As the Commonwealth of The Bahamas celebrates 50 years of Independence, Civil Society Bahamas (CSB) continues to promote debt management as the key to empowering people and creating economic independence in the country.  CSB is engaged in a series of Debt Management Consultations in conjunction with a Regional and International Partners: the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC), and the Funders Organized for Rights in the Global Economy (FORGE), and Debt Justice UK. These Consultations are as a part of a pilot programme with two other Caribbean countries, with the aim of tackling debt in the region. 

President of CSB, Dr. Anthony Hamilton said”: “The Bahamas’ Golden Jubilee is a perfect time to highlight the significance of the role of the people in the governance of their own country”. 

He further emphasized: “The continued recognition of the role of the citizenry and residents in governance engagement is critical to participatory governance and strengthening of democracy”.

“The civil society sector and Civil Society Bahamas, in particular, also takes this opportunity of the Golden Jubilee to celebrate the impact of tripartite governance as we continue to take responsibility for the road to the next 50 years – forward, upward, onward, together.”
CSB held its third and fourth Debt Management Consultation sessions on June 26, 2023.

The themes were: “Older Generation Insight: We’ve Conquered this Mountain Before!” and “Anatomy of the Debt: Implications for National Financial Health and Solutions”. The sessions were held at the University of The Bahamas in the F.R. Wilson Building and brought together notable Bahamians from a cross section of society, Public and Private, to provide their input and solutions for debt management in The Bahamas.

The sessions were sponsored in part by AACARI, the Agricultural Alliance of the Caribbean. As the apex body for civil society organizations or NGOs in the country, Dr. Hamilton said the work of CSB is critical to national development. The intent is for the debt management solutions emanating from the Consultations, to have a widespread effect on the citizens of The Bahamas. While national debt management is vital, so is personal debt, as many Bahamians are suffering – especially since the double impact of Hurricane Dorian followed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

By finding solutions to the debt crisis in countries like The Bahamas, the CPDC believes that people’s livelihoods and well-being will be removed from the current state of crisis to one that allows them to flourish.

The CPDC has concluded, because there is a silent debt crisis, the mental and physical health, educational opportunities, and other critical areas of the way of life for people in the Caribbean are being adversely affected without being noticed. The campaign to end the debt crisis is one that CSB has taken seriously and has, consequently, engaged experts at every level of public and private institutions to help reverse the troubling trend. Countries vulnerable to climate change like The Bahamas have added threats and real reasons to move quickly to tackle the debt crisis. For more information, and to share your debt crisis, and most importantly, to find practical solutions for your debt challenges, contact CSB by visiting http://www.csbdebtjubilee.com, and, www.civilsocietybahamas.org.

Source: Felicity Darville

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