Mr. Elcott Coleby, Deputy Director of the Government propaganda machine, Bahamas Information Services, recently had a letter to the editor of the Nassau Guardian, singing the praises of a new government department, The National Training Agency.
His missive was filled with platitudes, (if you don't believe me, read it here…) but never once did he suggest he would report to The Bahamian people on the successes or failures of this "new" initiative.
Of course the word new is put in inverted commas, because this is nothing new. It's decades old. As noted back in June 1999 and reiterated June 2013, forty years later we're still getting the same speeches from our "caring government" about training and the grand results we can expect, yet we're still waiting for the results.
Over the decades The Bahamas "National Training Agency" has been known as; The National Technical School 1949’-61’, Nassau Technical Institute 61’-65, Nassau Technical College 66’-68’, Nassau Technical College & Centre 68,-71’, C.R. Walker Technical College 74’-80’, Industrial Training Centre 80’-95’ and Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute 95-present. Each time the country was promised bigger and better results.
But nobody like Mr. Coleby tracks the outcomes over the years? Yes we read speeches that sound remarkably similar with each administration but there must be more than this. Surely?
In principle the ideas sound fine, but things fall apart upon implementation. The lack of results and the taxpayer money that is poured down the proverbial tubes and the increased taxes necessary to pay for the debt and deficits that result, that are the problems these grand new initiatives create. But who cares right?
Want to bet that before the next election we'll probably have hundreds of grand announcements made by all and sundry in the government, with grand promises, but none of them will report the actual results to the nation?
Having served on the Board of the Industrial Training Centre I would suggest my experience is a little more valuable than Mr. Coleby's subjective opinion.
But what could he do but sing the praises,
He is a political appointee correct?
We have long since abandoned seeking capability or accountability,
all we really need is for people to believe something is going on,
even if there is nothing.
“The Emperors new clothes”………
Buck naked for any who would see.
One question.. How do you teach the values of the Work Ethic?? With our youth lacking self-esteem and positive character values, it is only an illusion to believe that such training would be productive on a cost/benefit basis.. Government can change the brand, but as history proves, the results have always been the same.. The government may be easily fooled but the people are not.. Again theory and practice can not be reconciled as history is the judge of practice..
So I see the ribbon cutting and write up in the Guardian.
Does nobody else see that they have created a training facility to overcome the failures of the School system?
Numeracy? literacy?
Competency?
Is anyone in Government competent in these things?
What a joke.
What a failure of the people by the leadership.
The problem is not our schools, but the deprived attitude and arrogance of children in school and entering our school system every Fall… because of their broken down home environments, our children have no sense of self-esteem and have negative character values.. As the government is unwilling to confront these issues head on, you can not expect any improvement in the development of our school children.. By the time they reach the sixth grade, it’s far too late so they drift towards gang mentality and acceptance.. Yes, this is a problem of leadership but it has been a problem for over forty years.. It is NOT a joke, it is a national tragedy..
Oh I agree totally Tradewinds,
First and formost PARENTAL FAILURE.
The State steps into Education and FAILS AGAIN.
Yes, it is tragic.
With no cure.
Perhaps the cure is for the government finally to do the right thing.. Install proven programs which address and encourage self-esteem and the development of positive character.. OR, offer vouchers for every student to choose the school they or their parents want them to attend.. There are alternatives but the government is at a total loss as to what to do.. We should know by now that is the way government’s work..