Mr. Cash is right on all accounts. ThisisOurs has it right. This is merely one of many canaries which we will be passing by the next few months and years. Some will be starving. Some will hardly notice. Which one will our government be?

I see why you call yourself Jokey.

moncurcool, this is only the beginning and will get us no further along the road to sustainability without major structural changes. These also include major changes of heart which will not come easily, nor in our lifetimes. Yes, these all need to be implemented, however, without the deeper changes, all we are doing is kicking the can down the road. If we don't change the way our global resources are shared, we will simply continue down this road to serfdom. We are all currently enslaved by our banking and economic system and the great divides between rich and poor. Yes, or no?

Here is the math. Anything that grows at a given percentage rate is called exponential growth. As an example, if your population is growing at say 4%, than the doubling time is 18 years. 18 years goes by pretty fast at my age now. The bottom line is this. We have a finite planet. Yet, we want our economy to continue growing based on the basic assumptions of capitalism. Simply put, capitalism is diametrically opposed to every aspect of your call for improving the lives of people in the Caribbean. I take it that this is the basis for your essay. To create better and more sustainable lives for Caribbean people, yes?
Your advice above requires massive change of hearts, minds and works. Yet, even if we follow to the T your advice above, we will still be in the same boat as we are now, by clinging to a failed paradigm that cancels out any gains for humanity.
We haven't talked about money yet guys. All money in the world is now created as debt. This is how money is created. I will not go into all of it here, but it is widely agreed that this is how money is created. Go to youtube or Google and do a little homework to see if I'm right here. And then, begin thinking about the implications of all these bankers, insurance companies and hedge funds which only "skim money" off of the top. What do banks produce? Absolutely nothing that a democracy could not will into existence.
So, here is the problem. While we can address the mechanical and technological aspects of our "crisis" which I believe you are pushing for. I believe this is a short-sighted errand which leads to nowhere without the structural changes in our global economy. The global economy has been "designed" by the major economic powers, mainly the west, for its own benefit. Nothing more. Unfortunately, it usually takes 40-50 years to learn all of the associated history, economics, science and psychology to get a grip on this stuff. That's if you have the money and time to pursue it. I don't know many who do. And, if they do, they often have better things to do. We need a green revolution urgently. However, simply tweaking our production methods will not do.
More than what you are calling for needs to be a complete revolution in our place in this world. A major reduction in personal consumption. I need to say that again. We mostly need a major reduction in personal consumption. Done right, it would liberate humanity into a more free and worthy lifestyle. Capitalism must go. Banks must be made public institutions. And, most importantly, we must revamp our global taxation regime such that we eliminate the growing economic inequality which is at the root of almost EVERY major social problem we face today. It is right there in a growing amount of scholarly research available online.
Guys, you have your work cut out for you. I am not saying to give up, rather forge ahead. Your hearts are definitely in the right place. Intellectually, you are. at best, 20%-25% of the way there.

Hello David, James and Justin from here in The Bahamas.

This thought process is what is needed as we move forward.
However, I would like to add and subtract a little on your proposal.
Philanthropy is merely asking for what we should already be doing as a society. We should not have to rely on others to provide what we need. Further, no name should every be attached to what is offered. It despoils the idea of giving. Philanthropy would not be needed were we to have a progressive and fair taxation regime and representative governments which truly worked honestly for the people. Yes, it would be that simple to achieve our collective goals.
Second, your emphasis on sustainable and green energy is absolutely sound and is what is required. However, what is more clear than ever is that humanity must reduce our consumption and reduce it significantly. There is no technology that is an environmental silver bullet. All this technology, including information services and electric cars and photovoltaics still require massive amounts of mining, energy and resources to build and maintain. This is not an argument against these technologies. It is a realistic call for a massive reduction in consumption. The other elephant in the room is Capitalism. This is basic math.

For the love of money, and money alone!
These apologists for the crime of drilling for oil in this country are seriously challenged.
Being clever with the English language certainly doesn't give one a pass on the lack of a cohesive argument.
There are few, and growing even fewer, honest caring scientists in the world who would advocate the idea that drilling for oil today, in 2020 is a good idea. There must be something seriously wrong with your moral compass if you think that drilling for oil, and perpetuating the global and local assaults on life on earth is good for life in planet earth.
The living earth is collapsing. There is nobody on this planet who can convince me otherwise. It is not a matter of opinion. It is a fact which I can defend and debate with anyone. I am not being egotistical or flippant. This is what I have spent my life studying. The earth's life support system, upon which we depend, is collapsing.
The fossil fuel industry has captured our political and economic systems the world over. This is supported by the US military. They defend the rights of the US to have unfettered access to all oil producing countries. This is official policy, not a conspiracy theory.
Drilling for oil is about money and power alone. The oil industry has known about the effects of burning fossil fuels on our climate for well over 50 years, but decided to launch a disinformation campaign, just like the tobacco companies did with cigarettes.
Oil drilling in The Bahamas in 2020 is a foolhardy, no stupid proposition. Women go into prostitution for exactly the same reasons being suggested by BPC and our political leaders today. Economic desperation. It is sad to be in a place where the simple and sordid love of money can put our entire nation, and the global community at such risk. The facts are more than clear. Those who argue for drilling for oil in The Bahamas are uneducated and ignorant, uncaring and cold-hearted, and a serious risk for life on this planet. I am tired of being politcly correct. If you support drilling for oil in The Bahamas, you are an ignorant fool.

Bank of Bahamas, our national bank, leads the nation in their slowness to enter the 21st century. Andros remains in the last century.

Toby,
You are correct. Why is it that Bahamians have to fight like hell just to improve themselves and their country? Worse, why do they have to fight their own government? Your experience illustrates the complete lack of concern for "The People". Just who are the people we need to keep asking for help in helping our country move forward? Too many are on the take. Far too many Bahamians, our leaders top among them, are on the take. We cannot legislate morality. We cannot even legislate transparency and accountability. There are some answers to these problems. The problem is that they are being made illegal by governments around the world, including here. This is a heavy price to be paid for not paying attention. But, a short look at history would suggest that all is not lost. There are ways to fight for justice. They are not always legal, but I am not here to advocate for that type of behaviour. I am just saying that there is a world of difference between the way you have been treated by your government, and justice. Justice is central to our belief system. It is not owned by any government, here or abroad. We must focus on justice and be forceful against those who stand in our way for reasons of ignorance or greed.
Read your history. Any positive change in a society, throughout history, came from upending the governments hold on power. People came together and said enough is enough. Read your history.

Interesting comment on Life Guards.
The stats do show that many people attempting to save a drowning person, are drowned themselves by the person they are attempting to save.
So, render them unconscious. Interesting.
Is our government even conscious?
And, how best to render them unconscious, as it seems they are the ones drowning?
Should we use the examples in history? See Hong Kong? See Gaza? See Minnesota? The government just renders illegal any attempt to rein them in. Speaking out and organizing is one way, albeit slow, but the major media and governments are cracking down on that too. In a few months, when the shit really hits the fan, we will see a side of our government that nobody today thinks possible. Think there is a tendency towards authoritarianism now? Just wait.
Mr. Bowe is 100% right on food security. However, how many people in The Bahamas know how to grow their own food today? Don't look for government, they've already been failing at this for many years now. Were we to be forced to get our act together and start farming again, we would see a majority of other health issues, moral issues and materialism issues start melting away quite rapidly.
But, I want to get to the bottom of this life guard analogy. I like it. Yet just how does the Bahamian public render these successive governments unconscious, beyond the panicking, thrashing and flailing they are currently threatening our lives with? Seriously, how do we knock these clowns unconscious without killing them? Isn't this what Mr. Bowe is suggesting, so that we can all live till tomorrow?

You are correct about ssking the right questions.