By SIMON

During the back-to-back unprecedented national crises of Hurricane Dorian and  the COVID-19 pandemic, the domestic and international private sector, including non-profits, foundations, philanthropic individuals and volunteers, played a pivotal role in supplying the material needs and offering hope to many thousands of Bahamians and residents.

These crises highlighted the ongoing and less publicised good works and generosity of many community servants. 

This included Bahamians, foreign residents, and others from overseas who contribute to the common good through financial and in-kind gifts, as well as through community service and volunteerism.

In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the great historical pandemics, shattered then shuttered the global and national economy.  International tourism came to a dramatic and unprecedented halt.  Much worse than the 2008 Great Recession, the Bahamas economy quickly collapsed.

The loss in GDP, tourism numbers, government revenue, savings, and other chilling statistical declines was equally measured in increased unemployment, greater personal and business debt, and food insecurity for thousands of Bahamians, many of whom were a paycheck or two away from requiring assistance.

The pandemic exposed the degree of poverty and social inequality in the country.  The Free National Movement Administration acted quickly.  It went big to provide unemployment, economic, business, and social assistance.

Nearly 100,000 Bahamians needed sustained food aid across the archipelago.  At the height of the public health crisis, 57,000 households registered for food aid.

During the pandemic, many turned more inward.  It is human to turn inward, to become somewhat selfish in a time of crisis.  Pope Francis spoke about selfishness during the pandemic, which was then hitting Italy especially hard.

The pope said at the time that he was struggling with “self-preoccupation”. With typical candor he reflected in an interview with the Catholic weekly the Tablet: “Of course I have my areas of selfishness…” 

His thoughts then turned outward to help break the temptation to selfishness and self-absorption: “I’m thinking at this time of the saints who live next door.  They are heroes – doctors, volunteers, religious sisters, priests, shop workers – all performing their duty so that society can continue functioning. 

“How many doctors and nurses have died!  How many religious sisters have died! All serving … If we become aware of this miracle of the next-door saints, if we can follow their tracks, the miracle will end well, for the good of all.”

We had a communion of next-door saintly volunteers and heroes in The Bahamas on the frontlines, including medical professionals, service workers, public officers, members of the uniformed branches, and others. 

We were also blessed with the enterprise, generosity, and service of various public-private committees and task forces.  This included the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee, which was extraordinarily well-organised, effective, and technologically adept.

In the spring of 2020, a massive public-private partnership, the National Food Distribution Task Force (NFDTF), was constituted in response to the greatest socio-economic and food crisis in the nation’s history.

It would turn out to be a $50.17m intervention, “and likely will be remembered as the largest and most successful social aid programme in our nation’s history”. Critically, many migrants in need were also provided with food.

The Task Force proved an extraordinary partnership network.  During 2020 it included the Bahamas Feeding Network, the Grand Bahama Food Assistance Committee, Hands for Hunger, IDEA Relief, Lend a Hand Bahamas, One Eleuthera Foundation, and the Bahamas Red Cross. 

An army of volunteers supplied the dedication and energy required to make the program an extraordinary success and template for future programs.

The NFDTF required an extraordinary leader, a no-nonsense individual with business and NGO expertise, someone who had experience in times of crisis and the organisational and intellectual acumen to translate a passion for national and humanitarian service into empathy and action on the ground.  

In Mrs Susan Larson, the country found the leader it needed.  The Bangladeshi Nobel Prize Winner, Muhammad Yunus, an economist and banker, who founded the Grameen Bank, and who has been serving as his country’s chief advisor since 2024, helped pioneer microfinance and microcredit. Yunus offered: “Human creativity is unlimited. It is the capacity of humans to make things happen which didn’t happen before. Creativity provides the key to solving our social and economic problems.” 

Through her decades of work in business, civil society and community service, Mrs Larson has become one of the country’s most creative, passionate and capable social entrepreneurs, blending private, public and personal enterprise into a resume of hope and help for those in need.

The creative and highly-skilled Larson has helped “to make things happen” in The Bahamas “which didn’t happen before!”  

Last week, the Auditor General rendered a judicious, measured, and fact-based report on the work of the Task Force.  

It is worth quoting from the report at some length: “With the notable mandate of ensuring that no one went hungry, the NFDTF and a host of dedicated partners successfully distributed vouchers, food packages and digital funds to households across the nation.

“The task was monumental, yet the work of the NFDTF averted a potential food security catastrophe, which could have had greater consequences for the country.

“Through lessons learned, it is apparent that the controls that were in place for the NFDP/NFDTF in some aspects, could have been more effective with respect to budgetary controls and reporting.”

The report continued: “Regarding the effectiveness of the NFDP/NFDTF: the program was effective in spite of many challenges. The most vulnerable did not go hungry. The emergency food relief mandate was fulfilled in this aspect.

“Under the leadership of the NFDTF, zones were established across the archipelago of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and assigned to the NGOs. 

“Assisted by civil society organisations, communities, supporting partners, religious organisations, volunteers, private citizens, business and philanthropic organisations, many making contributions in-cash and in-kind, the NGOs distributed food parcels and vouchers to households across the length and breadth of the nation.”

Mrs Larson said of the work of the Food Task Force: “In this age of great cynicism, political silliness, and wide-spread negativity, it was singularly uplifting for me to work alongside these dedicated and indefatigable frontline workers. 

“They are a source of profound inspiration for me. I admire them deeply and I encourage Bahamians everywhere to thank them for what they did. They averted a national crisis, and the nation owes them a great debt of gratitude.”

In an interview with The Nassau Guardian, Mrs. Larson “was asked whether the whole matter [her arrest following false allegations of serious financial impropriety by her and the Task Force] has discouraged her from any future charitable efforts”.

She responded: “I will always do whatever I can to help my country and to help fellow citizens in need.  

“I don’t think that part of me has been damaged, but I think I would think long and hard before I got involved with the government again.”

The stellar work of the Task Force is a reminder of what is good and possible in The Bahamas when base (in both senses of the word) and petty politics, and cronyism are supplanted by noble ideals, pragmatic competence, and love of country.