Urban Renewal and its success benefits the entire society ...and so every effort has to be made to involve, structurally, civil society ...so that it remains at all times a project of, for and by the Bahamian people ...says - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Urban Development ...the Hon. Philip Davis

By Eric Rose
Bahamas Information Services

DPM Davis Gives Update On Urban Renewal Commission

NASSAU, The Bahamas – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Urban Development the Hon. Philip Davis told the House of Assembly, on July 25, 2012, that, within the first 30 days following the 2012 General Election, Community Policing was returned to ‘Urban Renewal’ in New Providence working out of established Urban Renewal Centres and, within 45 days, Community Policing was returned to ‘Urban Renewal’ in Grand Bahama.

“Within 60 days the Urban Renewal Commission was established and the Co-Chairs of the Commission announced and presented to the Nation,” Deputy Prime Minister Davis said, during his Communication in the House.

“Dr. Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt and Mr. Algernon Allen have graciously agreed to serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Urban Renewal Commission.

“They have begun their work, recently traveling to Freeport for the official launch of the Commission’s work in Grand Bahama when we were all happily joined by the creator of the first Urban Renewal effort a decade ago and its continuing biggest booster, the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister (Perry G. Christie)."

Deputy Prime Minister Davis added that the Chairpersons of the Urban Renewal Commission bring their “outstanding and unique talents and history to this critical programme”.

“Urban Renewal is first and foremost about ‘caring’. Both of these eminent persons have exhibited a life of service,” he said.

Dr. Pratt’s life, Deputy Prime Minister Davis added, is legendary, first from her own struggles growing up, to how she approached each impediment not as a problem but rather as a challenge to accomplish something good, resulting in her own incredible achievements in sports, academics, politics, civil society and in her faith community.

He said she assisted “literally hundreds” of young people with no hope of an academic career, finding the possibility through the combination of her helping hand and their ambition and hard work, permitting them to secure university education – with many going on to achieving doctorates in many disciplines.

“Cynthia Pratt is truly a remarkable woman and a woman who always chose to look at what was possible rather than the negatives,” Deputy Prime Minister Davis said. “She brings this dedication, dynamism and sensitivity to the needs of her fellow citizens who live in the areas encompassed by the Urban Renewal Centres as her responsibility in this new venture.”

Deputy Prime Minister Davis added that Mr. Algernon Allen, too, comes from a similar challenged background.

“He is one who set out to achieve in his profession in the law and in the political life of our Bahamas,” Deputy Prime Minister Davis said. “He acknowledges that he remains a ‘political son’ to his mentor, Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield, while he is a ‘philosophical brother’ to (Prime Minister) Perry Christie.

“Mr. Allen will be particularly remembered for his work in the ‘ONE BAHAMAS’ campaign and for his efforts to promote projects designed to provide for the needs of young people, those ‘precious jewels’ of The Bahamas.”

He added that the Permanent Secretaries of the "social" Ministries and other Ministries necessary to ensure the proper co-ordination of Government resources required to bring relief to citizens in need are members of the Commission, so that there is no lapse in communication.

“Urban Renewal is at the core of this Government’s Social Mission and every effort is being developed to ensure that there is never any doubt on the part of any agencies of the Government of this dedication,” he said.

The eight members of the Commission who are to be selected by “civil society” are expected to be named shortly, Deputy Prime Minister Davis added. The Co-Chairpersons of the Commission are now in the process of extending the formal invitations to nominate persons to serve, he said.

He added: “The intention here is very simple: Urban Renewal and its success benefits the entire society and so every effort has to be made to involve, structurally, civil society so that it remains at all times a project of, for and by The Bahamian people.”

July 26, 2012

Bahamas.gov.bs

Caribbean Blog International

The Bahamian people want change

Courage, Care and Capacity
The Bahama Journal Editorial




This Tuesday past, we did precisely what so very many other people around the world thought they had to do – this is to say, we tuned in as Barack Obama, president of the United States of America delivered his State of the Union address.

This address while nominally delivered to and on behalf of the American people is one that piques the interests of the entire world because the United States – despite the challenges it currently faces – remains number one in the world.

And for sure, it remains the one country upon which the Bahamas and its neighbors in the Americas and the Caribbean also rely.

As reported in the Washington Post, “…Mr. Obama said that one of the most important things he could do in his presidency was to “open up more markets to American goods around the world.” He struck an optimistic tone, even as he described the challenges the nation still faces in a difficult economy with unemployment above 9 percent.

“We’re living in a new and challenging time, in which technology has made competition easier and fiercer than ever before,” Mr. Obama said. “Countries around the world are upping their game and giving their workers and companies every advantage possible.”

“But that shouldn’t discourage us,” he continued. “Because I know we can win that competition. I know we can out-compete any other nation on earth. We just have to make sure we’re doing everything we can to unlock the productivity of American workers, unleash the ingenuity of American businesses and harness the dynamism of America’s economy.”

We wish Mr. Obama and his great nation all the best.

We also know that, this beloved land of ours is currently being challenged and tested by any number of forces arrayed against it is clearly evident.

As in the case of the United States where forces conducing to the good are currently contending with certain reactionary tendencies, so too in a Bahamas where so very many Bahamians are apparently sick and tired of things as they are.

These people want change; and for sure, the kind of change they yearn for has to do with the grounding of a new kind of Bahamian – namely that kind of person who can comprehend that true nation-building must have love at its foundation.

In addition, there must also be in place leadership that has vision sufficient to take the Bahamas to that sweet place where each Bahamian sees himself as custodian of this nation’s patrimony.

But surely, there are some matters prerequisite to change that must be put in place – and here sooner rather than later – if this dream of real change - is to be translated into purposeful action.

Three such now come to mind; with these being: courage, care and capacity.

Courage plays its part when those who lead do what they must; care comes when they realize that, they can and should human beings with the greatest of respect – and for, the best of intentions are always for naught where and when capacity is either missing or some how or the other lacking.

And evidently, engaged and enthusiastic leadership has a crucially important part to play in this process.

Indeed, when we make any sustained reference for better and more committed leadership; in truth we are putting the case for leadership that has requisite depth and power to get the job done.

And so, whether the job in question has to do with health, education, security – or ongoing investment in the nation’s sustained growth and development, there will always be a need for the generation of that cadre of leaders who have the moxie to get on with the job at hand.

In such a renewed Bahamas, leadership would truly lead.

Put simply, while we have a pressing need to get out from under our current set of problems; there is commensurately, a crying need for the Bahamian people to become more engaged in this process of change.

There is also a need for the forging of a truly national consensus on a number of issues that now beg for both resolve resolution.

Here crime comes to mind; so does the matter involving undocumented migrants living and working in the Bahamas – and their relatives who routinely brave the high seas in order to join up with earlier migrant-pioneers.

Evidently, therefore, the time is surely now for both the governing party and its parliamentary opposition, and other interested parties in civil society to – once and for all – hammer out a consensus on this matter involving Haitians and other such people that best serves the national interests of the Bahamas.

Evidently, "things as they are" is just not the way to go.

In the ultimate analysis, the best leadership that a people can ever have is comprised of men and women seized with will, vision and demonstrated capacity to be up and doing with their assigned jobs.

January 28th, 2011

The Bahama Journal Editorial

Bahamas Blog International

Official Opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) to consider position on gambling in The Bahamas for Bahamians

By Candia Dames~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com:


Opposition Leader Perry Christie said yesterday the Progressive Liberal Party has not yet come to a position on whether gambling should be legalized in The Bahamas for Bahamians, but he said the issue is up for consideration now that it has been thrust back into the national spotlight.

"This is a vexing problem for the country because of the [number] of people we know certainly are involved in playing the games," he said. "A government faced with that reality must either do its best to advise the population that it will have strict enforcement or alternatively it has to consider some realities. Now the difficulty about gaming is that all governments up to now have sort of elected to avoid the calamitous social consequences and people who talk about having freedom, they say 'well you're interfering with our freedom', but governments knew from the experience of some other countries that it has a dire impact upon populations and people who are tempted to go for the big prize and spending even their children's lunch money. "

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham told reporters yesterday that he had advised Christie that his government was considering legalizing gambling.

Christie said this was not a formal advisement, but took place during a social occasion.

"I raised the question as to whether it will be consideration for a referendum where the people will have an unfettered right to determine... but he said the consideration was being given to some kind of immediate amendment of the law," Christie said.

"Clearly, consultation with civil society and the church is necessary because it is an issue that could really divide the country into a bitter fight and it is important therefore that the government meets with the opposition, meets with the churches and other important groups in our society with a view to see if there is common ground."

Ingraham confirmed that he met recently with the Christian Council and indicated what the government was considering.

Asked whether the PLP would support legalizing gambling for Bahamians, Christie said, "The opposition has always up to this point treated gambling as it did with capital punishment where it's a vote of conscience... We have members who are church members in a meaningful way in our grouping in the PLP, who I know flatly will support the position of the church and there are others who will take a different point of view.

"And so, the opposition, based on the prime minister's casual conversation with me, has put it up for mention in our discussions but we have not had any deliberations beyond what is the position of some individuals within the group. And so, it's a matter for us to... stand and wait to see what is taking place."

April 14, 2010

thenassauguardian

Bahamas Blog International