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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
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Nassau, Bahamas - On The Occasion Of The Freedom Of Information Demonstration on Wednesday, 11th June, 2014 titled, “Freedom Of Information Equals Enhanced Democracy”:
Good Morning
Protocol Already Established…
My Fellow Bahamians, I do not have to tell any of you that we are now living in very serious times. That is obvious. If you look around our modern day Bahamas, you see high crime, extreme poverty, increased social dependence, high unemployment, under-employment and any number of other social ailments which threaten our way of life.
Even worse, we live in a time where the men and women who have been selected and elected from among us to lead have shown themselves unworthy of that honor. Rather than uphold the mandate given to them by the people, successive governments have used their time in office, not to advance policies that would promote growth and prosperity, but to line the pockets of their friends, families and loved ones, all while depriving Bahamians of what they deserve.
I have often said that the Bahamas is unlike any country in the world. We boast of being the richest Caribbean country in this region per capita. A group of small islands and keys spread out over miles of ocean, we as a country, have been blessed with a wealth of natural resources. So much so that persons from all around the globe flock to our shores to experience the things we take for granted. People come from across the world to marvel at our clear waters which house countless treasures. Treasures which, if managed properly, can represent the type of economic development and freedom which our people deserve.
Yes ladies and gentlemen the calls for environmental protection are NOT just about protecting our fragile natural resources, but also about Suring up our country’s economic future as well. The Dive industry in the Bahamas generates MILLIONS of dollars. In fact, the most recent estimates suggest that a fully functioning dive industry could contribute up to 333 million dollars to the national economy ANNUALLY! 330 MILLION DOLLARS! That is more than 3 times what the government hopes to collect from the implementation of Value Added Tax and significantly more than they expect to make from web taxation. More than 116 thousand visitors from around the world come to the Bahamas purely to dive in our clear waters and see our reefs and various forms of sea life which exist within them. This also means spin off opportunities and revenue for hotels, marinas, restaurants, bars and other merchants as well.
What has become clear however is that successive governments do not value our environment and its protection and if we allow such behavior to continue, our beautiful environmental treasures will be lost to future generations of Bahamians forever.
We have a prime example in what is taking place in Bimini. The Reefs and underwater communities which exist in waters surrounding Bimini have been called an environmental gem by local and international environmental groups. Gems are precious; they are to be protected and admired however dredging – which will undoubtedly cause irreparable damage to our environment – has been allowed to continue without any sort of government intervention!
I’d like to quote some comments made by world renowned Marine Scientist Dr. Guy Harvey who while speaking to the issue in Bimini said the following: “This fragile ecosystem has already suffered a degree of degradation over the past 40 years, which has occurred throughout not only the Caribbean but also the entire world. However, this dredging project will cause more irreversible damage to the reefs in the next 30 days than would normally occur over the next 30 years.”
Those comments speak volumes about the lack of commitment by this and other governments to environmental responsibility. Rather than take the necessary action to protect our natural resources this administration has chosen to sell our environmental souls for the sake of a few jobs. That is an atrocity; particularly when the preservation of such resources can create greater OWNERSHIP opportunities for countless Bahamians especially in the family islands.
The time has come for our government’s to take a stronger stand in protecting our environment by enacting the necessary legislation which will hold developers to a higher standard. We need legislation with teeth that will ensure that NO DEVELOPER, NO PROJECT, can knowingly and without repercussion damage or destroy key elements of our environment.
The time has also come for our government to put an end to the culture of secrecy which has existed in this country for the past 40 years and the first step toward making that happen is implementing a Freedom of Information Act. A real Freedom of Information Act that will have teeth!
Like the Save the Bays organization and the Bimini Blue Coalition and countless other Bahamians the Democratic National Alliance supports the passage of this critical piece of legislation. The time has come for Bahamians to be put in the KNOW. The time has come for us to DEMAND insights into the government’s decision making processes. WE PUT THEM THERE! WE HAVE A RIGHT TO ENSURE THAT THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY! We deserve to know how much taxes are collected, what the government is spending our money on, and which licenses or permits are issued or denied on what basis. The release of public information SHOULD NEVER be given by way of privilege or ministerial discretion.
Over 90 countries around the world have implemented some form of freedom of information legislation including some of the country’s strongest democracies like Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Finland and even developing democracies like Jamaica. Scores of progressive world governments have not only realized the importance of such legislation but have enacted that legislation to the betterment of their societies. DO NOT BE FOOLED ladies and gentlemen. A Freedom of Information = AN ENHANCED DEMOCRACY
Despite what this government would have you believe, the passage of the Freedom of Information Act can only enhance and strengthen our still fledgling democracy. Democracy, by its very definition, refers to a state of society characterized by a formal equality of rights and privileges.
This culture of secrecy which has been perpetrated by successive governments has allowed for back room deals to be struck without any regard for the long term effects on our people. This culture of secrecy has created the kind of social inequality that continues to contribute to our many social ills. Without unfettered access to information, we will continue to be subject to the whims of selfish politicians who will continue to thrive as long as they are able to keep us in the dark.
Despite repeated pledges from government leaders to pass such legislation, the Bahamian people remain without a fundamental law that provides us with a statutory right to the information that affects us. The act which was brought to Parliament in 2012 has been allowed to catch DUST for more than two years without any action. When, if EVER will be the right time to implement and enforce this legislation? WE SAY NOW IS THAT TIME!
There’s an old adage that says: If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything. My fellow Bahamians the time has come to STAND, we can no longer be silent as the rights of our people are trampled and special interest groups continue to thrive while the average Bahamian Suffers. The fight for Democracy will not be won if we sit idly by and do nothing. The fight to protect our environment will not be won if we sit by and do nothing. The fight for economic freedom will not and CANNOT be won if sit back and DO NOTHING!
The DNA believes in this fight and we invite all free thinking Bahamians to join us in this fight for Equality! And for Freedom!
© Copyright 2014 by thebahamasweekly.com
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