The Tribune

By MATT MAURA

Bahamas Information Services

THE government believes that good practices and policies are those that are consistent, innovative and comprehensive, Minister of Social Services and Urban Development Frankie Campbell said on Monday.

Addressing a United Nations ministerial round table on good practices, Mr Campbell outlined a number of initiatives the government has undertaken through his ministry and its many departments, and in collaboration with the country’s many non-governmental organisations, to meet objectives.

“We are satisfied that good practices and policies are those that are consistent and so our efforts are, and have been geared towards ensuring that there are long term implementation plans and benefits,” Mr Campbell said.

“We also believe that good practices are those that are innovative. Those that will cause and allow us to think out of the box in terms of funding which is usually an impediment to women and girls, particularly those in the more rural areas, to become empowered and to be able to live out their dreams per se.

“Additionally, good practices and policies have to be comprehensive in nature and in order for them to be comprehensive, we must hear from our stakeholders and so we have gone out and have held various discussions and consultations with our stakeholders and non-governmental organisations to ensure that as many voices come to the fore to ensure that we can implement as comprehensive a programme as possible.”

Mr Campbell said officials at the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development have been working diligently to expand public/private partnerships while closely working with the country’s non-governmental organisations – quite a number of whom are included in the Bahamas’ delegation to the Sixty-Third Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW63).

“We have nurtured those partnerships to the extent that we are now working towards having the various groups focus on a particular subject matter to avoid duplication of efforts,” Mr Campbell said.

“We realise that there must be inclusion. There are many minority groups that for a very long time, have not had a voice and so we seek, through our NGOs that we have partnered with – and whom we have given some financial assistance to albeit limited based on resources, but to show the commitment - to ensure that they are able to cause those voices that are not ordinarily heard, to have an opportunity to be heard.

“We also realise that best practices must be connected to Development Goals both locally, regionally and internationally. Goals that are led by the Government and so as the Minister, I have sought to act as that liaison between my NGOs, my Department (Department of Gender and Family Affairs, Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development) and the Cabinet of The Bahamas, to ensure that as we plan, there is consideration - particularly for the financial needs - so that these goals can be met.

“The best practices are those practices that are shared. Anything that is kept to oneself, is not so good because only you know about it and so we are currently engaged in the dissemination of information and are about to launch a series of public service announcement so that persons will know what is available and how they can be accessed,” Mr Campbell added.