The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A top accountant yesterday called for a "clear articulation" on the fate of the National Development Plan (NDP), given that many of its key architects have effectively been "redeployed".

Gowon Bowe, pictured, the Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA) president, told Tribune Business that sticking to the plan - titled Vision 2040 - was key to The Bahamas' development and progress.

Vision 2040 focuses on four main policy pillars - the economy, governance, social policy and the environment, both natural and built. It was an attempt, begun under the former Christie administration, to embrace methodical planning and chart a sustainable economic future for The Bahamas, as opposed to the current "ad hoc" approach.

"Disappointingly, most of the people who were a part of the NDP Secretariat have been redeployed to other areas, and there hasn't been a clear articulation of how this has been handed over to new persons within the Office of the Prime Minister. We haven't heard of how the Economic Planning Unit, which was a part of that structure, evolved," said Mr Bowe.

"There is a lack of communication to say that the representation of the NDP, those individuals have moved on to other things, which is a natural course of life, but what one would have hoped to have heard by now is a person being appointed to replace Dr Nicola Virgil-Rolle, who is now at the National Insurance Board (NIB)."

Mr Bowe, a presenter at Higgs & Johnson's annual seminar yesterday, said the Government must see itself as a facilitator and not a provider. "They must make sure they protecf the public interest but not stifle risk taking," he added.

"They can do that by setting the example, using empirical-based decision-making, keeping the service standards up at a high level and get on with the National Development Plan. We sit down and hear policy makers past and present speak about The Bahamas being a compliant jurisdiction and offshore financial centre, the goal of growing the economy, the middle class and all these aspiring things.

"All of these are idealist goals but if you don't have an actual plan that is a comprehensive and holistic plan, then they are just wishes. When you look at the aspirations of governments past and present, when there are competing aspirations then what typically happens is none of it materialises. We need to plot out what it is we want to be, craft a message around that and plan out the journey.