Ministry investigates designer's use of modified Bahamian Coat of Arms

A photo from social media purportedly showing the modified Bahamian Coat of Arms.

As of Friday, August 3, 2018

By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of National Security has launched an investigation into the use of modified versions of the Bahamian Coat of Arms and motto by British designer India Hicks, Press Secretary Anthony Newbold told The Tribune on Friday.

The new designs serve as promotional material for an event for Ms Hicks’ eponymous life style brand.

Brand ambassadors for the India Hicks company posted the images to social media. These photos sparked a major online backlash by the Bahamian public, with many decrying the designer for “stealing” the country’s national symbols.

National Security Minister Marvin Dames confirmed to The Tribune that the matter has been brought to the government’s attention and underscored that there are “protocols and procedures” which must be followed before state symbols are used.

Ms Hicks, the grand daughter of Lord Mountbatten of Burma, the last viceroy of India, was born in London. She is the daughter of Lady Pamela Mountbatten and interior designer David Hicks, and second cousin of the Prince of Wales, who is also her godfather. In 1981 she served as a bridesmaid at his wedding to the late Lady Diana Spencer.

Ms Hicks first visited Harbour Island, where her father had built a house on nearby Windemere Island, when she was about three years old. Frequent visitors were Lord Mountbatten, Prince Charles and other members of the Royal family. Ms Hicks still owns the home.

A resident of Harbour Island, Ms Hicks in an interview with The Telegraph published on July 7, said she has lived in the Bahamas for 25 years.

“Living here is a very mixed community, which I love,” she told The Telegraph. “Even though I’ve lived here longer than I’ve lived in England, I don’t feel Bahamian. I feel fundamentally English. Really, I’m a global gipsy.”

Ms Hicks acknowledged the inspiration for the designs in a June 18th Facebook post.

“Every year we try to think up a meaningful theme for our Great Get Together, which is when many of us (India Hicks) Tribesters gather for a weekend of training and support and dancing and drinking,” she wrote.

“Only a bit of drinking mind you. This year, we are borrowing from the Bahamian crest: Forward Upward Onward Together. We particularly like the word Together. Yesterday I painted a version of it.”

One design, printed on a promotional bag for the company event, included many original elements of the Coat of Arms, including an escutcheon supported by a marlin and flamingo.

However, the original ship sailing beneath the sun is replaced by the Roman numerals MMXVIII. The words “Two Thousand Eighteen” are printed below the numerals.

The motto is printed verbatim at the base of the shield. Encircling the coat of arms are the words “Our Great Get Together”, written twice.

A photo of a bag featuring this logo was shared on Instagram by a brand ambassador for the India Hicks company.

In the since-deleted post, the brand ambassador wrote, “Our arrival swag bag…yes, India designed that wonderful logo!”

The other version is more modified, stripping away most elements of the Coat of Arms except the shield. Instead of the sun, “2018” is written in the top half. The ship is replaced but the words “So Happy We Are All Here Together x India”. The national motto, again written verbatim, is instead flipped to the top of the shield. The names of all those involved in the event are written around and inside the shield.

When asked about the matter on Friday, Mr Dames said his Ministry views this as “very serious” and promised to report on the matter after all the information has been gathered.

“Obviously these are things you don’t often hear about everyday but we often get constant requests from persons about using the Coat of Arms and the Bahamas flag and some of them are people asking to use it for very ridiculous means and oftentimes it’s turned down,” Mr Dames said.

While acknowledging that people often want to highlight their connection to the Bahamas in designs, Mr Dames noted, “there are protocols and procedures which persons ought to take note of and adhere to.”

“And those persons who are in breach of the laws and regulations we have a responsibility to make them all account.”

He reminded the public not to “arbitrarily use international symbols”.

“There are clear laws and guidelines and regulations that outlines what the process is and how it ought to be followed before one decides to take an action.”

Attorney General Carl Bethel referred to chapter 32 of the Flags and Coat of Arms Regulation Act, which states permission must be granted by the minister for any goods or articles “to which there has been applied the National Flag or the Coat Of Arms, or any part of the design thereof.”

“Any person who breaches the law is liable to a fine of, in one case… of $250 or jail for three months, or to both jail and a fine. Or, in another case, up to $500 or a longer period in prison,” Mr Bethel said.

The designs sparked controversy on social media on Friday.

In a Facebook post, one user wrote, “I'm going to need the Bahamas Government to sue India Hicks for ripping off and plagiarizing our Coat of Arms for her brand and financial gain. This goes beyond appropriation. This is absolute disrespect and stealing of intellectual property. The Colonizer mentality remains alive and well.”

Referring to Ms Hicks’ Facebook post, another user wrote: “Hicks states clearly that she is altering someone else's work...but she could have spent more energy ensuring her followers were aware it is not solely her design... and of the sensitivity required when using a national symbol for art or personal gain.”

The user also called for the Bahamian public to use more “nuanced critique” of the issue.

The Coat of Arms of the Bahamas was designed by Rev Dr Hervis L Bain, Jr, and was adopted on December 7, 1971.

rawbahamian 5 years, 8 months ago

If she had done this to an American coat of arms, she would be in jail and charged with copyright infringements and probably treason and whatever other charges the slimy lawyers could dig up !!!

ThisIsOurs 5 years, 8 months ago

Nice bag. But wow, you would think an artist would know better than that

xtreme2x 5 years, 8 months ago

WHILE WE ON THIS MATTER, IS IT LEGAL FOR A BAHAMIAN COMPANY TO PRINT BAHAMIAN FLAGS AND HAVE THEIR LOGO IMPRINTED ON FLAGS?

Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 8 months ago

99% of all Bahamian flags seen by the public have either the wrong blue (aquamarine) or yellow colour because any and every Tom, Dick and Harry is allowed to have them made by whomever they choose, and this includes both the PLP and FNM political parties. Funny how our government does not seem to get up in 'arms' (pun fully intended) about the abuse of our national flag.

JohnDoes 5 years, 8 months ago

@Well_mudda.. The common problem with the color 'aquamarine' is that even though it is the suppose to be the actual colour on the flag, there is an elemental problem that tends to work against this. The colour 'aquamarine' has a tendency to drastically fade away in sunlight hence the reason why a darker colour may be used. This was a common problem noticed after the flag was physically made & flown within the UV spectrum. In terms of printing and other forms of implementation, persons must make sure to keep the color as 'aquamarine' or as close as possible but to simply track down every design maker and charge them before the courts about the use of 'darker blues' would be quite expensive and possibly not get anywhere but as it relates to country, we must ensure that the 'aquamarine' is used.

Islangal1 5 years, 8 months ago

Exactly! Everyone's up in arms because ...1. She's Foreign and 2. She Foreign. Funny how we disrespect ourselves (Bahamians), our country and National Symbols all the time. But Heaven forbids someone else does it every Man, Woman and Bahamian Child jump on them like wild monkeys. If you want to be respected, respect yourselves. I agree with the flag colours, but also goes for the Coat of Arms, that poor Flamingo and Marlin does be all kinda colour.

JohnDoes 5 years, 8 months ago

I don't think anything would be wrong if it is used to represent the Bahamas positively and unaltered. This lady who simply used the Coat of Arms and manipulated the elements for her own personal & financial gain is a difference. You dont really see anyone doing those sorts of things.

screwedbahamian 5 years, 8 months ago

This is what happens when the Bahamas is known to be governed by LOOSEY-GOOSEY CORRUPT Governments ( past and present). Its a no lose situation, 50% (percent) chance they notice and if the do, 100% (percent) a government official will accept money to do nothing about it.

TalRussell 5 years, 8 months ago

Some high up comrade red shirt needs telegraph to comrade designer - why she needs feels even more Englishwoman's. Send her and her stretch book packing -back across the Englishman's pond, permanently by placing her on immigration's Stop List, Do not allow this Englishwoman's entry into colony of islands. Scratch her and her design and begun designing anew with native comrade designer's competition.
Amen!

Economist 5 years, 8 months ago

Sue the arrogant imbecile.

bogart 5 years, 8 months ago

True yinna gats her wid da evidence......but whats about all dem odder people parading through Nassau wid Haitian flags on dere cars...???.....if yinna gets one ....yinna must also gets da odders too...if yinna stands up fer da Coat of Arms....yinna gats definitely to louder protests against ferreign flags flying on cars....!!!!....Lets protect we Bahamian tings...we family jewels an stands up wid da fiercest determination to protect we national identification of sovereignity ...!!!! MAKE WE BAHAMAS BETTER AGAIN....,!!!.,

johnmcntsh 5 years, 8 months ago

Making fun of those Bahamians who have a different way of speaking again Bogart?

sheeprunner12 5 years, 8 months ago

Who gave us that new coat of arms????????? ........ she should have used the old Bahamian one.

hrysippus 5 years, 8 months ago

Big deal, why do people care? I remember Mick Jagger wrapping a union Flag round his shoulders during a Rolling Stones concert in the 70's and all the old bags getting bent out of shape about it. Who cares? The Queen obviously did not as she later knighted him. Find an issue that really matters and put your outrage and your energy into that. Since it will be emancipation day on Monday, join The Organization for the abolition of Slavery. There are more people enslaved today than there were in 1834. Now there is something worthy of passion and attention. A logo on a bag for a seni private weekend gathering, why care?

DDK 5 years, 8 months ago

Amen! Plus free advertising for Bahamas!

ThisIsOurs 5 years, 8 months ago

I'm not outraged. As I said it's a really nice bag. I just can't get beyond an artist using someone's else work like that. She of all people should know better...it's baffling

Maybe the government should copy her copy and print up some Bahamian bags same quality with forward upward onward together. I want mine in navy blue with a black base. The logo can be in white background. Thats called "poetic justice"

Ain't we supposed to be getting rid of plastic? Well...there you go. I'd pay 25-40 For it

bogart 5 years, 8 months ago

Welcome back Sheeprunner ..!!..das one real good one...da ol Bahamian one.....you aint miss a beat wid da old emblem....

Regardless 5 years, 8 months ago

...this woman has a lucrative rental business. The government can always suspend that or tax it if requires monetary satisfaction.

realitycheck242 5 years, 8 months ago

Nothing will come out of this investigation when all the talk dies down. This issue will be swept under the rug because of the guilty party involved. The most she will get is a verbal warning to not do it again from the attorney general. There wont even be a fine. We may be an independent country but the powers that be still have a colonial mentality and will not do anything to offend any member of royalty not matter how distant they may be in relation to the queen.

TheMadHatter 5 years, 8 months ago

This reminds me back in the early 90s when a bunch of 'jacks' in Freeport kicked up a stink about Laker Airlines having a Bahamian flag on the rudder/tail of their LC-11 jet.

Laker ran an excellent service between FLL and FPO and had late night flights which assisted with keeping gamblers in the Princess Casino.

However, because they were foreign and especially because they were white, a fuss was made about them advertising and showing pride with regard to their relationship with the Bahamas.

They eventually left and since then the casino and indeed the entire International Bazaar have shut down. Both governments have been so proud that there is nothing "international" in Freeport anymore that they have refused to reopen the Princess Highway for fear such a culture may resurface.

The best thing for this English lady (white) to do is to go back to England or she might stop off in South Africa if she has family there and try to prevent the current cutlass slaughter that is going on there. South Africa is currently mulling a change in their Constitution (seriously...look it up) to allow them to seize land owned by white farmers. Australia has refused refugee status to their white brethren because they are super busy turning into Indonesia #2.

Wonder when that will happen here? I don't know, but Dr. Minnis did say a few months ago that he looks forward to seeing Caribbean grown produce on our grocery shelves.

A whole ton of negativity everywhere you look. I say send all the whites back to England and be done with it.

hrysippus 5 years, 8 months ago

Hey MadHater "I say send all the whites back to England and be done with it." no problem with this, but we then also need to send all the Greek Bahamians back to Greece, the Sino Bahamians back to China, the Indian Bahamians back to India, the Cuban Bahamians back to Cuba, or perhaps Spain, and of course the Afro Bahamians back to Africa. This will take a huge amount of stress off the Health and Education services as there would be no one left. Who is going to buy my tomatoes then?

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