The Tribune

By Rev. Canon S.

Sebastian Campbell

Every Bahamian must step up to the plate and own the 40th Anniversary celebration of our Independence.

We are terribly lack lustre at the present time. The mentality is to pass the buck and say, “the government them.” How unfortunate.

The 40th Independence Anniversary Committee will in short order release the national plans, most of which will fit smugly in the 40 days count down, commencing on the May 31. Certainly it should have already been in the public domain. Plans kept changing, while private groupings continued to advance plans to be endorsed by the committee.

The lack of funds to underwrite planned events, coupled with the extreme shortage of human resource plagued the committee’s every good intention. More than one government Ministry and or department simply refused to allow any of their personnel to answer the call for secondment. No volunteers, limited space to fit anyone and the litany of complaints continue. But what the heck, these celebrations must not and cannot be limited to the wisdom and engineering of a small group, regardless of its status.

Dis we Bahamian Tings: let’s run with it. I urge the church in our local communities to take the lead within the given community. It’s not too late to pull local leaders, in church and community together so as to create a catalyst for excitement. It’s now we must take full responsibility to decorate our premises, both in and out, in the national colours (flags and streamers included). There ought to be ecumenical services in all our communities. At present I am struggling to co-ordinate an Island wide ecumenical service in New Providence. It’s not easy, but I press on. Believing only in the traditional Service at the flag raising, on Clifford Park, is backward thinking. Get out the box! Let us saturate this country and indeed New Providence with services of Thanksgiving. Let’s Do it; go ahead community leaders! You need no approval from any body to do it.

Business places across the archipelago need to be draped, now. The Bahamas chamber of Commerce should be a leader here. Some sort of a competition might have spurred this on a whole lot more. Can you imagine Bay Street draped from end to end. What about City 2000, Carmichael Road. The American franchises you to must pay homage to the Bahamas in Bahamian drapery. All our Business places must pitch in.

I had hoped that the Ministry of Education would be pro-active within these celebrations. What a wonderful TOOL in education this would be. Drape the schools, have flag raising ceremonies in all our schools on all our islands. It’s the ideal way to go. It’s unfortunate that Independence was achieved at the time schools were closed for the Summer; so we must redeem this unfortunate timing and seek to indoctrinate our children while they are in school. The English indoctrinated those of my generation and before using the colonial days of observance such as Empire –Day. Today we are limp and lack lustre in teaching / advancing / indoctrinating our children. Then we wonder why the lack of national pride and so much ignorance in things Bahamian. The Celebration of Independence every year, especially at 40, is a great moment in time, to do something intentional. But look around, today, at our schools (public and private) and there is no evidence of any national celebration with no teaching TOOL being employed).

Members of parliament, step to the plate, especially on New Providence, where there is no local government. Drape the constituency, it’s through especially its essential buildings. Our communities cry out for leadership. Who will “bell the cat”? We all can’t be complainers. Our local people must demand more from those elected to lead. Additionally, too, leaders need to make events happen, in the glare of independence. There is a float parade planned by the Independence Committee for Independence Day. I urge all communities to be represented. Churches, too, would do well to get on the motorcade. Show national pride, get involved.

I am appealing for “faces of Independence”. Please advance names and photos with contacts to me. These would be nominations of persons we believe are a credit to the Bahamas. Too, persons forty at Independence and therefore are now eighty years, I urge their names and contact almost immediately. Hopefully bill boards can be done up.

Now remember, charity begins at home. Let us dress our private property, our homes etc. they can tell the tale. Let us fly the national colours, that our roadways will shout out, “Dis We Bahamian Tings.” Given neighbourhoods can preferably create competitions.

Media houses can help to get out many of the songs written for the celebration. There need not be a competition. Examine the lyrics, and the music. Get permission from the author of the songs and let’s blast the airways. Let’s do whatever it takes as we get out of the mental box that keeps us locked up and retards advancement.

Dis is indeed we tings. This is our Independence. Let us avoid these three deadly words, “The government them.” Now let us advance in the spirit of the four greatest words in our national vocabulary “Forward, Upward, Onward, Together.”