I thank the Fort Charlotte Branch of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) for its invitation to me to apply to be the candidate for Fort Charlotte constituency for the next general election and the National General Council of the PLP for ratifying me as the candidate for Fort Charlotte, on the recommendation of the Candidates Committee.

I chose to re-engage in frontline politics in The Bahamas at a time of great challenges. According to VISION 2040, National Development Plan of The Bahamas, State of the Nation Report, The Bahamas is facing multi-dimensional crises: "Other statistics, however, paint a more complex story - one of increasing poverty, violent crime, poor educational outcomes and skills training that do not reach the people who need it most.

"Many young people find themselves without the necessary hard and soft skills to find and keep employment and some, frustrated, turn to socially destructive behaviors. Employers report that finding workers with the required skills or work habits is difficult; therefore, many resort to foreign hires, particularly for manual labor. Many of these entry-level laborers soon become among the poorest people in the country. At the other end of the spectrum, some of the high-level jobs - such as managers in the tourism industry, bankers, accountants and specialized tradesmen - are filled by non-Bahamians.

"The Bahamas is also grappling with the phenomenon that some Bahamians go abroad to earn degrees, but many do not return citing limited job opportunities and lower salaries at home. The growing inequities tear at the country's social cohesion. Incidents of violent crime, particularly murder, are high despite downward overall crime trends in recent years."

I believe that these challenges offer a unique opportunity to the Progressive Liberal Party to apply its liberal and progressive philosophy to create innovative solutions for the 21st century Bahamas; to engage the next generation of Bahamians in nation building; and to extend its legacy beyond majority rule and independence into the spheres of sustainable economic development, accountable governance and social and economic empowerment of Bahamians.

The Progressive Liberal Party, having led the struggle for majority rule and independence, has been the principal architect of the modern institutions of Bahamian state. The Free National Movement has, through local government and the privatization of the broadcast media, extended the process of our continuing national development. Despite our many accomplishments as a young democracy, The Bahamas is yet to achieve the creation of a safe, cohesive and economically robust society, where those who have been historically disenfranchised have a reasonable opportunity to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams equal to those who have been historically advantaged and the foreign investor.

We have to better equip and socialize our population; diversify our economy; modernize and make more accountable our governance process; and inspire our talented people to be more entrepreneurial, innovative, competitive and civil in the conduct of our families, communities and country.

Over the past five years, I have had the advantage of meeting with and sharing ideas with young Bahamians, such as Keenan Johnson, Arinthia Komolafe, Kele Isaacs, Raynard Rigby, Gowon Bowe, Melanie Rolle-Hilton, Andrew Edwards, Matthew Saunders, Samantha Rolle and so many others. From these conversations, I am confirmed in my view that the current national challenges represent a unique opportunity for the Progressive Liberal Party to complete the "Quiet Revolution" and deepen its contribution to nation building in The Bahamas.

The Progressive Liberal Party is best suited, by its experience in nation building, commitment to social justice, nationalist orientation, regional sensitivity and political courage, to pursue a transformational agenda to place The Bahamas on a more sustainable economic path and foster a more socially cohesive society. I believe that this preferred future for The Bahamas could best be achieved by a commitment to the following initiatives.

Governance Head of state
Remove the British monarchy as the head of state and establish the Republic of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, with a Bahamian-born president, as the head of state.

Executive branch of government
1.  Institute term limits on office of prime minister.

2. Use of Cabinet committees to increase efficiency of Cabinet.

3. Institute quarterly Cabinet meetings in each region of The Bahamas to familiarize the Cabinet ministers with regional life, concerns and opportunities within the Family Islands.

4. Appoint a minister of information to brief the media/public after each Cabinet meeting to increase transparency of Cabinet affairs.

5. Relocate the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources to Andros.

6. Remove Crown land from exclusive prerogative of prime minister to Cabinet supervision and create the portfolio of minister of Crown land and natural resources.

7. Remove the Office of Public Prosecution from under the attorney general and give constitutional independence and security of tenure to the Office of Public Prosecution and the Office of Public Defender.

Pubic integrity and anti-corruption
1. Create Office of Contractor General, with constitutional independence, to deal with all procurements over $50,000 by all branches of government in order to eliminate actual and perceived corruption in the public sector.

2. Establish an Integrity Commission to investigate the conduct of members of Parliament, senators and senior public officials.

3. Create an independent Electoral Boundaries Commission, with constitutional security of tenure, headed a chief electoral officer, to regulate political parties and campaign financial contributions.

4. Establish the Office of Ombudsman to address complaints from the public.

5. Strengthen the independence and resources of the auditor general, through the provision of independent funding and greater autonomy from the Ministry of Finance.

Legislative branch
1. Construct a customized Legislative Assembly to improve the effectiveness of the House of Assembly/Senate, as the legislative branch of government and the constitutional check on the executive branch and to comply with the Disabilities Act.

2. Limit the number of members of Parliament to serve in the Cabinet to ensure that the House of Assembly can perform its constitutional role of holding the Cabinet accountable.

3. Appointment of parliamentary draftsperson to provide legal advice/guidance to the speaker and to assist parliamentarians with the drafting of members' bills.

4. Appoint a bipartisan commission to investigate the advisability of implementing a proportional representation system for the House of Assembly and the Senate to ensure a more balanced presentation of various demographic groups of the Bahamian society.

5. Provide constitutional security of tenure for the Office of Clerk and Deputy Clerk of the Parliament.

Judiciary
1. Construct a customized judicial complex to enable the judiciary to conduct its affairs in a safe, secure and efficient environment.

2. Remove the control of the Ministry of the Public Service/Public Service Commission over the staff of the judiciary and the need to obtain financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance for expenditure by the judiciary to ensure judicial independence of its administration under the chief justice.

3. Remove the power of the prime minister to recommend the appointment of the chief justice and justices of appeal and vest this authority in the governor general acting on the recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, in consultation with the Bar Association, in order to secure the perception of the independence of the judiciary. The leader of the opposition should be allowed to appoint one member of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission.

4. Abandon appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and accept both the original and appellate jurisdiction of the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final appellate court for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

5. Establish a Constitutional Court to adjudicate on constitutional questions and provide advisory opinions.

6. Establish a Commercial Court to facilitate the efficient operation of The Bahamas as an international financial center.

Local government
1. Introduce local government to New Providence in order to give residents the legal authority and resources to solve problems within their communities.

2. Provide constitutional recognition and safeguard for local government under the constitution.

Fundamental rights
1. Establish forthwith a bipartisan commission to review and make recommendations for the regularization of those persons born in The Bahamas, neither of whose parents is a citizen of The Bahamas, pursuant to article seven of the constitution.

2. Institute a citizenship course, at the University of The Bahamas, for all candidates for citizenship through naturalization.

3. Provide constitutional protection for the right to vote, freedom of the press.

Education
1. Extend the school year and time of daily instruction to improve national academic performance, conflict resolution, civic education, cultural studies and athletic programs to increase the competitiveness of The Bahamas, better socialize our students and provide structured supervision for students until parents retire from work.

2. Devolve authority and budget from the Ministry of Education to the district superintendents, principals and school boards to allow for more creativity, experimentation and innovation in pedagogical methods to better challenge and inspire students to excel.

2. Provide free tertiary education, both technical, professional and academic, for all Bahamian citizens, who qualify for mobility competitive admission in order increase national competitiveness, ensure social mobility and to create a more enlightened and fulfilled citizenry.

3. Provide evening remedial, skills training and technical classes for adults, utilizing the senior high schools' technical facilities, in inner-city communities in Nassau and in the Family Islands.

4. Build and properly resource the University of The Bahamas into a center of excellence in teaching, research and advisory services in hospitality, small island sustainability, financial services and cultural studies, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Financial services
1. Challenge the legitimacy of an ad hoc body controlled by the OECD, such as the FATF, prescribing and applying international rules for anti-money laundering and combating anti-terrorist financing while international offshore financial centers, such as The Bahamas, are excluded from the membership of the OECD.

2. Lobby for the convening of a global forum to promote the drafting of an international convention, under the auspices of the United Nations, to prescribe the rules for anti-money laundering and combating terrorist financing to ensure universal participation in the rule-making process and a level playing field in the application of the rules between offshore and onshore international financial centers.

3. Endow a Policy Institute at the University of The Bahamas to research the implications of the "black-listing" of The Bahamas by the FATF, Financial Stability Board and the United States in 2000 and to propose policy recommendations to avoid a reoccurrence of any external assault on this sector of the Bahamian economy and to improve the international competitiveness of the financial services sector in The Bahamas in the future.

4. Incentivize Bahamian ownership of banks, trust, wealth management and advisory companies, through the provision of venture capital, insurance, guarantees and joint ventures, in all areas of the financial services sector of the Bahamian economy.

Diversification of Bahamian economy
1. Grow the cultural industries in The Bahamas to become at least 15 percent of the gross domestic product within the next 10 years.

2. Grow the agricultural and marine resource industries in The Bahamas to become at least 15 percent of the gross domestic product within the next 10 years.

3. Establish a sovereign wealth fund of The Bahamas to maximize long-term return to bolster the standing of The Bahamas and as offshore financial center and to provide venture capital for innovation and entrepreneurship by Bahamians.

4. Provide greater incentives to Bahamian entrepreneurs, including exemptions from custom duties and real property tax.

5. Encourage joint ventures between foreign and Bahamian investors, through the use of Crown land and state guarantees, in all major touristic projects in The Bahamas.

6. Enact the Ova Da Hill Development Encouragement Act to provide incentives to and tax exemptions for families to develop and restore their homesteads and to attract businesses, especially in the cultural areas, to the inner-city communities.

Youth development
1. Establish a National Youth Service, managed by a public/private partnership, whereby all Bahamians, between the ages of 18 and 21, will engage in public service, skills training, heritage restoration, environmental stewardship, entrepreneurial and civic projects in our Family Islands and thereby qualify for free tertiary education and training.

2. Require that all members of Parliament sponsor, through public/partnerships with churches, businesses and civic organizations, functioning community centers, with properly constituted boards to provide outreach services and programs in every constituency within The Bahamas.

The foregoing recommendations are amongst some of the new and exciting opportunities that the Progressive Liberal Party should pursue, in my opinion, in order to unleash the creative imagination and intellect of the Bahamian people, reduce crime and expand opportunities for the next generation of Bahamians to realize their full potential.

Let us mobilize the next generation of Bahamians for the tasks ahead; inspire our country to dream of a better future; and expand our tent to accommodate all patriotic Bahamians and friends of The Bahamas to bring their talents, time and resources to build a safe society and diversified economy, where Bahamians are incentivized to own and grow the economy of our country.

o Alfred Sears is an attorney and former member of Parliament and Cabinet.

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