In a world which is becoming increasingly globalised, allergic to trade barriers, and consumed with competitive forces and economies of scale, small, vulnerable nations like The Bahamas must ascertain what goods and services they can produce and market effectively on the international stage, which cannot be easily replicated by competing jurisdictions. It is this factor which has enabled The Bahamas and many of its regional neighbours to survive, and in some cases thrive, in one of the world's most competitive industries, tourism. The region has a unique flora and fauna, climate, and a cultural legacy which lends itself to that sector, and this strategic advantage is not easy to replicate. Such strategic advantages and characteristics have allowed the Cuban cigar industry to thrive internationally against all odds, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee to be a globally sought after commodity, and Barbadian rum brands to become world renown. Indeed, Bahamas and the region can and do compete effectively on the international stage, in a variety of products and services.

There are many who believe that Bahamian straw products can also fit this mould. The example of now-deceased bag designer Harl Taylor, certainly shows what is possible when ingenuity and entrepreneurship is combined with cultural legacy. It is an unquestionable fact that straw vending holds a special place in the socio-economy of The Bahamas. Straw vendors have shown that a successful livelihood can be built with hard work, and the use of local products and local ingenuity. There is also a unique character which Bahamian straw products possess, which cannot be easily duplicated. In addition, there is currently no internationally-recognised straw product brand, an unfulfilled niche which The Bahamas could, perhaps fill. There are also the linkages between straw vending and tourism which are yet to be fully explored. Has anyone every investigated the possible sale of straw products on the many cruise ships, for example, which bring tourists to these shores?

Certainly the potential is there, but where is the will? The successful creation of such a brand will require two factors which currently seem lacking, the will of the government, which must do all in its power to facilitate the development of local straw vending, and more importantly, the entrepreneurial drive of the straw vendors themselves, who must become more organized and less dependent on the government. Certainly moves to develop a green space, where the historic Straw Market once stood, is not an encouraging sign. Certainly the plethora of foreign goods sold under the temporary tent in Bay Street, is not an encouraging sign.

According to opposition leader Perry Christie, the development of a new straw market should be seen as the catalyst for the redevelopment of the city of Nassau. Clearly a lot of work needs to be done.