IT IS A GREAT HONOUR TO BE IN YOUR MIDST AT THE
OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SEMINARS FOR OFFICIALS UNDER THE THEME GIS
ADVANCING THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT.
THIS COMES AS A PART OF THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT
BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS AND THE INTER-AMERICAN
DEVELOPMENT BANK TO IMPLEMENT THE LAND USE PLANNING AND
ADMINISTRATION PROJECT.
IT IS MY HOPE THAT THIS EVENT WOULD BE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IMPORTANT TECHNOLOGY
CALLED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS OR GIS AS THE PRACTITIONERS
CALL IT AND THE GOVERNMENT’S NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO MODERNIZE THE
CIVIL SERVICE.
AS THE LARGEST SMALL-ISLAND ARCHIPELAGO IN THE
REGION WITH 17 MAIN INHABITED ISLANDS, 700 CAYS AND A NORTH-SOUTH
EXTENT OF SOME 448 MILES, THE SHEER SIZE OF THE BAHAMAS POSE
IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL INVESTMENT PROJECTS THROUGHOUT
THE BAHAMAS THAT ARE EITHER APPROVED, ONGOING OR ARE IN THE PROCESS
OF BEING APPROVED AND THERE MAY BE OTHER SPECIFIC AREAS OF INTEREST
WHERE GOVERNMENT MAY WISH TO DIRECT FUTURE INVESTMENTS.
THIS WILL TAKE ACCESS TO RELIABLE AND ACCURATE
INFORMATION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF
OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
IT IS WITHOUT QUESTION THAT AS WE TAKE A BUILDING
BLOCK APPROACH TO APPLYING MODERN TECHNOLOGIES TO HELP SOLVE REAL
WORLD PROBLEMS, WE MUST UNDERPIN THE NATION WITH GEOGRAPHIC
INFORMATION FOR INFORMED DECISION MAKING.
GIS CAN HELP WITH MANY ISSUES CONFRONTING
GOVERNMENT………...
. ISSUES LIKE THE IMPACT OF NATURAL AND
MAN-MADE DISASTERS,
. COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLANNING, LAND
DEGRADATION,
. DEVELOPMENT CONFLICTS,
. BORDER PROTECTION,
. HOUSING,
. MANAGING INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH IS A
CORNERSTONE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
. ISSUES OF LAND TENURE AND DIVESTMENT OF
CROWN LANDS
. ACCESS TO INFORMATION FOR RESEARCH,
PLANNING AND ANALYSIS
. AND SO MUCH MORE.
THESE ARE ALL AREAS WHERE GIS AND STREAMLINED
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES CAN MAKE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION.
I DO NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE INTRICACIES OF GIS
MYSELF BUT I AM LEARNING AND WILL CONTINUE TO LEARN FROM OUR
TECHNICAL EXPERTS AND YOU, AS YOU USE THIS TOOL TO MEET
ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS AND NATIONAL GOALS.
YESTERDAY, THE CABINET WAS FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE A
BRIEFING FROM THE EXECUTIVES OF BNGIS WHICH PROVIDED A GREAT
OVERSIGHT AS TO THE APPLICATIONS OF GIS.
AS A RESULT OF THE CABINET BRIEFING I AM
CONVINCED THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY IN MODERNIZING
GOVERNMENT AND MAKING OUR SERVICES AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE IS
CRITICAL IN ORDER TO COMPETE IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT.
THIS WILL MEAN PRUDENT IMPLEMENTATION OF
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND OF COURSE GIS BEING THE MOST VISIBLE OF
THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL AS WELL.
THE PRIME MINISTER HAS OFTEN SAID THAT SINCE
BEING ELECTED TO OFFICE FOR THE THIRD TIME, HE WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH
FOR CHANGE TO MAKE THE BAHAMAS A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND
VISIT.
IT IS THE GOVERNMENT’S AGENDA TO PROVIDE THE
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR PROPER MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE IN OUR PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT THAT WOULD FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT OF ORDERLY,
SUSTAINABLE AND ATTRACTIVE COMMUNITIES.
THE WORLD IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND WE NEED TO
BE READY TO CHANGE WITH IT TO CAPITALIZE ON OPPORTUNITIES AND TO
PROTECT AGAINST THREATS.
ALL MODERN GOVERNMENTS IN THE WORLD RELY ON
TECHNOLOGY AND WE ARE NO DIFFERENT.
IF WE ARE TO BE CONSIDERED AS A TECHNOLOGY LEADER
IN THE CARIBBEAN REGION WE MUST BE EFFICIENT IN OUR OPERATIONS AND
PROVIDE TIMELY DELIVERY OF SERVICES.
IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS POSITION THE GOVERNMENT
MUST SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL GIS THROUGH A PROGRAMME
CALLED THE BAHAMAS SPATIAL DATA INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMME (WHICH IS
CURRENTLY BEING REVIEWED BY OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT) TO PROMOTE
CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT.
WE CAN NEVER COMPETE IF WE REMAIN COMPLACENT.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES US ENORMOUS
OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE, SHARE IDEAS AND
EXPLORE INNOVATIVE WAYS TO REPLACE OR IMPROVE TRADITIONAL WAYS OF
TRANSACTING BUSINESS.
WITH GIS WE CAN:
IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO MANAGE OUR RESOURCES,
IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO SOLVE COMPLEX SOCIAL
ISSUES RELATING TO LAND ADMINISTRATION, CRIME, JOBS, HEALTH AND
POVERTY,
IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD
SKILL SETS IN GIS AND GEOGRAPHY AND TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION
ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND
ANALYSIS AND
PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY TO CITIZENS ON ISSUES OF
NATIONAL IMPORTANCE.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND GIS WILL CONTINUE TO
PLAY AN INCREASING ROLE IN THE FUTURE OF THE BAHAMAS AND I WANT
EVERYONE TO KNOW I AM COMMITTED TO THIS PROCESS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS SCHEDULED AND
DISPLAYS TO ENGAGE EVERYONE IN THE APPLICATION OF GIS. IN CLOSING, I
WISH YOU AN INFORMATIVE AND FRUITFUL EXCHANGE OF IDEAS.
THANK YOU AND A PLEASANT GOOD MORNING.
