Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party, Raynard Rigby, said the PLP welcomes the creation of a National Strategic Plan for e-commerce and pledges to work with the e-business development office in any way possible.
"The Bahamian people now have a real barometer by which this government can be tested and judged. I am satisfied that the Bahamian people and the business community will continue to have the greatest confidence in the Prime Minister and his government," said Mr. Rigby in a press release issued to The Guardian Wednesday.
Mr. Rigby said the three bills, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Bill, the Data Protection Bill and the Computer Misuse Bill, are all critical pieces of legislation that are essential if the Bahamas is to create the needed legislative framework for any e-commerce industry.
He said that the PLP is proud and congratulates the government for its commitment to building and strengthening the Bahamian economy, which it has thus far demonstrated with the tabling of the e-commerce bills.
"An e-commerce industry has enormous potential and therefore demands the attention that the government is giving to it after 10 years of unprecedented neglect and empty promises. These bills that were tabled and are before parliament for debate, is a glowing example of the good and quality leadership that the government have brought," said the PLP Chairman.
Mr. Rigby said the Bahamian public must be reminded that the Free National Movement, as early as January 1999, had promised that they would have tabled the needed bills to create the e-commerce industry, but the legal and business communities were sorely disappointed that the FNM did nothing.
"The cries and pleas for legislative action in the area of e-commerce fell on deaf ears during the FNM's short stint in government. We in the PLP are delighted that the present government is committed to the development of the industry and has demonstrated its resolve to govern The Bahamas with a heightened degree of business efficiency, " he said.
The PLP Chairman further stated that within the short period of nine months, the government has not only brought to Parliament the three bills, but has released its Policy Statement on Electronic Commerce and the Bahamian Digital Agenda.
"This amounts simply to good governance. I am satisfied that the Bahamian people and the business community will continue to have the greatest confidence in the Prime Minister and his government," said Mr. Rigby.
By Tamara McKenzie, The Nassau Gaurdian
