Posted by Briland Modem on March 10, 2001 at 18:28:18:
Nassau Guardian/Eleuthera Advocate:
MP Smith envisions a thriving Eleuthera for the future
"I would like to see an Eleuthera with a diverse economy, like I remember when I was a little boy growing up in Eleuthera. I would like to see more Eleutherans owning their own businesses. I would like to see an Eleuthera with a trained work force that can match any, anywhere in the Bahamas. An Eleuthera with persons that have a greater appreciation for the value of education. I want to see an Eleuthera where persons be they Bahamian or foreigners look at Eleuthera as the choice destination to invest in businesses or in second homes."
March 07th. 2001
Following is a candid interview with Mr. Alvin Smith, newly appointed Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education, Youth & Sports and MP for North Eleuthera.
Advocate: "Congratulations on your appointment as Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education, Youth & Sports. What are your responsibilities in your new role?"
Mr. Smith: "My primary responsibility is to assist the Honourable Dion A. Foulkes, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, where necessary with political directorate on matters related to this Ministry. More specifically, I have responsibility for the Departments of Youth and Sports and Technical and Vocational Education. I am not the Permanent Secretary who has administrative responsibility for the entire Ministry as I am often mistaken."
Advocate: "Prior to your appointment as Parliamentary Secretary, you served as Deputy Speaker in The House, will you continue in that capacity?"
Mr. Smith: "No. My appointment does not allow me to continue in a presiding capacity, not even to act in the event both Speaker and Deputy Speaker are not available. As Deputy Speaker, I was non - partisan as I had the responsibility to protect while in the House of Assembly, the rights of ALL Members. Today, in my new role I see the governing party and the opposition as two distinct entities. I am a member of the governing party which allows me to be partisan."
Advocate: "Mr. Smith, why did you decide to enter "front-line politics and run for North Eleuthera? Are you from North Eleuthera?"
Mr. Smith: "I simply wanted to make a contribution to the growth and development of my Bahamas and particularly to that part of The Bahamas that is so much a part of my very being and which I love so dearly."
"From as early as my teenage years, I have had a strong interest in serving my community. I loved the team concept. I assisted with organizing sporting teams in my hometown and attended many meetings that dealt with community matters. I had a keen interest in knowing what the concerns and plans for my community were. I carried that passion for service with me when I entered the Teachers' Training College in San Salvador at the age of seventeen years.
I ran for an executive position on the student government and was successful and in my final year I was appointed Senior Student with responsibility for Supervision of Male Students' dormitory."
"Requests to serve have followed me throughout my life. I was in fact, asked by several persons in my home - town to run for the House of Assembly as early as 1978. They wanted me to seek the P.L.P. nomination for the Governor's Harbour Constituency. At that time it seemed like everyone in my hometown was a P.L.P. supporter including my maternal grandmother, my parents, aunts and uncles. I entertained the thoughts but the cold facts of political logic were too strong to dismiss.
Analyze this, Mr. Philip Bethel was the incumbent Member of Parliament but nor just a regular M.P. backbencher, he had only three years ago become Minister in the governing party having the full confidence of the decision makers of that party."
"With my growing interest, I stayed in touch with my hometown people and continued to serve in Community Development Associations, Sporting associations and the Teachers' Union. The Teachers Union strike of January 1981 totally destroyed my wavering interest in the P.L.P. and made my decision to align with the F.N.M. an easy choice as I became convinced that there was a better way of governing our Bahamaland."
"In 1988, as had happened in each of the previous elections, I was approached again by large numbers of persons from throughout the Governor's Harbour Constituency and I decided to apply for the F.N.M. nomination. I decided that if I was going to enter front line politics, I had to go in 1992 because the 1997 elections would have been just one year prior to my eligibility for retirement from the public Service."
"Yes, I am an Eleutheran. I was born there, schooled there and my character was molded by my family and the people and institutions of Eleuthera."
Advocate: " During your tenure as Member of Parliament for North Eleuthera, a number of improvements have been made to the public infrastructure. What has been done and what is the impact of the improvements made on your constituents?
Mr. Smith: " Yes, significant improvements have been made. Some I inherited from my predecessor Noel Roberts, M.P and others have been completed since my term commenced as MP for North Eleuthera.
The largest contract ever offered by this government for any Family Island water improvements was offered in Eleuthera for the water improvement project. That project improved the quality of water for all my constituents and many other parts of North Eleuthera."
"It is very significant in that it has:
1. Provided savings to residents - previously the salinity was so high that their plumbing fixtures were corroded and requiring replacement.
2. It has lent itself to improved health as a result of the improved water quality, particularly for children who would not be as meticulous as adults - drink water from anywhere.
3. It has also opened up opportunities for persons who want to go into businesses. One of the set backs for Eleuthera has been the water supply."
"Other infrastructure developments include road paving the parts of the highway that needed paving throughout my constituency. With other areas not yet re-paved being addressed very, very shortly, particularly in Lower Bogue, Upper Bogue and Harbour Island. I am making every effort to have the Government also improve road quality on Current Island and in The Current."
"Improvements to the dock in Harbour Island, the terminal building at Governor's Harbour, repairs to the bulk head at the Spanish Wells Dock, not overall renovation, building and upgrading of health care facilities have been accomplished as well all Administrative complexes have been repaired."
"I wish to add that we have done quite a bit of work but there is much more infrastructural work to be done. Primarily as a result of damage done by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and Hurricane Floyd in 1999."
"I am happy to state that all remaining infra - structural concerns are being addressed by the government - most of them very soon."
"Each of these infrastructural improvements have impacted very positively on my constituents because they have improved their overall quality of life."
Advocate: "What is the biggest challenge facing North Eleuthera today?
Mr. Smith: "As I see it, the biggest challenge for North Eleuthera is training and improving education, and specifically secondary & tertiary education. There are many opportunities in North Eleuthera and particularly north of the bridge, which persons cannot take advantage of because they do not have the necessary training. There is also the challenge of creating additional employment opportunities particularly on the main land of North Eleuthera."
"I want to encourage persons in the area who are so talented and have so much to offer, to prepare themselves for the existing opportunities and those that are forthcoming. For us as a people, we must pool our resources and invest those resources in the area, to improve the economy of the area."
"In North Eleuthera, (south of the bridge), the challenges are the same as those in the north. But the challenge to create employment is far greater than that north of the bridge."
"The challenge to get residents of North Eleuthera, (south of the bridge), generally speaking, to do more for themselves. It is a great challenge because for most of their adult life they were able to find jobs. They saw themselves as employees and not as employers. Today they are being pushed to look beyond the traditional ways of finding legal employment."
Advocate: "How do you propose to address this challenge to your constituent's?"
Mr. Smith: "We have started to address the educational and training concerns of North Eleuthera. I am very concerned that too many of our young people are leaving Eleuthera to obtain employment and training opportunities elsewhere. We have started the North Eleuthera High School that will be equipped very soon with a technical education classroom block."
"I am disappointed that construction of the technical block has not commenced yet and I want to assure my constituent's that the problems that prevented this have been sorted out and construction should commence very soon. I am also requesting the Government to place a similar technical block in Spanish Wells to provide similar opportunities as those now offered in Harbour Island and which will be offered at the North Eleuthera High School."
"I am at this very moment having discussions with Bahamas Technical Vocational Institute related to offering Technical Education to those other communities in my constituency, south of the bridge. Right now we are looking at doing something at a building that is centrally located to provide additional training and technical education."
"Another initiative I think can be successful is for Eleutherans to explore opportunities in marinas. These opportunities plus those in small resorts, transportation, tours, fishing, and farming, and manufacturing. I think cooperatives; credit unions and joint venture partnerships are avenues to take advantage of these opportunities. " Part of the challenge is to motivate persons to explore these avenues and take advantage of the incentives that Government now offers."
Advocate: " North Eleuthera now boasts its own Annual Regatta. When is it held? What can you tell our readers about plans for the 2001 Regatta?"
Mr. Smith: " N E Regatta is held every year during the Discovery Day Holiday Weekend in October. It takes place in one of the best sailing harbours anywhere in the world, between Harbour Island and the northern part of Eleuthera. It has been attracting thousands of sailing enthusiasts every year for more than a decade. This year plans are afoot to make it the biggest ever. We want to make up for the set backs caused by bad weather last year. I would encourage people interested to book accommodations very early."
"In addition to the Annual Regatta, there are a number of Community homecomings in: Lower Bogue, & James Cistern during The Easter Holidays, a Pineapple Festival in Gregory Town during the Labour Day Weekend, a Homecoming in the Bluff during the Independence Holiday Weekend, and there is the Bay Fest in Hatchet Bay during the August Monday Holiday."
"Each of these Festivals offer visitors wonderful opportunities to experience Eleuthera's hospitality, reunions and Family Island camaraderie. They also provide opportunities for residents operating stalls to make money and provide a boost to the economy. All of these festivals have been growing tremendously each year."
Advocate: "When you dream about the future, Eleuthera's future, what do you see?"
Mr. Smith: "I would like to see an Eleuthera with a diverse economy, like I remember when I was a little boy growing up in Eleuthera. I would like to see more Eleutherans owning their own businesses. I would like to see an Eleuthera with a trained work force that can match any, anywhere in the Bahamas. An Eleuthera with persons that have a greater appreciation for the value of education. I want to see an Eleuthera where persons be they Bahamian or foreigners look at Eleuthera as the choice destination to invest in businesses or in second homes."
"I want to see Eleuthera with programmes and institutions for our young people that will offer wholesome recreation and personal development opportunities. I want to see an Eleuthera with sporting facilities and programmes that will maximize the sporting potential of Eleutherans. I would like to see Eleuthera where young persons are exploring the opportunities in agriculture using modern farming technology as it relates to food processing.
I envision an Eleuthera filled with pride in our communities and overall environment. I see an Eleuthera as a model of cooperation and partnership between church, schools, and various community groupings with common goals to improve our communities. I would like to see an Eleuthera where first class infrastructure is synonymous with its name."
"I would also like to see strategically located community centres where all young people can have access to share and learn. Those are just some of the things I see for Eleuthera in the future."
Advocate: " What impact has the increased shipping and passenger boat traffic to North Eleuthera had on the economy?"
Mr. Smith: " The cargo shipping has not had as significant an impact as the Bahamas Fast Ferry but it has introduced to Eleuthera a more modern, more secure, efficient way of shipping to Eleuthera."
"I would like to see more Eleutherans getting involved in freight distribution businesses. They can start there own small freight businesses by transporting goods on board the freight boats in their vehicle. Purchasing supplies for customers and distributing them.
The Bo Hengy has really transformed to a point the means of sea travel to and from Eleuthera. It has impacted travel tremendously. Eleutherans have embraced this form of travel and it has now become North Eleutheran's first travel choice. It has also positively impacted the economy of my constituency by bringing so many persons to the area.
They spend money on goods and services, take the tours and explore our island's natural beauty and our wonderful hospitality thereby creating a positive impact on restaurant, hotel, transportation and real estate businesses. All of these have a spin off effect on our larger economy."
Advocate: " Mr. Smith, Eleuthera is described by many Bahamians and visitors alike as among the most beautiful of our islands. How is that natural beauty being preserved and promoted to stimulate the economy?"
Mr. Smith: " With its rolling hills, lush vegetation, beautiful beaches and ponds. It's lakes and rocky shores, cliffs, harbours, pristine waters, its many natural caves and one of the wonders of the world, the Eleuthera Glass Window, Eleuthera in my view must be one of the most beautiful places, not just in The Bahamas, but in the world. It is truly one of God's gems. It is my sincere wish that all Eleutherans become Ambassadors of our island environment."
"The Ministry of Tourism is cognizant of the tourist interests as it relates to eco-tourism. In Eleuthera they are now putting a programme in place to preserve and enhance all of our caves."
"They are encouraging persons to organize nature trails and local government, along with MOT and Environmental Health and I have been trying to heighten awareness on the need to preserve and keep clean and prevent pollution of our waters to ensure that we have a sustainable tourism product. I really believe that it is this natural beauty along with the warmth and the sincere kindness of the people of Eleuthera that have attracted people to the island and that will improve our success in the future.
Advocate: " Mr. Smith, thank you for agreeing to this exclusive interview with the Eleuthera Advocate.