The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is one of 34 nations involved in the ongoing process that could lead to the official advent of the Free Trade Association of the Americas next year. In this country, is the general mindset conducive to accepting people from 33 other countries operating head-to-head in the Bahamas with Bahamians?
One wonders.
For an indicator, let’s look at Exuma presently.
Crime is picking up in that developing Family Island, a fact that does not very well compliment the recent opening of the Emerald Bay Resort. However, unfortunately with affluence, often comes the criminal element. There is one cause for trouble in Exuma these days that gives Bahamians a good indication of what to possibly expect when the FTAA concept takes root.
Inspector David Deveaux was quoted in a Bahama Journal story this past Saturday lamenting the scenario of Exumian men looking at the presence of men from other islands working and living in the island as an invasion.
“We found out that the native men look at that (migration of such individuals) as an invasion and they feel that it is their duty to protect their territory, so we have experienced a rise in confrontation with the young men on the island,” Mr. Deveaux, the head of the law enforcement in Exuma was quoted.
This is a situation the powers that be in the central government ought to look at very closely. It may well be the prelude to what will come around the corner when people from Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad/Tobago, Mexico, The United States and more than a score of other nations enter the Bahamas and take full advantage of the free trade atmosphere.
Will it matter to our young men that they could function in the identical way in the other countries in the FTAA group?
We wonder.
What is certain though, if Bahamians feel threatened by other Bahamians, they are not likely to take too kindly to foreigners moving next door and being afforded the very same business opportunities.
The FTAA will only work if the government can convince Bahamians that the agreement will mean benefits, increased growth, development and employment and a better way of life. In Exuma, the native men are far from being convinced that fellow Bahamians are not a major threat that they need to be rid of.
Therein lies a problem that the government does not appear to be paying much attention to.
There is a need for much education. Our people need to be coached consistently and mentally brought on stream to what is about to happen.
First though we must teach Bahamians how to co-exist with other Bahamians.
Fred Sturrup, The Bahama Journal
