Dear Editor,
In recent weeks, much has been said about how we as Bahamians view ourselves and our role in shaping the nation we want. At the Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG), we believe this conversation is essential. It touches at the very heart of what it means to live in a democratic nation, where citizens and government are bound together by a mutual social contract rooted in trust, accountability, and shared responsibility.
The truth is, building public trust is much more than calling on citizens to be introspective and become more engaged. For decades, intentionally or otherwise, a culture has been reinforced where governments tell people, “Trust us, we will fix it.” But this has too often left Bahamians in a “sit and wait” posture, while governance has remained centralized and close to the vest. Such practices have the unintended consequence of isolating those on the margins, and disincentivizing civic participation. It cannot be expected that these deeply ingrained feelings and habits will change easily or in a short time without a plan to do so.
If Bahamians are to realize a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future, every government must make transparency, accountability, and proactive public engagement central priorities. This means moving from words to steady, intentional action: opening up decision-making processes, ensuring information is shared in clear and timely ways, and creating welcoming spaces where citizens can contribute to shaping the policies that guide their lives. Partnership works best when all voices have the opportunity to be heard and valued. Co-creation takes effort, as it requires bridging different perspectives and capacities; yet it is in that very process that trust and innovation emerge. Around the world, we see that when governments embrace openness and invite shared ownership of solutions, the outcomes are not only stronger and more effective, but also more deeply rooted in the communities they serve. For The Bahamas, this represents a powerful opportunity—one that can create lasting change and ensure progress that truly reflects the hopes and strengths of our people.
At ORG, our guiding phrase—“Get Informed. Get Involved.”—may sound simple; but taken further, it reflects an actionable pathway. It calls on government to provide the information and access that make real engagement possible, and it calls on citizens to step into their role as active partners in shaping policy and holding institutions accountable. Around the world, we see powerful examples of how this can work in practice. In Taiwan, following the 2014 “Sunflower Movement,” government leaders did something radical: they brought former protest organizers and civic innovators into the policymaking process. Using open digital platforms like Polis, citizens were directly involved in shaping regulations on everything, from Uber to pandemic responses. The result was not only better policies, but a measurable increase in public trust in government.
Closer to home, Brazil’s experiment with participatory budgeting in Porto Alegre demonstrated how giving citizens direct influence over how funds were spent transformed public confidence and led to more equitable infrastructure in underserved areas. Similar approaches could ensure Bahamian communities, like those in Abaco and Grand Bahama post-Dorian, have a real voice in determining their priorities—whether that means repairing schools, restoring clinics, or rebuilding homes.
Dialogue mechanisms also matter. Barcelona’s Decidim platform opened up urban planning debates to tens of thousands of citizens, resulting in thousands of resident-proposed projects being implemented. Imagine a Bahamian equivalent. Imagine a “Civic Café” (digital or community-based), where people could raise ideas on education or the environment and transparently track which proposals are adopted. That level of visibility builds confidence that voices truly matter.
Finally, building the capacity of civil society, faith-based groups, and small businesses is essential if we want partnerships to be balanced. In Brazil, open innovation labs brought together government, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs to co-design solutions to regional challenges, drawing on the creativity and skills of all sectors. In The Bahamas, similar collaborations could tap into the latent talent and potential of our not-for-profits, churches, youth groups, and small businesses, allowing them to have ongoing shared leadership in areas such as climate resilience, education reform, or disaster preparedness and recovery.
At ORG, our work in policy development, grassroots citizen engagement, creating forums for two-way dialogue, and strengthening civil society is about laying this foundation. It is about creating a safe and achievable platform for Bahamians to progress from being merely bystanders to active shapers of their communities and their country’s future.
The path forward for The Bahamas must be one where government and citizens move together, instead of one leading while the other waits. By fostering transparency, accountability, and shared ownership, we can build the trust and cross-sector collaboration that transforms action and hope into progress.
Sincerely,
The Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG)
