What about a Domestic Agenda, Mr. Prime Minister?

“Global Warming!"

There needs to be a true plan of action if real change is to take place in our country - The Bahamas. We need new ways of diversifying our economy so the trickledown effect can become a reality. Innovation needs to be the order of the day. A new day must include not just the Bahamian elites, but every Bahamian as a whole

By: Dr. Kevin Turnquest-Alcena

LLB (Hon-1st Cl.), LLM (Hon-1st Cl.)

PhD in Economics / Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology

Ph.D. in Public Health / PhD in Herbal and Holistic Medicine

Titular Professor

Lawyer & Fellow—FCILEx; ACIArb; & Snr. Fellow–AMLA

“Some say the planet is sick and humans are the virus, it is undeniably we as a species have destroyed this beautiful planet at an alarming rate. Putting aside global warming and climate change, no species is as greedy as the human race, we take more than we need and leave a trail of destruction.”

Global warming! Climate change! Melting glaciers! Rising sea levels! Sinking lands! Eroding coasts! The world is in a panic; fear of the future like the resounding roar of a lion! Scientist predicting a bleak, dark and uncertain tomorrow. It has been said that by 2100 the sea levels would have risen up to 70%, thus being the catalyst for the loss of many coastal regions.

With that said, God has a divine plan for man and this earth He created. He is the God, the Chronos and the Kairos time and because He supersedes time, He controls everything. Genesis 9:11 states, "And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there anymore be a flood to destroy the earth." Man does not have the capacity to comprehend God or the things He does and thus can never predict the outcome of one's future.

With that being said, it cannot be denied that the drastic effects of climate change have resulted in many countries looking for an outlet to reduce their carbon fingerprint. As a result, a country like Denmark has committed to offering 13.4 million dollars to developing nations damaged by climate change. This excessive damage has resulted in the concept of carbon credits. Carbon credits are carbon allowances giving a company permission to generate 1 ton of CO2 emissions.

Prime Minister Davis, stated that, "We intend to be the first country to offer Blue Carbon Credits... It creates for the first time a framework to compensate The Bahamas for the significant role we play as a carbon sink." However, one must ask, Mr. Prime Minister, will we really receive the compensation being suggested? How will this affect the environment? If you, sir, are truly depending upon other countries to compensate this country, good luck! Like Jeremiah 17:5 “Thus the Lord. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord."

However, Mr. Prime Minister, while a global agenda is great! The burning questions still remain. What about a domestic agenda? What does your manifesto say in regard to the National debt? How does a $4.2 million dollar travelling budget eradicate the mounting debt? Could not this money have been spent on developing a program focused on decreasing unemployment? May I remind you sir that next June over 5,000 students leaving school, with only 20% going to college. What happens to the other 80% that will be looking for work?

Moreover, what plan is in place to assist those students that are educated yet having difficulty obtaining gainful employment as citizens in their own country? Although it is good to help those that have no options or talents, helping those that do will be an asset.

There needs to be a true plan of action if real change is to take place in our country. We need new ways of diversifying our economy so the trickledown effect can become a reality. Innovation needs to be the order of the day. A new day must include not just the elites, but everyone as a whole.

“Mother earth is crying. We humans have done enough damage and still can’t open our eyes. We are so arrogant that we convince others that we have to save the earth, but earth’s real cancer is human’s behavior. We have to put our ego and arrogance aside and take some serious and strong steps to protect ourselves and our future, or will have to be ready to die sooner or later.”

November 19, 2022 

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The fight for climate change and fair climate financial support is essential to The Bahamas' survival

Bahamian Prime Minister says fighting Climate Change and fighting for fair climate financial support is essential to country’s survival

Since being elected to office on September 16, 2021, Prime Minister Davis has led discussion on Climate Change and its dire impact on Small Island Developing States, such as The Bahamas

NASSAU, The Bahamas - Fighting Climate Change and fighting for fair climate financial support are crucial to the survival of The Bahamas, according to Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis.

He made the statement during his first National Address, delivered Tuesday, October 11, 2022 in a live broadcast heard around the country.

In the 36-page document, the prime minister shared the progress of his administration so far and plans for education, food security, job readiness, health care, national security, climate change, and more measures for the way forward.

Since being elected to office on September 16, 2021, Prime Minister Davis has led discussion on Climate Change and its dire impact on Small Island Developing States, such as The Bahamas. He also called for financial support in dealing with this impact; and in his remarks he described how Carbon Credits can play a positive role in mitigating this dilemma.

Prime Minister Davis noted that the building of coalitions to have a more unified and powerful say on the world stage is most effective in delivering a clear message.

However, as momentum gathers, The Bahamas must speak up, take matters into its own hands, he said: one important measure in garnering climate financial support is to introduce new legislation for carbon credits -- an early priority in the first year of his administration.

“Because the threats posed by Climate Change are now widely acknowledged to be serious and imminent, countries and corporations are making a transition from carbon-emitting fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

“But it’s going to require a massive and very expensive change to energy infrastructure, all over the world; so it won’t happen overnight.

During the transition, our existing energy systems will continue to push carbon dioxide into the atmosphere,” the prime minister said.

He also observed that many countries and companies are required to compensate for those emissions by buying carbon credits. Carbon credits are a way to pay the planet back for the harm caused by those continuing emissions.

“What we in The Bahamas are now doing is working to become the first in the world to sell blue carbon credits.

We have been working with top scientists to map and verify our mangroves and seagrass meadows, so that we can begin trading carbon credits.

“So, we are innovating in a way that is going to protect our environment, and bring in what we believe will become a very important source of revenue for The Bahamas,” the prime minister said.

Last week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) while downgrading the Bahamian economy, also cited that it is vulnerable to climate shocks that are likely to come with increasing frequency and intensity.

“So, when they look at our country, they are pricing in a high probability of future Hurricane Dorians – and saying, essentially, that they believe we have a worse outlook than other countries who have similar economic and fiscal situations, but less climate risk,” the prime minister said.

He added, “Now you understand why I spend so much time and energy on the issue of Climate Change…. Fighting climate change, and fighting for fair climate finance, is central to our country’s ability to thrive.

“Actually, it’s central to our country’s ability to survive. That’s why we call it an existential threat.” The prime minister deemed it important for The Bahamas to lead the way in this activism.

Hence, it’s why he hosted regional leaders to the first-of-its-kind conference in Nassau recently, to present a stronger voice in the upcoming COP27 – the UN Climate Change Conference, November 2022, in Egypt.

“A lot of important decisions will be made then about how to compensate countries like ours for our climate debt and risks,” he said.

He noted that The Bahamas has contributed only the tiniest percentage of the world’s global emissions, yet it is on the frontline -- consistently rated as one of the countries most at risk.

“The wealthiest countries on earth have become so wealthy by using oil, gas and coal to produce energy and power; their industrialization, and these fossil fuel emissions pump massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

All that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps more of the sun’s rays, heating up our planet. And that warming is having all kinds of climate effects – including rising sea levels and more intense hurricanes,” the prime minister said.

He concluded: “I don’t want our country to be forever trapped by this cycle of destruction, tragedy, and debt. That’s why we’re fighting for change.”

October 12, 2022

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