Dr. Robin Roberts, Chief of Surgery Services at Princess Margaret Hospital, will address the country’s problem of high and rising healthcare costs at this year’s Bahamas Business Outlook, to be held on January 13, at the Radisson Cable Beach Resort.
“Each country feels that it is a right of all its citizens to have quality health care. The Bahamas is no different; Government provides more than 70 per cent of care in the country, while making revenue in this area of less than 5 per cent.
Essentially, it fully subsidizes healthcare through taxes,” says Roberts.
He adds that 48 per cent of the population is responsible for paying the healthcare cost of a 52 per cent majority that cannot afford it.
“We have to look at three questions,” says Roberts: “Who should be paying for healthcare? What services should they be paying for? and Who should be receiving these services?” Roberts will also address the gathering on ways of reviewing creative methods for healthcare funding.
Arlene Nash-Ferguson
Telling how she merged business and pleasure, trained teacher cum entrepreneur, Arlene Nash-Ferguson, claims to have found the formula for success by merging business and pleasure for results that provide both personal fulfillment and contribute to the development of the nation’s youth.
Nash-Ferguson is the president of Educulture, a small firm that offers an interactive approach to learning by allowing students to meet their subject matter in person.
She will outline the route to her success at this year’s Bahamas Business Outlook.
According to Nash-Ferguson, Educulture combines learning with a celebration of the culture of The Bahamas. The company provides a customized two-hour “Ride and Learn” tour that offers a visual aid to enhance the curriculum topic under discussion.
A course in Government, for example, would include visits to the Houses of Parliament, Government House and the Parliamentary Registry. Educulture also offers assistance for topics in agriculture, fisheries, Junkanoo, and is in the process of developing a tour to aid instruction of the natural sciences.
The company also organizes tours for visitors to the country, which include Junkanoo entertainment and trips to historic sites.
Nash-Ferguson, a teacher of thirty years and avid Junkanooer, told Business Outlook organizers that Educulture is the result of a desire for personal autonomy.
“I had just turned 50 and decided that I was going to do exactly what I wanted to do.
That involved spending time with children and indulging my two passions – education and culture.”
While The Bahamas can compete globally in its tourism and offshore banking industries, new challenges invoked by rapid globalization will mean that Bahamians must become more competitive if they are to succeed, says Reginald Lobosky, a prominent local attorney.
Reginald Lobosky
Lobosky will present an overview of labour matters in The Bahamas, as well as the likely impacts of FTAA and the extensive preparation needed, WTO and CARICOM obligations on the labour force during Bahamas Business Outlook 2003.
“People who are currently in the workforce will feel the first brunt of globalization,” says Lobosky.
He also urges Bahamians to anticipate competition from countries beyond the Caribbean and United States by encouraging an understanding of the competition posed by Europe and the benefit of learning the tongues of this continent.
“We all need to take a look at ourselves and make an analysis of how we can be more competitive.
We need to become better educated, sharpen our skills and learn new skills, including new languages,” he says.
This 12th Annual Bahamas Business Outlook will proceed under the theme, “The Bahamas: 30 Years and Global. “Prime Minister the Hon. Perry G Christie will be delivering the opening address.
Other presenters at the conference include Hon. James H. Smith, Minister of State for Finance; Sir K Dwight Venner, Governor, East Caribbean Central Bank; Dennis MacKinnon, Principal and CEO, St Andrew’s School; Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Director General of Tourism; Reginald Lobosky, Attorney-at-Law; Arlene Nash-Ferguson, President, Educulture; Marlon Johnson, President Small Business Association; Dr Roberts; and Franklyn (The Snake) Wilson, Chairman of Arawak Homes and Royal Sun Alliance, who will be delivering this year’s ‘Vision Speech’.
The event, continuing in the tradition of providing an excellent networking environment, is sponsored by American Bridge Bahamas Ltd, Ernst & Young Chartered Accountants, First Caribbean International Bank, FOCOL, Imperial Life Financial, Mees Pierson (Bahamas) Ltd, SG Hambros Bank & Trust (Bahamas) Limited and The Counsellors Ltd.
The Nassau Guardian
