In supporting the creative economy more broadly it will require both targeted investments in specific industries, as well as broad-based investments aimed at making the southern Bahamas (MICAL) a more affordable place to live, work and create. It is also vital to create opportunities for digital inclusion and to facilitate access to information. This starts with equipping people with digital skills and promoting active digital citizenship through learning and training. The Bahamas needs a balanced digital policy that can support the innovation and access to information that is required to deal with the climate crisis while ensuring safety and the protection of our human and civil rights. The next Member of Parliament for MICAL should seek to achieve the following:
MICAL’s Path forward>>
Pursue the Implementation and the Expansion of an Exemplar Network in MICAL, putting the Southern Bahamas on the cutting edge of connectivity. It is estimated that 3,000 direct jobs and an additional 2,000 indirect jobs could be established in a 10-year period because of an Exemplar Network.
Lobby and ensure that all government services in MICAL are transferred to an online cloud-based system within 5 – 7 years.
Petition for the Introduction and the Establishment of an International Content Services Centre of the Bahamas as modeled to Ireland Financial Service Centre. The Centre will provide a global hub for the trading, commodifying, and storing of digital content.
Via METFA create a meaningful economic partnership with Cuba, Dominic Republic, USA, and China with policies to advance and protect the Bahamian product.
Propose the creation of a Bahamian Sourcing Code of Conduct based on the Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code. Both Bahamian and multinational companies will be able to participate in this code. It will ensure that the trade of all products respects core international labor practices and will ban goods or services that are produced by slave labor or exploitative working conditions.
Propose to move towards more regional markets of food production and trade that would deliver greater food security for the nation.
Uphold the rights of Bahamian citizens and to support Bahamian business in the IT sector.
Supporting all attempts to allow software ideas to be patentable by law and to ensure evolving technologies are in check with the rights of Bahamian citizens.
Petition government to promote digital inclusion and literacy for all citizens and the training of unemployed persons who will then work with businesses to make their products and services available online.
Petition government to introduce incentives to encourage innovation and diversity in online business models to provide alternatives to exploitative data harvesting as ways to generate revenue online.
Petition the government to provide greater support and incentives for technology start-ups.
Lobby for amendments to the Libel Act to protect the creators and publishers of legitimate critical, satirical, and parody content by introducing a digital bill of rights for citizens.
Ensuring that every public school student receives arts and creative education in schools and partnering with local arts organizations as resources for public school arts education.
Bolstering support for arts programming for at-risk and underserved youth, including the criminal justice-involved, to create pathways for careers in the creative sector.
Foster creative incubators: Explore partnerships with industry to establish creative sector incubators where early-career creative professionals and start-ups can access low-cost space and equipment.
Protect the privacy of individuals by limiting data retention and sharing in and by government agencies/bodies.
Support the idea of Open Data for nonpersonal information, encouraging government and organizations to make their information freely available and accessible online with the purpose of increasing innovation and creating opportunities for new businesses and empowering local communities.
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The Path Forward is a 20-year Development plan designed to generate economic growth and to develop sustainable economies in Mayaguna, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, and Long Cay (MICAL). The ideas, initiatives, and programs mentioned in this document were written as a guide mapping out an economic development path forward for the southern islands of the Bahamas.
By Andy Hanna.