A package of legislation designed to facilitate E-commerce, which is projected to serve as the “third pillar” of the Bahamian economy was introduced in the House of Assembly on Wednesday.
While E-Commerce, “in and of itself is not an industry,” Mr Christie told Parliamentarians, the challenges to the Bahamas’ “competitive advantage” in tourism and financial services could be more successfully met through advances in Information Technology.
The three pieces of legislation, a part of the Government’s “Digital Agenda”, are the Electronic Communications and Transactions Bill, 2003; the Computer Misuse Bill and the Data Protection and Privacy of Personal Information Bill.
Passage of the legislation would assist the country in not only strengthening existing economic activities, but also contributing to the nation’s overall economic expansion and social development, Mr Christie said.
The Bills would be the first step in giving rise to new economic developments and opportunities, while ensuring that The Bahamas remains on the cutting edge, Parliamentarians were told, by enabling the country to participate actively in the global economy through the promotion of electronic applications in commerce, government, health, education and a variety of other areas.
Mr Christie said that The Bahamas stands to realise considerable economic gains, especially in the areas of travel, tourism, financial and international business services, delivery and courier services and transshipment.
Such positioning, he continued, will also offer opportunities to fully expose local businesses to the global market, not just in the area of services, but also in the range of unique and exotic products which The Bahamas can supply to the world.
He said it is the belief of the government that a fully deployed E-commerce development strategy will enable The Bahamas to compete on a level playing field in the global economy and generate quality jobs for Bahamians.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that the legislation is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the successful launch of a national E-commerce strategy.
In a “Policy Statement on Electronic Commerce and the Bahamian Digital Agenda”, dated January, 2003, the Government’s “Action Plan” lists six initiatives vital to accomplishing its objectives.
These include: The establishment of an E-Business Development Office within the Ministry of Finance; The “full and timely” opening up of the Telecommunications Infrastructure, including an acceleration of the privatisation process of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC); Human Resource Development, to include the “education and training of all Bahamians to ensure their effective involvement in the digital economy,” from the “primary school level up to and including adult education programmes;” Legal Issues, ensuring that the necessary legal and regulatory framework is in place; Financial Issues, to remove any impediments to business and financial transactions; and E-Government, which would include “Deployment of the Government Wide Area Network” to link up all Government ministries and related agencies.
“We are embarked on an ambitious journey,” Mr Christie said, “with the ultimate objective of constructing a third pillar to the Bahamian economy.
He said that the Bills up for debate were “an important first step on the road to sustained economic and social development for The Bahamas in the 21st century and beyond.”
It is the Government’s intention, he advised, to promulgate specific policy statements as and when the need arises during the journey of transformation to a full-fledged digital economy.
By Keva Lightbourne, The Nassau Guardian
