First published in The Tribune, in the column Young Man's View, on Wednesday, August 18, 2010

By ADRIAN GIBSON

TODAY I continue my annual report card giving my view of the performance of government ministers in their various ministries. In Monday's column I gave my assessment of the performances of Mrs Loretta Butler-Turner, Minister of State for Social Services, Minister of Works Neko Grant and Housing Minister Kenneth Russell. On Tuesday it was National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest and Environment Minister Earl Deveaux.

Today I shall turn to the portfolios held by Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Charles Maynard and Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette and give my opinion of how I believe they have handled their ministries.

Zhivargo Laing, the overrated Minister of State for Finance and the Public Service, generates high drama and is known for cautious non-answers during interviews.

While the global economic meltdown is a reality, the government has not proposed any long-term national development plan and there appears to be little effort being exerted to foster economic diversification or propose ways to wean ourselves from our over-dependency on the US. We have a legacy of dependency. On behalf of the nation, Mr Laing should lead the government's charge of taking small steps to become more self-sufficient, taking an inventory of overseas purchases and removing those items that we can produce (chicken, eggs, onions, etc), whilst setting economic milestones. In strengthening the economy, more monies must be allocated to farmers and fishermen.

Bahamians have heard Mr Laing's theoretical justification for the economic crisis besetting the country, however there's a need for a greater commitment to the creation and strengthening of our internal dynamics, empowering Bahamians via strategic planning mechanisms. There is also a need for a more streamlined tax structure.

Indeed, during Mr Laing's tenure, economic hardship has led to a greater manifestation of the ever-present parallel economy–for example, the proliferation of phone card vendors, street vendors selling food from vehicle trunks on road sides and on construction sites, peanut vendors, roadside stalls, etc.

Unquestionably, while the recent budget exercise delivered a common sense budget, the budget should have been more developmental.

In recent years, the commercial banks have announced colossal net profits exceeding $100 million. Increasing corporate taxation is a must–taxing the net profits of banks with a proviso that it should not be passed on to the Bahamian people. Furthermore, as the technocrat who handles the country's financial books, Mr Laing should seek a reduction in the prime rate, cutting it hard and fast.

It is high-time that taxes are applied to, and raised (following the American format), on the wealthy and those persons making above a certain salary each year. Moreover, collecting outstanding taxes–such as $400 million in property taxes–could reduce and/or eliminate the budget deficit.

As the economic storm surges, Bahamians are becoming fed-up with Mr Laing's unnecessary caterwauling about politics and the budget deficit with retired banker Al Jarrett. Bahamians want action, not whining! Perhaps both Mr Laing and Mr Jarrett should elevate beyond petty political partisanship and their egos and work together for the good of the nation. The Laing-Jarrett schism is pointless as they both have much to offer the country during these harsh economic times.

Having direct oversight of the public service, Mr Laing must be credited with investigating corruption within customs and for allowing all civil servants to retain their jobs when the public service has been cut in many countries.

The junior minister, who at times appears thin-skinned and petulant, earns a C.

Charles Maynard, the chubby and overly sensitive Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, is a ministerial afterthought, having turned out to be one of the dampest squibs in the box when it comes to ministerial performance.

Under Mr Maynard, culture has become a one-dimensional enterprise, centred on junkanoo. It's difficult to establish the minister's track record and he seemingly has no institutional knowledge about culture, youth or sports.

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture remains in an infantilized state. The minister has brought little to the drawing board. One interviewee, a high-profile PLP MP, stated: "Sometimes I wonder if he (Maynard) even knows the triple jump, because the only thing he seems to know about is the triple jump he has done between the three parties he was in."

Musicians are in dire need of support. Is Mr Maynard encouraging the promotion of Bahamian music? Is he urging radio stations, besides ZNS and Island FM, to play Bahamian music? Is he encouraging concerts and exhibitions featuring Bahamian music?

Moreover, far more initiatives–outside of junkanoo–in areas such as theatre and the support of the local film industry could be undertaken. More focus must be placed upon the various sporting disciplines, such as baseball, which to Mr Maynard's credit is recently being resuscitated.

During Mr Maynard's tenure, an award-winning UNESCO programme, opened by Sidney Poitier and UNESCO's president, was discontinued in Gambier and is now replaced by a web shop. Furthermore, the youth programme dealing with at-risk young men–that is, YEAST–closed its doors under the minister's watch.

Where are the self-started businesses, for which all received government funding a few years ago? Shouldn't the public be informed of where these businesses are located so that they can patronize them?

There are concerns regarding the swim complex, which has had structural issues such as a leak–due to poor maintenance–that destroyed the heating system and mechanical gears.

Whilst the minister appears to have reasonably sound political instincts, he thoughtlessly uttered in Parliament that he was a "dummy," telling fellow Parliamentarians that "you could learn a lot from a dummy." Relative to that imprudent statement, I don't think much can be learnt from a dummy, Mr Maynard!

He earns a D.

Just like the movie, it appears that Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Brent Symonette "hears no evil, sees no evil", having rendered a performance that is mired in mediocrity. It's difficult to think of much that he's achieved in the last three years.

Under Mr Symonette, there has been little initiative taken to promote a closer, more tangible collaboration between the Bahamas, Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe. There should be better multilateral cooperation between small island states in the hemisphere on environmental matters, particularly since larger countries prefer dealing with smaller countries in blocs.

Frankly, there has hardly been a deepening of trade relations between the Bahamas, Europe and North America neither has there been a creation of stronger alliances nor a stronger commitment to addressing common issues, such as inter-jurisdictional crimes and drug trafficking, in a forceful manner.

In targeting a broader touristic market, Mr Symonette should press forward with the establishment of consulates in leading Latin American countries, thereby advertising the Bahamian product in Central and South America.

Of late, the immigration policies of the Bahamas have not been enunciated and the department has seemingly adopted a more reactive than proactive approach, diverting much of its resources to apprehension and repatriation exercises.

Frankly, the department should allot resources to properly educating foreigners on legal ways to access this country, particularly those whose frequent attempts at repeated illegal re-entry make repatriation efforts seem like a futile endeavour.

The Department of Labour should conduct an inventory of the country's labour needs, granting work permits to incorporate immigrants into a labour system where there are shortages or a lack of local expertise. Quite honestly, a scientific approach should be taken to gauge the number of immigrants, particularly as Haitians are hardly the only foreign nationals illegally violating our sovereign space and it can assist with policy formation.

Currently, there are more immigrants–many illegal–on Abaco than native Bahamians.

I'm informed that in areas such as Rock Crusher (New Providence), the majority of residences are occupied by Haitians, rented to them by unscrupulous Bahamians who charge ridiculous rates, contingent upon a head count. Pockets of Carmichael, Joe Farrington Road, Over-the-Hill and Cowpen Road remain hotbeds for illegal immigrants.

This is August, six months since the Haitian earthquake and the granting of an amnesty. Mr Symonette, where are those immigrants who were released from the detention centre under the premise of a compassionate amnesty? What is the next step sir?

Mr Symonette must be credited with the implementation of the electronic passport system and has represented the country well at diplomatic events.

Overall, he earns a C-minus.

(Tomorrow I shall discuss the performances of Agriculture Minister Larry Cartwright, Education Minister Desmond Bannister, State Minister for Public Utilities Phenton Neymour and Labour and Special Services Minister Dion Foulkes).