As we return from the most catastrophic and life altering event of our time, we face an unprecedented challenge of returning to life with new paradigms and unforeseen challenges that fundamentally affect the way we approach life and business. The foremost question on the minds of our citizens is where do we go from here? The other question is how do we go from here? What is proposed below is a list of possible solutions to consider moving The Bahamas forward, onward and upward together. Some of the items suggested do not refer only to the specifics of the current situation but as long-term conceptual elements of a transformed and viable society.
Basic needs and provisions (No Bahamian should be homeless, food-less or healthless)
According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we all have basic needs that are essential to effective functioning. Without basic needs being met, an individual cannot be self-actualized and meet his or her highest potential – in the same way a country that cannot provide for its basic needs becomes a limited state, especially in times of crisis. The basics include food, shelter and clothing. When people have basic needs met, it is easier for others to get wealth and at the same time, it reduces crime (not eliminates).
Food
Going forward, there must be a national focus on growing food locally. Although this is an often-mentioned admonition, it is, nonetheless, an essential and important national priority. This can be done beginning on the individual level where each family is encouraged to utilize their yard space to plant trees and crops that can assist with lessening food dependence on foreign sources. As an example, the concept of the productive yard can be put forth. Substituting nonbearing hedges and plants for productive landscaping. For example, replacement of ficus (non-producing) with cocoplums (producing). Using bearing fruit, bearing coconut trees, rather than decorative palms is another example. These are fairly simple measures that may seem to have little impact in the short term but could be a massive boost if adopted ubiquitously.
On the national level, a program of food sustainability can be launched focusing in on packaging of fruits and vegetables. In the past, we have food grown on our Family Islands that often goes to waste. There is a growing industry for dried fruits, dried vegetables and dried meals. Consideration can also be given to canned and bottled products. There, too, is a tremendous global demand for organic produce, and this is an area that some of our islands can focus on, seeing that there are vast amounts of unused land.
Housing/shelter
No one in The Bahamas should be involuntarily homeless, especially in times of crisis. As a part of a new standard living provisions act or basic living provisions act, all citizens who are unable to afford housing should be provided with housing built by the government or in partnership with private landlords where a subsidy is paid directly to the landlord and not to the individuals concerned. If persons are able to work, they could be required to perform a needed service to ensure that all of our people are productive and actively engaged in some form of work. Idleness is one of the biggest contributors to social decay, thus, there should be some form of work associated with provisions to ensure individual productivity.
The standard living provisions act would also include a provision for food vouchers to ensure that no one goes hungry. Again, these would be redeemable at food stores, not in cash, to avoid abuse and misappropriation. Funding can come through a standard living provisions fund that is privately administrated by a non-governmental board, which publishes its distribution and accounting records. Donations can come via corporations, individuals, the United Nations, or a special fund contributed to by persons earning more than a designated amount (e.g. $200,000 per year) or from a sovereign wealth fund. At this point, this is purely conceptual, and the numbers would be worked out in a detailed researched plan. The Bahamas should also consider the model of Singapore where renters of government apartments were given the opportunity to own their units over time.
CLOTHING
This objective is much easier to achieve – and if it is not already implemented, it could be done so very quickly. Clothing would be provided through local non-profits, churches and relief agencies from goods donated by citizens and corporate entities. Warehouses can be established where clothing is stored and issued as needed based upon verified needs.
Health
A tiered system of National Health Insurance should be implemented where all citizens pay into a fund for National Health Insurance while allowing for those who can afford to, to have supplementary private insurance. There should be a universal basic option that covers everyone in the country. People should not die because they have limited income. And persons who have pre-existing conditions or who are advanced in age should not be abandoned and have to fend for themselves or receive the lowest level of care, or no care at all.
Simultaneously, a deliberate education and incentivized campaign should be implemented to encourage our citizens toward healthier lifestyles. To this end, we must find a way to reduce the cost of healthy foods, through our agricultural and breadbasket policies. As has been recommended by other officials, we should implement a “sugar” or “sin” tax on certain unhealthy products and relieve the duty of other more locally derived and healthier products. Healthcare should never be a purely capitalistic entity as those without capital die and those with capital live.
Economy
Economies are more effective when they are diverse and there is liberal circulation and distribution. In many economies of the world, there exists, what I refer to as, economic constipation where wealthy individuals have wealth and resources stuck in vaults or private funds that do not move or circulate. Effective distribution and circulation are essential to ensure that this does not persist.
It should be noted that one percent of the world effectively prevents 99 percent of the world from having access to resources. People and corporations with excessive stockpiles of cash and resources should be systematically engaged and required to assist in the circulation and distribution of resources, especially in areas of mass poverty and disenfranchisement. Such people should be major contributors to the basic living provisions fund or some strategy put in place to ensure that high income individuals contribute to a national development fund proportionately.
There should be a deliberate attempt to broaden and deepen our economy. Liberalizing the economy essentially means opening it up for Bahamians to benefit in all sectors. Bahamians should be able to own banks and impediments removed for expansion in this area, especially in light of the intractability of foreign banks and their divestment and transfer of operations to foreign jurisdictions. We should remove the red tape and allow a business to register and open – and within one month. We should be able to open bank accounts in a local bank within one hour and not the days or weeks it currently takes. We must limit the amount of fees infringed upon the backs of Bahamians from the banks while simultaneously limiting loans to build wealth. The foreign banks (Canadian) must do better and should be pressured through government policy. At the same time, locally owned banks should fill the void created by the divestment and restructuring of foreign banks.
• Pastor Dave Burrows is senior pastor at Bahamas Faith Ministries International. Feel free to email comments, whether you agree or disagree, to pastordaveburrows@hotmail.com. I appreciate your input and dialogue. We become better when we discuss, examine and exchange.
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