The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

DIRECTOR of Save the Bays and environmental lawyer, Romi Ferreira, believes that the “root cause” of issues assailing Bahamian society are the lack of transparency and accountability by government officials.

During a presentation to the Rotary Club of West Nassau at the Poop Deck, Sandyport, yesterday, Mr Ferreira criticised the present government, labelling them as out of touch and past their time. He explained that the country’s current leaders are still profiting from the successes of Independence and Majority Rule.

“It’s like an infection that presents in many different ways but the infection is the same,” he said. “The root cause is a lack of accountability and a lack of transparency. The infection (in this case) is that there is no accountability and there is no transparency. So I am identifying a root cause to arrive at a solution.

“What is the outcome for people affected by Rubis? How will we know if there is no accountability and no transparency? Does the government have credibility when they tell you things like it is now safe? Can you believe them when they have sat on the information for two years?

“These things affect your credibility and no matter what you say, and no matter what you see happening in almost every sphere of the newspaper or the news that you see, the root cause is the same.”

Mr Ferreira said these stories are playing themselves out on a daily basis “in live and living colour right in front of us every day”.

“What we are seeing in this country are wonderful initiatives. Carnival started today, BAMSI; these are wonderful initiatives. But in the absence of transparency they lend themselves to corruption and you see it played out.

“What I am saying is what we see happening around us as played out by Rubis, as played out in Bimini, as played out in Andros at BAMSI, as played out with any major concern that is happening in this country; the root cause is the same.”

Mr Ferreira said that present day leaders have demonstrated that they are incapable of acting against their own interest and the interests of those close to them.

He claimed that the only way for the Bahamas to move forward is by shifting the way leaders are selected. Mr Ferreira said that voters have to go beyond the realm of choosing leaders based on their comfort level and popularity.

The attorney added that leaders should be elected on merit and qualification.

“There needs to be, must be, a change in leadership. This is what I am saying: thank you very much for Majority Rule and Independence, well done. Now, our nation faces different challenges and I don’t want to be communicated with like I am my grandmother because I am not,” Mr Ferreira added.

“This is an idea that we have to embrace, that this is the next logical step. I am saying that idea of no accountability and no transparency, that can change.”

Mr Ferreira asserted that Bahamian leaders disregard doing the right thing because there are no regulations to hold them accountable. He added that the time is now for Bahamians to stand up and demand more.

“When Sir Lynden Pindling took the Mace and threw it out of the window, the Mace moment. This is the mace moment of our generation. I think people were alarmed and outraged, and still are. I think there is a lot of hurt and a lot of people continue to feel hurt and get hurt.

“What breaks the camel’s back is that one straw you drop on it, it’s never the load. This is that straw. This is that time, there is no other time. This is that moment, this is it right now,” he said.

Mr Ferreira is a former television talk show host. In recent months he has become an active and strong voice in the environmental and political communities calling on the government to pass a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and an Environmental Protection Act (EPA).