With all the talk of value-added tax (VAT) and huge deficits and the need for revenue, there needs to be more talk about curbing expenditure, cutting costs and reducing the size of the civil service. We have a largely inefficient public sector that is draining the public purse and everyone has dodged this elephant in the room for far too long.
There has to be public sector reform which addresses inefficiency and wasteful spending. For those who ask why I didn't speak about such things when I was in front line politics, the truth is when you are so caught up with trying to appease the voters, you sometimes make decisions that are wrong for the country because of political expediency.
I can speak more freely as I am not currently seeking public office nor do I care about popularity or opinions of voters. I leave that for the politicians who oftentimes are more concerned about re-election than doing what is best for the country.
We cannot tax ourselves out of the financial mess the country is in. We have to consider reducing public expenditure. This also means no freeloading government jobs, eradication of non-essential consultancies, open and transparent tendering processes, a willingness to be candid and honest with the electorate and a commitment to a zero tolerance approach to corruption at any level it exists in the public sector. If politicians have to face prosecution and be imprisoned for doing wrong, we have to move forward and ensure that justice applies to all regardless of title.
The belief that the political arena is the solution to all of our problems is a misguided one. The private sector has to step up to the plate to increase investments and create opportunities as the public sector improves efficiency. Timelines must be set and deadlines met for all matters related to public services. This requires a paradigm shift in the thinking of our people and a behavioral change in all that we do.
I know that for many, this trend of thought is utopia and you don't wish to hear about it or do anything to change. Simply put, you love the pork barreling that allows you to live off the sweat of your fellow citizens because you do not care. Many simply don't want to do what is right and are quite content with pretending in church every Saturday or Sunday while you plunder the public purse and sink us into deeper financial ruin. And while there is enough finger-pointing to go around, the buck must stop with someone. Why not let it stop with you? Why not start to make a difference and live up to the tenets of honesty, decency and integrity to help the public sector reduce expenditure?
Notice I am not referring to any personal moral agenda as our personal lives are just that, personal. I am specifically focusing on bringing public sector expenditure down to a level that is needed to keep our country operational. What has been the impact of public sector reform in The Bahamas? Has there been an analysis by every government ministry, department, government corporation and authority to determine what can be outsourced completely to the private sector? Have we had a review of the public sector to see how we can reduce expenditure by five percent? What services can we give up in the public sector to reduce our deficit?
When we drill down on those budget allocations, what amount is being padded to facilitate politics as usual? Are the quantity surveyors analyses for all projects accurate? Are the financial audits of the government entities up to date and are recommendations being monitored and implemented on a month-by-month basis by department heads, directors and permanent secretaries?
Are we prepared to ensure that government vehicles are parked at 5 p.m. and only essential services are operating government vehicles after normal working hours in an effort to reduce fuel costs? What percentage of accidents of government vehicles occurs after hours and who is paying the cost for those repairs?
Taxing the Bahamian people when there is inefficiency and wastage in the public service is like filling a cup with water while there is a hole at the bottom of the cup. It's simply not going to work and a Freedom of Information Act needs to be brought into effect right away to assist the public in monitoring how its funds are being spent. Why should you and I have to wait for the "garbage can" receipt of information from persons in the public sector who only leak things when they get upset?
And what about whistleblower's legislation? We need to bring legislation that protects persons who report wrongdoing in the public sector. Do we have a complaints commissioner or ombudsman office? The excuses for not having these things in place are as old as the history of The Bahamas. We must not tolerate this slap-happy approach to governance because there is nothing that is good about such a thing. I once heard a Bahamian statesman say, "There is nothing good about the governance in the Bahamas." I can't say that he is entirely correct, but I also cannot say that he is incorrect.
We have much work to do to make this country better and it requires people who are not intellectually deficient. This country cannot take chances with nonsense when it comes to the key decisions that will affect us eliminating the deficit spending which is literally killing you and your children and your grandchildren. Before this generation can have a start in life, inflationary costs will wipe out the investments intended to improve their education. Is this The Bahamas that we want to march on with? I am of the view that we have a lot of bright and credible persons in the government and opposition alike who can make a difference. Time will surely tell!
o John GF Carey served as a member of Parliament 2002- 2007 and can be reached at: johngfcarey@hotmail.com

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