While public attention has in recent times been riveted on money matters, there is an emerging consensus among some pundits and social observers that the main problem facing The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is governmental inefficiency.
On occasion, we have enumerated any number of what we termed 'systems failure,' citing deficiencies in education, health, information, welfare and the legal system, among others.
We have heard it said – albeit derisively – that the formula for inefficiency, backwardness and logjams called for putting the word 'public' in front of any other word.
This, of course, is grossly unfair. Despite inefficiencies and bottlenecks, the truth of the matter is that public provision of any number of services is adequate and the public does get value for the money they spend.
However, while the extreme formulation of this matter concerning the myriad of problems people face when they turn to government, there is support for the thesis that some areas of public provision in The Bahamas are in need of urgent attention, if incipient collapse is not to degenerate into ruin and chaos. Once such vitally important area is the nation's legal system.
Information reaching us suggests that many Bahamians are being pushed to the boiling point by systems which are so clogged up that justice is not being done, civil disputes are not being dealt with in a reasonable time. In a number of instances, people have not been able to get court dates. And in other instances, when given dates, these are charged, with notice sent to no one. This state of affairs has put the officers of court registrars in a most unfavourable light.
Now, since it is not our purpose to criticise for the sake of criticism, but to draw attention to a problem which is grossly inimical to the orderly growth and development of The Bahamas, we call on the Government to redouble its efforts to put the legal system on a firmer basis. In this regard, we note with some alarm persistent reports that the Attorney-General's office is itself understaffed and reeling under the weight of any number of in-house problems.
Granted the vital importance of the judiciary in the national development process, the government must move swiftly to shore up this area of governance. As in other instances where we have talked about systems failures, we note the obvious which is that someone must find the money to pay for recommended improvements.
The bottom line, then, is that in the ultimate analysis, capacity building in any country requires finding adequate funding to pay for these things. Improvements in this area and others will, therefore, not come easily. But since the government does not have the luxury of waiting for some grand plan, it must do something now. Incipient collapse should not be allowed to continue its sure slouch towards ruin.
Editorial, The Bahama Journal
