B1The Bahama Journal

Tuesday - July 9th, 2019

The Bahama Journal

B2 The Bahama Journal

Tuesday - July 9th, 2019 INDEPENDENCE SUPPLEMENT

THE PRICE OF FREEDOMWith Bahamians prepar-ing to celebrate the 46thanniversary of independ-ence, we are disheartenedby the level of anti-socialbehaviour that we see inmany areas of our socie-ty. We were particularlydisturbed by the terrorismvisited upon the MontellHeights area were somefifteen persons were shotand injured by a gunmanlast Sunday at a birthdayparty.

While we are a freeand sovereign nation,there is a price of free-dom. In the files of TheBahama Journal, werecently came across aspeech by the Father ofthe Nation, the late SirLynden Pindling whichwe found not onlyinstructive, but inspira-tional.

We commend excerptsof this speech to ourreaders, with the hopethat it would be forward-ed by the youth of thenation for the improve-ment of the level of disci-pline and civility in thenation.

Sir Lynden said: “Mygeneration has alwaysbelieved that children area gift from God, “theauthor and giver of allthings good.’ Sadlythough, mankind is fail-ing young people.Throughout much of theworld children are theprincipal victims of all of

society’s most troublingills. In this decade of thechild, it is children, thefruit of humanity indeveloped and develop-ing countries, who mustquietly endure the rav-ages of war, hunger,poverty, disease, and illit-eracy. In the so-calledadvanced countries of theworld we are seeing evi-dence of a spiritualpoverty, a sense of hope-lessness and despair, thatleads to drug addiction,crime, gang violence andother forms of anti-socialbehaviour, particularlyamong young people.And in The Bahamas, wefind ourselves strugglingto deal with a spiritualpoverty of our own as wetry to respond to risingexpectations in a rapidlychanging economic,political and social envi-ronment.

“We are not a richcountry, but we certainlyare not poor. We do nothave all we want; neitherdo we have all we need;but we do have more thanmost people have and forthat we should be grate-ful. Everywhere peopleare struggling for thevery things many of ustake for granted. We havepeace, stability, freedomof speech and religionand the right to go wherewe please whenever weplease. The poor are stillwith us, and, like death

and taxes, they willalways be but, thank God,poverty does not stalk ourland and everyone hasaccess to basic healthcare and education.Millions of our neigh-bours, however, can onlydream of living as we do.Yet, how many of us givethanks to God for theblessings he hasbestowed upon us?

“We have known hardtimes in The Bahamastoo, but most of you aretoo young to rememberthem, too young to knowwhat your grandparentshad to do to survive. Youcan’t imagine the sacri-fice they made to bringyou to where you sittoday. You are too youngto know that, back then,the only place they hadwhere they could takerefuge from the daily bat-tering their spirit andtheir pride took fromracial and economicoppression was thechurch. It may be diffi-cult for you to understandthat the only peace manyof them ever knew inthose days was thatmoment when they fell totheir knees and askedGod to guide them.

“We were not a Nationthen. At that time wecould not be a Nationbecause a majority of thepeople were not free todetermine their own fate.Some of them knew free-

dom would come on day,but many were not sosure. Some of thembelieved it because theyknew that God wouldnever abandon them; andthey knew, too, that Hewould make a way out ofno way. Still, however,there were others who didnot believe. Theybelieved that they wouldbe free because they hadfaith and they kept thatfaith the kind of faith theBible talks about inHebrews; faith that “isthe substance of thingshoped for, the evidence ofthings not seen.’ Theyhad that kind of faith, thekind of faith that Godrewards, and they workedto achieve the thingshoped for because theyalso learned, long beforeJohn Kennedy ever saidit, “that here on earthGod’s work must truly beour own.’ I should like toremind you youngChristian warriors thatBahamians as a peoplehave always had faith,and though some maywaver and others professdoubt, as a people we dostill trust in the Lord.

“Today your genera-tion of youngBahamians, facing newchallenges and seekingstill greater goals, needsthe faith that sustainedyour parents and grand-parents during those try-ing times. Besides being

members of that genera-tion, you are also believ-ers in God so I ask whobetter than you to spreadthat faith. If not you,who? And if not now,when?

“Your world is differ-ent from mine. You face adifferent set of chal-lenges and problems thanthose I faced. Your inter-ests and priorities, evenyour Language, havechanged and you aregrowing up with a globalculture in a global villagewhere the whole world isyour backyard. Yourmusic, which is a reflec-tion of much of whatyour generation feels andembraces, is constantlychanging. Your attitudesabout life, love, work andfaith are still being

formed, however, and Ipray that they are consis-tent with what TheBahamas needs to pros-per as a Nation for allthat you achieve and allthat you believe will reston the values you adoptduring these formativeyears,” said Sir Lyndenwho passed away in2000.

More than twodecades after that speechwas delivered, the mes-sage to our youthremains the same. Thetime is now for all lead-ers of our country to getinvolved in a massiveinitiative to give ouryouth the inspirationthey need to face thechanging world and therealities of the 21st cen-tury.

4 The Late Sir. Lynden Pindling

B3The Bahama Journal

Tuesday - July 9th, 2019INDEPENDENCE SUPPLEMENT

CELEBRATE BAHAMAS!

Message by the Governor GeneralINDEPENDENCEMy FellowBahamians, as wecelebrate the forty-sixth anniversary ofour Independence, letus reflect with grati-tude on our journey asa people since 1967.Notwithstanding thedifficulties we haveencountered, andcontinue to face, wehave much to bethankful for as weconsider the naturaland manmade bless-ings we enjoy as citi-zens of this beautifularchipelago entrustedto us by AlmightyGod.We are called indi-

vidually and collec-tively to uphold thelofty ideals ofFreedom and Justiceas we build ourNation. And nation-building requires thatwe first believe in our-selves; inasmuch asfurther successeswould only beachieved in a deter-mined spirit of Unityand Objectivity,underpinned by Faithin Almighty God

through whose gen-erosity and empower-ment we exist.Our Flag, our

National Anthem, andthe other symbolswhich bind us togeth-er, give the fullestexpression to ourneed to remain stead-fast and united as wemove "Forward,Upward and Onward."Our theme for this

year’s celebration is"United We Stand,Bahamas – TogetherWe Can." Let us setaside all negative atti-tudes and unite in theunderstanding thattogether we indeedcan achieve; we shallmove forward, butonly together. In thisfashion, we shalldevelop a renewedcommitment to worktogether, applying will-ing minds, hearts andhands in the practiceof the time-honouredvalues of Respect,Charity, and Love.H a p p y

I n d e p e n d e n c eA n n i v e r s a r y ,Bahamas!

GOVERNOR GENERAL HIS EXCELLENCY C.A. SMITH

4 The 46th Anniversary Independence Celebrations Beat Retreat on Sunday, July 7, 2019 took place atRawson and Parliament Squares, attended by Their Excellencies, Governor General the Most Hon. CorneliusA. Smith and Mrs. Smith; Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis; the Hon. Mr. Justice Brian Moree,Chief Justice of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas; President of the Senate, the Hon. Katherine Forbes-

Smith; and other senior officials. The Royal Bahamas Police Force Band, The Royal Bahamas Defence ForceBand, and The Department of Correctional Services Band performed for the spectators -- under the theme,

"United We Stand Bahamas.... Together We Can." (BIS Photos/Patrick Hanna)

The sensitive issue of citi-zenship for many personsborn in The Bahamaswhose parents were ‘not’citizens of The Bahamasand who were given assur-ance of citizenship in theConstitution, subject totheir making application inthe prescribed manner, isfrequently and prominent-ly in the national discus-sion. And so, on this, the46th Anniversary of ourNation’s birth I ask, ‘is ittime to reform theConstitution’, so that thisand other constitutionalmatters could be discussedand finally settled in a civiland patriotic manner? Bahamians must come tofully appreciate that TheBahamas is a country ofimmigrants. Our ancestorscame here from manylands; many were broughthere, having been forced

into slavery, leaving fami-ly, friends and countrybehind. They boldly con-tributed to building thiscountry, making it what itis today. We must, there-fore, continue to embracepeople from other lands,who came here lawfully, aswe expect them toembrace Bahamians intheirs. During this period whenwe are some two yearsfrom the start of the actualcampaign for the 2022Elections, I hope we canhave a sober and intelli-gent dialogue about consti-tutional reform. We shouldbe honest in assessing ourfuture. Our goal must be tocreate a more just, fair andprosperous society, whereall Bahamians will have anequal opportunity to real-ize their full potential. We must reflect on ourpast and embrace the chal-lenges and expectations ofthe future so that we willcontinue to build a nationof pride, faith and unity, asociety where people mat-ter more than things, andwhere human dignity isparamount. We have made significantprogress in our nation’sdevelopment. The roadahead for us as a peoplewill demand our talents,creativity and wisdom. Weought to ensure that weremain on a prosperouspath. We can achieve great

success for our nation ifwe embrace the opportuni-ty afforded to create arevised Constitution thatresembles us as a peopleand in our effort to do so,we must not be discour-aged.

IndepenenceConstitutionalConference

I was privileged to havebeen a delegate at theDecember 1972 LondonConstitutional Conferencethat led to the creation ofour nation-state, theCommonwealth of TheBahamas. That was amemorable experience andoften, as I reflect on yearspast, I think about theintellectual depth and thecollective wisdom of thedelegation in fashioning anation founded on lofty,fundamental principles.Those principles includeda national commitment toSelf-discipline, Industry,Loyalty, Unity and anabiding respect forChristian Values and theRule of Law, and a nationfounded on SpiritualValues, recognising theSupremacy of God. Upon reflection, I alsorecall The Bahamas duringthe years following our lib-eration on 10th January1967, and comprehend themagnificent accomplish-ments that we have madeon our national journey. I remain steadfastly proud

of our nation, and yet findcause to pause and ponderthe wonders that lie ahead,if only we restore ournation to the path of pros-perity, safety, civility andrespect for humankind. The Bahamian delegationdisplayed the maturity thatallowed for all views andopinions to be consideredand for our Constitution torepresent the combinedwill and shared spirit of theBahamian people.

The process There is no denying thatThe Bahamas of today isfundamentally differentfrom The Bahamas of1972. To amend a nation’s consti-tution is a serious matter. Itis a process that must notbe propelled by partisanpolitics. At its core must bethe further education of theBahamian people and theirleaders; it must include thecreation or stimulation of anational conversationthrough informed discus-sion amongst the citizenry.The process also demandscareful and thoughtfuldeliberations. It must notbe rushed or hijacked byspecial interests. It must berooted in the law and in thepeople's welfare. If this isfollowed, then at the end ofit all, we will have anamended constitution thatreflects the new Bahamasthat is worthy of theBahamian people.

I personally believe that theprimary objective must beto produce a near-perfect,easy-to-read progressiveConstitution. The Governor-Generalshould appoint a fifteenmember by-partisanConstitution ReformCommission, seven on theadvice of the PrimeMinister and seven on theadvice of the Leader of theOpposition, under thechairmanship of the ChiefJustice to consider all rea-sonable submissions, pre-sented at open forums.Furthermore, as far as prac-ticable, the members of theCommission must reflect across-section of the society.

My suggestionsThere is no doubt that theConstitution of 1964 whichushered in internal self-government and the 1973Independence Constitutionhave served us well overthe past fifty-five years. Wehave had no serious consti-tutional challenges and, inmany respects, ourConstitutions have guidedour democracy to greaterstability. We have had six peacefulchanges of government(1967, 1992, 2002, 2007,2012 and 2017) andalthough the electorate isgenerally evenly dividedbetween the two majorpolitical parties, on givenissues there is a keen sensethat the people of The

Bahamas can put asidetheir partisanship for thenational common good.This is a defining feature ofour evolving maturity as apeople. This can be for us a periodof transformation, a time offulfillment, a time ofrenewal and a time of newbeginnings. Inspired bythis knowledge, I wish toshare my thoughts on whatI think should be reflectedin our ‘new’ Constitution:-

The Preamble must•continue to speak toour enduring values. Istrongly advise thatthere should be arecognition of ourgrowing multicultural-ism and diverse spiri-tual values and beliefsand the preservation ofthe environment;I firmly believe that no•position in TheBahamas should bebeyond the reach of aBahamian. Therefore,

B4 The Bahama Journal

Tuesday - July 9th, 2019 INDEPENDENCE SUPPLEMENT

REFORMING THE CONSTITUTIONFor a Better, Just and Caring Society

“It is not, what Iam told I may do;but what humanity, reason,and justice, tellme I ought todo.”

-Edmund Burke

4 By Hon. George A.Smith

g See page 6...

On the 46th Independence This year’s independencetheme, “United We StandBahamas...Together WeCan”, is a reminder of theimportance of nationalunity in preserving our nat-ural and cultural heritage.Though we enjoy thediversity of different back-grounds, creeds and affilia-tions we are One Bahamas.We are bound together bythe wonders and possibili-ties of our country. We arean archipelago, or quilt ofindustry, resilience andimagination.

Some years ago, ChrisHadfield, the firstCanadian astronaut to walkin space said: “The mostbeautiful place from space,is the Bahamas, with all thegorgeous colors of theocean.”In terms of the number ofislands, islets, reefs, coralreefs and cays, theBahamas is one of the larg-er archipelagos in theworld. Former Governor GeneralSir Arthur Foulkes oncewrote: “The natural her-itage which helps to shapethe Bahamian personalityis replete with island jew-els, set in thousands ofsquare miles of crystalclear azure blue and emer-ald green waters, withmagnificent coral reefs,sun-drenched beaches,

forests, fascinating blueholes, spectacular sandbanks, lakes and creeks.“That heritage also encom-passes rich marineresources, from passingjacks, to pink snappers, toblue marlins; beautifulplant life, from cascarilla,to yellow elder, to lignumvitae; and spectacularavian life, from the hum-mingbird, to the roseatespoonbill to the gloriousflamingo.”We have sought to preservethis natural beauty andbounty through our world-renowned National ParkSystem.We must be ever vigilantin: preserving our biodiver-sity; addressing pollution;protecting our marine envi-ronment and resources andcombatting other environ-mental threats.With the historic challengeof the accelerating and life-threatening effects of cli-mate change, United WeMust Stand to save ourBahamas from rising sealevels and the otherdestructive effects of awarming planet.Climate change is a threatto our survival as a countryand as a people. We must also, stand unitedto, preserve, and to pro-mote our cultural heritage.It is culture that makes us

unique in God’s creation.It is our ability to expressourselves culturally and tocelebrate our art forms thatmake us complete as indi-viduals and as a nation. “That is why we loveJunkanoo so much. Itbrings together our histori-cal memory, our ability tocreate stunning visualbeauty, our ability to createmusic, our ability to danceand celebrate our wonder-ful heritage.”We also delight in othermusical forms like rake ‘n’scrape, combining thescraped saw, accordion andgoat skin drum to expressjoy, sorrow and the rangeof human emotions.One Bahamian at therecent Rake ‘n’ ScrapeFestival in Cat Island, sim-

ply said, the music,“Touches my soul!”

Through the E. ClementBethel National ArtsFestival, generations ofBahamians have show-cased their artistic talent. Because we are so wonder-fully blessed, with a richand vibrant culture, wemust preserve and cele-brate our diversity of cul-tural expressions, whilepassing on our traditions tofuture generations. To ensure that our arts sec-tor continues to thrive andgrow we are moving for-ward with the establish-ment of a million-dollararts and culture fund.This fund will be dedicatedto supporting the develop-ment of Bahamianpainters, writers, sculptors,

filmmakers, artisans, play-wrights, poets, musiciansand performing artistsinvolved in projects of cul-tural significance. As in years past, I take thisopportunity to make spe-cial mention of our diplo-matic officers and otherrepresentatives overseas,who are to be commended,for ably representing theinterest of our country invarious capacities.I thank them for the essen-tial work they do on behalfof our country. I close with these wordsfrom Sir Arthur Foulkes:“We are Bahamians, and

we have woven a single,rich cultural tapestry ofthreads from Africa,Europe and Asia, threadsspun and colored in theAmericas and the islandsof the Caribbean.”Though we achievednational sovereignty in1973, the Bahamiannation is much older andwill endure because,“United We StandBahamas....Together WeCan.”

Happy Independence.May God bless theCommonwealth of TheBahamas.

The Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis

A Message from The Most Hon. Dr. Hubert MinnisPrime Minister to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas

4 Bahamas National Dance Company with a greatperformance for National Pride day.

B5The Bahama Journal

Tuesday - July 9th, 2019INDEPENDENCE SUPPLEMENT

REFORMING THE CONSTITUTIONFor a Better, Just and Caring Society

it follows that theOffice of ‘Head ofState’ should be heldby a Bahamian. Weshould create aRepublic (TheRepublic of TheBahamas), a unitarystate and a member ofthe Non-AlignedMovement. The dutiespresently prescribedfor the Governor-General to be carriedout by a President, inaddition to someadded responsibilities.The Constitutionshould set strict eligi-bility guidelines toprovide for the elec-tion of the President bya Parliamentary votesupported by two-thirds (2/3) of themembers. The officeshould include speci-fied constitutionalpowers, which can bea vital check on poten-tial abuses within thesystem. A Vice-President should alsobe elected in the samemanner;We should abolish the•Senate, which has longceased to perform inthe intended manner.Some present respon-sibilities of the Senatecould be supplementedthrough the Office ofthe President;On the vital issue of•citizenship, we shouldtake a modern andrealistic approach tocitizenship, one thatreflects a new para-digm for the Country.In this regard, theConstitution mustremove any and allambiguities relative tothe rights to citizen-ship. We shouldexpand the existingprovisions and removethe prohibition whichprevents Bahamianmothers from confer-ring citizenship to theirchildren. We shouldallow for those per-sons who were born inThe Bahamas andhave continuouslyresided in TheBahamas, maintaininga close connection,affinity and loyalty toThe Bahamas tobecome citizens uponmaking application forcitizenship. TheConstitution shouldremove all discretionsthat presently exist inthe law regarding theirright to becomeBahamian citizens.However, if there areany strong legalrequirements for codi-fied exceptions in theConstitution, theseshould be limited tomatters of nationalsecurity and pre-scribed public policy. Ialso advocate that theforeign spouse of aBahamian woman,who has demonstratedclose affinity to TheBahamas, should haveaccess to Bahamiancitizenship or the rightto reside and work inthe Country, subject tonational security con-siderations. Bahamianmen should pass theircitizenship to their

children born out ofwedlock, subject onlyto proof that they arethe biological fathersof their children. Weshould sympathizewith those who haveor ought to have aclaim to citizenshipand do what is morallyright;In respect of the funda-•mental rights provi-sions, I believe thatthere should be somerecognition in ourConstitution to preventdiscrimination on thegrounds of sexualpreference or orienta-tion. This is consistentwith the UniversalDeclaration of HumanRights;Any provision in the•Constitution whichpermits any form ofgambling or any otheractivity that imposesdisabilities or restric-tions on the citizens ofThe Bahamas must beeliminated. We can nolonger tolerate theexisting practice;I believe that there•should be a provisionthat expressly pro-hibits the right to bailin capital cases or veryserious criminal mat-ters and similarly theissue of the deathpenalty should beaddressed and settled.Personally, I believethat the death penaltyshould be abolished;I support the creation•of an Ombudsman,with specific jurisdic-tion to safeguard thecommunity in its deal-ings with governmen-tal agencies by:- Correcting administra-•tive deficienciesthrough independentreview of complaintsabout governmentadministrative actions;Fostering good public•administration that isaccountable, lawful,fair, transparent andresponsive;Developing policies•and principles foraccountability; and,Reviewing statutory•compliance by lawenforcement and othersuch agencies withsimilar powers;I believe that time has•taught us that manyelected politicians donot recognize andrespect the age-oldconventions that arenot written in theConstitution. We needto find a means toincorporate some ofthese conventions, cer-tainly the most impor-tant of them, in ourConstitution or in anAddendum to theConstitution. I encour-age the following:-The composition of•the House ofAssembly should be aminimum of forty-twomembers, which canbe increase as may bespecified by an Order; There should be a•mechanism to allowfor a recall ofMembers ofParliament, based on apetition presented tothe Speaker of theHouse of at least 50%plus one of the electors

in the constituency;There should be a•requirement for allMPs to devote the nec-essary time in order togive proper attentionto the people’s needsand concerns with theassistance of generaliststaff and with func-tional committees ofthe House; and,There should be a limit•imposed on theamount of moneyspent by a candidate orhis agents in any con-stituency in any gener-al election or by-elec-tion; such sum not toexceed a figure fixedto the total number ofelectors. In fixing theamount, considerationshould also be given tothe geographical anddemographic featuresof the constituency; There should be an•I n d e p e n d e n tBoundaries andElectoral Commissionwhose composition isset out in theConstitution. Such aCommission shouldcomprise a Judge ofthe Supreme Court,who shall be theChairman; theOmbudsman; theClerk of the House; theP a r l i a m e n t a r yCommissioner; twonon-MPs appointed bythe Prime Minister;and, two non-MPsappointed by theLeader of theO p p o s i t i o n .Guidelines for the con-duct of theCommission must beclearly defined;Given the financial•hardship that thenation has endured inrecent times with thelarge size of Cabinets,the Constitutionshould also set a maxi-mum number of minis-ters. I propose aCabinet of not morethan sixteen memberswith the understandingthat the Cabinet iscomposed ofSubstantive Ministersand does not includeMinisters of State whowould only attendCabinet meetings byinvitation and not byright. This could resultin enhancing the roleand value of the back-bencher in our parlia-mentary system andthereby serve as a fur-ther check, in additionto the OfficialOpposition, to theabuse of power by theExecutive;There should be a pro-•vision for the appoint-ment of a DeputyPrime Minister basedon the same principleas that which appliesto the appointment of aPrime Minister;I also support the•reform of the PublicService. Drasticchanges should bemade to the PublicService Commissionand the Public ServiceBoard of Appeal.Similar progressivechanges should occurwith the Judicial andLegal ServicesCommission, SecurityForces Commission

and other commis-sions. To bring thepublic services into the21st Century, seriousconsideration must begiven to the elimina-tion of the bureaucracyaround the hiring, dis-cipline, termination ofpublic officers. APensions ReviewBoard should beappointed;I have the highest•regard and confidencein the ever-growingsophistication ofBahamian profession-als. I think that this isnotably demonstratedin the many talentedBahamian jurists whohave served with dis-tinction and intellectu-al integrity. I supportthe Judicature beingcomprised of theMagistrate Court, theHigh Court (replacingthe Supreme Court)and the Supreme Court(embodying the cur-rent functions andjurisdiction of theCourt of Appeal, as thefinal appellate courtfor The Bahamas). TheSupreme Court willalso replace the PrivyCouncil for both crim-inal and civil cases. Inorder to dispel theanomaly that currentlyexists in that a rulingof the Chief Justice,who is the Head of theJudiciary, can be over-

turned by the currentCourt of Appeal or thePrivy Council, in myopinion, the ChiefJustice of the SupremeCourt (that is, thereconstituted highestcourt) should indeedbe ‘the Chief amongall Justices, at the pin-nacle of the Judiciary’.The Chief Justice will,therefore, be the headof the Supreme Court,our final court. I alsosupport the increase inthe retirement ages ofJustices of bothCourts: say at seventh-five years (subject togood health and men-tal capacity). Whenconsideration is givento the Judicature, weshould conclude thatthe Judicature shouldnot be any differentfrom any other augustinstitutions of State. Ifwe are building trulyBahamian institutions,we need to overcomethe shallow insecuri-ties and reservationsthat have preventedour Judiciary from fullmaturity. After all,Bahamian institutionsof State should be pop-ulated by highlytrained and qualifiedpersons; and,Consideration could•be given for the reten-tion of the PrivyCouncil for appealfrom the Supreme

Court in special cir-cumstances, whichmust be clearlydefined in the newConstitution. ‘Follow the Way of

Wisdom’! The process of constitu-tional reform is both vitaland critical in the evolutionof a people and a nation. In order to guarantee thatwe have the benefit of thebest of our talents and wis-dom, we must employ allour intellectual power andnational pride, to create abetter, just and fairerBahamian nation that pro-tects the fundamentals ofour Constitution anddefend the people’s bestinterest and promote thecommon good. I unequivocally maintainthat together we can serveThe Bahamas with distinc-tion by ensuring that thevoice of the people is heardand echoed through eachand every page of the‘reformed’ Constitution.That at the very heart of theprocess is an understandingand appreciation that theall-wise God will foreverbless and guide us, in ourfaithfulness to the visionand wisdom of our fore-bears, by responding to thecall to continue to moldthis multicultural countryinto a land of enlightened,innovative people, whotake pride in their devotionto social justice and a mer-ciful God.

gg Continued from / PAGE 4...

B6 INDEPENDENCE SUPPLEMENTThe Bahama Journal

Tuesday - July 9th, 2019

B7The Bahama Journal

Tuesday - July 9th, 2019INDEPENDENCE SUPPLEMENT

MESSAGE FROM THE HON. PHILIP ‘BRAVE’ DAVISLEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

ON THE 46TH ANNIVERSARY OF NATIONAL INDEPENDENCEI join Bahamians andpeople of goodwill every-where in offering heartycongratulations to theGovernment and peopleof the Commonwealth ofThe Bahamas on theoccasion of its forty-sixthanniversary of NationalIndependence andSovereign Statehood.

We might be a rela-tively young nation atforty-six, but we areproud of our regionalleadership position as ademocratic nation.Having convened ourfirst Parliament underthe Governorship ofWoodes Rogers on the28th of September 1729in historic ParliamentSquare, The Bahamas isone of the oldest andmature democracies in

the region.We are proud of our

free, modern, democraticstate - theCommonwealth of TheBahamas.

We are known interna-tionally for our stabledemocracy and integrat-ed economy which hascreated a favourableinvestment environment.I commend the ongoingconciliatory partnershipbetween the Governmentof The Bahamas, its peo-ple, the labour move-ment and our interna-tional partners that haveconsistently made this allpossible.

As we reflect on ourglorious and sometimeschallenging past andlook to the future withoptimism - our

resilience, institutionalknowledge and theindomitable spirit of ourpeople ideally positionus to exploit the bound-less opportunities that lieahead for our people.

Economic patriotismthrough cooperationmust be the watch wordsfor Bahamians and itsGovernment as we worktogether and look to thefuture – ever mindful ofthe collective will andyearning of our people toexpand our ownership ofthe national economy,guard our heritage, deep-en our democracy andentrench our nationalidentity. This conciliato-ry partnership will andmust become more criti-cal in an ever increasing-ly competitive global

community.I remain resolutely

committed to facilitatingand strengthening thisimportant partnershipand national endeavourin a spirit of mutual trustand mutual respect as welook the future together.We will do so together in

the public interest.On behalf of my wife

Ann-Marie, theProgressive LiberalParty, the Office of theLeader of the Oppositionand my Parliamentarycolleagues, I say con-gratulations Bahamas onforty-six years of state-

hood as we look withoptimism to the nextforty-six years of peace,security and prosperitythrough cooperative sus-tained national develop-ment.

May Almighty Godbless the Commonwealthof The Bahamas.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE BAHAMAS

Chairman of theI n d e p e n d e n c eAnniversary PlanningCommittee Mark Humessaid the “polarized” stateof the nation inspired hisselection of the theme forthis year’s celebration.

“You see now every-thing is kicking up aboutrace. We’re polarizedaround our political col-ors. We’re polarized inour various nationalities,”Humes said.

“In order for us toprogress as a nation, weneed to find a commonpurpose for uniting. So,

that’s what the theme isactually saying – UnitedWe Stand, Together WeCan.”

He said this messageresonates best for theBahamian people movinginto this 46th year of inde-pendence.

When asked what itmeans to be Bahamian,

Humes said, “It meansthat I am born, bred, andraised here in TheBahamas. I may havespent some time out of thecountry, but I’ve come tounderstand that our cul-ture is special.

“So, being a Bahamianessentially means thatyou’ve developed an

appreciation for who weare as a nation.”

Tonight the grandanniversary celebrationsare set to kick off atClifford Park at 8 p.m.

This will include anecumenical service and acultural show.

The People’s Love andUnity Rush will follow on

July 10 at 1 a.m. on BayStreet.

On the evening of July10, an independenceclose-out concert celebra-tion will take place atClifford Park.

The gospel concert willkick off at 7 p.m. and thesecular segment of theshow will start at 9 p.m.

BY LEAH COOPERJournal Staff Writer

Inspiration Behind Independence Theme‘United We Stand, Together We Can’

B8 INDEPENDENCE SUPPLEMENTThe Bahama Journal

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Tuesday - July 9th, 2019INDEPENDENCE SUPPLEMENT

After 46 years as an inde-pendent nation, TheBahamas is still strug-gling to build a countryBahamians can be proudof, former CabinetMinister George Smithsaid.

During an interviewwith The BahamaJournal, Smith added thatthis independent season

is a good time forBahamians to pause andlook at the many success-es and mistakes made as anation and chart a coursethat could be effective by2023.

“When we celebratethe 50th anniversary ofour country, we shouldpursue becoming a repub-lic so that the real head ofstate is a Bahamian citi-zen and not just aBahamian representing a

foreign member of theBritish Crown,” Mr.Smith said.

“We should look atexamining many aspectsof our governmental soci-ety. Whether the Senatetoday is practical, orwhether it serves the pur-pose for which it wasintended, I think not.

“We should look atraising the standard ofpeople who are electedthese days to the House

of Assembly. “We have to listen

more to young people andfind out about their ambi-tions, but not only justlisten to them, but getthem involved so theycan be the change thatthey talk about.”

It is Mr. Smith’s hopethat Bahamians will showgreater signs that TheBahamas is one of thebest countries in theworld in terms of peace,

civility and in terms ofimproving the quality oflife for all.

“We should work hard-er to improve our educa-tional level and, or healthlevel. We should improveour civics, how we treatone another,” he said.

“We should learn totreasure those who havemade contributions tofamily, to community andto the nation and I thinkthat we can show.”

To achieve this, hesaid, issues like race mustbe addressed and notswept under the carpet.

In addition, how prob-lems have evolved mustalso be addressed and notignored as fleeting com-ments or moments insomeone’s mind.

Mr. Smith said hefirmly believes the futureof The Bahamas is bright,but it’s up to the people tomake it so.

BY BERTHONY MCDERMOTTJournal Staff Writer

‘Struggles Continue After 46 Years’

‘Graveyard’ Feeling for Independence The Bahamas is about tocelebrate its 46th birth-day, but it’s more like afuneral, according toRuby-Ann Darling, whosaid the independenceatmosphere is like a“graveyard” as manyBahamians are not show-ing excitement and patri-otism for their country.

“I was bemoaning thefact that the country isdesolate,” Darling, thefirst woman registered tovote in The Bahamas in1962, told The BahamaJournal.

“I had my cousin driv-ing along with me and Isaid oh my God, ‘Look atthis nation, no flags, nosemblance that independ-ence is just a day away.’

“I passed by the bigmall, not a flag. I went upthe Eastern Road, noth-ing. It is like a graveyardwith no flowers toremember those that werehere and I am very sad.”

Darling added that sheis also sad because thereseems to be no love forcountry.

“It’s filthy. Peopledon’t care. Anybody cancome and do what theywant to do. It’s just avery sad state of affairs,”Darling said.

“See it is the love ofGod, love of brotherhood,love of your country thatGod has given me. Idon’t see no love of Godhere. It’s gone. I don’tsee any love of the broth-erhood and I see no loveof country.”

Since there seems to be

no love, Darling believesthe nation needs moreprayer.

“It’s time for the coun-try to come down in sackcloth and ashes as weapproach 46 years,”Darling said. “Psalm 46says, ‘God is our refugeand strength and a verypresent help in time oftrouble.’ And I pray thatGod will have mercy onus.”

Since 1973, Darlingsaid she noticed the patri-otic changes ofBahamians during inde-pendence over the years.

She recalled the manycars that would flyBahamian flags on thedays leading up to inde-pendence.

But as she drovearound New Providenceduring this independence

season, it was not thesame.

“I think in all of mydriving around, I think Isaw about the most, threecars,” Darling said,adding that when shedrove on Balfour Avenueand Ida Street, there was acar beautifully decoratedfor independence thatcaptured her attention.

“They really went outthe way and I say, ‘con-gratulations’ to that per-son there on Ida Streetand Balfour Avenue thatreally went out of theirway. It’s an elaborate dis-play of the flag and flow-ers to match the coloursof the flag. But other thanthat, I don’t see any-thing.”

The Bahamas becameand independent nationon July 10, 1973.

BY DEANDRE WILLIAMSONJournal Staff Writer

4 Ruby-Ann Darling

B10 INDEPENDENCE SUPPLEMENTThe Bahama Journal

Tuesday - July 9th, 2019

Here we are markinganother Independence. Ijoin with thousands ofBahamians and best wish-ers in saying: Happy 46thAnniversary Bahamas!Indeed, I give God thanksfor this beautiful gemcalled the Bahamas. Godhas been good to us as apeople and has brought usfrom a mighty long wayand in the words of JamesCleveland, “God hassmiled on [us]”. So cele-brations and thanksgivingare in order but such is notthe only disposition war-ranted. We are called uponin moments like these toengage in introspectionand ask ourselves thesalient question: Whatchallenges do we current-ly face as a people as wecontinue to strive for “thecommon loftier goal”? Iwant to posit three chal-lenges I believe thatdeserve our utmost atten-tion and resolve.

Firstly, the culture ofviolence that is becomingmore and more pervasivein our land. Nowhere isthis culture more evidentthan among our youth;especially among ouryoung black men. As Dr.Keva Bethel poignantlypointed out, “Young blackmen are killing them-selves and each other.”Many of our young peopleare in the grip of whatSigmund Freud calls “the

death instinct” and anihilistic orientationtowards life. If the truth betold, this culture of vio-lence did not spring upover the night. We saw thesigns of its developmentand now like a volcano itas erupted. We saw thebreakdown in family life,the entrenchment ofpoverty, the infestation ofdrugs and guns, the highrates of school dropoutsand incompletion, thedeterioration of communi-ties and the list goes on.So, yes, some are guiltybut we are all responsible.Arresting this culture ofviolence will require acollective effort fromBahamians regardless ofrace, class, gender, reli-gion, denomination, andpolitical affiliation. Wemust no longer endorsethe mindset of the biblicalcharacter Cain who didnot see himself as hisbrother’s keeper. I believethat the call to “marchtogether” means that Icare about the slain personin Foxhill, Kemp Road, orMontel Heights becausewe are one family. Ourindependence invites us tomake more tangible “theBahamian family” andrealize our interdependen-cy.

The second challenge isthe high level of econom-ic disparity. The chasm iswidening between the

Haves and the Have Nots.The masses of Bahamiansare confronted with stag-nate wages, inflation andonerous taxes. Over thelast decade the MiddleClass has been throwninto an “economic torna-do” not just here in theBahamas but around theworld. For thousands ofBahamians, the Bahamiandream is becoming moreand more elusive and theproverbial economic “pie”continues to shrink. ManyBahamians are workingtwo or three jobs and stillfinding it hard to makeends meet as the cost ofliving continues toincrease. This is why thesocial misery indexremains elevated in ourcountry. And I want to addhere that there is a correla-tion between social mis-ery and social aggression.As we celebrate, we haveto be cognizant of the factthat many Bahamians feelthat they cannot succeedin their own country andthus have opted to leaveand those who are off toschool don’t return. Theircry is: “there’s nothinghere for me.” Now, am notnaïve for a second tobelieve that within a capi-talistic system everyonecan have equal slices ofthe economic pie but jus-tice demands that we doour best to ensure that the“slices” are not too dis-

proportionate in favor ofone group or class of peo-ple. In fact, the establish-ment of a more just socie-ty was at the core of theprophetic ministry inancient Israel and Jesus’conceptualization andembodiment of theKingdom of God. MartinLuther King, Jr. calls thisjust society the BelovedCommunity where we aretreated as God’s peopleand deserve to sit at the“table of bounty.” I havealways contended that it iswrong to blame people forbeing poor withoutacknowledge the systemsthe perpetuate poverty.History teaches us thatsuch chasm inevitablyleads to social revolutionif not corrected.

The third and finalchallenge is the lack ofinspirational leadership. Ibelieve that the greatestneed we have as a peopleis INSPIRATION.Bahamians need to beinspired. We need a causethat summons allBahamians throughout thelength and breadth of theBahamas to tap into theirpotentiality, creativity andintelligence. For too long,we have elected leaderswho are more interested inmaintaining the status quoand implementing pro-grams to appease shortterm needs. Moreover, thepolitical tribalism and

petty politics we engagein are stifling the growthof our country as so manyBahamians who have somuch to offer are pun-ished for political affilia-tion. We are too small forsuch rancor. What we doneed are courageous lead-ers with vision and bigplans to make theBahamas the best countryin the world. It was inspi-rational leadership thattransform Singapore andChina into two the mostsuccessive countries in a30 year span. I think thatpart of the problem wehave in our country is thatwe have made those inpolitics the sum total ofleadership. We know thisto be a problem becauseover the last 20 years wehave changed politicalparties every election

cycle. The time has come,I believe for new para-digm of Bahamian leader-ship to emerge; one thatwill usher us into the“Promised Land” and wemust embrace it has itcomes. As I conclude, Iinvite us to think about thewords on the Coat ofArms this 46thIndependence: Forward,Upward, Onward,Together. These words myfellow Bahamians call usto: ProgressiveCollectivism. They call usto make progress together.For the Bahamas to bewhat God has called it tobe, each of us must do ourpart. Such mandate callsus to put country beforeself and strive for thegreater good for all.Again: HappyIndependence!

Independence Message ByReverend Anthony A. Sampson

1 Samuel 17:1 -3

Now the Philistine gath-ered together theirarmies to battle…And Saul and the men ofIsrael were gatheredtogether…And the Philistines stoodon a mountain on oneside, and Israel stood ona mountain on the other,and there was a valleybetween them.

This is a picture of twoarmies that squared offfor war. One army repre-sented theIsrael…Jehovah’s peo-ple, and the other repre-sents the opposite sidepeople of the heathennation.

God’s Israel was virtu-ally attacked by anaggressive giant for fortydays. God’s people wereafraid and trembled daily.On the fourteenth day…there came out a youngman, he too was aggres-sive and fed up with thedaily teasing from thegiant.

They wasted no timeand in short order the twoof these champions came

face to face and beforeone’s eye could blink thewar was over. Goliath,the giant laid on theground with David stand-ing over him having hishead severed off with hisown sword.

As we celebrate ourforty-six year ofBahamian Independencewe too are at war. We areat war with all that weknow to be just and good.

Never before have weseen the blood-bath in the

streets, the assassinationof person’s character, thelow moral standard of theBahamian people, andlow disregard for those inauthority! This war is not our war.We call on you to rise upand receive the Word ofthe Lord and be awarethat what we are experi-encing is good seeking toget our attention to trustHim so we may becomewinners… God will seeus through.

A Message from Bishop Ros L. Davis

46th Independenceof the Bahamas

Time to Fight Back

B11The Bahama Journal

Tuesday - July 9th, 2019INDEPENDENCE SUPPLEMENT

My Brothers and SistersWe have come to our

46th year of nationhood,and we have much to begrateful for. God hasblessed us with freedomsand privileges as citizensof The Bahamas thatmany around the worldcan only dream of andwork toward. The cele-bration of our independ-ence is the opportune timeto reflect on how far wehave come and how muchwe have yet to do on ourleg of this relay called life.

Bahamians, we cannottake for granted what wehave, what those whocame before us toiled andsacrificed to leave at ourdisposal. What we enjoytoday did not come freelybut cost those who offeredthemselves for publicservice at a price. We can-not be the generation thatdestroys all that has beenprovided for us.Bahamians of the futureand the past are countingon us to carry the batonfirm in our hands with theunderstanding of itsimportance and the man-

date which it symbolizes. The theme chosen for

this year’s celebrations,‘United We StandBahamas…Together WeCan’, reflects preciselywhat must be done inorder for us to move for-ward as a nation. We mustunite in the common goalof positive, sustainablenational development ofthis country and its citi-zens, knowing that, thatstrength of our unity willpropel us forward.

Many of us take forgranted that the Bahamaswe know and love todaywill remain no matterwhat negativity we bringto the table. This, ofcourse, is not the case.The lives that we live andthe country in which welive them requires theeffort, unity and partner-ship of all sectors of thissociety to not only survivebut to thrive.

It is not by chance orhappenstance that wewere born in the beautifulBahamas. God in his infi-nite wisdom knew exactlywhat our country needed

and it is my belief that heplaced within us every-thing that we need for TheBahamas to flourish. Wemust be prepared to offerourselves to public servicenot only in politics andgovernance but in all partsof our communities toensure that we do our partto build this nation. If wecontinue to stand aside,others will have the powerto dictate what is to beBahamian and we willfind ourselves watching aswhat we have been givenis systematically takenfrom us.

As we press forwardtoward our fiftieth year ofindependence, we mustrededicate ourselves tocitizenship in its truestform. We must resolve todevelop our country as awhole including our fami-ly islands and those whostill inhabit them. Wemust resolve to establishthe ways and means bywhich more Bahamianscan own a piece of thiscountry. We must resolvethat more Bahamiansmust become meaningful-

ly involved in our econo-my. We must resolve thatcertain aspects of ourgrowth and developmentis above partisan politics.We must resolve that Godis the head of this nationand that we believe thatwe can achieve anything

through Him whostrengthens us.

I know that God lovesour country, and each andevery Bahamian. I havefaith that we will find ourway back to that path thatleads us to the furtheranceof our common loftier

goal. It is my prayer thatGod will continue to pro-tect and guide us as wemove forward as a nation.May God bless theCommonwealth of theBahamas.

Bishop Delton Fernander

AN INDEPENDENCE LETTER FROM BISHOP DELTON FERNANDERPresident of the Bahamas Christian Council

B12 The Bahama Journal

Tuesday - July 9th, 2019 INDEPENDENCE SUPPLEMENT