The Tribune

YOUR SAY

By Rev Fr S Sebastian Campbell

“NOTHING is happening…..the government them ain’t doing nutting……!”

That’s the cry I am hearing as it relates to the 40th Anniversary of Our Bahamas.

And listen, you might be right and you might be wrong it depends on how you perceive it. Put all that aside, stop casting blame and let’s move forward.

Here is a suggestion: Let’s have a paradigm shift.

I was also in that choir singing the same chorus. I have now joined a praise and worship group that sings, “It soon be done…” “The lord will make a way…”, “let it begin with me…”

Governments are known for procrastination, so what’s new? Maybe... but only because of traditional, endless, red tape entangling them that is not of their own making; just victims from which no government seems to be freed.

I know the government wants things to happen. They are as anxious as we all are. Let’s break the chains of the mental enslavement and allow the party to begin. Let us, the people, begin to take the lead.

This is our Independence… let’s make something happen!

What can we do? Let’s claim Independence as our own. “This we Things”. Let us start with draping our own property in the national colours. Every home, service station, church, office building, empty lot, dry goods and grocery store front… you get the idea? These belong to us, not the government, right! There can be competitions within given communities, map out your area of control; can there be prizes for the best kept/draped yard etc? Many brains are there in the local community, pull a handful of persons together in your locale, brainstorm, make something happen locally.

Yes, competitions should have been well in place now at the level of our schools. Poetry, essay competitions etc are proven ways to educate young minds. This is positive indoctrination. The Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) is welcome to jump start some enthusiasm here in and among our schools. Please, don’t wait on the ministry, like you did with the Teacher of The Year (TOY) honourees programme. Try do two things at one time. Decorate Bethel’s Avenue, show your leadership.

Our unions, please dress up your property in the national colours. You are to be leaders. Here is a wonderful opportunity to strike a blow outside of the traditional ring of “rabble-rousing”. Pool your resources and get competitions to happen among you and on the national level. Call for T-Shirt days right now.

Our financial institutions, banks, co-operatives, insurance companies etc. You cannot get off scot-free. We are not feeling you.

What about your decorating, T Shirt days, sponsored competitions, honouring of heroes in your institutions. Surely there is something we should feel so as to know that you are on board.

The Christian Council has gone back into its slumber.

Do you know what a powerful impact you would have if only you would rally all the churches to take the lead, now, in these celebrations?

Dress up our churches; this would be contagious, seeing that the church is the largest constituency in the country. Don’t have a church service as the be all and end all of your ideas.

There can be big powerful concerts on every island.

Sunday schools must be summoned to action, this is the level we always miss in things we do nationally.

Our children, the bridge to the future, must be given some elevation and stop believing our churches are only made up of a handful of old retirees.

There ought to be as many independence committees as there are constituencies of people. The National Secretariat should be the overall co-ordinator to allow integration and to ease clashes. Why do we have to wait for a political directorate?

From this mental enslavement, good lord deliver us.

As we celebrate 40 years, maybe a national paradigm shift ought to be our chief objective.

“Ask not what your country can do for you, rather ask what you can do for your country.” (John F Kennedy)

The National Secretariat is warming up now. An explosion will take place. The most explosive of all events will be within the 40 day countdown that begins on May 31. Until then remember, independence belongs to we the people.

Let us get on with grass roots celebrations or, as the more refined would say, celebrations at the grass roots level.

Whatever it is, let us celebrate now, right where we are planted.