After much anticipation and wait the bill responsible for the funding that will allow the College of The Bahamas to transition to university status was tabled yesterday in Parliament.
This legislation was one of the more significant promises the Progressive Liberal Party made leading up to the most recent election.
Fitzgerald expressed his optimism for the bill and the overall prospects for the university, outside cabinet on Monday prior to the first draft being read in the House of Assembly.
Fitzgerald says the bill has been a long time coming and the enthusiastic outburst displayed by members of the government during the house meeting was warranted.
“The excitement is overwhelming Mr. Speaker I beg leave to introduce for the first time a bill for an act to provide for the establishment of the University of The Bahamas”
“To address the assets, rights and liabilities of the College of The Bahamas in The University of The Bahamas to provide for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto,” Mr. Fitzgerald said
After the legislation is officially passed Fitzgerald acknowledged that he will consult with the board of the College of The Bahamas, as well as stakeholders to specify when the bill will be implemented and the transition finalized.
Officials from The College of The Bahamas also shared similar enthusiasm for the much delayed legislation finally being tabled, essentially setting in motion the transition.
After the signing of the MOU between COB and BAMSI on Monday Vice President of Advancement Davinia Blair said the process to transitioning to a university had a ready taken place, as evidenced by the large number of infrastructural improvements that have been made on campus.
The reading of the bill also comes in the wake of comments made by UTEB President Mark Humes, who two months ago questioned whether or not the government’s focus on transitioning meant that they were ignoring fixing current issues at the college.
The initial deadline for the College of the Bahamas to become a university was scheduled for July 2015.
