Collie: FNM Focus on Lands and Local Government
Published: Wednesday June 6th, 2007
Lands & Local Government Minister the Hon. Sidney Collie
2007/2008 Budget Communication by Lands and Local Government Minister, the Hon. Sidney Collie:
MINISTER COLLIE: Mr. Speaker, during the month of May 2006, the executives of the blue hills constituency invited me to consider offering for the constituency as an FNM candidate in the general elections. I accepted their invitation and commenced campaign in a serious way a few days before mother’s day 2006. On May 2nd, 2007, almost a year to date I was elected to this honorable house.
During that year I met, came to love and respect and appreciate the fine people of Blue Hills. I must tell you Mr. Speaker mine was not an easy election in Blue Hills. My opponent was not only most unorthodox in his methods but he resorted to all manner of tricks, schemes and maneuvers to hold on to the seat. In the end Mr. Speaker I escaped all the snares of the enemy and was indeed elected to this parliament.
It is a matter of trust, Mr. Speaker; I sit in this chair on this front bench upon the trust of the peoples of Blue Hills and the trust of the right honorable Hubert Ingraham, prime minister of the Bahamas.
Thank you Blue Hills and thank you prime minister I do promise that I will hold the sacred position of trust you Blue Hills and prime minister repose in me by giving the highest service to you and this nation that my abilities and intellect allow.
Mr. Speaker,
I also take this opportunity to thank my parents Stanley and Edith Collie of Betsy Bay and all the inhabitant of Mayaguana for the dogged encouragement they gave me over the many years.
You see Mr. Speaker my election to this most honorable chamber, and my appointment as a minister in this cabinet is a distinction only a few Bahamians ever have the privilege of attaining, but by divine favor I am the first Mayaguanian, ever to serve in the Senate, the honorable House of Assembly and as a minister of the government. To many Bahamians this may not be a big deal, but to this Mayaguana boy and all Mayaguanians we say to god be the glory, great things he has done!
Mr. Speaker,
In a real and tangible manner the minister of finance has allocated the following sums for recumbent expenditure for 2007/2008.
With your indulgence Mr. Speaker permit me to individually list each allocation as I wish for all residents of each island to know with certainty their allocation in the Family Islands.
[See Chart Below]
In addition allocations for capital works for these districts totaled $2,938,656. An increase of $480,456. Over the 2006 / 2007 budget allocations.
Mr. Speaker,
I am indeed humbled and privileged to have This most distinguished opportunity to address this historic and ancient parliament. As minister for lands and local government during this 2007/2008 budget debate.
Mr. Speaker,
I wish to congratulate and commend the Rt. Honourable prime minister and Minister of Finance for presenting to this nation this very progressive and socially conscious budget.
These budgetary allocations will go a long way in realizing the trust agenda of this government. After all Mr. Speaker it is a matter of trust.
Mr. Speaker,
In this communication I will address the areas assigned to me in the ministry of lands and local government. These include the department of lands and surveys, the department of local government, the department of cooperative development, The post office department the consumer unit and the inter-island freight and passenger mail service.
Mr. Speaker,
In this 2007/08 budget a total of $49,070,050 has been allocated as recurrent expenses for the entire ministry. Of that amount m$37,076.428 has been allocated for the expenses of the ministry, which is inclusive of the department of cooperatives development, the consumer unit the department of local government and the inter-island mail boat service system. $9,174,367m has been allocated to the post office department, and $2,819,155m to the department of lands and surveys. Mr. Speaker I am pleased to report that without exception every area of my ministry has received an increase in some cases substantial increase in budgetary allocations over the 2006/2007 year; we congratulate the rt. Honourable prime minister and minister of finance again for this visionary leadership.
Mr. Speaker,
My ministry also received funding for capital works particularly in the family islands. The ministry has been allocated the sum of $4,411,774 while the post office department has been allocated the sum of $900,000. These funds Mr. Speaker will impact the family islands in particular in very special ways.
Department of Local Government
Mr. Speaker,
I look forward with great anticipation to the continued improvements of local government and its efforts towards decentralization in the family islands as well as the implementation of local government in the island of new providence. During this term in office.
This whole concept of participatory democracy is an integral component of the government’s trust agenda – 2007. Our goal is to continue to build an effective and responsive local government system for the entire Bahamas by the end of our first term in office.
It is therefore essential for us, as a government; to do everything we can to help local elected officials do their jobs more effectively. My ministry will make every effort to assist local governments to improve their efficiency and effectiveness, and to have local communities have a greater say in the issues that matter most in their communities.
Over the last ten (10) years local authorities in the family islands have done an excellent job, in advancing community developments. Township committees and councilors have given their time and energy sacrificially to serve their districts.
I wish to thank them all for the unselfish services they have provided over these years. I also challenge them to continue to work together to bring about better delivery of services, greater accountability, transparency and full participation of all residents in the process.
Mr. Speaker,
My ministry will continue to promote the relationship between local government institutions and central government, and local government institutions and non-governmental organizations. A key function of my ministry will be to continue to monitor rather than attempt to control the activities of the local government institutions, while at the same time facilitating socio-economic growth, balanced and sustainable development in the local communities.
Mr. Speaker,
In order to enhance this decentralization process and deepen democracy in the family island communities and the march towards local communities in New Providence, my ministry will make every effort to delegate more and more central government functions to local government institutions, as the local government system matures and develops.
Mr. Speaker,
The policy objectives for this ministry as outlined in Manifesto 2007 (the trust agenda) are listed as follows:
the implementation of local government in the island of new providence
strengthening local government by putting in place institutional and capacity building programmes
collaborating with all local government institutions on all matters relating to disaster preparedness and response
modernizing and restructuring the postal system so that letters posted in one community in the same family island are not required to go to Nassau
collaborating with local government and the private sector for the upgrading and beautification of the family islands settlements and local communities in new providence
consulting with local government on all matters affecting the communities
my ministry will lay on the table of this parliament legislation to amend the local government act, 1966 to deal with anomalies, and loopholes, that are inherent in the act. These amendments will facilitate a more effective and efficient administration of the local government system.
my ministry will also seek to improve the administrative structure for the department of local government.
Mr. Speaker,
One of the earliest initiatives of my ministry in the introduction of local government in new providence is to spearhead an island wide consultative, process for all residents. Mr. Speaker,
Such an exercise will engage key stakeholders, including family island local government practitioners, administrators, parliamentarians, non governmental organizations, the media, church and civic organizations, community-based organizations, women’s and men’s group, trade unions, business and political parties.
These consultations will assist the government in its attempts to effectuate a model of local government for new providence that will take into account out density of population, demographics, culture, and the nuances peculiar to individual communities.
Co-Operatives
The cooperative sector has experienced significant growth over the past thirty-three (33) years. There are now more than 30,000 Bahamian investors in cooperatives. There exist shareholders in sixteen (16) credit unions, six (6) producer services cooperatives and 3 school based cooperatives. Total asset of the cooperative sector is in excess of two hundred dollars ($200 m). The sector directly employs over 200 persons.
- Legislation
Mr. Speaker,
The new cooperative societies act was passed in October, 2005. Implementation of this new act will ensure that the department of cooperative development is adequately strengthened and organized with a legal framework to allow for the expansion of the cooperative sector as a major engine of economic growth and social development, more particularly in our family islands.
The Act will also provide for greater governance and effective prudential regulation of the cooperative sector. The regulations are currently being reviewed by the attorney general’s office. I hope to be in a position shortly to bring those regulations to this house.
- Institutional strengthening and capacity building department of cooperative development
Mr. Speaker,
Institutional strengthening of the department of cooperative development is an on going activity. Extensive training is currently being undertaken to increase the capacity of the department to carry out its mandate. Continuous human resource development will increase the department’s ability to meet the growing challenges and demands of the sector.
Over the last year technical staff was increased to more effectively and efficiently carry out the department’s mandate of policing the sector, in order to protect Bahamian’s investments in the cooperative movement.
Technical assistance sought from the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) and the National Association (NASCUS) for Strengthening of the Cooperative Regulatory efforts in inspection and supervision of credit unions and building capacity of examiners will continue.
- Institutional strengthening for the cooperative sector
Mr. Speaker,
Dialogue has commenced with a view to formulating a plan to implement a “deposit insurance facility” for the credit union system. This will further guarantee the safety and soundness of members’ investments. Consideration is also being given as to how credit unions might participate in the national payment council initiatives to set-up an automated clearing house.
In the producer/supplier cooperative sub-sector plans for specific projects to be implemented on the family islands are continuing. These include a joint venture project with Abaco agricultural cooperative to grow sod to meet the growing demands of major investments on Abaco and else where in the Bahamas.
Workshops were conducted with farmers/processors in Eleuthera in conjunction with inter-American institute for cooperation on agriculture (IICA) to present the proposed “bottled tomato project.” Work is on going and a marketing study is underway.
Mr. Speaker,
Further development of the producer/supplier sub-sector of cooperatives is contemplated via approval by a government grant of $50,000 to assist in the development of producer/supplier cooperatives. The utilization of this grant is aimed at strengthening operational capabilities, technical competence, technology improvement, product development and market penetration
- Youth initiatives
Mr. Speaker,
The department recognizes the importance of involving the youth in the cooperative sector. To this end, a formal cooperative program is being developed for implementation in the nation’s school system.
The ministry is committed to supporting the efforts to ensure the perpetuation of the sector in the future. Over the next several months, a program to establish more school cooperatives will be implemented.
Part of the process is to partner these junior cooperatives with existing successful credit unions for monitoring purposes to encourage groups and development of businesses. An officer of the department has been identified and commissioned (dedicated) to drive this program.
It should be noted that a two year scholarship is provided by the cooperative movement for a student to attend the college of the Bahamas annually to pursue studies in the area of business management, computer, science, accounting/finance, tourism, agriculture, marketing and banking. Five school cooperatives are currently operating in the Bahamas.
The goal of the department of cooperative development is to achieve the following medium term objectives:-
modernizing the legal, regulatory and policy framework to revitalize and expand cooperative enterprise as a distinct economic sector;
expanding and transforming registered credit unions into safer, sound and modern financial institutions with higher output of productive loans, as a result of mobilizing increased domestic savings;
strengthening family island based cooperative enterprises through enhanced marketability, management capability, product development share capital and access to credit; and
stimulating greater access to and participation by workers, youth and student in viable co-operatives.
Mr. Speaker,
The cooperative sector will therefore be better served by a re-organized and strengthened department providing coordinated linkages with agriculture, fisheries and the business sectors to make efficient use of the ministry’s resources and to produce better quality service to their members and the general public.
This shift in strategic approaches will enable the department to achieve its new mission and significantly impact job creation, and the gross the domestic product. Therefore, Mr. speaker I wish to once again thank the rt. Honourable prime minister for granting this department an increase in its operational expenses to $300,000.00 to assist it in the attainment of its objective.
Mr. Speaker,
I now turn to the post office department. The Bahamas postal service is part of the global network that is faced with many challenges and concerns. The traditional postal landscape is continually changing with the many private courier services and the many exterritorial office of exchange (ETOES).
Postal service will, however, remain a vital part of the daily life of people around the world into the indefinite future. Even in this modern society, when the post office is challenged by the revolutionary advances in technology, the post office continues to be a very meaningful and effective source of communication.
Mr. Speaker,
There is an increase in items being transmitted through the post. These are not the high price items. There is a decrease in what we consider to be core business, the first class air mail. This we believe is because of new technology, email and fax.
In an effort, therefore, to meet the technological challenges of the 21st century, the Bahamas post office must be transformed into a more innovative flexible and customer responsive organization.
Mr. Speaker,
The Bahamas post is aware that it must now look at strengthening its revenue base by better marketing the services being offered and by the introduction of new services.
Mr. Speaker,
We will continue the modernization of the post office, in accordance with this modernization, I proposed to lay on the table of this parliament several pieces of new legislations to govern postal service in this country. We will also computerize our counter service throughout the Bahamas. This Mr. Speaker will improve the efficiency of the level of service that we offer the public.
The postal service has renovated and reopened the post office in hunters, grand Bahama recently closed because of hurricanes Frances and Jeanne. The local government building in west end is being renovated by the post office department for full use.
During the budget year 2006/2007, the post office department opened its first cluster box facility on sandy port, a proto type that can be introduced in our developing family islands. It is less expensive to build and maintain.
Mr. Speaker,
My ministry will provide additional private boxes so that all residents of the Bahamas may have access to them and be able to collect their mail in a timely and convenient manner.
As the post office department strives to continue in its resolve to be the best in mail processing and delivery, my ministry will introduce mail processing centers throughout the Bahamas and will construct new postal facilities in family islands such as Marsh Harbour, Abaco; North and Central Eleuthera; Exuma, West End and Mayaguana. We will also continue to upgrade all postal facilities in New Providence.
Mr. Speaker,
I now turn to the department of lands & surveys and with special emphasis on the land use policy and administration project.
My ministry is committed to addressing all of the key land issues outlined in this project, including I) improving land tenure security; ii) developing a land registration system; iii) modernization of land legislation; iv) studying impacts of commonage and generational land and v) improving the management of crown lands. As a result of this an agreement was entered into with the inter-American development bank (IDB) for a loan of us$3,500,000 in November 2004, to finance a land use, policy and administration project at a total cost of $5,000,000.00 (government contributed $1.5 million).
Mr. Speaker,
The project officially began in June of 2005 for a duration is 36 months. The executing agency was the office of the prime minister through a project coordinating unit (PUC) established specifically for the purpose of coordinating the work of the department of lands and surveys (DOLS), the Bahamas national geographic information systems center (BNGIS) and other participating government and private sector agencies.
Mr. Speaker,
The general objective of the project is to improve the efficiency of land administration and land information management while preparing modern land policy guidelines and legislation, thereby contributing to improve the use of land resources of the Bahamas. The main project components are: (i) land administration modernization; (ii) land information management; and (iii) national land issues and policy guidelines.
Specific results of the project are:
- modernization and expansion of the land administration services provided by the government land agencies responsible for cadastral surveying, allocation and management of crown land, the recording of property rights and the assessment of properties for taxation purposes;
- provision of geographic information for land use planning and monitoring of land development;
- strengthening of the technical capacity of the government in collecting, analyzing and dissemination of land information; and
- preparation of policy options and guidelines for key national land issues.
To achieve the general objective of the project and provide specific results related to the land administration modernization and national land issues and policy guidelines components, the office of the prime minister signed a $2.3 million dollar contract with international land systems (ILS), inc. Of silver spring, Maryland on Tuesday, august 15 2006 ending on December 16, 2007.
Mr. Speaker,
To date and in accordance with the above contract, the project has designed, installed and completed a modern surveying infrastructure on the islands of Grand Bahama, New Providence, great Inagua, Andros and Abaco aided by the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS).
Significant progress have been made in collecting, compiling, and converting maps, survey plans, and other records from the real property tax department, the department of physical planning and department of lands and surveys for the development of a parcel information management system (PIMS) in respect of new providence and grand Bahama. This information has been gathered for the purpose of showing the location, size, dimension, ownership and tax assessment of every individual parcel on these islands.
While significant progress has been made in each of these agencies, the collection and conversion of data has not been without its challenges.
Mr. Speaker,
In addition to the land use policy and administration project, my ministry in accordance with manifesto 2007 is committed to protect all Bahamian access to land, therefore my ministry will:
- Review the provisions of the international persons land-holding act.
- Revisit the tax structure payable on undeveloped Bahamian real estate held by foreign persons.
- Ensure access by Bahamians to prime land and to preserve public access to the sea.
- Ensure that crown lands will be made available to Bahamians at concessionary rates for home construction and business endeavors particularly the family islands.
- Preserve the seabed for the crown.
- Reduce and where possible bring to an end the unauthorized occupation and development of crown lands.
Mr. Speaker,
At the department of lands and surveys, the consultant team made significant progress in converting data but have run into significant problems in collecting the most basic data. The consultant team has encountered problems collecting registered survey maps for scanning and conversion.
Basic collection has been time consuming due to the general disorganization of files and archives. Furthermore, the archive held by the department is incomplete. As many as 283 survey plans for new providence and 141 for grand Bahama are missing from the department’s archive.
Crown land management has not been much better. Much of the information that has already been converted, scanned and archived is missing. Key computer workstations containing crown land databases (i.e. Document and images) were either removed or maintenance on these computer systems (i.e. Estate management system) were never updated.
Mr. Speaker,
Another key set of information to be made available to the consultant team under LUPAP was the provision of unregistered survey plans. These are survey plans that have not been registered at the department and continue to be held by private surveyors.
The provision of this data was outlined in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed prior to the initiation of the LUPAP contract by the department of lands and surveys, the Bahamas land surveyor association, and the office of the prime minister. Under this agreement, the provision of this data was to be made available to the consultant team through the land surveyor association. The collection of this data remains an outstanding issue that needs immediate resolution.
Mr. Speaker,
Frustrations have also been experienced in collecting the most basic geospatial information and data from the Bahamas national geographic information centre (BNGISC). While the centre is to act as a repository of geospatial information, the consultant team has been unable to collect any relevant information besides the most basic data (i.e. Coastal outlines and place names).
Furthermore, the relevant data catalogs or metadata (i.e. Data descriptions) were not available or kept up to date as to be useful for the consultant team.
Mr. Speaker,
Unfortunately there has been no progress in the collection of the most important data set relevant to development and deployment of PIMS. No progress has been made in the collecting, compiling and converting of the deeds and documents at the registrar general’s department.
In spite of efforts to gain access to this information for conversion as per a contractual obligation, permission was not given until 19 may 2007. The consequence of this delay is that while the contractor will be able to complete the design of the parcel information management system for new providence and grand Bahama its deployment will be incomplete. Consideration now has to be given to finding a means by which this can be corrected at an additional cost that was not contemplated.
Mr. Speaker,
A crown land study report has been completed which offers the following objectives of crown land policy. These objectives are consistent with current and past practices:
- to protect and improve the economic base for an expanding tourism sector;
- to facilitate a range of residential and employment opportunities in accordance with investment demand;
- to intervene in the real estate market to retain a high proportion of Bahamian land ownership;
- to make achievable the national aspiration of future generations of Bahamians to own a piece of their homeland;
- to protect the national patrimony from extensive alienation through land sales;
- to protect the environment;
- to reserve areas of crown lands in perpetuity.
The study has since been reviewed and used as a basis for a draft crown land policy consistent with our manifesto on land ownership.
Additionally, the LUPAP project has generated a total of eight reports focusing on specific problem areas related to land in the Bahamas including reporting on improving land tenure security, with specific attention given to commonage and generation land.
These tenures reflect a complex interrelationship of kinship, community and rights to land which have been established more by customs than by statutes. Accordingly, they represent more moral than legal claims to land. Seven options were presented for consideration and work in this regard is currently underway.
Mr. Speaker,
Rationalizing land institutions was another report completed and submitted for further attention. This requires clearly defined parameters, of which the most important is the distinction between land administration and land management, terms that are often used interchangeably.
Per the world bank’s comparative study of land administration systems: critical issues and future challenges, land administration is the process of determining, recording and disseminating information about tenure, value and use of land when implementing land management policies (p.7, 2003).
This definition underscores the importance of information management to core land administration functions and highlights land management as the parameter. The report further defines land management as being concerned with managing “land as a resource from an environmental and economic perspective toward sustainable development (IDBD).”
Mr. Speaker,
The issue of duplication and goal overlap identified by the Rabley and Turnquest assessment is evident in the fragmentation of legislation in the Bahamas related to both land administration and land management. Reflecting the legislative framework, land administration and management responsibilities are distributed across various ministries and affiliated departments, quasi-public agencies, and private sector firms.
Each of these are either charged with responsibility for a particular set of land administration processes, vested with government lands, or play a key role in land management. A further factor for consideration in the rationalization process is that there are a number of ministries and public sector capacities which are legally vested with corporation sole status or empowered to hold land in trust. These include the ministries of works, housing and agriculture, so that any proposal to amalgamate areas such as the department of agriculture into a single land administration agency would not be effective without legislative change.
Mr. Speaker,
In assessing the core land administration units, issues identified as impeding their effective functioning reflect a number of gaps and inefficiencies in the areas of:
- Client services,
- Data,
- Information technology and
- Management and human and financial resources.
The main client service issues identified are lengthy processing times and the widely dispersed geographic location of the service points which together impose great inconvenience on clients. Processing efficiencies are further reduced by underutilization of the existing information technology and software—particularly in the DOLS and to a lesser extent the BLV unit—and by a continuing high level of manual processing of statistics and report generation.
There also appears to be demand for decentralized services in the family islands, which is only partly addressed with satellite offices in the case of the registrar general’s department in grand Bahama.
Mr. Speaker,
The main data issues identified are the lack of complete and up to date information about the Bahamian land base, including but not limited to property ownership, property rights and restrictions, property boundaries, land use, and others. Land data are incomplete because existing laws and regulations are vague, overlapping, and in many cases do not require basic information to be collected. Furthermore there is duplication and redundancy amongst the three core land administration units and very little if any coordination between them.
In the area of human resources, the paradigm shift needed for improved service delivery requires an expansion in skill sets to include such disciplines as information technology, geometrics, strategic planning, and human resource development. In addition, the dispersion of units lends to duplication of administrative efforts. Duplication is also an issue where mapping is concerned.
Mr. Speaker,
Addressing the current gaps and inefficiencies in land administration may best be achieved through a two tiered approach, the first of which would be the simultaneous reengineering of the intra and inter agency business processes, changing regulations and possibly laws, and the development of an integrated land information system.
Business process reengineering is a necessary pre-requisite to ensuring that any automated system designed eliminates duplicated efforts whilst ensuring data integrity. The system envisioned here should be aimed at automating and where appropriate requiring land transactions and simultaneously updating and maintaining records.
The system should incorporate the estate management, deeds registration, valuation and cashiering functions. Furthermore, as has been the experience in Belize where such a system is deployed, it should provide for devolution of services (decentralization) through online access utilizing a wide area network and main and backup servers.
The second tier could begin simultaneously with the first and would involve a significant adjustment of the current institutional arrangement of the land administration agencies in a manner that will improve the quality of service and policy support delivered.
Mr. Speaker,
Given the balance of possible increased revenue and reduced costs and the current administrative and management culture in the Bahamas it is felt that the establishment of a national land agency with some divested services to the private sector be given further consideration.
Consideration is also being given to the reforming and harmonizing land legislation report which contains a situation review and initial assessment of the main constraints embodied in the legal framework; recommendations to ensure environmental protection and sustainable resource use in light of robust land market and increasing tourism demand; and a review of the town planning act and recommendations for draft regulations. Over fifty (50) existing laws and five (5) pieces of draft planning and environmental legislation were reviewed.
Mr. Speaker,
The land use policy and administration project has expanded the role of private sector surveyors in the crown land allocation process by thus far contracting Lucayan surveying to survey parcels of crown land in cat island and Andros for the purpose of expediting its transfer to private individuals.
Additional contracts with private sector surveyors will be executed to further reduce the back log of crown land surveys to be done.
The land information management component of LUPAP is designed to build upon the government’s reactivation of the Bahamas national geographic information systems centre (BNGIS) and is designed to:
- Improve the collection and management of geographic information to support land use planning and sustainable development of land resources;
- Provide the technical assistance needed to integrate existing land and geographic data from various government sources;
- Collect new GIS data to develop GIS-based geographical profiles of the islands of Andros, abaco and great Inagua. (these islands will serve as models for the replication of geographic profiles on other family islands by the government in the future).
- Improve the use of geographic information systems throughout government agencies and expand its use to the family islands.
In furtherance of this effort individual consultancies have been entered into for the services of a GIS analyst/geographic profile coordinator and a GIS policy specialist and they are currently assigned to the BNGIS centre.
The Consumer Unit###
Consumer Welfare,
Mr. Speaker everyday consumers are faced with a myriad of choices purchasing goods and services. As a concerned government we must ensure at all times that the necessary checks and balances exist to protect the welfare of our citizens as consumers.
It is incumbent on us therefore to ensure that the goods and services displayed in the various market place meet required standards with respect to health and safety measures when such goods and services are utilized by the consumer in accordance with prescribed methods.
There is no need, Mr. Speaker for us to reinvent the wheel in this regard because we have systems and regulations in place to address these noted concerns. Our attention must therefore be directed to ensuring that these regularity systems in place are adequately maintained by building capacity and providing proper funding and manpower in order to facilitate the maximum delivery of service to and for the greater good.
This, Mr. Speaker, is the charge of my ministry – to provide the hard working officers with the means to execute their role and functions with competence and sustainability.
Consumer Education
My ministry will take necessary steps to reintroduce a program of consumer education to keep pace with advancing technology and to ensure that consumers are able to make informed choices to better protect themselves when they are provided with relevant information about the goods and services in the market.
Product research in this regard will play a pivotal role in providing required information which we hope to disseminate for public consumption using various forms of the print and electronic media, and public forum.
Consumer Protection Commission
The consumer protection commission began its mandate in march 2007. There are some challenges facing this body and housing appears to be one of the most pressing needs at this time. During the ensuing months, my ministry will examine ways and means by which we can bring immediate relief to these circumstances.
Consumers throughout the length and breath of this country can feel secured that my ministry will deploy all within its competence to ensure that all Bahamians as consumers have access to the consumer commission to redress whatever consumer concerns they may have reasons to feel aggrieved.
Mr. Speaker, I wish as a reminder to once again inform the Bahamian public that the consumer protection commission has been initiated as a body that serve to ensure that consumers are protected against unfair and abusive business practices by merchants and service providers.
Standards Bureau
Mr. Speaker, I also wish to address the concerns of those enlighten business persons and consumers alike who recognize and have been calling for the establishment of a standards bureau in the Bahamas. Like them, I to believe that the time for us to have had such a body established is long overdue.
The standards act 2006 came into operation on 19th march, 2007. The charge for my ministry now is to have the relevant offices filled by well qualified persons and to provide these persons with the necessary tools, capacity and accommodations to enable them to execute their functions.
I am equally mindful of the misunderstanding and misgivings emanating from certain sections of the public on this subject. I am however of the view that such discourse exists – because of the lack of a full and comprehensive knowledge of the range of benefits that our country stands to gain by having our social and economic marketplaces operating in a transparent well regulated system.
Standards are applied to nearly every product or service that confront us in our daily lives. Indeed the success of any economic market is contingent upon having a set of standards in place to ensure the safety and performance of those products and services in meeting specified levels of quality safety and environmental health standards.
Mr. Speaker,
The Bahamas standards bureau will lend its assistance to local manufactures and producers and hopefully help them in gaining the confidence of the local business persons eventually earning them a greater share of the market and thus a reduction in the level of foreign competition.
It is further anticipated that in the future standardization will become a staple feature in the way trade and business are conducted in throughout the Bahamas thereby presenting many opportunities for local entrepreneur’s to penetrate international and regional markets with local consumerable goods and services.
Mr. Speaker, while it is not possible at this time to commence a fully operational standards bureau – this is due to the enormous cost involved both in terms of funding and capacity building – we are nonetheless committed to engage in dialogue with relevant stakeholders to get their input on the ways in which we will proceed.
As I now leave this subject, I share with you the Canadian experience downloaded from the standard council of Canada website, which I believe holds true today and I quote:
“the proliferation of trade agreement has highlighted sharp differences in the capacity of developing and developed countries to participate in international standardization.
"Developing countries need an established standardization infrastructure to take part in the global trading system. However, many can’t adequately participate in international standards development and lack the basic technical infrastructure to carry out testing and certification. Few have recognized accreditation systems.”
Mr. Speaker,
The study found that developing countries, through harmonization of standards and technical requirements with their trading partners, can open markets, attract investment and encourage technology transfer.
Further it is noted that developing countries by adopting existing standards and regulations can help these countries to protect the health and safety of their citizens and their environment without incurring the expense of researching and developing such measures. My ministry will work assiduously to make the Bahamas bureau of standards a reality under this administration.
Mr. Speaker,
I now turn to the inter-insular mail boat system in 2005 the tender’s board awarded a contract to Bahamas maritime connexion limited to conduct a review of mail boat operations in the Bahamas. I am pleased to announce that as a result of this report and consultation with the various stakeholders, my ministry has been allocated the sum of m$8,954,660 to ensure that this vital linkage with our family islands is maintained at a high level.
Mr. Speaker,
This amount is an increase of approximately $1m over the previous allocation and we believe that this will go a long way in ensuring significant improvements in the inter island mail boat service.
My ministry will continue to highlight and stress to mail boat operators and owners the importance of accountability as there have been numerous complaints involving missing goods with very little compensation made in respect of these missing goods.
Mr. Speaker,
The majority mail boats will receive an increase in their subsidy. It is our hope that this will impact in a positive way the level and timeliness of service rendered to our family islands. Mail boat operators should and would be held accountable for goods shipped on their motor vessels to the family islands.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker I must report my great satisfaction with the very generous budgetary allocations to my ministry for 2007/2008.
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