Towards the Federal Republic of The Bahamas

Transcription

1 Towards the Federal Republic of The Bahamas Inscribing the path to development Nicolette Bethel Ideas presented at Diners Debates MOJO S 16 April 2015

2 We think our country s small It s not The Bahamas has a land mass of 5,382 square miles, (Department of Statistics 2010) roughly equivalent to Jamaica The Bahamian population is about 350,000 (351,461 - Department of Statistics 2010) roughly 1/10 of the Jamaican population

3 Our population is concentrated in one small point New Providence's size: 80 square miles Nassau s population: about 250,000 (246,329 Dept of Statistics 2010) Nassau s population density: roughly 3125 people per square mile

4 The Problem 70% of our population lives on 1.5% of our land (No wonder we have problems)

5 Nassau s Population Share Whole Bahamas Nassau Nassau s % of population , , % , , % , , % , , % , , % Department of Statistics 2012

6 New Providence Population Density Whole Bahamas New Providence

7 Some Comparisons Land Mass (sq. miles) Population (rounded) Density (approx.) NP ,000 3,125 Grand Bahama , Exuma 112 7, Eleuthera , Abaco , Long Island 230 3, Andros ,500 3 Department of Statistics 2012

8 One Solution Develop the rest of the country (duh)

9 The Federal Republic of The Bahamas

10 Why a Federation? The current organization of our state is overly centralized Virtually all economic, social, political and infrastructural activity is focussed on one small part of our country Nassau

11 Why a Federation? It is impossible to move from island to island without going through Nassau Each island s individual development is almost completely dependent on Nassau The only exception is Freeport, a city owned and administered by a private corporation

12 Why a Federation? The result has been an inexorable movement of the Bahamian population from the outer islands to the capital From the large landmasses to the tiny one

13 An illustration COB and Sustainable Exuma 2014 & 2015 COB partnered with Harvard students to conduct on the ground studies of life in Exuma and its Cays

14 An illustration Students conducted fieldwork in: Great Exuma Little Farmer s Cay Black Point Staniel Cay Cat Island Long Island

15 The professors aimed to travel to all of the fieldwork locations Moving around the Exumas was possible (but expensive) by boat BUT moving from one main island to another required a stop in Nassau (unless we chartered a plane or a boat) CAT ISLAND > NASSAU > STANIEL CAY Commercial flights change in Nassau even when islands are next to one another

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17 Exuma Snapshot Vibrant economy Growing centre of population (population doubled between 2000 and 2010) Only population centre in the south High end tourism (some areas have 100% employment) Beautiful and peaceful BUT

18 Exuma Snapshot A narrow economy - tourism, tourism, FDI, tourism and tourism support services Limited local government Administrator + Local Councils A tax-collecting structure with limited powers over local affairs

19 Exuma Snapshot Central Bahamian government oversees, approves and controls all major activities e.g. Hospital Built between 2010 and 2014 Critical for continued population growth in Exuma Critical for future development of entire southern Bahamas Structure is finished but not yet open CENTRAL GOVERNMENT DECIDES

20 Photo: Kendrick Campbell 2014

21 All taxes come to Nassau for redistribution as Nassau sees fit Nassauvian knowledge of the islands is iffy at best True story: The Ministry of Health once ordered a car to be used by a nurse to visit Little Farmer s Cay, Williams Cay, and Black Point. These are all individual islands separated by several miles of water.

22 Island realities Nassau spends $270 million on New Providence Road Improvement Project while Exuma waits for its hospital to open The clinics at Little Farmers Cay and Black Point are in disrepair, one occupying rented premises L.N. Coakley High School loses students because it cannot offer the courses that they want owing to teacher and facility shortages

23 Ergo: A FEDERATION

24 Caribbean Precedent Many of the multi-island nations in the Caribbean are federations: Antigua & Barbuda St Kitts & Nevis Trinidad & Tobago

25 The Bahamas Development of the whole Bahamian archipelago can/will not be driven from Nassau Nassau policy makers focus on Nassau Nassau civil servants maintain the obsolete idea that it is more efficient to centralize government activity in the capital

26 Proposal Permit me to dream a little Create the Federal Republic of The Bahamas Devolve authority, funding, territory and governance to the islands themselves Create municipalities and local government everywhere, even in Nassau

27 A General Overview Four tiers of governance National/Federal Government Create new national capital in Grand Bahama (be inspired by Canberra, Australia, and Brasilia, Brazil)

28 A Suggested Outline President Head of State elected by all citizens Bicameral federal government Elected senate Equal representation from all provinces (2 per province?) Secondary representation from territories (1 per territory?) Perhaps elected proportionally House of assembly Elected MPs MPs allocated according to population Constituencies throughout the archipelago Perhaps elected via simple majority, as today

29 A Suggested Outline Federal government controls borders, defence, foreign affairs, the ocean, the sea bed, deep sea mineral rights, air space, inter-province travel, the environment, heritage, & things that cross provincial and district lines like drug and human trafficking, fisheries, national parks, etc. Enacts federal legislation and collects federal taxes Maintains control of a supreme court May establish a Federal Court of Appeal to replace the Privy Council

30 A Suggested Outline Federal government shares rights with provinces regarding shoals and banks Federal government has underwater mineral rights but may have to negotiate access with provinces Health care, courts and law enforcement devolve from central government to provincial governments Only citizens vote for federal representatives

31 A General Overview The Bahamas would be a federal state Three Provincial Governments with own provincial parliaments Governed by provincial Premier and provincial Parliaments Create own laws and governmental systems

32 A General Overview Three Provincial Governments with own provincial single-tier legislatures New Providence (cap: Nassau): New Providence, Paradise Island, and environs Northern (cap: Marsh Harbour): Abaco, Grand Bahama South Central (cap: George Town): Exuma and Cays & San Salvador

33 A Suggested Outline Provincial governments control and regulate territory, natural and mineral resources, inland waters, blue holes, banks, shoals, intra-province trade, docks, ferries, highways, education, etc, & may levy taxes to finance these Will take over health care, provincial law enforcement, and local justice systems over time May establish provincial supreme courts May establish provincial park and waterway systems

34 A General Overview Five Territories (administered until they qualify as provinces by Northern Bahamas, New Providence & Southern Bahamas) Western (cap: Nicolls Town/Kemp s Bay??): Andros, Bimini and Berry Islands (Admin - NP) Northeastern (cap: Governor s Harbour): Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Spanish Wells (Admin Northern)

35 A General Overview Eastern (cap: New Bight): Cat Island, Rum Cay & San Salvador (Admin - NP) Southeastern (cap: Matthew Town): MICAL Southwestern (cap: Clarence Town): Long Island & Ragged Island Both administered from South Central province until they qualify as provinces

36 A Suggested Outline Territories will elect local governments which represent the constituent islands within the territory and will have elect representatives at the provincial and federal levels Territories are in principle the owners/stewards of their land, natural resources, inland waters, etc, but share administrative authority over these with their governing province Territorial governments may have other controls delegated to them by provincial or federal governments as they grow economically and by population

37 A General Overview Island administrations & counties Each major island has its own capital and island authorities Larger islands may be divided into county administrations as well

38 A Suggested Outline Provinces and territories may be divided into islands and/or counties Island governments control and regulate real estate, share rights to natural and mineral resources with provinces, provide roads, energy, waste disposal, water provision, etc, and may collect fees to assist with these Have some power to regulate and levy taxes for the better development of islands Citizens and permanent residents may vote for island governments

39 A General Overview Municipalities & townships Former settlements become self-governing townships or municipalities New Providence is divided into four or five separate municipal districts

40 A Suggested Outline Municipalities govern streets, traffic, sanitation, keeping of the peace, issue licenses for municipal activities Pass local ordinances for the better development of population centres Perhaps temporary residents may vote for municipal governments as well as citizens and permanent residents

41 Devolution of government from Nassau to the islands is critical to the future development of our nation We cannot move further in the 21 st century without a greater commitment to the democratic development of our people Without taking this step, we will founder and perhaps even fail as a nation

42 Thanks for your attention!