LAWYER and radio show host Jeff Lloyd impressed upon a group of young Toastmasters this week that they must help to destroy the status quo that is causing The Bahamas to slip into a failed state.

Speaking to Club 7108 at Luciano’s of Chicago recently, Mr Lloyd impressed upon the group that the central institutions of governance in this country are not functioning properly and are therefore no benefit to its citizens.

“We are never to become adjusted to the status quo,” he said. “We should be at war with the status quo. We are failing in every subdivision of statistical measurement in this country.”

Mr Lloyd offered several remedies to get the country on the right track. Education topped his list of corrective measures essential to improving the lives of Bahamians. He suggested discipline and integrity from the political and economic elite, and trust in the government and system of governance, as paramount to moving the country forward.

“The elementary discussions about nation building cannot be engaged by the uneducated population because they are blinded by their inability to process basic information,” Mr Lloyd said.

“No wonder we have had a catastrophic failure of a referendum system. Social promotion must end and we must build a society based on merit. An educated society means you are going to have a competent bureaucracy.

“When there is no trust between the government and its people you will end up in a pretty bad state. When you don’t have a trust system, the rule of law becomes worthless and toothless.”

Mr Lloyd has been a passionate critic of the governance of the country under the current administration - including the Official Opposition. During his lecture he cited corruption, theft and wastage as reasons for the floundering public service sector, and the stagnant promises of upgrades to the bus system, Passport Office and vehicle licensing office.

He has also frequently lambasted the government for what he sees as its mishandling of the Baha Mar shutdown, which has kept thousands of Bahamians out of work.

“We are today worse off than we were 50 years ago,” he said. “Why aren’t we inviting and encouraging people with integrity to step in?”

Mr Lloyd told the Toastmasters that true change in this country would hurt the privileged few if proper measures are enacted to run the government properly and efficiently. However, he alluded to the pervasive problem of having an uneducated electorate who vote based on social promotion and not merit. He urged the group to get out and begin to help make small social changes in The Bahamas.

“You don’t have the luxury of not getting involved anymore,” said Mr Lloyd. “This country can only be saved by young people. What I do now is not enough. I must become involved on a greater level.”