NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Governor General Sir Cornelius Smith has established a new committee with the goal of promoting volunteerism in The Bahamas.
“Our mandate is to try and help the general population to see the value of those organizations, whatever you feel passionate about,” said committee chairman Lindsey Cancino.
Cancino said that although they acknowledge that people have their own lives and their careers, and personal needs there comes a time when individuals should give back.
“The country can’t progress if we don’t have a general uptake of the concept of volunteerism so that’s the Governor General’s vison, he wants us to help him spread that word, to get away from the concept of every time I do something I gatta get money in my pocket.”
The Committee Chairman said that the work of this particular organization would act as a feeder to match people with their preferred organization. He said that he would appreciate it even after someone else takes the office of Governor General that the work is continued in some way so that people would have this avenue as a way to connect with and help others.
Cancino said: “Of course we have no guarantees on that, but obviously the presumption is that anyone who is holding that office in particular or a similar types of leadership positions is interested in the well-being and development of the country and therefore they are going to continue in some way, shape or form with that type of platform.”
There are 18 plus people on the committee according to the Chairman, and they represent various organizations in the civil service as well as entities in the private sector.
He continued: “We are all in some shape or form involved in some volunteer work already that’s why we were asked to be on this committee and therefore we are hopefully up to the task and we’ll make the most of it.
“[…] The idea is to try and help coordinate the better interaction of those NGOs as well as individual citizens, finding where their best niche is. Like I say, it doesn’t have to be Rotary or Kiwanis or Zonta or whatever.
“It could be your church, it could be school, it could be, you know, local council, but whatever it is that you want to do to give back and help with mass donation that’s what we’re trying to inculcate.”
Cancino acknowledged the threat of a recession may bring additional challenges for recruitment, but said he’s not too worried after having witnessed many people and organizations step up to the plate to assist over the years during hard economic times.
He explained that if things get hard, the organization would just have to work more to make sure people get the help they need.
“Challenges like recessions and so on are constant, and we should always be prepared for them. I can tell you as a 32-plus-year Rotarian, I have lived through at least three recessions. NGOs do become relied upon at that time and you find a way to get through it.”
The Governor General’s Volunteer Bahamas is in the process of creating an online platform for people to use to apply by selecting or suggesting their preferred choice of NGO to volunteer with according to Cancino who made it clear that they would not be acting as an NGO.
“We’re not trying to sign people up to us and then go and marry them to another organization, we are trying to direct them to that organization, but make it obvious that once they make that decision that’s where they want to go,” Cancino added.
