The British Colonial Hotel. Photo: Dante Carrer
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
MANY welcomed the reopening of the British Colonial Hotel on Monday, but some, including the Bahamas National Reparations Committee chair Dr Niambi Hall Campbell-Dean, believe the hotel should have dropped its name.
“I think that if they were to take stock of what is happening not only regionally, if we look at the example of Barbados becoming a republic, but around the world, a lot of persons are recognising the tremendous harms that colonisation implored not just in this region but worldwide,” she told The Tribune yesterday.
“Even King Charles, you know, has made statements of regret regarding some of those colonial practices so I think that we’re at the stage where you can have nostalgia for a time gone without connecting that nostalgia to the crimes and sins of colonisation.”
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Removal of colonial names and references has happened worldwide in recent times.
Local discourse about colonial symbolism exploded last year when a man used a sledgehammer to damage the right leg of a Christopher Columbus statue outside Government House. Before that, thousands signed a petition to remove the statue.
The government recently put a Christmas tree where the statue used to be.
Dr Campbell Dean noted the continued presence of a Woodes Rogers statue in front of the British Colonial Hotel, which reopened on Monday after a nearly two-year closure and a $50m renovation project.
“I mean more than our recognition of the names of private companies, I’m more interested in removing all symbols of colonialism from our local spaces like the statue of Woodes Rogers,” she said.
“At the end of the day, I think that it is, you know, the corporation is going to do what’s in the best interest of themselves, not necessarily the best interest of the people, but maybe they will find that having that tie is not in their best interest as the world generally moves toward the ratification of what colonialism is.”
During his speech at the Hilton’s opening on Monday, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis argued the hotel’s name has taken on new meaning.
“There is no doubt an irony in the fact that, as we celebrate 50 years of Independence, we are also celebrating the reopening of the British Colonial Hotel,” he said. “The meaning within the imperial legacy of that name has changed. It now signals the grand tradition of what tourism was automatically once assumed to be: travel to unknown places, in the hope of pursuing adventure, luxury, style, and comfort.”
Comments
TimesUp 4 months, 1 week ago
How much does this "committee" get paid?
Dawes 4 months, 1 week ago
Yes lets get rid of everything related to the colonial period. Change the names of most settlements and islands, and tear down the buildings. In fact taken to its end, seeing as nearly every person born in Bahamas (black and white) is because of the Colonial period, then they too must be gotten rid of. Their parents, or their parents parents would never had met if they had never come to The Bahamas, by whatever way. I am being facetious, but the idea proposed is basically saying get rid of a major part of this nations history and only leave it with the last 50 years, which is ludicrous.
Sickened 4 months, 1 week ago
I couldn't agree more. Once you go down this road it will never end. We should just stick to teaching history rather than trying to hide/remove all traces of it.
birdiestrachan 4 months, 1 week ago
Some folks have nothing to do how about feeding the poor
themessenger 4 months, 1 week ago
Must be something in the water they're drinking. Look, see how woke we is! We gern change we history by removing some of our historical landmarks and renaming some buildings. Next, they'll want to tear down all our forts and the Queens Staircase as alla dem was built during dem shameful colonial years of occupation. With all of the myriad of real social issues plaguing our country we still have these zealots with their heads up their asses pushing their newly woke agendas while conveniently forgetting that it was colonialism that built this country.
Sickened 4 months, 1 week ago
This woke movement will be the end of humanity. Soon, we won't be able to utter the words black or white when referring to a born human.
ohdrap4 4 months, 1 week ago
The learned chair ought to change her last names. They will never name a road or building after her or even give her a living legend award.
themessenger 4 months, 1 week ago
She is eminently qualified for a Legend in Her Own Mind award though!
truetruebahamian 4 months, 1 week ago
Keep the name, keep our history and give her ten shillomgs and sixpence to make her happy.
sucteeth 4 months, 1 week ago
Why do they even call psychologists Doctors as they are useless in society and this proves it!!
Go get a real degree so you can make sense of all this bs woke sh-t.. We have people that are hungry go feed and help them if you care..
avidreader 4 months, 1 week ago
Keep in mind that all these historical figures referred to in this article were, as everyone is, products of their times. All the wishing, hoping and commenting cannot change history. Get over it.
Observer 4 months, 1 week ago
Try and try again, but history cannot be erased.
moncurcool 4 months, 1 week ago
It cannot be erased, but don't you think it can be correctly stated?
bahamianson 4 months, 1 week ago
Yes , let us get rid of all the sir titles and all other British titles. Let's see how all the politicians and hundreds of bahamians knighted each year take that. Stop talking foolishness. Wr are whom we are. Wr are Bahamian. It is our roots and culture. Dis we tings and whom we are. You are always talking about culture and what makes us different. Here we go. This makes us whom we are. The good, the bad, and the ugly makes us whom we are. In life you have good days and bad days. Both days make us complete. We hace good history and bad history. Both make us whom we are. Get a freaking life!!!
ExposedU2C 4 months, 1 week ago
Some one needs to send Niambi a replica statue of crippled Christopher Columbus as a Christmas gift from the Bahamian people.
rosiepi 4 months, 1 week ago
It is good for Bahamians to have these discussions and continue to teach all aspects of their history as is done.
So why must this PM continue to speak such nonsensical gobbledygook? The name within the imperial legacy has changed to mean a return to that ‘grand tradition’ of what tourism used to mean, luxurious travel, adventure, etc? That’s how he acknowledges the irony of this moment? If that’s how he wants to play then why doesn’t his gov’t work towards another ‘old tradition’ of tourism in the Bahamas? Crack down on corruption in the RBPF in order to bring about a safer environment that Bahamians and tourists once enjoyed.
moncurcool 4 months, 1 week ago
I too am trying to figure out what in the world Davis was trying to say in that remark. It reeks of ignorance and utter nonsense, and trying to suck up to the owners.
hrysippus 4 months, 1 week ago
As this building and this business is owned by either nationals, or the government , of the Peoples Republic of China, can using such a British Empire name be described as "cultural approbation" ? Just asking.
sheeprunner12 4 months, 1 week ago
How can a Chinese owned hotel continue to use a name such as "British Colonial", when it's imperial masters in China erased Hong Kong from its British traditions as soon as the land lease was up?
Bahamians are really strange when it comes to holding on to European ties ...... Like the OECD financial domination and Westminster political system etc.
Freeing ourselves from mental slavery begins with electing leaders who can create a true true Bahamian VISION for the way forward beyond this hollow Jubilee year.
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