CAT ISLAND, The Bahamas – The Cat Island Co-operative Credit Union (CICCU) has taken the lead in the economic development of this fishing and farming island.
From 33 members and $11,000 less than three years ago to nearly 400 members and in excess of $300,000 today, the credit union offers full time financial service
Headed by veteran credit unionist Eris Moncur, Cat Island’s Superintendent of Education, the CICCU has provided loans for medical, education, business, home improvement and other worthwhile purposes.
“The Cat Island Co-operative Credit Union is the financial engine that will develop this once-sleeping island,” said Moncur, who also serves on the agriculture and co-operatives advisory board.
“While the city dweller sees a co-operative as a social club,” said Mr. Moncur, “to the family islander a co-operative is as serious as life. The CICCU has brought great financial relief to the Cat Island community.
“The CICCU is lucky to have local resources in credit unionism available. We will continue to focus on home-grown expertise using Bahamian and international resource persons.”
Other members of the CICCU management committee are Etric Bannister, Carlton Rolle, Janet Moncur, Denburgh Turner, Alma Poitier and Valerine Seymour.
Mr. Moncur and his team were among fishermen and farmers who met with Agriculture and Fisheries Minister V. Alfred Gray, Permament Secretary Camille Johnson and Judy L Simmons, Deputy Director of the Department of Co-operatives, during a town meeting last weekend.
“What struck all of us was Minister Gray’s sincerity and his gung-ho attitude,” said Mr. Moncur.
“He has come with a mission to feed the country and people in the rural areas embrace that. That’s music to our ears. And the Minister has been forthright in saying that he will assist.”
He promoted co-operatives as key to the development of Cat Island and other Family Islands.
“We, as Bahamians, are a people of limited means but we are very powerful when we join together,” he added.
Mr. Moncur worked in credit unionism from 1977 and saw the “absolute power” that is involved when thousands of Bahamians pool small amounts of money on a regular basis.
“That is going to help us with globalisation because we are going to have to come together as a people and generate that power to be able to compete at the world level.
“I am very excited about the new approach in agriculture. There is an emphasis that we have not seen in a number of years.
I will do my part as a Bahamian and as a Cat Islander to advance the program and to see that it benefits our people,” Mr. Moncur said.
Minister Gray recognised co-operatives as “the mainstay” of the business sector.
These people are very progressive and they are determined to make the co-operative and credit union movement work well in Cat Island,” he said. “I am encouraged by what I see in Cat Island. I believe in time, with the assistance of the government, Cat island can be an example of what can happen with a little bit of hard work.”
Self-sufficiency when previously promoted was criticised as an empty slogan. In light of the terrorist attack on the United States last year September, Mr. Moncur was asked how necessary was self-sufficiency.
“The idea of feeding yourself is so very basic,” he said. “No matter how many times we fail, we have to try again. September 11 frightened us. For a while I picked up that there was tremendous concern in the city area like New Providence, that we might not be able to feed ourselves.
“But when I came into Cat Island, there was a lower level of concern because our people here are farmers, and they knew within themselves that they could feed themselves from their farms. Some were beginning to talk about sending food to their children in the city.
“Feeding ourselves must be the way forward. September 11 has shown us that we must be able to feed ourselves. We have to know that we are able to feed our people.”
Mr. Moncur said that partnering with the government in agriculture and fisheries is a “worthy” initiative.
“Cat Islanders are dead serious about farming and any serious initiative get their attention.
Out of this will come a whole lot of land clearing a whole lot of co-operating in farming and fishing,” he said.
Central government administrator for Cat Island Joseph Ferguson was also pleased with Minister Gray’s presentation.
“Cat Islanders have always been hard working and industrious, and I guarantee you that they will take advantage of all the avenues the Minister is making available to them,” said Mr. Ferguson.
He too supported co-operatives as key to the development of Cat Island industries.
“For some reason or the other Cat Island has always been the pacesetter in terms of the co-operative spirit,” he said. “Co-operatives were tried on other Family Islands but Cat Island co-operatives have always survived. One of our co-operatives purchased a mailboat which services this island.”
Chief Counselor Turner said Minister Gray’s visit was “very timely”.
“He was warmly received by the fishermen and the farmers. He gave straightforward answers to the questions put to him and I believe that the people will respond in a positive way.
“We have the potential and he possibilities to play a major role in feeding the nation,” said Mr. Turner.
