ON CONTRACT. SEVERAL AMENDMENTS ARE ENVISAGED TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, TO PROVIDE FOR: I) A DIRECTOR AND DEPARTMENT OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENT;
2) TO ALLOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT
COUNCIL TO APPROVE BUSINESS
LICENCES IN THEIR DISTRICTS
FOLLOWING STRICT GUIDE LINES
WHICH ARE ALREADY ESTABLISHED.
MR. SPEAKER, REPAIRS WILL BE MADE DURING THE COMING YEAR TO ALL ADMINISTRATORS RESIDENCE AND ATTENTION WILL BE GIVEN TO BUILDING A NEW ADMINSTRATOR’S OFFICE IN MAYAGUANA, AND I ALSO ENVISION, HIRING
SEVERAL NEW ADMINISTRATORS FOR THE FAMILY ISLANDS DURING THYE COMING YEAR, THE TRAINING FOR THIS NEW GROUP WILL BEGIN SHORTLY.
MR. SPEAKER, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, I ATTENDED A CONFERENCE IN UGANDA WITH A GROUP OF GOVERNMENT PRACTIONERS AND MY UNDERSECRETARY, MS. RENA GLINTON. DURING THIS CONFERENCE MR. PHILIP MCPHEE WAS ELECTED TO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF COMMONWEALTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION, AND WAS ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF THE ASSOCIATION. THIS IS SIGNIFICANT WHEN YOU CONSIDER OUT OF 126 COUNTRIES

COOPERATIVES AND CREDIT UNION
NOW 16 REGISTERED SOCIETIES WITH ABOUT 40,000 MEMBERS WITH SAVINGS OF ALMOST $290 MILLION – WITH TOTAL ASSETS OF $304,660,774 BY THE END OF 2012.
THE CREDIT UNIONS PROVIDES 144 FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT. 70% OF WHOM ARE WOMEN. MR. SPEAKER, THERE IS DISCUSSION ON- GOING – FOR CREDIT UNION MANAGEMENT TO BE TRANSFERRED TO THE CENTRAL BANK FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATIVE. THIS MOVE IS GENERALLY WELCOMED SINCE THE CENTRAL BANK MAY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BETTER MANAGE AND REGULATE THEM.
THE GENESIS FOR STATEMENT OF CO-OPERATIVE AND CREDIT UNION SHOULD REMAIN WITH THE DEPARTMEMT OF CO-OPERATIVE.
MR. SPEAKER, RE-STRUCTURING THE
DEPARTMENT IS AN IMPERATIVE – THAT WAS THE VIEW OF THE EXPERTS PROVIDED BY THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR – ALL WITH A VIEW TO RE-FOCUSING, RE-STRUCTURING AND RE-POSITIONING THE DEPARTMENT, TO BETTER RESPOND TO THE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF THE CO-OPERATIVE SECTOR THROUGHOUT THE BAHAMAS. $200K HAS BEEN BUDGETED FOR THIS EXERCISE.
AGRO-EXPO 2013 WAS A SMASHING SUCCESS – LAST YEAR WITH 54 STALLS. THIS YEAR IT WAS ALMOST 180 STALLS – WE HOPE THAT CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT TO MAKE THE EXPO AN ANNUAL EVENT.
BAIC
AS MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR BAIC, I AM PLEASED TO SAY THAT BAIC CONTINES TO BLAZE THE TRAIL FOR HAARNESSINGT THE CREATIVE ENERGIES OF OUR PEOPLE, AND I’M PLESE TO SAY THAT THE CHAIRMAN, BOARD, MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF BAIC ARE DOING A GOOD WORK AND PEOPLE ALL OVER THE BAHAMAS ARE ASK TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE SERVICES OFFERED AT BAICM, SO THAT THEY MAY BECOME BY SPECIAL TRAINING EMPLOYERS, RATHER THAN EMPLOYEES.
THE CHAIRMAN HAS SPOKEN TO MANY AREAS, IN WHICH BAIC IS INVOLVED AND I SHALL REPEAT THEN LAST. I SHALL BORE YOU GREATLY SUFFICE IT TO SAY – THAT BETWEEN BAIC AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, MY MINISTRY INTENDS TO TRANSFORM THE BAHAMAS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

Minister of Education, Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald made his contribution to the 2013 – 2014 budget debate yesterday in the House of Assembly. You can read his presentation below:

Mr. Speaker
This budget is about the future. In fact this budget is meant to be the first step in securing the future for all Bahamians. It brings to an end 5 years of mismanagement and reckless spending. What a difference a year makes!! Last year this time after a resounding victory at the polls we were faced with the harsh and brutal reality that the FNM under the disastrous leadership of The Rt. Honourable Hubert Ingraham had positioned our beloved Bahamaland on the brink of economic ruin.

Mr. Speaker
We knew it was bad, but even the most imaginative amongst us could not have imagined the depth of mismanagement, incompetence and sheer arrogance that would beset us.
How could we have imagined that for 5 years senior members of the Ministry of Finance were never called to the Cabinet to give a briefing on the true state of our economy, or to voice their concerns?
How could we have imagined that there would only be 3 million dollars of short term borrowing available to us? That the country’s overdraft was increased by 100M from 100M to 200M and that it was all used up. How could we have imagined that the narcissist mind of the then leader would agree to sell 9% of the government’s 49% in BTC to cover this 100M?
How could we have imagined that the 25M that Parliament had authorized for the 52-week program had actually doubled to almost 50M?
How could we have imagined that thousands were employed in the weeks and months leading up to the 2012 General Election?
How could we have imagined that in 2 Family Island constituencies scores of people were hired on Election Day?
How could we have imagined that in North Abaco alone over 400 persons were on the 52-week program? Almost 15% of the persons who voted in North Abaco in the May 7th General Election were on the 52-week program. How could we have imagined that?

Mr. Speaker
Despite the shock and horror we experienced when faced with these unexpected realities we got straight to work. This has been a year of cleaning-up. It has been a year of realigning our ministries and economy; of tightening our expenditure; and of bringing even further clarity to our will and vision for The Bahamas in the most challenging of times. It has been a year when we have had to restore the faith of our people in the prospect for good governance in the most dismal of times. But alas: It has been a successful year!
Mr. Speaker
The Budget before us is the best Budget we have had in the past 4 years. We accept that the 2007/2008 Budget was ours, and was in place when we were voted out on May 2nd of 2007. So confident were the FNM when they took office and saw that the year before we had produced an 8M surplus they proudly predicted that they would produce a 25M surplus and that the Bahamian economy was decoupling from the US economy. From the minute that statement came out of the former PM mouth I knew we were in trouble. How could anyone worth his salt state that we were separating ourselves and not reliant of the US economy. It’s absurd!!
Mr. Speaker,
Likewise we accept that the 2012/2013 Budget was the FNM’s, and was in place before they were voted out on May 7th, 2012. Fundamentally, it is impossible to change a Budget in less than 3 weeks.

PLP BUDGET HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES
Mr. Speaker,
It is against this backdrop that I have chosen to theme my Budget presentation, “PLP Budget Hits All The Right Notes”. I must ensure for copyright purposes to note that these words ought to be attributed to the global Credit Rating Agency, MOODY’S.

Mr. Speaker
Even before MOODY’S made this statement it wasn’t difficult to endorse this as the best Budget presented to this honourable Chamber in the past 4 years. All one had to do was read the editorials of two of the daily newspapers the morning after the Budget Communication was read in this place by the Rt. Honourable Prime Minister. One editor questioned the crime statistics, and the other said Thank You Hubert Ingraham. Not a word about the Budget that had just been tabled in the House of Assembly. Not a single word. Not even a reference. Nothing, nada, zilch.

Mr. Speaker
A day or so later hidden in the Business Section of one of those dailies was the stamp of approval from the credit rating agency MOODY’S. It read: PLP budget “hits all the right notes”. This then put the question to rest. This is the best budget presented to this Parliament in the last 4 years! Our last year in office in 2007 we left with an 8 million dollar surplus.
Mr. Speaker
It is indeed unfortunate that one can open a local daily in this country and find it encumbered with political bias, even to the extent of disregarding the factual global analysis of an agency like MOODY’S. It’s their paper and they have the right to do with it what they wish. It is however my humble opinion that the greatest insult to the pioneers of the fourth estate is this level of partiality, prejudice, and sacrifice of journalistic integrity which one now witnesses almost on a daily basis taking place. That’s fine, but I support what the member for Fox Hill said during his contribution. We are just looking for some semblance of balance. We must be doing something right!!
Mr. Speaker
Truth be told, I did wonder why wasn’t the headline or editorial “PLP Budget hits the right notes” or “Thank You Perry Christie”. Unfortunately I do not think you will ever find any of these 2 dailies saying thank you to Perry Christie. They will never say it even though this Christie Budget was crafted less than one year after the former FNM; Hubert Ingraham-led Administration brought the economy to its knees in just 5 years! Yet there’s no denying it: The PLP budget hits all the right notes; The PLP budget hits all the right notes; The PLP budget hits all the right notes; The PLP budget hits all the right notes; The PLP budget hits all the right notes.

Mr. Speaker
I am told that you have to repeat something 10 times for people to actually remember it. So during this presentation I intend to repeat 10 times that this “PLP budget hits all the right notes”. I have now said it 5 times, and I have 5 more times to go.
Mr. Speaker
Some have questioned our Budget and our projections for future budgets. Our confidence is not based on dreams, although we do dream and dream big. The world was built by dreamers and those who dared to dream big, but in this case our budget and projections are supported by past experience facts and reality.
Mr. Speaker
Let us not forget that when Perry Christie was Prime Minister and Minister of Finance from 2002 – 2007, he created over 22,000 jobs and unemployment in The Bahamas was the second lowest in the region. It was almost at an irreducible level. Under Perry Christie’s leadership, government revenue increased by almost 60% – that’s an increase of over 400M in 5 years. Nothing close to that has ever happened. Just so you can appreciate the significance, from 2007-2012 under the FNM and the disastrous leadership of Hubert Ingraham as Minister of Finance government revenue actually fell. It was less in 2012 than it was in 2007. Five years and not one dollar increase. That’s what’s eating them, they still can’t figure out how we did. Despite the fact that the numbers don’t lie they still can’t be lieve it. Now we project that over the next 5 years we will grow revenue by over 400 again. The side opposite says no. Their financial experts say no. We say we did it before and with the help of Almighty God we will do it again.
Mr. Speaker
Facts are truly stubborn things. During the period 2002-2007, under the leadership of the Rt. Honourable Perry Gladstone Christie The Bahamas had record tourist arrivals. The PLP led Government built over 1400 homes – almost more than double what was built during the previous 10 years under the FNM. There was record foreign direct investment. The profits of BTC tripled. Electricity for the first time in our history was reduced. The Bridge Authority moved from losing over 500k to making over a million dollars. The College of The Bahamas accounts were audited for the first time in 5 years, and COB was prepared for University status. More classrooms were added to the public school system than in the previous 10 years. That was over 5 years ago. Fast-forward to today and the reality is that we are in the process of doubling our investment in education and training. We are well on our way to the creation of The University of The Bahamas, with a Bahamian as President. This “PLP budget hits all the right notes”. That’s 6.

Mr. Speaker
We on this side are not perfect, in fact far from it. But one thing that cannot be denied is that when you look at our past experience and the reality of the present situation we are doing a far better job than the other side did or could have ever dreamt of.
Mr. Speaker
The Member for Fox Hill in his contribution stated that what he found interesting about the editorial thanking Hubert Ingraham – among other things, was he thought it curious that the editor could thank a man who said her bosses were “too damn greedy”. But you know what I found interesting about the editorial. Here was a man who was Minister of Finance for 15 of the past 20 years and they could not find one positive thing to say about his performance as Minister of Finance. Not one, Nothing, Nada, Zilch. Not a word!
Mr. Speaker
There is good reason why they said nothing about his performance as Minister of Finance, because the record is clear, when you examine the last 5 years in particular, there isn’t anything good to say. In fact Mr. Speaker the record reflects that the Rt. Honourable Hubert Ingraham is the worst Minister of Finance this country has ever seen. Everyone has their opinion, but for me I like my opinion to have at its foundation facts. Truth be told, the facts show that between the years of 2007-2012 his performance as Minister of Finance was the worst in the Caribbean and Central America.
Mr. Speaker
I am still searching for what type of mind would want to thank a man who:
1. Was identified by the head of the Contractors Association in August 2007 as taking the economy from boom to bust in 90 days;
2. A man who put the entire economy on hold with his stop, review and cancel policy;
3. A man who refused to meet with investors for almost 6 months after coming to office;
4. A man who instituted the largest across the board tax increase in the history of our country on the backs of struggling Bahamians;
5. A man who commenced the largest public sector infrastructure works, awarded it to a foreigner, mismanaged it and almost doubled the price; AND in the process caused the closure of hundreds of businesses, put thousands on the unemployment line, forced home foreclosures and children having to return home from College;
6. A man who did not create one single new job in 5 years in fact unemployment doubled and 29,000 joined the unemployment line under his rein;
7. A man who exhausted all of our short term borrowing, increased our overdraft by 100M and left us with 100M in unpaid bills;
8. A man who attracted not one new investment in 5 years;
9. A man who made interest on debt the largest expenditure line item in the budget.
10. A man who presided over 3 consecutive years of negative growth or literally no growth, distinguishing the Bahamas from all other countries in this region.
11. A man who destroyed Saunders Beach. (In-fact they tell me every morning the tractors and dump trucks are at Saunders Beach trying to put back what the former administration destroyed).

Mr. Speaker

The celebration of a man who failed at so much in five years can only mean one thing, AND the Bahamian people figured it out on May 7th, 2012. I join the Member for Fox Hill and the majority of Bahamians and say good riddance and pray that this type of egotistical, arrogant and narcissistic individual never again in our history occupy the office of Prime Minister.
Mr. Speaker
I want to leave you with this final point on the matter and it really is in the form of a question. When did you ever hear Mr. Ingraham in his 15 years as Prime Minister articulate a vision for this country or explain one big idea he had? Just one?
Mr. Speaker
So on the day after the best budget to be presented in the last 4 years was laid in this place, a budget that hit all the right notes…that’s 7, all this particular editor could find to say was Thank You Hubert Ingraham. I say it is a clear indication of the depths to which journalism in certain corners of this country has sunk.
Mr. Speaker
I hear those on the other side saying that we have borrowed over one billion in one year, but you know they have no shame. They know that 300M of the 400M we spent last year on capital works was committed by them and 100M of what we will spend in this budget was also committed by them. They know we had to pay down 100M on the 200M overdraft they left to bring it within our overdraft limit and they know they left us 100M in bills which we knew nothing about prior to coming to office. That’s 600M they left us to borrow in one year. 600M.
Mr. Speaker
The Bahamian people deserve more credit than what those opposite are giving. They know the financial mess the FNM left us to deal with. I’ll explain it this way in simple terms. Imagine a relative dies and leaves a mountain of debt and unpaid bills behind. Although they are dead and gone the family is left to pay the bills to settle the estate. Most times the debt and bills are unknown to the family until the passing of the family member. So it was with the FNM, although they had slipped away in what we expect will be their eternal resting place in opposition, their debt, bills and commitments remained as a constant reminder of their poor budgeting, record deficits and mismanagement of the public purse. As I said…they have no shame!!

Mr. Speaker
The Rt. Honourable Prime Minister describes this Budget as a pivotal budget in the history of our small nation and one that secures the future for all Bahamians. It is a Budget that returns us to prudent fiscal stewardship and a balanced approach to managing our economy.

Mr. Speaker

This approach to managing the public finances is critical at this point in our history. Minister Halkitis puts it best when he stated during his contribution that:
“When we came to office last year, we inherited an unsustainable fiscal situation, in fact a debt tornado that was increasingly spiraling out of control and ravaging an ever greater proportion of our revenue base merely to pay interest on the debt and cover required principal repayments.”

Mr. Speaker
I have stated in this place before that when we came to office we invited the Ministry of Finance to Cabinet for a briefing on the state of the public purse and a review of the Budget prepared by the side opposite, which we were to table in 2 weeks. We were shocked, I guess horrified would be a better word when we found out that this was the first time in 5 years that senior finance officials had been to Cabinet.

Mr. Speaker
You see those former Ministers over there; they had no input whatsoever in their own budget. None. They saw it when the rest of us saw it. One man, the self described “one man band” who didn’t need a deputy decided who got and who didn’t. They had no input whatsoever. So when I hear them over there complaining I have to laugh to myself because for 5 years they were clueless when it came to the budget. They sat around the table year after year watching the deficits increase year after year and said nothing. They watched as revenue underperformed and expenditure exceeded budgets and they said nothing. Now they have found their voice…what a difference a year makes!!

Mr. Speaker
Their budget deficit was off the last couple of years by couple hundred million dollars. Not one or two, ten or twenty but couple hundred. And they doubting us? In this short year we cut budgeted expenditure by 162 million. Not one or two, or ten or twenty, but 162 million. Relative to our GDP the deficit will be 6.1% as compared to the 6.5% that was originally projected.

Mr. Speaker
This is why MOODY’s had the confidence to say this PLP Budget hits all the right notes…That’s 8.

Mr. Speaker
We have been here before, and we have steered the SS Bahamas away from snares and rocky shoals to calm and tranquil seas. This is déjà vu, the mismanagement we found in 2002 all over again, only this time it’s on steroids or maybe “on fire” is a more apt description.

Mr. Speaker
This Budget has received overwhelming support because it sets out not only a programme to contain and reverse the growth of government debt – thereby putting the country on a more secure and sustainable financial footing; but also unveils creative strategies to grow the economy through attracting FDI, incentivizing local economic activity, expanding the opportunities for education and training, and reaffirming our commitment to law and order, as well as preserve our ability to provide relief and assistance to those in need.

Mr. Speaker,
I will address the specifics of the budget allocation more specifically during the head to head. I do want to congratulate the Minister of State for Finance and his team at the Ministry of Finance for their approach to the preparation of this budget. Minister’s and their teams met with Finance and reviewed line for line areas where there could be savings and areas which were identified as priorities to execute the governments agenda were given appropriate funding. This is a paradigm shift and Minister’s are now fully involved in the budget process and have taken full responsibility for the management of their allocation during this year.

Mr. Speaker,
I would only say at this point that the budget allocation for education should leave no doubt in anyone’s mind about this government’s commitment to education and training. In real terms our recurrent expenditure has increased and there has been an almost 50% increase in our capital budget. That’s substantial!!

EDUCATION
Mr. Speaker

Education cannot and will not be business as usual. The government has committed to double the nation’s investment in education over a five-year period! We are well on our way and we have gotten off to an excellent start. When I presented the update for the first one hundred (100) days and in the mid-year budget, I outlined nine (9) priorities of focus to be addressed in our investment in education and training. I also stated that 7 of these 9 areas of priority had little or no investment by the previous administration and although it was mathematically impossible to double zero this government was making the investment none the less.

Mr. Speaker
The Charter for Governance commits the government over the ensuing 5 years to double its investment, not the Budget, in education and training.

Mr. Speaker
I am pleased to prioritize our investment in education and training.
1. Hiring new teachers who will have access to the best training and best practices.
2. The creation of twenty first century schools through major upgrades to ensure our students have access to the best technology.
3. The expansion and improvement of preschool education.
4. The expansion and improvement of special needs education, which will include early detection and improved assistance.
5. The Creation of Career Path Academies, which will facilitate the expansion of technical and vocational training and the creation of new apprenticeship opportunities.
6. Improved and expanded after school programs.
7. A new high school equivalency diploma, which will also set the basis for, a GED program to assist Bahamians who were unable to graduate from high school.
8. The expansion of BTVI to accommodate the training and retraining of Bahamians so that they can have access to the best instruction while improving their skills and staying competitive.
9. The College of the Bahamas will become the University of The Bahamas.

Mr. Speaker,
I continue to state these priorities every time I speak about education in this place and outside because I hear persons in here and outside continue to pretend like they are not clear on what the government meant when it said it would double its investment in education and training. I have even heard some talk show host and their callers’ say that my Ministry has not outlined our priorities for education. I wonder sometimes whether they are listening. So I will continue to repeat this and hope that those who have ears will hear and those who have eyes will see.

Mr. Speaker
I can say without fear of contradiction that the
previous administration failed to invest or
did not increase its investment in any areas that I
have outlined. This – as I stated during the Budget
Debate last year and the mid year budget this year,
presented me and the government with a
mathematical quandary. How do you double Zero?
How do you double zero and get a positive number?

Mr. Speaker
The point I am making is that based on our priorities
for education and compared with the previous
administration’s lack of investment in the areas we
have prioritized – based on this criteria, we will
double the nation’s investment in education and
training many times over during this 5 year term.

Mr. Speaker,
Education is an investment in our children’s future wellbeing and in the strength of our national economy. The improved quality of education in The Bahamas will be vital for ensuring that our students are prepared for the 21st century.

Mr. Speaker
My Ministry is focused on supporting children who have too often missed educational opportunities for various reasons. Hence, we have embarked on a course to reorganize the Ministry to ensure that reforms are put in place to deliver the support what every child needs to succeed. We have put more emphasis and focus on those that continue to fall through the cracks. That is the 50% that either don’t graduate from public schools or leave school with only an attendance certificate.
Mr. Speaker,
The truth is our educational system is producing some of the best and brightest children anywhere in the world. For our small population we have produced 3 Rhodes Scholars and our students continue to perform extremely well at some of the top universities and institutions around the world. We have a Bahamian working at NASA in the USA who is now reaching back and providing opportunities for Bahamians to study and intern at NASA. We have signed a collaborative Agreement with them, which will expose a dozen or so students to research and technology at NASA.
Mr. Speaker
Our challenge as a country is not the lack of high achievers. We have our share of those. Our challenge are the low performers and we have far too many. My Ministry must therefore make our education system and curriculum more relevant and enhance and improve our intervention strategies. I firmly believe if we get back to basics and ensure that our kids can read write and do basic math before they leave grade 9 the national grade point average will take care of itself.
Mr. Speaker,
Our overriding goal however, must be to ensure that when kids leave school they are functionally literate, numerate, possess respect for themselves and others, an appreciation of their history which bolsters their self worth and identity, and that they are able to easily matriculate to higher learning or the work force and positively contribute to our national development. Then and only then will be we able to say with confidence that we have a relevant and successful educational system.

Mr. Speaker
We have a long way to go. The good news though is that we have identified the challenges, we are aligning our educational structure to address the challenges and we have established a bi-partisan education and political committee to agree to a shared vision for education 2030. This will crystallize our vision for education and ensure our educational system is relevant for 21st century learning and beyond. At the same time it will ensure that the least amongst are not forgotten or disadvantaged by their physical, mental or socio economic conditions.
Mr. Speaker
In a nutshell we have a PLAN!! We have a Vision for Education!! Our goal now is to ensure we have a Shared Vision for education.
Mr. Speaker,
Being cognizant of the fact that improving the quality of Bahamian schooling is important to our country’s future prosperity, productivity and security, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology presents as its mandates the following:
Expansion and improvement to pre-school education;
Early detection of special needs and early intervention for students with such needs;
Full literacy and numeracy of students when they leave primary school;
High school students are able to transition effectively from school into higher education, the labour market and society;
Provision of access to best training and practices for teachers;
Mr. Speaker,
With these guideposts established, I advance in my communication to address developments and plans for education initiatives concerning:
1. Schools;
2. Scholarships;
3. Training & Professional Development;
4. Staffing and
5. School Properties.

Mr. Speaker

I have often quoted the Prime Minister who stated that:
“EDUCATION NOT MONEY IS THE CURE TO POVERTY, AND EDUCATION NOT JAILS IS THE SOLUTION TO CRIME”

SCHOOLS
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Mr. Speaker,
Research conducted on early childhood education supports the view that the first few years of school are critical to every child’s long-term learning outcomes. Research findings, which were documented in a booklet produced by the Inter-American Development Bank, entitled, “Breaking the Poverty Cycle: Investing in Early Childhood” indicated “ECCD (Early Childhood Care and Development) fosters a lifetime of improved health and mental and physical performance, resulting in higher productivity and income for the individual. The benefits of ECCD, however, go well beyond the child to include benefits to other members of the household, especially mothers and older siblings with child care responsibilities”.

Mr. Speaker,
Investing in early childhood education can have enormous pay offs for society. Returns as high as $7 for each dollar spent on early intervention programs have been documented. These returns come in the form of cost savings associated with less need for remedial education and other social programs, less violence and crime, and greater economic productivity.
Mr. Speaker,
The Perry Preschool Study 2001 (not the Perry Christie) but the High Scope Education Research Foundation Perry Preschool Study (2000) indicated that adults at age 40 who had gone through the preschool programme had higher earnings, were more likely to hold a job, had committed fewer crimes, and were more likely to have graduated from high school than adults who did not attend preschool.

Mr. Speaker,
I have presented information based on research to illustrate the impact early childhood education has on the society and indeed the world. No doubt, you are aware, that the Progressive Liberal Party government, in its pursuit of excellence in education, made the first attempt to include preschool education in the public school system. This occurred in 1989 when the first government preschool was established in Coconut Grove. It still exists in that community today. Having established the Coconut Grove Preschool, the Progressive Liberal Party government then incorporated the Delaporte Preschool. Therefore, you see, Mr. Speaker, the vision for public school early childhood education was born in the Progressive Liberal Party government. Hence, there are now fifty-nine (59) preschools to date in New Providence and the Family Islands.
Mr. Speaker,
This legacy of early childhood education established by the Progressive Liberal Party in 1989 will continue with this Progressive Liberal Party government. As stated in the Charter of Governance, we will focus on two mandates:
(i) to expand and make public preschool education more available throughout the Commonwealth and
(ii) to encourage a minimum standard of qualification and training for professionals who provide preschool education in the private sector and implement training programmes to assist in the meeting of this standard where necessary.
Mr. Speaker,
The preschool division in the Department of Education has feverishly begun to implement these mandates as the following initiatives are well on the way in New Providence, Grand Bahama and the Family Islands:
(i) The Cleveland Eneas Preschool, due to the overflow of population, In March was relocated off Buttonwood Avenue in Pinewood Gardens and its capacity increased to accommodate 80 students and will be expanded this summer to accommodate an additional 60 students for the upcoming academic year.
(ii) Free Town Primary was established as a stand-alone preschool on September 24th, 2012. The facility has been refurbished and the environment made conducive for 20 preschool students.
(iii) The Lewis Yard Preschool facility was relocated to the Saint Vincent De Paul’s Catholic School grounds and was remodeled in its entirety to meet the standards of a preschool facility.

(iv) The Moore’s Island All Age School now enjoys a preschool unit. For the first time in history the doors of the preschool were opened on March 18th, 2013. It presently accommodates 10 students

Mr. Speaker,
In September of this year my ministry will open a high quality redesigned facility at the St. Bede’s Catholic School grounds, Sutton Street off Kemp Road. The facility will initially accommodate eighty (80) students with a full complement of teachers and ancillary staff. In addition, an early childhood desk will be established where the officers responsible for the supervision and monitoring of all daycare and preschool centers will be housed. This will be a first-class early childhood care education and research and training centre.
Mr. Speaker,
We will begin the expansion of two additional preschool units at Claridge Primary School to be completed during the October midterm of this year. The occupancy for this site will be forty (40) students.
In the Family Island community of Fox Town, Abaco a preschool facility that will be able to accommodate twenty-five (25) students will open in September.
At James A. Pinder primary in Sandy Point Abaco we will open our first preschool in September to accommodate 20 students.
At Abaco Central Primary we will increase our capacity from 20 to 40 preschoolers.

Mr. Speaker,
In one year we have added capacity for some 300 preschool students who previously did not have access to this vital educational experience. The dividends will be huge!! We intend to continue with our aggressive expansion in the area of preschool education over the next 4 years.
Mr. Speaker,
Our Preschool Officers must be commended for their dedication and service beyond the call of duty. The Standards and Regulations for the 2004 Daycare and Preschools’ Act are being prepared for presentation as I speak. Following the approval of these Standards, I shall seek to establish a Regulatory Body for the oversight of Early Childhood Care and Education in the private sector.

Mr. Speaker,
The advancement of early childhood care and education is a mammoth task and in my short tenure, this section has experienced exponential growth and development. My Ministry embraces the ongoing challenge of improving early childhood care and education in The Bahamas.

Primary School
Mr. Speaker,
Progressive educators and parents agree that much emphasis must be placed on the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes imparted to children during their early years of schooling. I believe that it is the Government’s responsibility to assist all children to achieve their full potential.
Mr. Speaker,
Officers in the Primary Curriculum Section ought to be congratulated and rewarded for the important work that they do year after year.
Mr. Speaker
I am pleased to report that several adjustments have been made in a move to strengthen literacy and numeracy levels of primary school students. The number of subjects in the lower primary curriculum has been reduced. The contact periods for Reading and Grammar have doubled and those for Math have been increased by 50%. Interdisciplinary Unit Teaching was introduced which is the integration of the concepts, skills and knowledge of Social Studies, Science, Family Life and Health and Religious Studies in a single thematic approach. This decision was made in July 2012 and implementation began in September 2012.
Mr. Speaker
This change occurred in two months after I took office and I am advised that this change has been debated in the Ministry for the past 15 years.
Over the next few years, it will be important to place greater focus on the development of literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, communication, discipline and social skills along with the development of a positive sense of self, our country’s history and national identity.

Mr. Speaker,
During 2013-2014 period of the budget, increased funding will be provided for ongoing in-service training for lower primary teachers in New Providence and the Family Islands. Greater focus will be placed on identifying the strengths and weaknesses of novice teachers in all primary schools and implementing the necessary intervention strategies. Highly skilled technical officers will produce interdisciplinary teaching units for teachers assigned to lower primary grades. Moreover, there will be at every primary school, an increased level of supervision and monitoring to ensure the needs of students in lower and upper primary grades are being met.
Mr. Speaker,
I wish to stress that low performing teachers, when identified, will be encouraged to attend mandatory grade level or subject specific workshops. The Department of Education, supported by The Bahamas Union of Teachers, will assist all teachers who require improving and/or updating their teaching skills.

Mr. Speaker,
The 2013-2014 education budget reflects much needed funding for curriculum-based, interdisciplinary units, indigenous learning materials, teacher training and teacher supervision – all designed to produce 21st century students who are more than ready to succeed.

SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION
Mr. Speaker,
When I presented the Mid Year Budget, I mentioned that the Career Path Academy would offer possible interventions to numerous socio-economic challenges facing the economy. It is the intention of the Government to have these Academies in all senior high schools throughout The Bahamas. My Ministry has therefore laid out a plan for the orderly implementation of Career Path Academies.
Mr. Speaker,
The programme, which is well underway at the C.C. Sweeting Senior High School, is designed to allow students entry into career choices after they would have completed the Differentiated Aptitude Test (DAT) at the eighth and ninth grade levels. Programmes include Business Studies, Academic Arts, Auto Mechanics, Technical Studies, Hospitality and tourism Studies, Family and Consumer Services and Cosmetology.
Mr. Speaker,
My Ministry realizes the importance of science and technology education to the development of our country. In an effort to give focus to this important discipline in secondary education, we have refurbished the science labs at the C.C. Sweeting Senior High School. Our goal over the next three years is to complete this process in all of our secondary schools in the country.
Mr. Speaker,
Food security continues to be a major concern for us in The Bahamas. I am pleased to inform members of this Chamber of the exposure to and accomplishments in Agricultural Science:

South Andros High School has established a functional mini hydroponic unit to produce romaine lettuce for sale. The school also has a poultry unit and is expected to produce eggs and chicken for sale in the next school year.

Through collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, the North Andros High School and the Sheraton Hotel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding where the school supplies the hotel with select vegetables during the peak of the vegetable season.

The Agricultural Science programme has received funding from the Food and Agriculture Organization Telefood Project Fund for the upgrade/refurbishment of animal husbandry units at H.O. Nash Junior High School, South Andros High School and L.N. Coakley High School.

Horticulture Certification of ten (10) Agricultural Science teachers by Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association via The Bahamas Landscape Association will take place in this upcoming year.

Continued development of Agri-Tourism initiatives and professional development for teachers in conjunction with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Cooperation (BAIC) and the Department of Agriculture will also occur.

Mr. Speaker,
I turn my attention to the Examination and Assessment Division of the Ministry of Education, Science & Technology. I am sure that you are all patently aware of the critical role which this area of my ministry plays in ensuring that all national examinations, and more importantly, the Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education examinations maintains international currency and assesses and provides certification for high school graduates in areas of study that will enhance our national development.
Mr. Speaker,
While we in the Ministry are not satisfied with the overall performance of our students on standardized national examinations, I wish to report that statistics reveal continued incremental improvements in students’ performance on the Grade Level Assessment Tests (GLAT), Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) examinations and the Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) Examinations. Statistics for the 2012 BJC examinations reveal that there was improvement in seven of the ten subjects tested.
Of the twenty-seven BGCSE subjects tested, improved performance was noted in nineteen of them.
Mr. Speaker,
On 19th January this year, I was privileged to participate in the Annual BJC/BGCSE Awards Ceremony. I was extremely delighted to witness the large number of students from across our archipelago receiving recognition for their outstanding performance in the 2012 BJC and BGCSE examinations. It was indeed gratifying to share in the ceremony, which also celebrated the twentieth sitting of the BGCSE examinations. I wish to commend the corporate partners who have willingly over the years assisted with the sponsorship of the ceremony.

Mr. Speaker,
I wish to applaud the efforts of the dedicated staff of the Examination and Assessment Division for recognizing the stellar academic accomplishments of our students, and for naming two of the highest BGCSE awards in honour of two outstanding Bahamians. The first female Director of Education and former BGCSE Coordinator, Ms. Marjorie Davis and the first Assistant Director of Education with responsibility for the Division and retired Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Carol Hanna have made outstanding contributions to the field of education. The awards are the ‘Marjorie Davis Award for Academic Excellence,’ which was presented to the Government School Student with the overall best BGCSE results and the ‘Carol Hanna Award for Academic Excellence’ which was presented to the Independent School Student with the overall best BGCSE results. The 2012 recipients were Marlen Lopez of the C.R. Walker High School, Shannon Butler of Queen’s College and Matthew Grammatico of Forest Heights Academy in Abaco.

Mr. Speaker,
Hospitality and Tourism is one of the major industries in The Bahamas. During the 2013 – 2014 fiscal period, the Examination and Assessment Division will commence preparation of a BGCSE examination syllabus to compliment the revised Hospitality and Tourism Studies curriculum, which is currently being piloted in several of our senior high schools. The new BGCSE examination will host its first students in 2016. It is expected that the proposed BGCSE Hospitality and Tourism Studies examination will assist in heightening respect for careers in the sector and bring credibility to the subject.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Mr. Speaker
The Government of The Bahamas, and more directly, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, recognizes the need for heightened attention to those students with special needs.
My Ministry will rent and renovate Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School to accommodate some 100 special needs children. The Special Education facility will be a centre to offer early diagnosis and intervention strategies for students with mild to moderate challenges. Training for pre-service and in-service teachers, parents and others in the community will also be available. In essence it will be a research and training facility and we expect this facility to be the envy of the region.
Mr. Speaker,
Further my Ministry seeks to support persons with special needs beyond the normal school age. When they are no longer able to attend schools like Anatol Rodgers High School or the new Special needs school at Our Lady’s, a safe, productive, learning environment must be available to them. The Prime Minister during his budget address announced plans to begin construction, in New Providence, of a new educational and multipurpose facility that will provide daytime occupational therapy and instruction for persons with special needs. 1 million dollars was allocated to begin the construction. This will allow the attendees to continue their development and maximize their potential and continue to contribute to society.
TERTIARY EDUCATION
Mr. Speaker,
Our Government’s investment in skills and research in education is directed at targeting skills shortage in priority sectors and areas of critical national importance. One such area is that of Agriculture and Marine Sciences. I am very pleased to note that over $4 million will be invested to establish the new School of Agriculture and Marine Sciences in North Andros. It will be built on the site of the old agricultural research facility and will include a tutorial commercial farm.
Mr. Speaker,
It is expected to be fully self-sustaining within five years. Also of significance is that as an adjunct of The College of The Bahamas, the School will offer diploma and certification programmes as well as skills training. It is estimated that initiatives sparked by the school could potentially place a 15% dent in our country’s total food imports.
Mr. Speaker,
Higher levels of vocational education and training qualifications and workforce development are strongly linked to increased workforce participation and productivity.
Mr. Speaker,
BTVI continues to make great strides. With enrolment up almost 25% and the addition of new courses it is meeting its mandate. Recently the new board was appointed in accordance with the Act. I am proud to announce that Mr. Abraham Butler, former general manger of Water and Sewerage Corp. will be the first official Chairman of BTVI. This will give BTVI more autonomy and allow it to be more nimble and respond to the changing demands of the workplace. It is expected this year that we will commence construction on a new 10 block classroom unit at the BTVI campus at a cost of around 1.5 million. Presently lack of space is hindering the expansion of offerings and limiting enrolment.

SCHOLARSHIPS
Mr. Speaker,
As the 2012/2013 Budget comes to an end it is worthy to note that during the year the government has awarded over 11 million dollars in scholarship grants and over 1800 students have benefitted. This was an increase of 25% in scholarship grants over 2011/20l2. More than 3 million dollars went to The College of The Bahamas and more than 750 students benefitted. Another 1 million went in the form of financial aid and we reimbursed COB another million dollars in financial aid which was outstanding from our predecessors. In fact we supported COB with 2 million in financial aid this year. This level of commitment to tertiary education has not been made by any government since the introduction of COB in 1973.

Mr. Speaker,
In this 2013/2014 budget the government has increased scholarships for tertiary education by 1 million dollars. Not only are these actions of a caring government, but one in spirit and action that has demonstrated a commitment and focus on education as a priority. “This PLP “budget hits all the right notes” …that’s 9.
Mr. Speaker,
The Scholarship & Educational Loan Division (SELD) has been doing all that it is able to sensitize Family Island students about the opportunities available to persons interested in pursuing higher education. We travel to the islands, we engage in career’s fairs, we provide information to our guidance counselors, and we meet with teachers and parents. However, more must be done to increase the number of Family Island students that are participating in these scholarship programmes and I have given the Division the mandate to take initiatives to increase the number of scholarship recipients from the Family Islands.
Mr. Speaker,
We intend to do a lot more than we were able to do in 2012/2013. I have instructed the National Scholarship Committee to ensure that the selection process continues to be fair and relevant to the needs of our country and our people.
This year, we will focus on providing scholarships to those who truly deserve assistance. Support will be given taking into account financial need, academic accomplishments, and focusing on areas that we desperately need for the continued development of our labour force and the economic expansion that we are forecasting.
We will be focusing on areas such as culinary/hospitality studies, hotel and tourism management, urban development, special education, audiology and speech pathology, the social sciences, conservation management, maritime studies, technical studies, engineering, mathematic and science education, cultural studies, and the technical areas such as radiology, medical lab technology, auto and aviation mechanics, welding, plumbing, electrical technology, the arts and the like.
Mr. Speaker,
We will be transforming the Scholarship & Educational Loan Division into a state of the art, technology driven, customer driven, agency of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. We intend to institute on-line application processing, and develop a system whereby we are able to track our scholarship recipients after they have completed their studies. We intend also this year to begin bonding all students who receive government funding which will ensure that if there are needs in the public sector where their education and training can be used; they will be required to work in the public sector for a pre determined period of time.
Mr. Speaker,
The Scholarship Division will become a resource centre where students and adults interested in college can come and get assistance in planning for college. They will get help in selecting institutions that can provide their educational needs, assistance in completing and compiling all the information required for the application process and assistance in getting funding from institutions.

Mr. Speaker
This Resource Centre will develop a college search programme to determine which colleges will provide money for deserving students in sports, the arts, music, sciences, and other areas.
Mr. Speaker
The future looks bright for our young people particularly those pursuing the higher education objectives of this government. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology will continue to provide scholarship funding and seek funding opportunities and partnerships with the private sector, foreign governments and other colleges and Universities wherever they are in the world. We must ensure that everyone in this wonderful place we call The Bahamas, has an opportunity to either acquire a tertiary education, or to acquire a skill that will enable them to accomplish their dreams, ambitions, and aspirations. We have completed our interview process and expect to appoint the selected person to oversee this transformation of the scholarship division shortly.

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mr. Speaker,
One element that is necessary for our education system to be effective is that of the engagement of quality teachers. When we have attracted the brightest and the best to join the profession of teaching, we must commit to equipping them with the skills and training they need to excel. After that is done, then we must give experienced teachers high quality professional development to maintain and enhance their skills. The same is necessary for other education sector employees.

Mr. Speaker,
In order to expedite this mandate, my Ministry will open the doors of the In House Professional Development Institute on the site of the Mabel Walker Primary School. The Institute is intended to:
Increase effectiveness and efficiency within the Ministry;
Create in The Bahamas a cadre of education workers who are better prepared with the requisite skills to lead and to serve;
Promote the value of on-going learning and growth for all;
Align policy with practices;
Build leadership and capacity to deliver change at all levels;
Improve the delivery of services to the public, particularly students and
Nurture partnerships in education.

Mr. Speaker,
Over the past year, the Department of Education has completed a number of projects with a view to ensuring that tangible, visible improvements are realized. They are:

The new appointment of one hundred and ninety-three (193) teachers, one hundred and seventy-seven (177) of who were Bahamians inclusive of College of the Bahamas graduates.

The restructuring of the Department of Education via the promotion of three (3) Deputy Directors of Education, and a number of other senior administrative staff of the Department in order to provide managerial oversight and direction to key areas required for its transformation agenda.

Mr. Speaker,
These outcomes are indicative of the fact that the Ministry of Education’s transformation agenda is committed to bringing focus towards strengthening and maximizing the resources needed to effect the changes necessary to our educational system.
We are committed to enhance and improve the capacity of the service delivery for the thousands of teachers, administrative, technical and support staff in our public education system. In this regard, we recognize that significant investments would have to be made in our recruitment exercise in order to ensure that focused attention is placed on the priority areas of the ministry’s mandate.

We are fully aware that the quality of instruction in our schools mirrors the caliber of teachers employed, we intend to increase our complement of teachers this year by one hundred and eighty-one (181) persons at a cost of four million, five hundred ninety-six thousand, three hundred dollars ($4,596,300). This will involve:

The appointment of one hundred and thirty-nine (139) teachers inclusive of ninety-nine (99) College of The Bahamas graduates in varied disciplines;

Seventeen (17) specialist Cuban teachers; and

Twenty-five (25) teachers hired on contract whose appointment will now be regularized.

Mr. Speaker,
We also intend, to the extent possible, to address the staff matters that remain outstanding. These matters include reassessments, confirmations, re-classification of administratively posted teachers and appointments of teachers to the Permanent and Pensionable Establishment, which require funds in the amount of two million, eight hundred ten thousand, and four hundred dollars ($2,810,400). The Funding for this is in the Ministry of Finance budget. “This PLP “budget hits all the right notes” …that’s 10.
SCHOOL PROPERTIES
Mr. Speaker,
The final area to be addressed in this budget contribution is school properties. The mission of the physical plant section of my Ministry is “to create for the children of The Bahamas a safe physical environment conducive to learning by providing quality construction and maintenance of the physical infrastructure of our schools”.
Mr. Speaker,
Last year we spent 5.6 million dollars on school repairs and painting. Our physical plant received the much needed care and attention it deserves. There were structural, electrical and plumbing concerns which were left outstanding for years. This year we have budgeted to spend just over 4 million dollars.
Mr. Speaker,
I am delighted to report that the scope of works for the 2013 summer repairs have been completed by the Ministry of Works. The contractors have been selected and notified this week. The Ministry of Finance has sent the funds to mobilize the contractors and they are expected to begin works immediately when school closes this week.
Mr. Speaker,
I want to reiterate that National Insurance payments, funding for promotions and reassessments, rents on buildings other than schools have been removed from my budget and placed in Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Labour and National Insurance which has responsibility for the public service.
Mr. Speaker,
Before I close I want to pay tribute to the hard working cadre of Administrators, Teachers and Support Staff, who daily strive to improve standards in education, despite the challenges.
Mr. Speaker
I want also to encourage the diligent students who continue to strive for excellence to remember that rewards come to those who persevere. I want to lend my support to the hard working parents, who through their encouragement ignite the genius in each generation. I believe that the spirit of excellence and cooperation will pervade all of our plans for education and that we will reap good results for our efforts.

Mr. Speaker,
I close again with a quote from the Rt. Honourable Prime Minister Perry Christie given at the press conference in early December 2012 relative to the INSPIRE ICT subcomponent of the IDB loan where in our first year in office we have invested over 4 million dollars on technology and computer labs in our public schools.
“My government has made the largest commitment to education in the past 20 years. Bahamians will be able to see it, touch it and feel it. My government is serious about education and we are striving to instill education not only as a priority but as a VALUE!!”
Mr. Speaker,
I conclude where I start and for the final time, this PLP “budget hits all the right notes” and Education is headed in the right direction.
Thank You.

Hon. Kenred Dorsett, Minister of the Environment and Housing made his contribution to the 2013/14 Budget Debate today. The minister gave a report of his ministry’s progress since his taking office and outlined a numbers of plans for that his has for the future.

You can read his entire speech below

Minister Dorsett Budget Communication 2013

Press Statement

Sen. Hon. Alex Storr
Chairman of the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation

RE: Response to former Sen. Duane Sands Tribune Comments

June 10th, 2013

I read with interest this morning an article entitled, “Call to Look Closely at Plans to Borrow from NIB”, carried in the Tribune with comments attributed to Dr. Duane Sands.

As Deputy Chairman of the opposition Free National Movement Dr. Sands is merely working to keep his party relevant. I find his comments made in this morning’s Tribune reckless and disingenuous and designed strictly for the purpose of painting the government in an unfavorable light with the Bahamian people.

Dr. Sands asserted that the government of The Bahamas is, “putting the future of many pensioners and taxpayers at risk, unless the government can demonstrate that there is a good return on the public’s money”. The good doctor should know and understand the precarious fiscal state in which his administration left this country. The government had to explore all avenues in which to fund its housing programme for the Bahamian people. Thus an agreement has been entered into between the Ministry of the Environment and Housing, the Ministry of Finance, the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation and the National Insurance Board. This is a sound investment. The government is investing the people’s money in the people. The good doctor should also know and understand that this recent signing and agreement between the four party’s mentioned has nothing to do with the Mortgage Relief Programme as the government has said time and time again that it is committed to assisting those that need help in that regard.

The agreement will also give the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation a capital injection at a lower interest rate than within the private sector and will enable the Corporation to increase its portfolio.

What it all boils down to is a stark contrast in philosophy. The Free National Movement believed that using the people’s social safety net to the tune of $15 million to buy into a liquor company was a sound investment while this administration believes that investing the people’s money in providing affordable homes is a sound investment.

Dr. Sands should have known better than to release such hollow comments in the press which was only an attempt at political public relations for himself and his party and served to unnecessarily alarm the Bahamian people for selfish reasons.

Thank you

Statement by Hon Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs

House of Assembly, Nassau, The Bahamas

10th June 2013

I wish to inform the House that the U S Government informed me this
morning that as a result of the injury to its Vice Consul at the U S
Embassy, consequent upon the robbery of that individual while heading
to church on Sunday, there has been an unexpected and adverse affect
on visa processing in the embassy in The Bahamas.

I have previously expressed our deepest regret and concern at the
matter involving the Vice Consul and I do so again now publicly.  That
matter is with the police and the investigations continue.

Unfortunately, however, the Embassy says that the absence from work of
that officer means that no visa processing for Bahamians took place
today and the Charge d’affairs thought that this would be for an unspecified
period of time.

I made known our concern at these developments even while
understanding the situation. I am happy to report that I have now been
informed by the Charge d’affairs that visa processing will begin again tomorrow
morning.

The Embassy’s Charge d’affairs has indicated that a statement will go out to the
press today. Those who were not processed today will get a call to
re-schedule their appointments.  Processing through the Lynden
Pindling International and Grand Bahama International continues as
usual.

Housing and NIB allocate $60 million for Home Construction

By Gena Gibbs

BAHAMAS INFORMATION SERVICES

Nassau, The Bahamas — Sixty-million dollars has been allocated for the building homes throughout The Bahamas and will contribute significantly to increasing the market value of productivity in the country.  On June 6, the Ministry of Environment & Housing, the Ministry of Finance, the National Insurance Board (NIB), and the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to begin financing the home construction for a long list of Bahamian applicants.

Minister of Environment and Housing, the Hon. Kenred Dorsett announced that $10 million in the first payment is allocated to build 120 or more homes in existing subdivisions with infrastructure in place.  He also said that after the first set of homes are completed, instalments of $2.5 million per quarter will be allocated for continued home construction.  

The deal will call for a financial advisor and a project manager and home construction will begin in the next 30 days in New Providence, as well as various Family Islands.

STATEMENT TO THE HOUSE BY
FRED MITCHELL MP
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND IMMIGRATION
BUDGET DEBATE
5TH JUNE 2013
House of Assembly
Nassau
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

Good morning
It is my privilege to second this resolution this morning in support of my colleague the Member of Parliament for Golden Isles. It is my honour to support the Budget Statement of the government and to speak to some of the issues which arise particularly in connection with the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration.

In 1988, I had the privilege of working as a lecturer for one semester at the College of The Bahamas. I substituted for Felix Bethel as the lecturer in politics and government class. That class had many very bright people that I remember. But two people stand out for these purposes today. One is Raynard Rigby, the former Chairman of the PLP and the other is the man who moved this motion this morning.

I say this many times when I speak to younger audiences: how prepared they should be to take over because time passes quickly.
I point out how from 1988 to his election as the MP for Golden Isles in 2002, 12 years had passed. So in 12 short years, he had gone student in school to Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary. It is an open secret that when I was talking about his running as candidate for us I described him as the smartest man I knew. I believe the Right Honourable Prime Minister adopted that description and time has proven us both correct. There is no doubt then that congratulations are in order for a job well done in shepherding the day to day responsibilities at a political level for what was presented by the Right Honourable Prime Minister.

I therefore use that example today of how he was able to progress from a student at COB to what he is today and we are all proud of him.

This budget is about the future, the election of 2017 and what we will do to win.
In a sense my eyes are more fully trained on the future than on the present. I am trying to work on those people who will vote for us for the first time four years from now. They are todays 14 year olds. I know from experience that the election we fought in 2012 was markedly different from any other election I had fought. The question is what will be on the minds of today’s 14 year olds when the year 2017 comes around.

And so the budget for me has its focus on the future. It makes the hard decisions, in order for us have a future in 2017. I do not want to retire as an opposition politician. I want to retire in the government and I want to retire with a comfortable life, knowing that I contributed to doing the best for the country and a country that will ensure that I continue to prosper with respect while I am no longer actively involved in public policy.
You will note that over the past year, I have spoken many times and in fact moved a resolution to support a Select Committee Request to review the benefits and allowances of Members of Parliament. It is regrettable that the work of the Committee was not yet reported to this House, though largely it is finished.
I had anticipated that our work would have led to some changes in this budget which would have buttressed and supported the work of Members of Parliament.
I am advised that this is likely to come following the Committee’s report. However, I wish to say at this juncture to all the ones here who have longer to stay here than I have, that this is an issue that must be fixed. It is imperative for us to fix it. The PLP has to fix it. We come from the poor and the disposed. The party of the wealthy business class will not fix it. They have no interest in fixing it. We must to quote Lynden Pindling continue to make it possible for men and women of modest means to be able to serve in this place.
I have two enduring memories of public figures who were no longer in office. One is the former Minister of Education and MP for Exuma, who fell ill and presented at the Princess Margaret Hospital and no one remember who he was and was not treated with the appropriate respect until someone intervened. And another time I remember the late Governor General Sir Gerald Cash in the Public Treasury standing on a line in the Treasury after he had left office, there to identify himself as still an alive pensioner. This should not happen. The House of Assembly, the legislature, the Parliament should be such an exclusive club that when you have departed your dignity is protected in all its aspects. The group opposite when headed by their former leader had the opportunity to do so but what they did was aid and fixed up their leader; so he is straight and no other.
Which brings me to the point that was raised in an editorial which appeared on the 30th May this year in the Nassau Guardian under the headline: Thank You Hubert Ingraham.
The editorial went on to heap fulsome praise on the former Prime Minister. I respectfully disagree with everything that they had to say in that editorial. It was one load of nonsense writing by some worthless sycophant with a critical eye to do God knows what.

I say this in the context of how the press treated the budget and the question of whether there is balance when it comes to the PLP. Notice I did not complain about bias. As I explained to one of the reporters on the Guardian radio, it is clear that there is bias against the PLP, the question is more what about balance.
In an effort to balance the equation, we for the second year in a row continued a practice which we started when in opposition which is to provide a narrative for the press as to how we see the budget statement. This we did led by the Honourable Minister for State. As soon as he was finished reading his statement and there was time for questions, the person who we think authored that editorial left with dispatch, in what seemed like contempt for the whole exercise. Not even a pretense.

So the editorial about praise for Hubert Ingraham indicates a hankering back to an era that never returns. It was an era of boorishness, insensitivity, packing people without any mercy from their jobs in the public service, selling off the national patrimony. What is particularly galling is not that they did not write an editorial saying thank you to the Member for Centreville for turning the corner on this unholy mess in which the former Prime Minister left us, but the praise of the former Prime Minister is coming from an organization which the former Prime Minister himself described as led by two men who were in his words, not mine “ too damn greedy”. Yet the Nassau Guardian says thank you to Hubert Ingraham and congratulates this boorishness as leadership. They are suckers for punishment.

Eileen Carron of The Tribune who is simply pathological when it comes to her hatred of the PLP, you can understand but this we just don’t get it. Mrs. Carron just can’t help herself so you just roll your eyes when she writes something but for young educated Bahamians such as those who work at the Nassau Guardian, well that’s a whole other story again.
I say to the Nassau Guardian :audi alterem partem. Hear the other side. How about the fact that the man who they are praising sold a well working telephone company, fully manned by trained Bahamians, who could have bought it and run it themselves, sold it to a group of people who are not Bahamian, who seem not to have clue what they are doing; that are raking in profits at the expense of quality of service; whose mantra now is the telephone message: the party you are trying to reach is not available now; who gave away the national patrimony at a fire sale price. And we are to thank him. Have they taken leave of their senses.

How quickly do we forget? I know that the people of Fox Hill will not forget how we are notified that within less than thirty days, this phone company proposes to move their facility in Fox Hill, close it down, one supposes in the name of profits. It is rapacious. It is unseemly. It is wrong. It is unforgivable.
The Roman Catholic doctrine has something to say about this kind of behavior. The last Pope Benedict XVI wrote this in his encyclical of 9th June 2009 called CARITAS IN VERITATE:ON INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN CHARITY AND TRUTH
36. Economic activity cannot solve all social problems through the simple application of commercial logic. This needs to be directed towards the pursuit of the common good, for which the political community in particular must also take responsibility. Therefore, it must be borne in mind that grave imbalances are produced when economic action, conceived merely as an engine for wealth creation, is detached from political action, conceived as a means for pursuing justice through redistribution.
Pope John Paul the predecessor of Benedict defined the common good as “the good of all and each individual, because we are really responsible for all.”
I would really recommend that to both the Nassau Guardian and to the telephone company. It is the common good or what the Anglicans call building up the common life.

So no I will not say thank you to Hubert Ingraham. I will simply say thank you for seeing the end of him in public life.
Our image of ourselves, that is the PLP, and how our work is portrayed to the public is something that we depend upon the press to do. We have a responsibility to manage to some extent how information is shared. We have a lot to do in that area, in building up the relationships to ensure that our message gets equal time. It is critical going forward that the nation hears our voices and not filtered through someone’s interpretive biases. It is easier than ever to do that given today’s technology.
One writer on Facebook described their own experience with the way the media deals with the PLP’s message:

Chairman of BEC Leslie Miller announced today his plans to put 7,000 Bahamians, without power supply, back on BEC Grid. But before the chairman could speak a word, NB12 had the former defeated Minister for BEC, Phenton ‘NO MORE’ Neymour, in the newscast. When are we gonna hear the plans of the New Government if every-time the news comes on these ghosts and holograms of the past who plunged thousands into darkness are still getting all the airtime on National Radio and TV? BOY IT TELL YA! The man who was giving out free light-bulbs when people lights were off didn’t have a plan place to restore power to Bahamians for five years – ya think he gat one now? GIVE POTCAKE MILLER THE MIC AND LET’S HEAR THE PLAN BY THE NEWLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT PLEASEEEEEEEE!

(here include the explanation of the minister of state on the 60,000 dollars paid to ministers of state)

I believe that the work in this area of information management should evidence itself in the budgetary allocations for the Bahamas Information Services but the party machinery itself should be equipped and supported by the state in order to carry out its critical work.
So that is my focus. Trying to fix this problem so that the PLP will have a better than fighting chance in 2017. To do that we have to fix this economy and the resources allocated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Immigration under my tutelage will be utilized to do just that; just fix the economy.
When I was 18 years old, I was having a chat with Lynden Pindling in his office and I was railing against the fact that MPs had to give out hams and turkeys at Christmas time. I told him when was that going to stop. He looked quote bemused and said to me: not in my lifetime, maybe in yours. Today, I am standing here and talking to the younger ones and saying the same thing to them: not in my lifetime, maybe in yours.

The problem is find in this milieu is that the common good hardly exists, there is just plain partisan politics. Well I like a good old trashing fight in politics too, but there has to be some common good, a point beyond which we do not go because it injures the common good.
The Prime Minister said in his budget communication the following:
“My Government continues to emphasize its commitment to higher educational standards and better outcomes, as well as more effective skills training, all of which are also vitally important to the future. My Government has allocated, in the context of the country strategy agreed with Caribbean Development Bank, over $30 million for
education and this will be primarily directed toward special education and the transition of the College of The Bahamas to University status.
In this Budget, my Government is also allocating $5.5 million of our own resources to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in 2013/14 for the construction of new primary and secondary schools in
Inagua, San Salvador, Gregory Town and Lowe Sound. That is more than double the amount allocated last year and a virtual tripling of the sums allocated in 2011/12. We will maintain and expand these investments in future years. ”
I recall again the story of the speech given by former Secretary General Kofi Anan at a conference I attended in 2006 in Vienna and he warned us of the need to have specific set asides for young people.

That is what this budget is doing. It is investing in young people, seeking to improve those dreadful stats that say 30 per cent of the people under 25 are out of job.
This is unsustainable.
The difficulty is lack of skills. It is not their fault that they come out of school without the skills. Even greater than they do not it appears have the means to comprehend their deficiencies and how they can correct them. We have to do it for them and this budget is designed to do just that. Resources in training so we don’t have to issue all these work permits that people are asking us for.
I say again it shocks me how unsympathetic so many our business people both domestic and foreign are to this stark reality that their profits in this country will only continue to come if here is social peace. They therefor have a stake in making sure that The Bahamas and the Bahamian people have work, otherwise their investments are doomed. I say this to Emera in Freeport, the Grand Bahama Shipyard, Club Fortuna, Quality Services who just don’t seem to get it. Bahamar should take stock as well here in Nassau.
Recently, I was sharing with the Minister for Trade my experience in Qatar where the Middle Eastern countries were having a seminar on their economies. They have to create 50 million jobs by the year 2050. They spoke about the fact that the school system does not prepare people for working for themselves and that the only way they can meet their goals is by entreprenuership.
In other words, people have to begin working for themselves. They have to invent new business. They must have access to capital.

The Trade Minister then shared his experiences with some of the young people in his area where Mark Turnquest held a seminar on just that how to start your own business and one hundred young people showed up to listen and to learn. The government must now do its part because that is the solution in part.

There is still too much of this happening which I share in one of a number of letters sent to me this week alone:
Good Morning Mr. Mitchell,
Mommy approached us (my siblings and I) telling us that she met with the bank yesterday and that they told her we’re in jeopardy of losing the house due to mortgage being behind.  I took her to the bank not even knowing this what the appointment was about.
I know I asked you times before to help with employment but now it’s more important and serious.  This job here at Red Cross pays less than 1100. If you can recall I have bank of the Bahamas,  commonwealth bank and school fee to pay so I’m literally left with nothing.  My debt exceeds my current monthly salary by a lot.  I even still have a a balance at COB.
I really need your help and or referral to getting a greater paying job to help with the mortgage and school and other loans I have. I’m graduating in spring 2014 so I’m ready for a real job and a much better paying one.  Youth work is great but I have bills.
I don’t want to loose my house so please help.

(The story of my own father being without work. Here include the story of man saying that he never knew his wife until he had lost his job)

The bottom line is young people must get work. ( make the point about the problems that so many people have with producing simple identity documents, the cost of applying for work and how I will use the MPs vote to help those who cannot help themselves)
I want us also to pay attention to what we are doing in sports and culture. The PLP negotiated that stadium the Thomas A Robinson Stadium as a gift to the young people of The Bahamas. The Prime Minister recently thanked the President of China for the gift. The President of China offered an addition grant of eight million dollars US for various projects. The Chinese also have on offer one billion dollars for lending at concessionary terms over twenty years at two per cent interest. I see where the Deputy Leader of the FNM is nay saying the borrowing but the first thing is the Prime Minister did not commit the country to any specific borrowing but if there is to be development and there is cheap money available why not, particularly when are friends are not supporting lending from development banks to us.
Recently, the Canadian government abstained at a Caribbean Development Bank meeting to support our country programme, and the suspicion is that they like others have problems with our GDP per capita. Concessionary lending is prohibited by the World Bank for example to The Bahamas because of our high GDP per capita. We are tired of pointing out to them the problem with that measure. It you have two men on an island, one worth a billion and the other a dollar what is the GDP per capita on that island: 500 million is the answer but clearly that is not a true measure of the wealth on that island.

Our foreign policy then is to be fine tuned with the $24,912,000, allocated down some 495, 778 from the 25,408,122 that was allocted last year, make it our business o find money for this country.
I expect over the next year to spend substantial time in the Middle East and in Asia doing just that trying to search for new sources of funding for this country; new sources of investment. It is critical that we do so, as the traditional markets and sources appear to be challenged. This does not mean abandoning our traditional friends but in a time when our country is capital starved and there is excess capital in areas of the world outside our normal sphere of influence it would be foolhardy not to go in search of it.
I have spoke to my branch executive to help them appreciate and understand the nature of what I am about to embark. It is critical to whether we win this next election and I will be depending on the mechanisms that I have put in place to support my work while engaged in the work that I have been assigned to do. It is not without considerable risks but I believe that it is for the better good.
I was told the story the other day of a young man who at 17 in the United Kingdom who invented an app, and became an instant millionaire. They were enthusing justifiably about his accomplishment. However, we forget that we have our own app inventors. Who can forget Usain Bolt who runs the fastest in the world and makes an estimated 20 million dollars US from his athletics. Our kids who have won gold medals Chris Brown, Demetrius Pinder can do the same thing, and so the investment by the PLP in sports and culture will be critical also to solving the issue of youth unemployment.
The issue of government contracts to young people and using the government to empower people is key to tackling youth unemployment. That is my number one focus, to get these young men and women into the work Force.
Immigration policy is going to be used to force this issue if the business sector will not get with the programme. So I am asking them to get with the programme.
I also ask my parliamentary colleagues not to go wobbly on immigration because the usual suspects are out there making noise about this policy. It is the right policy. Let them bray if they will but also let them conform. It is important that we speak in Parliament with one voice on this. Bahamians First. There will be no exceptions.

I am looking toward the day when this will be a country of three quarter of a million residents, Nassau being a city of half a million. To do that there will have to rapid infrastructure development, planning, new rules of social behavior and plenty of new capital. That then must be our next big project, a grand building plan to prepare us for the future. After all it is construction which drives spending in this economy.

In the foreign policy arena our relations remain good with all countries.
I am pleased to announce that the Prime Minister has advised the Governor General of the appointment of a new Honorary Consul to New York. He is the Customs Broker and columnist Forrester Carroll. Mr. Carroll will take his appointment on 1st July. I wish to congratulate him and wish him every success in his work there.

The Prime Minister has also directed the appointed of Marilyn Zonicle, the Under Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be an Ambassador at Large. This is a well deserved honour and I wish to offer my congratulations to her as she continues to do her work for and on behalf of the country.

We are the process of undergoing significant changes in the way we do our work at the Ministry which will require the movement of personnel in the coming weeks. There will not likely be any further specific announcement about these save when the circumstances dictate. All the required clearances are in place and I hope to be able to say something more definitive about our structural changes by 1st July. The idea is to make the Ministry more relevant to the constituencies it serves and more adaptive to wishes of the government and this its minister.
I recall my conversation with the late Prime Minister and national hero of Jamaica Michael Manley who when he lost office said that one of the issues was the public administration during his time sagged under the weight of the activities and changes which he proposed. I think of this often as we try to make the Ministry more adaptive to a rapid and less deliberative response what is placed before it. Critical in my view is the need for officers to understand that they are in the business of serving the public and should respond and adapt to the phrase the customer is always right.
One thing I still do not understand how it is possible to work at a high level in a public agency, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and not know what is in the press for the day even at 12 noon in the day.
I believe I have a loyal team and leadership in the Ministry. We have the authority to hire additional staff and the complements in protocol and foreign service officers should be increased within the coming weeks.

The Foreign Service Orders have now been drafted and are before the Cabinet for approval. Subject to that, the orders are to come into effect on 1st July 2014. The orders will include the award of Foreign Service Medals for those who have given extraordinary service to the Ministry. It will for the first time, create a Foreign Service with rules that are separate from the Public Service. We continue to have serious challenges in this area of the lack of understanding by the public service of what foreign service officers do and the ranks which they require to carry out their jobs with the requisite allowances. We continue to be unable to keep foreign service officers in post because of the inability to compete with the private sector in wages and allowances.
Key to our foreign policy will be the continued management of the relationship with the United States of America, our closest trading partner and ally. The relationship is a complex one. Our interests are similar but not the same. We live in an American hemisphere and an American culture and yet we have our separate juridical and cultural identity. We are small and they are large. This is not often understood by all. I have just concluded discussions with the American authorities about our concerns with regard to the gun violence which is wreaking havoc on our streets for example and what further steps can be taken by them to assist us in stopping this violence. It is a matter which plagues their society as well.
We have a stake in making sure that our views are heard on this and other issues and we welcome the fact that the US has announced that they will sign the small arms treaty at the United Nations as a first step in tracking how manufactured weapons make their way from the US to jurisdictions such as ours.

I explained it to the Canadian minister who visited the other day speaking to issues that she raised that sometimes we get the impression that our traditional partners take us for granted.
Our concerns about visa free access to the United States continue to be addressed. We believe that The Bahamas should be a country whose citizens can enter the United States visa free.
We continue to express our concerns about what appears to be arbitrary decisions made to deny Bahamians visas to visit the United States, most of these are addressed satisfactorily and we continue to have good working relationship with embassy personnel here.
We have raised the issue of processing of visas with the Canadian government as well. Some review and improvements have been promised.
We thank John Dinkelman the Charge at the Embassy for his work.

I wish to touch briefly on the immigration budget. Please make note of the following:
1. Apparent Decrease in budget for Trainee Immigration Officers is not a decrease of 2,585,550 at head 30 post 9 page re 190.

We have permission to hire one hundred and that process is almost complete. I wish to advise that $1.08 million dollars was placed in our budget to hire 60 officers at $18,000.00 each per annum. Ministry of Finance has advised that under their new policy, this along with all other capital purchases were taken out of our budget and placed in a global capital pool in Finance budget. To access this the department will again have to request approval from Ministry of Finance. Other capital items removed from our budget included the rebuilding of the dorms at Detention Centre, Vehicles and arms and ammunition and are in the Ministry of Finance’s budget.
The items listed by me account the largely for the apparent decrease in the total overall allocation of monies to immigration from 18,889, 973 last year to 15,979,522 some 2,910,321.
2. Operational Cost for Detention Centre
Total operational cost for Detention Centre July 1st 2012 to present omitting June is $271, 520.17 which gives an average monthly cost of $24, 684.
3. Repatriation Cost
Total repatriation cost of illegal Immigrants by air from July 1st 2012 to present omitting the month of June is $973, 553.84.
Repatriation Cost January to May 2013 is $463, 063.36.
The item for repatriation has been increased this year from one million to one million two hundred thousand . We think that this fairly anticipates the demands which we will expect during the ensuing year.

Number of immigrants repatriated January to May 2013 stands at 1433. 1042 0f which are Haitians and 391 other nationals.

Mr. Speaker, I have had the advantage over the past two months to visit with many foreign nationals. I note all the problems that we have with crime and all. I had occasion to point out after the Americans issued an advisory on The Bahamas that people forget that we issue advisories on the United States when each year at Christmas time we warn Bahamians about how they shop in Miami and how to avoid being robbed while shopping in Miami. We think therefore people are intelligent enough to know that The Bahamas is not consumed by violence as a result of an advisory by the US State Department.
It is however to know of the critical importance of image and the experience which visitors get when they come to this country.
I am pleased to report that wherever I have gone, the image and memories of our country are good. I call it the ah ha moment. That moment when you say you are from The Bahamas and they say : “ Ah ha!”
I recall sitting in Morocco at the Ministry of Tourism there and the Tourism official blurted out from across the table: It’s better in The Bahamas.
Or arriving in New York just last week, tired from a long flight and the customer inspector looks at my passport and says: why so serious you’re going to The Bahamas, that’s paradise.
Or speaking in the well of the legislative houses in Illinois and each representative or state senator that I met telling me without exception that they had been to The Bahamas and what a great time they had.
This we must protect. That is why the success of this budget is so critical. The Prime Minister describes it like this:
We are also strengthening the
foundations of the economy to secure steady growth and private sector
employment creation. In this way, we are positioning my Government to
have the resources with which to implement, over the full course of our
mandate, initiatives that will strengthen law and order, promote
stronger growth and job creation and solidify our firm commitment to
maintaining and reforming our social safety net for the effective delivery
of relief to the disadvantaged and needy in our midst.”
I identify with all of those objectives. Fox Hill is foremost on my mind. Each day trying to get one more person hired, another road fixed, another school repaired, another child a scholarship, to fix national insurance payments, just to listen. I think I have the Prime Minister’s commitment to finish the Community Centre from the monies kindly allocated by China. I want the government to buy the Junkanoo shack for the Congoes so they can have a permanent home. I invite all of you to the Fox Hill Festival which begins on Emancipation Day and ends on Fox Hill day. On Wednesday7th August, I am to give a lecture at the Mt. Carey Baptist Church in Fox Hill about the history of the settlement and its people. It will be televised nationwide and a reception will follow. You are invited to join us.
I am deeply aware of the impatience with the processes of government, the house repair programme that needs to be done, the jobs for their kids. It will with the help of god get done.
Those who know me, know that my views are much more radical privately than I could ever express and remain comfortably within a group like the PLP. Public policy is often too deliberative and it appears that public administrators are not sensitive to what our party requires. But I am satisfied that the PLP continues to be the best repository of the national interest of the Bahamian people and I certainly glad to have lived long enough to see the back of Hubert Ingraham. That alone is worth all the trouble on this road less travelled. It has indeed made all the difference. The Bahamas is simply a more civilized place since he is no longer in its public policy.
The PLP therefore and for whatever little that it is worth continues to have my support and I am honoured to work with all colleagues. I trust that we continue to support the liberal values I espouse and the right to treat all people with the respect they deserve judging them by the content of their characters. I have been a victim of prejudice all my life and so I know it when I see it and I mean that it must stop with us.

The hymn writer describes the act of community in which politicians like myself participate in as acting:
above the storms of passion, the murmurs of self-will.
There is no doubt then that the people of Fox Hill should know that I will serve them to the end.

I commend this budget to the House.
End

Mr. Speaker, thank you for your indulgence and for giving me the opportunity to rise on behalf of the resilient people of Pinewood to contribute to the debate on the 2013/2014 Budget.

Mr. speaker, before I get to the heart of my analysis of the budget which I firmly believe is a budget designed to secure the future of the Bahamas and its people, particularly the people of Pinewood, I would like to reflect a little on the activities of the last year and the reality of marking the first anniversary of playing a major role in the governance of the commonwealth of the Bahamas. I think it’s important to have this reflection for one principle reason:

To determine whether meaningful progress was made on behalf of the Bahamian people.
Mr. Speaker, a member of parliament and cabinet Minister has two very critical obligations.
Firstly, represent the views, opinions, goals and aspiration of the people whom elect you to this honorable house.
Secondly, provide National representation within the portfolio the Prime Minister has given you the privilege to serve.

Sometimes Mr. Speaker it’s difficult to balance the 2 competing priorities.

Mr. Speaker, as I reflect on the activities of the last year I am very proud to have accomplished quite a number of successful initiatives which have formed the basis for the coming together of a community which has seen its fair share of issues over the years.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to list several of the initiatives organized, sponsored or participated in by my team in pinewood.

A legal Aid Clinic
A health fair
Movie night on the park
Urban renewal marching Band march about in Pinewood.
Community meetings on the economy, crime, Value Added Tax.
Job Fair along with Garden Hills, Nassau Village and Bamboo Town
Christmas Basketball Camp
Christmas tree lighting and extravaganza in the Park.
Kids Christmas Party where we provided lots of toys.
Back to School Party in the park.
Mothers Day Luncheon
Community Fun Day
Multiple community walk-abouts.
Multiple Luncheons for the Old Folks homes in Pinewood.

Mr. speaker, these activities are those of a team and a representative who cares about the future of that community.

Mr. Speaker, these are the activities of a team and representative who understands the importance of being actively involved in building a community.

Mr. Speaker, it’s very important to ensure that your intention and activities are designed to enhance the lives of the people we serve.

Mr. Speaker, it does not help the cause when people who should love this country and care about its people demonstrate something differently by politicizing events that are of national impact for unilateral gain.

Mr. Speaker 2 weeks ago the island of New Providence experienced an abnormal amount of rainfall which only occurs once in every blue moon.

History will probably record the rains of 2013 as one of the worst in this era. Mr. Speaker, the island of New Providence experience more than 18inches of rain in 24hrs. This was coupled with a spring tide resulting in extreme flooding. Mr Speaker, many communities where severely impacted by this flood. Communities which historically would not be impacted.

Mr. Speaker, I watched the news one evening and was amazed to see a resident of the Eastern District discussing his total lost. He however, was in good spirits because his insurance would take care of him.

Mr. Speaker, it’s no secret that the constituency I represent is prone to flooding during ordinary rainfalls. So Mr. Speaker one can only imagine the impact this had and is having on the residents of Pinewood. What was so amazing to me Mr. speaker was the response in the aftermath of the rain.

I immediately became the poster child for the flood. In fact, one woman said that she told people to vote for my predecessor and if they had listen the flooding would not occur and that she hadn’t seen her MP as yet.

I accept that everyone has an opinion and are free to express that opinion.

Mr. Speaker what was even more absurd and most off tune was to see the leader of the opposition and member for Killarney making a pit-stop in Pinewood. And Mr. Speaker it was only a pit stop.

Mr. Speaker I have a fundamental issue with people who should care allowing their action to demonstrate otherwise.

Mr. Speaker, the member showed up in Pinewood with the news crew in tow. Spent an hour and a half and all he did was rant and rave about Christie late, Khaalis late, everybody late!!!!

Mr. Speaker, when I started this political journey, my mother and I had a discussion and she insisted that I remain above the fray and stay out of the mud which characterize politics in the Bahamas. In this case Mr. Speaker, she called me and asked if I heard the member from Killarney beating me and the Prime Minister up. She said to me go ahead son, you have my blessing…..go get him!

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a couple of minutes to talk about the difference between the politics of politics, and the politics of solutions and assistance.

Real solutions that provide relief for people.

Mr. Speaker, through you I would like the member to know that you can’t show up for one hour and a half and then disappear. If you do that, people see it for what it was….the politics of politics not the politics of solutions.

Mr. Speaker, the morning after the storm, I mobilized at 6am by calling the Aide to the Prime Minister to make contact with Capt Stephen Russell to ensure that the resources of the Government was being prepared to assess and provide initial assistance to the residents of Pinewood.
Mr. Speaker I have it on good authority, that no such call was made by the leader of the opposition, the member for Killarney or any other members of his party.

Mr. Speaker, the day after the storm I arrived in Pinewood at 8:30am and was joined by NEMA and officials from Ministry of Work and social services shortly after.

We spent the entire time doing a rapid assessment throughout Pinewood. Ironically, Mr. Speaker while one station was claiming that we were not present another station was showing us doing our assessment. I believe this was in poor taste and seek to mislead and distract people from the core issue of providing assistance during a difficult period.

Mr. Speaker, I have been working hard to assist the residents getting back on their feet. I have made many calls to my friends in the business community and have received some pledges from different entities.

Several of the entities agreeing to help include the new owners of the Nassau Palm, Sunset Equities who have graciously agreed to donate all of the furniture from their resort as they begin plans to renovate their new acquisition.

Bahamar has agreed to provide us with some items also. We are currently waiting on a response from several of the other resorts.

Mr. Speaker that’s the politics of solutions.

Additionally Mr. Speaker, I have had a consulting engineering team from the U.S. with local partners visit Pinewood on 3 occasions since the flooding and they will have a proposal for a practical solution to this problem in front of the Government shortly. So Prime Minister, I have staked the first claim on that $8m grant from the Chinese.

Mr. Speaker,

I will now turn my focus to selected details of the budget.

Mr. Speaker, I believe it’s important for me to make a comment on the budgeting process. A process which I have had the singular privilege of providing commentary on from both the private sector prospective as well as the public sector prospective.

At every opportunity I have made it a point to be as constructive as possible.

Mr. Speaker, there are many ways to look at a budget in the context of our system and process. You can look at it to see whats right? Whats wrong? You can ask questions about the direction its taking the country.

The incontrovertible fact is that there are always ways to do it differently.
But Mr. Speaker, Budgeting is based on the priority of the Government, the philosophy of Government and the prevailing set of circumstances in the country and the economy.

Consequently Mr. Speaker The government has to make provisions for short term priorities, medium term priorities as well as long term priorities.

With this in mind Mr. Speaker, opportunities for criticism inherently exist.

Mr. Speaker matching and meeting everybody’s needs are next to impossible as this exercise is never an exact science.

Mr. Speaker what I do find interesting is the apperant limited amount of clear, constructive and clinical analysis of the budget by many of the analyst presenting their public views on the budget using the measures identified previously.

An example of this occurred yesterday when the member from St. Annes suggested that there was something wrong with increases in certain line items in the MOF budget.

It did not matter that the overall budget was reduced by $500K.

Also Mr. Speaker, the member made several references to the Government having to borrow a Billion dollars since coming to office. Any rudimentary and object analysis would find it hard to pin this squarely on the current Government. Especially since the policy of the prior administration was to take the country into deficit spending. (Read the policy position in the ….budget).
Mr. Speaker, during the contribution by the member for St. Annes, the member repeatedly said that the PLP has borrowed nearly a billion dollars since coming to office last year. What was noticeably absent from the members assertions were the facts behind the borrowing.
Mr. Speaker, since the member patently appears to be a stranger to the facts I will assist him by laying out the facts:

During the budget communication of 2010/2011 by the Rt Honorable Member from North Abaco at the time he stated: (1) (2)

Lastly Mr. Speaker the member also talk about the present administration implementing a litany of taxes during this budget exercise. Mr. Speaker!!! Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker….lest the good member forget. It was his administration who loaded the people with all manner of taxes during the 2010/2011 budget.

The member made mention of mail-boat subsidies. During this same budget exercise the member should recall that it was his administration which reduced the subsidies by 10 to the mail-boats.

Clearly Mr. Speaker, I need not go any further to demonstrate when we got here and how we got here. The member can seek to rewrite history with the current pronouncements but the budget communication of 2010/2011 and that of 2011/2012 records history well.

Mr. Speaker, The Prime Minister and Minister of Finance began his budget communication by establishing the following proposition: Pivotal Budget…..

Mr. Speaker this gives me a sense of optimism.

Mr. Speaker, the ratings agency Moody’s shares the same sentiments and sense of optimism and positive direction as I do.

It’s amazing when Moody’s said that the Bahamas is doing better than most of its regional neighbors nobody acknowledged it or they seek to downplay the importance of this vote of confidence. I can only assume that it’s because it’s good news.

There was an artist who wrote a song call good news in a rubber band. Hopefully,one day we will begin receiving some good news in a rubber band. I don’t remember how the song goes but I listened to it as a youngster. The point the artist was trying to make was that every morning he woke up the news papers only carried bad news and the bad news help to shape and defined the psyche of people.

Mr. Speaker, to close out this broad analysis of the budget I would like to say that the most important take away from this process is whether or not the Government is setting the right priorities for the country when it establishes the budget and whether or not sufficient money’s will be able to accomplish these goals and objectives.

Some analyst get worked up over revenues and expenditure as line items. The most important component is the point at which revenues and expenditure intersects. Revenue and expenditure performance are only problematic if revenue is going down and expenditure is going up.

I am comfortable and confident that under the stewardship of the Rt. Honorable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance that the Bahamas is on a course to break-even and eventually offer surpluses.

Week Long Festival
Mr. Speaker, The Prime Minister and Member for Centerville announce in his budget communication plans for a week-long festival as part of a public sector/private sector partnership. I don’t know if people understand the economic potential of such an initiative.

If one would place his thinking cap on for a second and look at the ways to exploit such an initiative, you would see tremendous opportunities. (Bar of Iron).

On any given day there are several cruise-ships docked at PGW. Can you imagine the revenue potential from this business venture if you were providing the costumes for this parade. A partnership can be established directly with the cruise-lines to market this event and sell the costumes onboard the vessels.

The rudimentary math’s on this at $100 per costumes, 7k people per day at 7 days is approximately $5m. Lots of money for an investment of $1m.

Agricultural School & Green Houses

Mr. Speaker, the Government has allocated $1m for the installation of green houses at different locations. I am a strong proponent of Agriculture as one of the most expandable opportunities in this Bahamian economy. In my humble opinion, this is very first serious attempt to develop a modern agricultural system in the Bahamas. This initiative coupled with the $4m allocated to the Agricultural School in Andros has the potential to position the Bahamas as a net exporter of agricultural products over the long term.

Value Added Tax
Mr. Speaker, many of the critics of the current proposal for Value added tax were formerly strong advocates of it. When I headed the Chamber Mr. Speaker there was an individual who was a great advocate of VAT and always chided me to convince Government to pursue a VAT strategy. When the white paper was launched he was the first to say it would destroy the country. Its no secret that the current system of taxation is flawed and outdated and something must be done soon or we risk a total meltdown of our fiscal affairs. We have to look at the leading options and make a decision based on the facts and reality of how we exist.

Investments
The investment and economic climate in The Bahamas continues to be the focus of government efforts for robust growth and sustainable development.
As the Rt. Hon Prime Minister communicated last year, and I quote,
“My Government is firmly committed to an aggressive plan to transform the Bahamian economy and society for the benefit of all Bahamians. A vital component of that plan includes promoting additional foreign direct investment across the country, and particularly in Grand Bahama and the Family Islands.”

Despite the incomparable economic and financial crisis of the past five years that has resulted in a slowdown in foreign direct investments worldwide, the Government has made progress with concluding potentially substantial investments that, when completed, will facilitate the continued development of The Bahamas.
During the past budget year there have been a number of investments in tourism projects on Grand Bahama, Bimini and Abaco. You will be aware of the Sunwing Group, a Canadian travel conglomerate which invested in the Reef Village property at the level of $…. It is expected to create approximately 1,000 new permanent jobs, and employ hundreds in the construction phases..
The Government is actively looking for new partners to take over the Casino operations from Treasure Bay Casino, with the view to that being revitalized and provide employment to Grand Bahamians.
Similarly, in Bimini, the Resorts World Genting has taken over the Bimini Bay Resort, which includes an investment of $100 million in air and sea transportation and an additional $24 million in a 10,000 square luxury boutique casino which will provide up to two hundred plus jobs. The overall master plan for the investment in Bimini is expected to create over 400 jobs.

In Abaco, the Government recently approved the proposal for a $10 million boutique hotel called the Sand Bar Club and Spa Limited in Treasure Cay, which is expected to create between 25 to 30 jobs during construction, and 100 jobs for resort operations after construction has been completed.. Additionally, a commercial farming project was approved for Abaco which would create jobs and provide locally grown produce for the local markets, thereby reducing the cost of food which has become so costly in recent times.

Turning to the southern Bahamas there are some projects which have been approved, or are under consideration, in Exuma, all of which are promising and will provide employment for local Bahamians.

While there have been significant interests in the northern Bahamas by foreign investors, it has been less than stellar in the south, partly due to the challenges with development infrastructure. However, there are a number of proposals from investors which the Government is reviewing. The commitment by the Government is for the growth and wellbeing of the entire commonwealth, and to this end, The Bahamas Investment Authority will not be satisfied with expressed interest but we will do everything within our resources to increase promotional efforts to generate sustainable interest in the southern Bahamas; we hope this will result in concrete projects to stimulate and grow these local economies in the south.

Most certainly in the central Bahamas there has been robust and active foreign investment and interest. In Eleuthera, there are several projects of note: The Cove, a resort which we are all familiar with, an investment of approximately $23 million.

I am pleased to announce that the French Leave Marina Village, a hotel and residential community, and capital investment of $12 million has entered into partnership with the Shaner Group and have finally broken ground and commenced construction. In addition to these projects which are known to the public, the Government has recently approved the expansion and redevelopment of the following tourism ventures: Sky Beach Resort & Spa in Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera, and is currently reviewing a proposal by Club Mediterranee, Columbus Isle Village, San Salvador, for a $90 million investment to modernize, refurbish and expand operations to include luxury condo-hotel units and a boutique hotel.
Job creation during construction is estimated at approximately 400, and upon completion, 250 persons will be employed at the expanded resort.
In New Providence, Baha Mar continues to progress steadily and is expected to open on target and provide some 7000 jobs. A smaller but just as important project is the new ownership of ‘The Nassau Palm Resort’, which will soon be rebranded as a Marriott Courtyards product. We were equally pleased to see the successful conclusion of the sale of the Paradise Island Harbour Resort all inclusive to the world renowned Warwick Group.
This property is being completely remodelled and redeveloped and will provide a strong alternative to the Atlantis product presently on Paradise Island.
The renewed interest in The Bahamas is encouraging and provides the stimulus and hope that a turnaround in our fortunes is imminent.
As we are all so painfully aware, over the past five years, The Bahamas was faced with a stalled economy and growing unemployment. For the most part, FDI inflows declined to the lowest levels in recent history. As a result of a failure to be more proactive, The Bahamas lost much of its competitive edge and we saw many of our competitors in the region surpass us for the first time in terms of FDI per capita.
We recognised therefore, that it is incumbent upon us to be much more proactive (aggressive) in our approach to Foreign Direct Investment, and to this end The Bahamas Investment Authority has undertaken a much more concerted and focussed approach to promoting The Bahamas and informing potential investors of the opportunities that exist in our country.

In January of this year, a team of officials from the BIA, headed by myself, attended the America’s Lodging and Investment Summit in Los Angeles. ALIS is one of the leading and largest hotel investment conferences in the world, with over 2,400 top industry leaders attending last year alone.

The BIA went in collaboration with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, and as a direct result of this partnership, and our involvement with ALIS, we have seen three very strong expressions of interest for projects in Freeport. During the ALIS Conference, The Bahamas had the opportunity to also “pitch” itself as a destination for the contestants of The Amazing Race, one of the most popular Television reality shows currently.

We await to see whether we have been selected as a possible “pit stop’ in this race around the world by contestants.
Last month, another team attended the CHRIS (Caribbean Hotel, Resort, and Investment Summit) in Miami. This provided another opportunity for developers and financiers to meet with, and discuss, the possibility of investing in our country.
We have also sought to host conferences in The Bahamas. In February of this year, The Bahamas Investment Authority, again in partnership with the Grand Bahama Port Authority and the Commonwealth Business Council, hosted the Bahamas Interventional Investment Business Summit in Freeport.
This was attended by approximately 270 delegates from 30 countries, and brought together potential investors, stake holders from the Bahamian Business community and policy makers to promote the advantages of investing and doing business in The Bahamas.
This also allowed us to focus attention on Grand Bahama – a mandate of this Government that was set out in The Charter for Governance. Grand Bahama provides tremendous opportunities for growth, as I am sure my colleague, the Minister for Grand Bahama will point out in his contribution, but of importance to our country and my portfolio is the strategic deep water port that makes Grand Bahama a natural hub for shipping, trans-shipping and logistics and its excellent infrastructure that makes it an ideal place to do business.

All of these initiatives are of great importance as they demonstrate that The Bahamas is open and ready for business. We have seen a renewed surge of interest as a direct result of our efforts and it illustrates why it is important to be seen in the global arena– failure to do so means that you take the risk of going unnoticed.

Further, it allows us as a country to showcase what we have to offer – we don’t need to wait for potential investors to come to us with their ideas, but rather, we can make known what we are seeking; whether energy proposals, sports tourism, medical tourism, agriculture sector proposals to name a few. To this end, my department is seeking to establish a catalogue of “ready projects”, that is projects that Bahamians may wish to seek to develop, but lack the funds or the strategic partners to do so.
We will take this catalogue out on the road with us and seek to “match-make” with investors whose bona fides check out.

The Bahamas Investment Authority has continued to foster its regional and international relationships by hosting the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies annual meeting last October.
This meeting brought together the heads of all the investment agencies in the Caribbean to discuss strategies for growing the investment sector in the region generally.
Prior to this, and in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank, we hosted an Economic Recovery Forum which saw the Government and private sector meeting to discuss a base for future and on-going strategies for business and job growth.
The Charter for Governance outlines a commitment to changing the economic course by placing greater emphasis on planning and effective execution of the Nation’s Blueprint to the future.
The Government has consistently queried the impact of proposed investments on national growth and development. To enhance the integrity of the recommendations and decisions emanating from the technical level it is necessary to deepen and broaden evaluation capacities beyond the current checklist approach to include a more analytical process based on the potential socio-economic impact.
It is proposed therefore that to improve the overall sustainability of the Bahamian economy, that we will implement a National Economic Development Plan.
This will be the mechanism to provide a fully integrated and comprehensive overview of the economy in its current state, establish programmes and policy direction for economic growth and identify prioritised investment projects.
In preparation for upgrading the assessment and monitoring framework to incorporate a strategy for the administration of a National Economic Development Plan, I have spearheaded a number of high profile initiatives that include:
The Economic Recovery Summit with integrated the private sector into the economic recovery discussion and in which, as I said earlier, the IDB participated.
Successful completion of negotiations with the IDB on enhanced technical assistance through –
The Caribbean Growth Forum, an initiative supported by Compete Caribbean, IDB, WB, CDB in collaboration with UK International Development Agency and Canadian Development Agency, and
A fully funded technical cooperation partnership arrangement with The Bahamas Government for institutional capacity strengthening for a long term strategy for this country’s economic development.

I am pleased to report that the BIA is in the process of redesigning its web-site to make it more user friendly, easier to do business and to high light our competitive advantage.
Historically, the BIA activities have been policy driven, however, in order to provide it with real institutional capacity and give it the legal structure that is befitting, a draft National Investment Bill has been drafted which will provide clear and consistent guidelines to our processes.
This Bill seeks to crystallise the Investment Policy for this country and is considered necessary in light of The Bahamas’ imminent accession to the WTO.
The regulations of the Bill permit regulatory flexibility to accommodate any eventual liberalisation of the foreign investment policy as well as The Bahamas to remain competitive as an investment jurisdiction, able to adapt to changing economic environment.
This Bill will also further enhance and strengthen the BIA.

Press Statement

Min. Kenred Dorsett
Ministry of the Environment and Housing

RE: Vector Control Concerns

June 3rd, 2013

I would like to assure all that the Department of Environmental Health Services’ (DEHS) vector control efforts (fogging) are ongoing and will continue as weather permits.

We have now begun the hurricane season for 2013 and have been experiencing a lot of rain in the past few weeks beginning with the torrential down pour resulting in the flooding of certain areas around New Providence. There has also been flooding report from some of the Family Islands. While the DEHS is doing its endeavour best to continue its regular vector control exercises, the weather of late has not been cooperative. The chemicals used to control mosquitoes and other pests will not be effective unless weather conditions are conducive. This chemical is most effective when it makes contact with the pests and insects, therefore it should not be used during rain or in winds above ten miles per hour.

In the wake of the large amount of rain that we have been experiencing, DEHS would like to give a few tips on how members of the public can control the breeding of mosquitoes and other pests in and around their homes.
Keep water containers properly covered
Remove all car tires from your yards
Keep garbage bins tightly covered
Discard containers that can collect water around homes
Keep gutter free of leave and twigs
Store bottles upside down or be sure that they are tightly covered

Persons should also use mosquito repellants and or household sprays, coils and other products made for the ridding of pests if there is a problem. When spraying in the home, for best effect, be sure that the windows are closed and leave the room for ten to fifteen minutes before reentering the room. Also please ensure the all window screens and or screen doors are intact.

Should weather conditions permit, the DEHS vector control department has scheduled ground fogging
from June 3 to June 6th which would cover all the accessible areas of New Providence.