E-Network Healing Initiative Leadership Linkage (HILL) - A Student Linkage Magazine
COUNTRY- BAHAMAS
KENSRI Editor: NIKHIL.S
Country Editor:
Country Asst. Editor
IDENTITY OF COUNTRY – Symbols & significance
NONE
National Flag
National Animal
National Bird
FLAMINGO
National Sport
SLOOP SAILING
National Emblem
COAT OF ARMS
National Flower
YELLOW ELDER
National Tree
LIGNUM VITAE
Currency
BAHAMIAN DOLLAR
Coin
BAHAMIAN DOLLAR
Stamp
Current issue
THE BAHAMAS - ENVIRONMENT
Official language: ENGLISH
Capital: NASSAU
Government: CONSTITUTIONAL
MONARCHY
Population: 377,374
Other thr eats include offs hor e c hanneli ng and dredging, water pollution and over har vesti ng of fis h and other mari ne speci es. Other signific ant envir onmental iss ues ar e the i mpact of tourism on the envir onment, co ral r eef decay, wast e d ispo sal, and water pollut ion.
The Bahamas is known for its picturesque waters and coastlines. They are part of its culture and are critical to
its economy, as tourism-related activities employ around half of the work force. The livelihoods of so many
people are dependent on the beautiful islands and seas. Yet, the natural resources on which The Bahamas rely so
much are under pressure from overfishing and coastal development. The Nature Conservancy and its partners
are working in The Bahamas to create a network of marine managed areas to protect important habitats and
replenish fish, conch, and lobster populations—keeping these coastal environments healthy for the tourism
industry, fisheries and recreational use. The Conservancy is working closely with the government to improve
fisheries and coastal management, and also providing scientific advice to help identify important ecosystems in
The Bahamas so that the best protection measures can be established.
Music with a cause
Music is also in the very bones of the people.
African rhythms, Caribbean Calypso, English
folk songs, and the uniquely Bahamian
'Goombay' (the Bantu word for rhythm, which
also refers to the type of goatskin drum used to
produce the rolling rhythmical beat) echo in the
air. Rake and scrape bands have been playing
goombay music since the time of slavery, when
with few resources, bands fashioned their drum
out of a pork barrel and goatskin, scraped a
metal file over a carpenter's saw, made maracas
from seed pods and played a home-made bass
violin (a washtub with a string through it that
was tied to a three-foot stick).
Art
BAHAMAS IS RIPE WITH
ARTISTIC TALENT, AND,
WHILST ITS ART SCENE STILL
NEEDS TIME TO REACH
MATURITY, A NUMBER OF
FORWARD-THINKING
GALLERIES AND
INSTITUTIONS ARE GOING TO
GREAT LENGTHS TO SUPPORT
ITS ART AND CULTURAL
IDENTITY. FIND OUT WHERE
TO ENJOY THE BEST OF
BAHAMIAN MODERN AND
CONTEMPORARY ART IN OUR
GUIDE TO THE TOP ART
GALLERIES WITHIN THE
CAPITAL, NASSAU AND
ACROSS THE ARCHIPELAGO.
Sports
'The world has changed in many ways
since the first Regatta back in 1954. The
advantages of sail-driven workboats are
being rediscovered, brought about by the
ever-increasing costs of petroleum based
fuels and the high costs of man-made boat
building materials. To stand on the
Nassau waterfront today and see the
arrival of a Bahamian sailing smack is not
to see the last of a dying breed, but rather
to witness one of man’s better creations,
created by his own hands from the
material nature has provided, powered by
the wind and carrying in his well the live
produce by the sea. The Bahamian
wooden. Sailing vessel has served the
Bahamas for many years gone by, and
will continue to do so, thanks in part to a
great idea back in 1954, the boat building
skills that helped sustain this nation in the
past are alive and well to serve it in the
future.
Leader
A dynamic Minister, Mr. Christie moved tourism in The Bahamas to new heights. In 1984,
however, he was dismissed from the Cabinet, and during the 1987 general election ran as an
independent candidate. He retained his seat in the Centreville constituency. Three years
later – in March 1990 – Mr. Christie returned to the fold of the Progressive Liberal Party,
and was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Trade and Industry by the Prime Minister. Mr.
Christie’s ministerial responsibilities included the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade and
Industry; mining, geological surveys, petroleum, fuel, oils and petrochemicals, industries
encouragement, manufacturing, relations with The Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial
Corporation, relations with The Bahamas National Trust, Andros reef and blue holes, and
the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Co-operatives.
Environmental Sustainability
The Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) was created in the belief that we have the opportunity to present
all of our visitors, students and collaborators with an incredibly unique environment. Situated in southern
Eleuthera, The Bahamas, our remote location has always necessitated a high level of self-sustainability, our
community size is ideal for the creation and testing viability of working models and our vision demands that we
live well in this place. Many of our successes have been centered on environmental management: our water
supply is harvested via rainwater; we boast one of the largest renewable energy systems in the country.
Learning from the past and present for the future
Since about 1860 the mini-nation of the Bahamas has developed tourism into a viable economy.
Through most of its 300-year history products such as: cotton, sisal, sponge, lobster, vegetables,
pineapple, solar salt, timber, wood pulp, and other products of the land and sea have formed the
economic base. Tourism first tasted reasonable success as a winter season business in the 192030's after only minor spurts of profitability before that time. The first hotel was built at Nassau in
1861, the second in 1900, and the third in 1923, a replacement for the 1900 hotel which
burnedssss A fourth hotel was built on Bimini in 1924 and a fifth at Nassau in 1926. These
structures were the foundation of the Bahamian hotel or tourism industry and earned for Nassau
the title of winter resort. After World War II had ended the Bahamian Colonial Government
decided to invest its future in tourism because of the initial successes before the war. Rather than
a winter season only, the government wanted an all-year tourism industry. None of the native
products had the importance, volume, or impetus to sustain the economy much above the
subsistence level. Success has come because in the 1970' s tourism provides 70 percent of the
Bahamas GNP, a drop from 90 percent in 1963 as a result of the economic diversification
program in manufacturing. The principal amenities for tourism include: a tropical savanna
climate, a tropical ocean, attractive beaches, an amiable people, proximity to the North American
marketplace, an interesting culture and history, and a wide spectrum of hotel and resort facilities.
Tourism is concentrated on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama islands but some
exists on the other islands. Fully 75.8 percent of the visitors came from the USA in 1974, a
further 15.6 percent from Canada. The majority of the visitors are middle class, economically. To
increase tourism in the future prospective visitors from other wealthy nations are being sought.
Current problems that tarnish the Bahamian tourism industry include: an aging hotel
infrastructure, independence from the United Kingdom, World economic recession, competition
with other resorts, poor hotel management techniques, socialism in hotel ownershipmanagement, the government attack on Freeport, and others. The Bahamian Ministry of Tourism
is quite active in trying to solve these problems. For the future the Bahamian Government has
programmed tourism as the primate business but some additional diversification of the economy
may be necessary. It will be the Bahamas main occupation to maintain and improve its tourism
business by a careful surveillance of this delicate and fragile economy.