A SUSTAINABLE BAHAMAS

Reforming the public sector is essential for promoting sustainable development, improving service delivery, promoting transparency and accountability, and advancing good governance. One of the major challenges facing the public sector in The Bahamas is the need to address long-standing issues of bureaucracy and inefficiency, which can result in delays and reduced effectiveness in the delivery of key services. The Government has undertaken several initiatives to address these challenges, including the implementation of a new e-government platform aimed at streamlining processes and improving service delivery. Despite these efforts, challenges remain in the public sector, including issues related to staffing and capacity, as well as ongoing concerns around corruption and accountability. In recent years, the Auditor General has issued several reports highlighting issues of concern in the public sector. The Auditor General is responsible for auditing the financial statements and operations of government ministries, departments and agencies in The Bahamas. The reports outlined a few issues on the public sector, including:

1. Deficiencies in financial management practices. There are significant deficiencies in financial management practices within various government ministries and agencies. These deficiencies include issues such as inadequate financial record keeping, a lack of oversight of financial transactions, and insufficient controls over government assets.

2. Procurement irregularities. It was found that there were several instances where procurement processes were not followed properly, leading to the awarding of contracts without proper competition or evaluation. This can result in a waste of public funds and undermine confidence in government contracting processes.

3. Delays in public service delivery. The reports have pointed out the issue of delays in the delivery of public services, particularly in areas such as healthcare and education. These delays can negatively impact citizens and can result in a loss of trust in the Government.

4. Weaknesses in internal controls. The Auditor General has identified weaknesses in internal controls within government agencies, which can increase the risk of fraud, waste and abuse.

5. Inadequate monitoring and evaluation. The Auditor General has identified a lack of effective monitoring and evaluation of government programmes and projects, which can result in a failure to achieve desired outcomes and can lead to a waste of public funds.

Corruption in the public sector In The Bahamas, corruption in the public sector is a pervasive issue that is causing concern among citizens, civil society groups and international partners. This problem takes various forms, such as bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power, and has far-reaching negative consequences for government operations, public service delivery and the overall welfare of the population. Transparency International publishes an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) that assesses the perceived levels of corruption in the public sector of multiple countries.

The 2020 CPI placed The Bahamas in 30th position out of 180 countries, scoring 63 out of 100. Although the country’s ranking indicates moderate levels of corruption, a score below 50 is viewed as a serious corruption issue. Despite consistently ranking in the upper half of countries on the CPI, corruption remains a major concern in The Bahamas. The Government has implemented measures to tackle corruption, but there is still a need to improve accountability and transparency within government institutions.

In recent years, several high-profile cases and allegations have brought these issue to the forefront of public debate in The Bahamas. These cases have involved allegations of bribery, extortion, fraud and other claims. Some notable examples are:

* In early 2019, former senator Frank Smith was totally acquitted of 15 extortion and briberyrelated charges concerning his time as the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) chairman. Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt threw out the charges against him after finding there was no case to answer, ruling that the prosecution’s main witness was not credible, and highlighting discrepancies and inconsistencies in her testimony.

* Shane Gibson, a former Cabinet Minister, was acquitted and cleared in November 2019 of 15 counts of bribery. He had been accused of soliciting

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