A National Agenda for The Bahamas

Deo Adjuvante, Non Timendum

“With God as My Helper, I Have Nothing to Fear”

By Dr. Kevin Turnquest-Alcena

Nassau, The Bahamas

“The price of greatness is responsibility.” — Winston Churchill

The Bahamian drums are beating, the cowbells are ringing into 2026.  The year 2026 represents more than another election cycle; it is a national crossroads.

As Bahamians often say, when “the fat lady sings and gives you the price of the fish,” the debate ends, and reality begins—someone must govern.  The true challenge is not only who wins, but what agenda will guide the nation forward.  While elections bring speeches and promises, words alone do not deliver progress.  The country now requires a people-centered agenda rooted in discipline, accountability, and long-term development.

Reducing the national debt must be a top priority.  High debt limits investment in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social services.

As Warren Buffett once said, “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”  The government must commit to transparent budgeting, responsible borrowing, and improved tax collection.

Auditing government programs, prioritizing high-impact projects, and leveraging public-private partnerships are essential steps toward fiscal sustainability and ensuring every dollar borrowed produces measurable value for the nation.

Crime remains one of the most urgent challenges facing The Bahamas.  It threatens public safety, tourism, investment, and social confidence.

Addressing it requires a comprehensive approach including intelligence-led policing, strengthened border security, judicial reform to reduce court backlogs, community policing, youth intervention programs, and rehabilitation services.  As Marcus Tullius Cicero said, “The safety of the people shall be the highest law.”  Treating crime as both a social and security issue ensures safer communities and stronger national cohesion.

A National Service Programme could further strengthen the nation by promoting discipline, civic responsibility, and workforce readiness among young Bahamians.  Participants could serve in disaster response, healthcare, environmental protection, agriculture, technical trades, and community safety.  Mahatma Gandhi wisely noted, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”  Beyond providing skills, the program would reduce youth unemployment, foster civic pride, and build social unity.

Education reform is central to national development.  Priorities include early childhood education, teacher training, curriculum updates, and accountability measures.  Nelson Mandela emphasized, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”  A literate, skilled population drives productivity, innovation, and economic competitiveness, laying the foundation for sustained national growth.

Preparing Bahamians for the digital economy is equally vital.  Integrating coding, robotics, AI, and digital entrepreneurship into schools equips students for modern careers and entrepreneurship.  Bill Gates observed, “The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don’t really even notice it.”  Partnering with tech firms, universities, and online platforms can provide mentorship and access to advanced resources, ensuring long-term competitiveness.

Public health and wellness must also be prioritized.  The Bahamas faces challenges such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Preventive healthcare, nutrition education, community fitness initiatives, and mental health services are critical.  Gandhi reminded us, “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”  A healthier population reduces healthcare costs, improves productivity, and enhances quality of life.

Economic empowerment requires land reform and effective land management.  Clear land titles, efficient approvals, and transparent administration encourage investment, reduce disputes, and support sustainable development, particularly in the Family Islands.  Aristotle once said, “Land is the basis of all wealth.”

An efficient and accountable public sector is essential.  Digitization, performance-based management, retraining programs, and rationalizing structures improve service delivery.  As Peter Drucker stated, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”  These reforms ensure taxpayers receive value while government operations remain sustainable.

Raising the minimum wage addresses rising living costs and improves social equity.  Franklin D. Roosevelt’s principle, “A fair wage for a fair day’s work,” reflects the importance of fair pay in improving living standards, stimulating domestic consumption, and reducing inequality.

Supporting Bahamian investors and entrepreneurs strengthens local ownership and economic resilience.  Simplifying investor registration, reducing bureaucratic hurdles, offering tax incentives, and providing mentorship foster innovation and job creation.  As Peter Drucker said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”  A thriving business sector reduces dependence on foreign investment and drives national prosperity.

Economic diversification is critical to reduce vulnerability.  While tourism remains important, expansion into financial services, captive insurance, renewable energy, agriculture, digital services, and the creative economy is necessary.  Miguel de Cervantes’ wisdom, “Do not put all your eggs in one basket,” highlights the need for multiple growth sectors to ensure stability and opportunity.

Affordable housing and cost-of-living relief remain urgent.  Government-subsidized programs, construction incentives, and policy reforms ensure working families can afford safe homes.  As an unknown author noted, “A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.”

Modern infrastructure drives national development.  Roads, bridges, ports, airports, inter-island transportation, and broadband connectivity enhance trade, mobility, and quality of life.  Lily Tomlin’s observation, “The road to success is always under construction,” underscores the ongoing need for investment in infrastructure.

Climate resilience and disaster preparedness are essential.  As a small island nation, The Bahamas is highly vulnerable to climate change.  Coastal protection, flood mitigation, resilient infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and community awareness safeguard lives and property.  The Native American proverb reminds us, “We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”

Finally, good governance and anti-corruption measures underpin national success.  Transparency, accountability, and strong institutions ensure public trust.  Kofi Annan stated, “Good governance is less about structure and more about behavior.”  Ethical leadership and citizen oversight are critical for maintaining confidence and ensuring fair use of national resources.

Countries such as Singapore demonstrate that discipline, efficiency, education, and long-term planning can transform a nation.  While The Bahamas cannot replicate another nation entirely, adopting these principles can guide national development and sustainable growth.

As 2026 approaches, the national agenda must move beyond promises and focus on execution, accountability, and measurable results.  Addressing crime, debt, education, health, wages, investment, and national service is essential to securing the future of The Bahamas.

A Christmas Message to the Bahamian People: As the year ends, warm wishes go out to the people of The Bahamas.  May this season bring peace, reflection, and renewed hope. Merry Christmas, and may the coming year bring unity, progress, and national renewal.

December 20, 2025

Source / Comment

Without Reforms, The Bahamas’ Current Education “Crisis” Would Have a Detrimental Impact on The National Economy by The Year 2020

The Bahamas Ministry of Education reported a national average of D this year among students who took The Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) exams

Education “In Crisis”

By Candia Dames

Nassau, The Bahamas

candiadames@hotmail.com

16 December 2005

A coalition of private-sector organizations on Thursday warned that the country’s present education “crisis” would have a serious and detrimental impact on the national economy by the year 2020 if immediate steps are not taken to put in place reforms.

"A general low level of academic achievement has individual, national and international consequences," the group says in a new report titled, "Bahamian Youth: The Untapped Resource."

Frank Comito, executive vice president of the Bahamas Hotel Association (BHA), said the consequences of not addressing the present crisis would be dire.

"Twenty years down the line we could find ourselves in a very uncompetitive situation where our cost of living would be incredibly high and our productivity would be incredibly low and the amount of dollars circulating through the economy because of that would be minimized and it could have severe consequences not only on every individual in The Bahamas, but certainly on government revenues and support services and everything else," Mr. Comito said.

The report says that while the Education Department has a good testing system, the test scores suggest significant deficiencies.

The Ministry of Education reported a national average of D this year among students who took The Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) exams.

In 2004, 5,741 students wrote the exams, but only 718 or 12.5 percent earned a minimum C grade average in five subjects, the report notes.

It says there is a "serious" lack of graduates prepared to enter college.

The coalition says its analysis suggests that the education crisis in The Bahamas has deep roots.

"Education reform will be successful only with a sustained commitment of every element of society, every stakeholder and every political party," the report says.  "Education reform must stand high on the national list of priorities over the long haul."

The release of the coalition’s report came days after the Ministry of Education said in a press statement that it was preparing to announce certain initiatives to address systematic deficiencies.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, President of The Bahamas Hotel Employers Association J. Barrie Farrington said local businesspeople are becoming increasingly concerned about the education level of job candidates, many of whom are barely literate.

"In the first quarter of this year, a group of like-minded Bahamians discussed their common problems and agreed that the state of education in The Bahamas was unacceptable," Mr. Farrington said.

"It was obvious to them that the Bahamian education system was not producing the graduates able to engage in business.  This awareness is grounded in daily experience."

One Bahamian executive reportedly found that job candidates could not write a simple paragraph with clear sentences.  Another reported that applicants were doing poorly on aptitude tests.

The report points to the implementation of policies under Majority Rule that had "adverse" side effects.

One such policy was the end of academic elitism, which the report says is most often associated with the history of the "old" Government High School (GHS), which was founded in 1925 and closed in 1976.

The report notes that the school’s enrollment was limited by its capacity and candidates were selected in part on the basis of entrance exams.  The school sought the best and brightest students and tried to provide a superior academic education, the report says.

It adds that the elimination of this kind of system within the public school system caused education to suffer.

The second policy, the report says, called for a preference for Bahamian teachers in the school system.

But the report says the Bahamianization policy had the effect of precipitously reducing the qualifications of teachers.

"This meant that less than 10 percent of the teachers hired had the minimum high school grade level to enter college," the report says.

"One must note that another unintended consequence of Bahamianization was the social promotion of students…students could now advance in grade without passing the grade."

The report also says, "Perhaps the most disabling factor affecting academic achievement in The Bahamas today is out-of-wedlock children and the single parent, female-headed family."

Mr. Farrington called the comprehensive document a "good news, bad news" report, noting that it points to certain strategies that can help to address the education crisis.

"The responsibilities of teachers, parents and students must be clear; and non-compliance must have real consequences," the report says.  "Penalties for parents similar to those associated with the compulsory school attendance would be an appropriate place to start."

It says a second barrier to improving the education system is governance.

The report notes that the Education Act requires an annual report to parliament on the state of education and for the last decade the government has not used this formal requirement as an opportunity to focus parliamentary and public attention on this critical national issue."

The coalition recommends that the Grade Level Assessment test be redesigned so The Bahamas would be able to measure its progress against other countries.

It also recommends that education authority be decentralized so that principals would have more authority; longer school hours; summer school and an end to social promotion.

But the report says, "Neither social promotion nor holding back without help is a successful strategy."

Additionally, the coalition recommends parent seminars; teacher evaluation and compensation; and an all male laboratory school.

The coalition includes: the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce; the Bahamas Employers Confederation; the National Congress of Trade Unions; the Bahamas Hotel Association; the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union; the Bahamas Hotel Employers Association; and the Nassau Tourism and Development Board.