By Dr. Hubert Minnis
When you look around New Providence today, what do you see? When you think of our institutions, what do they offer? What does The Bahamas look like now? Are we only sun, sand and sea or are we promise, potential, and possibilities? I think the latter.
Some Bahamians look around in New Providence through impatient eyes and see mounds and mounds of dirt, debris and open trenches. They see workmen and equipment digging, placing pipes and paving the roads on many of our major thoroughfares. I, however, look not at the present state but the future. I see the infrastructural improvements in fiber optic cabling, underground utilities for water and power. I see what the roadwork will offer, what it will change and what it will impact.
Thinking of underground utilities, in light of the passing of Hurricane Irene, imagine if all utilities were underground. The loss of service would have been minimal at best. There would be little to no pole damage, and little to no disruption of service. That is what I see in the future Bahamas.
When I am inconvenienced by the traffic diversions due to the roadwork, instead of getting enraged, I envision the more efficient flow of traffic that will result from the completed roads. Regarding the six-legged round-about, this junction has decreased my morning and afternoon travel by at least 10 minutes due to its more efficient traffic flow.
The road improvement should bring about an improvement in the water quality throughout the island of New Providence, as several aged corroded pipes will be replaced enabling the uninhibited flow of reverse osmosis water to areas that currently experience rust in their water supply. The road project will improve the fiber optic capabilities throughout the island, which will increase technological advances within The Bahamas.
Electronic healthcare
In the future The Bahamas will continue with e-health, improving the health service delivery system. This advance expands the availability of specialist care.
In the not too distant future the new operating theatres at the Princess Margaret Hospital will be fitted with videoconferencing technology through which specialist surgeons could provide assistance during actual surgery. This would be particularly beneficial when patients are unable to travel.
Telemedicine will be expanded into new areas of specialty, as there is notable success in this medical advancement. Abaco and Andros patients are seen via videoconferencing by specialists here in Nassau.
I envision the continuance of e-health through the introduction of electronic medical records. Patients would no longer travel with their medical files. The file would electronically follow them to any connected clinic, private practice or hospital.
Online government services
Our future has already started taking shape. We have embarked on the journey to join the rest of the world through globalization. The introduction of e-government via online applications for passports, registration for government services and the gradual move to additional online services will propel The Bahamas into this age of technology.
This translates to persons on any island of this archipelago having the means and opportunity to renew driver’s licenses, to apply online for government services and to pay taxes, such as real property tax, online.
This advance is paralleled by our current ability to book airline tickets, transportation and accommodation online in order to facilitate travel abroad.
I also see the online ordering of groceries for New Providence and the Family Islands with the option of home delivery. Online bill payment will eventually become the norm, with most banking transactions being conducted online instead of residents travelling to banks.
Changes in tourism
I see our tourism industry positively impacted by our partnership in the globalization of the world. Our future can be littered with endless opportunities when our valued tourists come to our shores, no matter the island of their destination, and they can connect to our website via smartphones to make online reservations at restaurants; to get directions for their rental cars; to contact tour and island activities; and to get help in cases of emergency.
I see the offering of our craft, straw work and Junkanoo art online with the global market at our doorstep waiting to quickly purchase the items so reminiscent of their island in the sun. How about duty-free shopping online? Visitors could use their smartphones to purchase items that would be delivered to their airplane for their convenience.
With the Baha Mar and Atlantis anchors, we expect a bright future in the tourism market. These bright stars would lead the way. I think of a marriage between east and west with Baha Mar’s Chinese influence, and Atlantis tapping into the Latin countries. We have an opportunity to not only showcase our Bahamian culture, but to learn the culture and languages of these new tourists to our shores.
I was so impressed to see the Copa flights landing from Latin American ports bringing many bright-eyed eager Spanish speakers to The Bahamas that I am inclined to brush up on a little Spanish, as I was always intrigued by their rich, vibrant culture and would welcome a culture fusion from this marriage of convenience.
Education
That brings me to my next point as we look at our crystal ball into the future Bahamas – education. We must, old and young alike, invest in our continued education. We have an opportunity to expand into e-learning. For those who may not have done well in high school, these individuals can explore continued education to brush up on the skills that are required in the job market.
Those who wish to enhance or change their careers could also use e-learning, either through COB’s Continued Education program or by various online courses and degrees offered by other institutions within the global education market. The opportunity includes individuals from the Family Islands who could broaden their horizons through e-learning portals and tap into educational institutions that were not traditionally available to them.
Our future
We must learn from the influences that grace our shores and add our unique flare, making our product a special one. The Bahamas has enjoyed, over the years, many cultural influences. Now let’s take it to the global stage. Let’s offer the world our Bahamian products not only when people travel here, but when they google Bahamas they should be inundated with vibrant Junkanoo art, straw craft and the memory of the sweet island life.
Let’s take over the Internet market. We have so much to offer as a small nation. We are not an industrial nation. We are not a horticultural nation, or collectively a technological giant. However, together as a nation we are a cultural giant.
We can take the world by storm. As the traditional employment sectors locally become saturated, we must flex and expand to the global market. I implore you, if you have an entrepreneurial idea, sit down with an Internet savvy young adult and allow your mind to meld with that person’s, unlocking the endless world of promise, potential and possibilities.
Aug 31, 2011