By: BETTY VEDRINE, BIS

NASSAU, The Bahamas — Persons wishing to do business with the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, will now be able to do so via the government’s MyGateway.gov.bs portal. On Monday, 19th June, the Ministry officially launched the services and  marked a major milestone in its quest to elevate the country’s third largest industry.

In what is being hailed a ‘game changer’ for the farming and fishing industries, access to digital services will now be a reality for customers.  The Ministry officially launched the first-ever online services application via MyGateway.gov.bs during a ceremony held at the Digital Transformation Unit at Airport Industrial Park, June 19, 2023.  The project was facilitated via a partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, the Hon. Clay Sweeting said he was proud to see the plan come into fruition.

“Ladies and gentlemen, today is a very important day and if you couldn’t tell already, I am so proud to see the fruits of many months of planning and coordination between teams in the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs and in the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

I commend all teams involved as we jointly launch these 12 services, which are now available online via MyGateway.gov.bs.” said Mr. Sweeting. “Today, June 19th, is a sign that having a vision and persistence pays off.  Two industries, vital to our nation’s survival, have weathered time and circumstances and now, this administration has made it easier for customers, specifically those in Agriculture and Marine Resources, to apply online for the various services offered by the ministry and departments.  As the minister responsible and as a primary objective of my ministry in this digital age, I have prioritized the needs of our clients to access our services online, whether they themselves are on land or at sea.”

He said the day marked a transition in the way business is conducted at the ministry by utilising technology to improve and reduce the cost of and promote the ease of doing business with the government.

“For the first time in this nation’s history, customers of this ministry can now apply and pay for the following services online at MyGateway.gov.bs.

In the Ministry of Agriculture: Market at Gladstone Road – Vendor Application, and Agriculture Farm Land Lease Application

In the Department of Agriculture, applications for: Farmer’s Registration – New & Renewal Dog Registration & License – New, Renewal, & Transfer, and CITES Plants Permit (including Orchids)

In the Department of Marine Resources: Bonefishing Duty-Free Permit, Aquaculture (Culture Fishery Resource) Duty-Free Permit, and
Commercial Fishing Vessel/Equipment Duty-Free Permits.

“These online services,” he said “represent as you can see, the empowerment of the Bahamian people whereby the Farmer’s Markets on Gladstone Road will see new vendors join and legacy vendors continue. The lease provisions for land to farm on, being available here, give more farmers around the islands a convenient way to apply.”

He said that the Farmer’s Registration Certificate, gives farmers of crops, bee-keeping, livestock, or horticulture, access to a number of concessions and incentives.  There are also provisions for the registration of dogs. The Minister said that although many persons may be unaware of it, the registration of dogs (3 months or older) is required by law.

The Minister also outlined other services that would be accessible via the applications.

“The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Plants (including orchids), can be imported and/or exported, and the permit to do either is also our responsibility,” said Mr. Sweeting. “The facilitation of a permit to import vessels and fishing gear to grow the bone fishing sector, which has carved out a vibrant niche in the sports fishing arena for the Bahamas is among today’s launched services. The ability to apply for a permit to import equipment and breeding/seedstock for fish farming, which is a steadily growing sector. The Importation of commercial fishing vessels and equipment is also possible with duty-free permits.

Mr. Sweeting noted that prior to the twelve new services, the Ministry already had eighteen services available on the MyGateway portal. These additional services, he pointed out, increases the ministry’s digital footprint and consequently places the ministry in a leading position in the government’s digital agenda.

Additionally, he said that Cabinet approval has also been received to proceed with the digitalization of the work flows within the ministry in order to improve overall efficiency to better serve customers. The result, he explained, would be the creation of a ‘paperless’ work environment employing electronic records, work flows and digitized file cabinets.

“MyGateway is an intuitive platform, designed to meet the unique digital needs of our agencies. It is a platform that allows customers of the government the easy completion of application forms for services, and uploading of supporting documents,” said the Minister.

“We are excited to reveal new suites of innovation, to better serve you and to leave our footprints and voice across these islands and seas. If you find that you have a need for any of these services, our appeal to you is to utilize the online portal to apply. The staff in the Ministry and Departments are trained and ready to serve you! MyGateway is equipped with an amazing help desk so that our clients can also have the technical support they need.”

PHOTO CAPTION

Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, the Hon. Clay Sweeting speaks during the official launch of the ministry’s new services accessible on the government’s ‘MyGateway’ portal, June 19, 2023.  (BIS Photos/Patrick Hanna).