Reprint From The Miami Times Miami, Florida October 12, 2001 NEW BAHAMIAN MOVEMENT TO REDUCE POWER OF PRIME MINISTER In recent months the Prime Minister of the Bahamas has come under frequent criticism for using a heavy handed approach to governing the country’s economic and political affairs. His recent attempts to openly put in place his own hand picked team to take over the leadership of his party after he leaves has caused another round of serious criticism not only from opposition politicians but even from within his own party. Dr. Bernard Nottage leader of the Coalition for Democratic Reform (CDR), and the most vocal of the opposition leaders has pledged to reform the system to rid it of the potential for the dictator like governance of the current Prime Minister Hubert Ingram. Nottage claims Ingram's use of some of the inherent faults within the Westminster style of government are prime examples of why there should be major reform of the system to limit the tremendous powers of the Prime Minister. Nottage calls his plan to limit the powers of the Prime Minister, produce more independence among parliamentarians, and allow more legislative participation by the electorate, "New Checks & Balances". Nottage and the CDR has been gaining ground in the race for the new elections to be held in the very near future on a date which ironically only the Prime Minister has the power to decide. Nottage and the CDR are hoping that the Bahamian electorate will take notice of their innovative new platform which contains some dramatic new proposals to reform the government and the economy. They believe that considering the serious future needs of the country well designed programs about the future of the country need to be the focus of the upcoming elections. Hopefully such a platform will replace the traditional hoopla of name calling and frivolous issues which traditionally dominate Bahamian political campaigns. In addition to the New Checks and Balances program, they have introduced a concept called "Institutionalized Island Economies" which will foster growth of the economies of the Outer Family Islands by moving important Government institutions to these islands so that their economies will have some central base to build upon. This program Nottage says will also reduce the increasing density in the capital city of Nassau, improve the quality of lifestyle, and reduce crime. Two other interesting aspects of the CDR’s platform include the "New Globalization of the Economy" Plan which will move the Bahamas towards becoming a center for E-Commerce, Internet Based Corporate Operations, and International Trade. This plan also would allow for expanded international investment opportunities and capital market development for individual and corporate residents of the Bahamas. Perhaps the most innovative of the CDR’s plans is a program called "Bring it Home", designed to reach out to Bahamians and friends of the Bahamas who live abroad and particularly those in the United States. Nottage says that the Bring it Home Program will allow talented Bahamians and friends of the Bahamas who live outside the Bahamas to make their contribution to the economic and social development of the Country. In describing the "Bring it Home Initiative" Dr. Nottage states "for too long the Government of the Bahamas unlike other countries has not developed or utilized any organized system to allow non-resident Bahamians who want to contribute to their homeland the opportunity to do so". With its bold new reform initiatives, strong leadership, and what many see as the constant bungling of the current government, the CDR hopes to continue attracting the increasingly large group of disaffected swing voters to their movement. "We hope to run a campaign totally based on the issues, and to focus the electorate on our innovative plan for reform which will be needed if the Bahamas is to move into the future with confidence. We need to look to the future and make a turn for the better with innovative planning rather than continue on the significant slide that has been the mark and legacy of the current Government," said Nottage.

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