The Organization for Responsible Governance, a non-partisan, not-for-profit civic foundation working to improve accountability, economic development and education in The Bahamas, is sorely discouraged at the recent actions of the Government regarding the Oban Energy Foreign Investment proposal.
The apparent 1) lack of transparency in the process of developing and presenting the Heads of Agreement, 2) lack of involvement of Civil Society in determining the suitability and public interest of the project and 3) lack of broad public consultation with the communities and relevant stakeholders that will be potentially affected by the development of this project, is far from the platform of Good Governance that was heralded by the incoming administration.
Transparency, accountability and citizen engagement are cornerstones of democracy and have been shown globally to improve national outcomes and increase sustainable economic opportunity.
Recognizing that the Prime Minister conceded that there were “mis-steps” by the government and has pledged to “do better”, ORG calls for tangible actions to demonstrate a commitment to more open and participatory governance.
ORG and 14 other Civil Society and private industry organizations, including CBB, Save the Bays, re-earth, The Chamber of Commerce, Civil Society Bahamas and Rise Bahamas, have called for the adoption of a more standardized public consultation process related to new legislation and large proposed developments, such as the Oban Energy Oil Refinery.
The groups support a clearly defined process, as has been recommended by The Commonwealth, including issuance of a green paper developed by government with the input of industry experts; a period of broad and inclusive public consultation; and the development of a white paper that includes the results of the public consultation to guide cabinet review.
Utilizing such a format, would assist government in educating and engaging the public in future legislative matters and environmentally sensitive developments. Additionally, such a mechanism of participatory governance would aid to increase public trust.
Furthermore, ORG renews it’s call for the prompt passage and full enactment of current proposed legislation related to transparency including, The Freedom of Information Act; The Integrity Commission Act and related Code of Conduct for Elected Officials and Government Leaders; and The Ombudsman Act.
ORG advocates strongly that each of these pieces of legislation is appropriately funded in the upcoming 2018/2019 budget, and that the subsequent recruitment, and hiring of an Information Commissioner and Ombudsman, and the formation of an Integrity Commission, is done with full transparency and in a manner that avoids even the perception of political influence. ORG, and other civil Society groups, remain available to work with government to identify and vet suitable candidates for these very important positions.
Ensuring the positive and sustainable future of The Bahamas is of mutual benefit to all who call The Bahamas home. It is the collective responsibility of Government, Civil Society and Private industry to achieve this goal.
ORG urges the government to work with Civil Society and Private Industry to demonstrate their resolve to Transparency, Accountability and Citizen Engagement and to take concrete action. Failure to do so can only lead to the repetition of past mistakes and threaten the future success of The Bahamas and it’s people.
About The Organization for Responsible Governance
The Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) is a not-for-profit civic foundation committed to creating dialogue, insights, and solutions around the challenges affecting accountable governance, education reform, and economic development in The Bahamas. We are businesspersons, students, artists, educators, politicians, clergy, academics and members of civil society united to resolve the nation’s most vexing issues by addressing their root causes through research, education, and partnership.
