By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 19, 2018 — Lured by very affordable tuition rates, increasing numbers of Bahamians have been choosing colleges and universities in Canada for their tertiary-level education.
The close geographic proximity of the United States to The Bahamas is still the principal reason why the majority of Bahamian students select an American college or university to further their education, but escalating costs at established accredited American higher-education institutions have made doing so a financial millstone that they are burdened with for many years after graduation.
By contrast, Canadian universities are relatively cheap. For example, to attend prestigious Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, “without financial aid is $46,340 for tuition and $67,580 for tuition, room, board, and fees combined,” according to information gleaned from the Internet.
Of course, only the crème de la crème among university-bound students are accepted into Harvard University. However, the costs for full-time enrollment for the academic year at historically black Howard University in Washington, D.C., “range from $32,155 for continuing undergraduate students to $55,874 for medical students.”
Sticking with historically black schools, at Dillard University in New Orleans, “the estimated annual cost of attendance at Dillard for the 2019-2020 and the 2018-2019 school years, based on full-time enrollment, are, “Tuition, $17,410; Room & Board, $10,218.”
Closer to home, at the University of Miami, “Undergraduate students carrying both undergraduate and graduate courses will be charged tuition at the rate in effect for undergraduate credit hours taken and appropriate fees. For example, tuition for a student carrying a total of 15 credit hours, of which 3 are graduate and 12 are undergraduate, would be charged at the $24,360.00 rate.”
Now compare this to Canada. At prestigious Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, undergraduate tuition and fees in 2015 were: “Out-of-state tuition: 8,983.86 CAD (2015), International tuition: 18,187.9 CAD (2015).”
At Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, undergraduate tuition and fees in 2017 were: “In-state tuition: 6,899 CAD (2017), Out-of-state tuition: 8,182 CAD (2017).”
Because Acadia is a popular choice for Bahamian students, His Excellency Alvin Smith, Bahamas High Commissioner to Canada, visited the university on October 19, 2018, and met with Bahamian students and student-support staff.
No doubt realizing the importance of the “Bahamian connection” at Acadia, on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, Mr. Ian Murray, Executive Director of Alumni Affairs of Acadia University, paid a courtesy call on High Commissioner Smith at the Bahamas High Commission in Ottawa.
Founded in 1838, Acadia is “one of Canada’s oldest and most respected liberal arts universities, with “a long tradition of academic excellence, and creating dynamic, responsible, global leaders,” according to the university’s website.
“While being consistently ranked as one of the top universities in Canada for undergraduate studies, Acadia is a laureate of Washington’s Smithsonian Institution and a part of the permanent research collection of the National Museum of American History,” the website notes. “It is the only Canadian university selected for inclusion in the Education and Academia category of the Computerworld Smithsonian Award.”
With over 50 different nationalities represented on campus, the website states that Acadia “is an institution that encourages and celebrates its diversity while students learn from our strong academic programs taught by award-winning professors.”
But although Acadia and a number of other Canadian institution of higher education can rightfully lay claim to providing the educational foundation for some of the most successful individuals involved in various professions in The Bahamas, the institution that laid the foundation for the success in business of arguably one of the richest Bahamians is Dalhousie University in Halifax.
Sir Franklyn Wilson, a chartered accountant and land developer, graduated with an Honors Degree in Commerce from Dalhousie University in Halifax in 1968. Of course, his educational background also includes graduate studies in management from the University of Miami and in banking from the American Institute.
Today, he chairman of Sunshine Holdings Limited (SHL); Focol Holdings Ltd., a company listed on the Bahamas International Stock Exchange (BISX); Arawak Homes Ltd., a real estate development company that has developed more “affordable houses” than any other company in the history of The Bahamas; Sunshine Insurance (Agents & Brokers); Royal Star Assurance Ltd., one of the largest general insurers in The Bahamas and The Cayman Islands and with the highest AM Best rating of any general insurer in The Bahamas; Sunshine Finance Ltd.; and Jack’s Bay Developers Ltd., a substantial land developer at Eleuthera, Bahamas.
Located in the Rock Sound area, Jack’s Bay is being promoted as “one of only five world-class properties in The Bahamas with a golf element, which places it in the company of Lyford Cay Club, Albany, Ocean Club Estates and Bakers Bay Golf & Ocean Club,” according to a recent press release.
“Out of those five communities, we have this combination of leadership with proven capacity in the global arena. But we also have a board of directors comprising leading business people in the country. Our stockholder base is impressive by any concept in The Bahamas,” Sir Frankly said at a recent reception, adding that an accomplished team of local and foreign professionals—featuring Jim Goodman, Chief Executive Officer, and TGR Design by Tiger Woods—gives Jack’s Bay a competitive edge in the global market.
“Jack’s Bay will comprise three subdivisions of residential lots and a five-star rated, 52-room lodge,” according to a press release.
“Lots in two subdivisions have already been sold and some buyers expect to begin construction of their homes by the end of January 2019. Other key amenities include the Salt Spray restaurant, which is well on its way to completion,” the press release noted. “While the Jack’s Bay development will also feature water sports, a lagoon and a farm, the pride of this novel property will be a 10-hole, par-3 golf course designed by Tiger Woods and dubbed “The Playgrounds.”
According to Jim Goodman, Jack’s Bay Developers CEO, this shorter 10-hole golf course is a phenomenon in the golf community that will attract players of all kinds. “For years we’ve been trying to figure out how to get more people into the game and how to take advantage of our biggest obstacle in golf, which is time. But I think the short course is a wonderful alternative. The diehard players can be shooting for the pins and trying to make birdies and the kids can be putting from tee to green and enjoying the game. It’s a great family component,” said Goodman at the recent reception.
In a bid to bring innovative and sustainable construction to Jack’s Bay, developers have recently partnered with Cat5 Building Systems, a US-based construction company. CaT5 specializes in materials such as fiberglass solar panels that withstand intense hurricane winds; a block system that takes less time to construct than the typical concrete masonry unit system; and basalt rebar, a rust-resistant substitute for the steel rebar commonly used in construction.
For Tommy Turnquest, Jack’s Bay Developers Director, such partnerships complement his vision for a development concerned with the environment. Mr. Turnquest explained that his team recently adjusted construction plans after an environmental impact assessment revealed the presence of a turtle sanctuary on property.
“We believe that the property that God gave us is one of the nicest in the Bahamas and it is incumbent upon us, as good stewards, not to mess it up,” said Mr. Turnquest. “We’ve been very deliberate in not just trying to sell the land to turn over cash, but to make sure that our development is sustainable and done in the right way. At the end of the day, Bahamians—and more particularly, persons in Eleuthera—would be pleased with the end product,” said Mr. Turnquest.
