Over the past 8 years, you may have seen the Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) in the news, advocating for the passage of laws, or in your community offering training to citizens or civil society organizations. Have you ever wondered what exactly is ORG, what does it do and, is it making a difference? Over the next few weeks, ORG wants to share its story and help clarify what we do and why.
Since our founding in 2015, the Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) has been dedicated to championing principles of good governance, transparency, and accountability across The Bahamas. Our journey began with a group of Bahamian Business leaders advocating for transparency and greater accountability in the implementation and administration of VAT. In order to ensure that VAT and other laws reflected global standards, were transparent and represented the public interest they developed a clear and nonpartisan mission based on four foundational pillars: accountable governance, economic development, education reform and building the capacity of civil society. These pillars were the bedrock upon which ORG was built, reflecting our commitment to creating a more equitable society.
The initial four pillars of ORG were conceived as a comprehensive framework to address the multifaceted challenges facing The Bahamas. Accountable governance was identified as essential for ensuring that leaders act in the best interests of the people, with transparency and integrity. Education reform and citizen engagement were recognized as crucial for empowering individuals to participate actively in their communities and the governance process and ultimately equip them with the tools needed to be successful. Economic development was seen as the engine driving prosperity, while socioeconomic empowerment was necessary to ensure that all Bahamians could benefit from that prosperity. Finally, civil society capacity building recognized and sought to garner the true social and economic value that nonprofit organizations bring to The Bahamas.
As our work progressed, we realized that these pillars were interconnected, each influencing and reinforcing the others. This virtuous cycle—where better governance leads to improved education, which in turn fosters economic development and broader socioeconomic empowerment—became central to our strategy. To now maximize our impact, we began to focus our initiatives more specifically on the four key areas listed above.
As we’ve evolved and responded to the needs of our community, our focus has sharpened. We recognized that to achieve our mission more effectively, we needed to channel our efforts across all sectors of The Bahamas: Government, Citizens, Private Sector, and Civil Society. This falls into four distinct areas of work: promoting transparent laws & policies, running community-based grassroots engagement and education, creating tools to bridge citizen and government communication, and capacity building for local organizations.
In nearly a decade of operation, ORG has engaged over 24,000 citizens across 10 islands, provided training and development for over 400 nonprofit organizations, and influenced more than 35 pieces of legislation. These numbers are more than just statistics; they represent real change in the lives of Bahamians. Bahamians with a greater capacity to get informed and get involved! Laws, like the Freedom of Information and Public Procurement Acts that reflect the interest and input of citizens, business leaders and civil society organizations.
One notable demonstration of our impact is the Anti-Corruption Symposium held in 2023. This groundbreaking event brought together key players from various sectors to tackle corruption head-on, facilitating crucial dialogues. The symposium reinforced the necessity of transparent governance and demonstrated our commitment to fostering an environment where corruption cannot thrive, focusing specifically on the power of pooling existing actions from key stakeholders rather than creating new interventions.
Another significant achievement was the release of the Public Service Reform Report, which provided actionable recommendations to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the public service. This report was not merely a document but a roadmap to a more efficient and accountable government. It embodied our dedication to making tangible improvements in governance that benefit all Bahamians.
In this Op-Ed series, we will explore our work and its impact across these four focus areas so that more people can understand the importance of their role in this virtuous cycle.
We will share stories of success, outline the challenges we face, and present our vision for the future. Our goal is to create a dialogue with the Bahamian public, encouraging everyone to join us in our mission to build a more transparent, accountable, and participatory governance system.
Join us in advocating for a more transparent, accountable, and participatory governance system. Together, we can build a better future for all Bahamians. Visit our website at www.orgbahamas.com to learn more about our work and how you can get involved.
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