The Tribune

EDITOR,The Tribune.

It’s easy to forget now, when we as a people, a Bahamian people, have come so far, but have forgotten from whence we’ve come, to where now, our people are more than ever, falling victims to great sufferings of poverty, imprisonment, victimisation, political hostages, oppression, neglect, and so much more. Bahamians, what has become of us?

During the days of the UBP, or the “White Man’s Slavery” that Sir Lynden Pindling, Sir Milo Butler, AD Hanna and all the others had supposedly emancipated us from; out of the iron fist of bondage, just how much courage was required to allow us as a people to systematically raise our voices as proud Bahamians, some 40 years ago, challenges our own assumptions, and compellingly questions the future direction of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas as a country.

Maybe you and I were too young or were not yet alive, or too young to remember those great sacrifices that were made by those men and women on our behalf who had paid the ultimate price, or maybe those of us who do remember, to satisfy our own greed and selfish desires, push ourselves to forget, but 44 years of independence is not a long stretch of time for us to now be living like savages among ourselves. And yet today, every day, in every way, young, poor, and disadvantaged citizens encounter what too often divides us as a people, which was intended to consistently bind us together as Bahamians.

As the nation’s leader, what an incredible burden to bear, to have a country of people’s concerns, pain, sufferings, and despair, set onto your shoulders. But what a priceless honour it is, and can be, to satisfy hopelessness with hopefulness, neglect with blossoming dreams, depression and misery with inspiration, aspirations, and sustainable confidence.

This too, is the responsibility of leadership, and when a leader of any nation, fails to inspire and or, reignites hope within their people outside of the grouping of those that they are bonded with through biological or personal attachments, that person should be declared unfit to serve in such capacity, because their intentions are parasitic, self-serving, and detached from the balance of the citizens.

Truth is, I don’t expect Bahamian politicians to fix or solve my problems, because this responsibility personally rests within me.

However, I do expect them to understand my problems and concerns, and as a result, do all that they can, with everything that sleeps within them to insure that all citizens are fairly treated and respected within the confines of the law, both legally and economically.

This concern has become a great stranger to this Bahamian society. Fact is, ever since the reign of Sir Lynden, every leader the Bahamian populous has elected to their House of Parliament, has betrayed the people.

The voice of the people is only heard during the few weeks of the general election cycle, but neglected throughout the administration of the government.

Bahamians are stuffed to vomit with lies, deceptions, failed promises, abandonment and blatant disrespect. Foreign citizens enter the country daily dressed in designer suites armed with the very ideas and goals Bahamians possess.

Yet, they become practical millionaires overnight, only for the citizens of the country to fall at their tables of mercy, compel to endure overwhelmingly bad treatment and disrespect by non-citizens, simply because they had fallen victims to very low paying, but desperately needed, mediocre jobs. This is the Bahamas that has, and continues to be handed down to Bahamians.

Today I ask, and out rightly, rightfully demand that the Commonwealth of The Bahamas be released to the people immediately! The lies, trickery and deception must cease. The betrayal and selling out of the citizens’ birthright must cease. The abuse and breaking of laws by those who were elected to serve the people must cease. Suppression, oppression and ostracism must cease. There should be no “trickle down” economic effect in The Bahamas. You don’t build a sustainable economy by allowing benefits to “trickle down” to the most disadvantaged of the country. This is why the conditions of the country rest in such poor straights. You build a strong economy by systematically building from the “bottom up”. A house is not built from the roof to its foundation. It is built from the foundation to the roof. By attacking the issues and concerns that plague our nation’s youth along with the most disadvantaged citizens, not only supports a firm economic foundation of the country, but also takes a huge “bite out of crime”.

The voice of the people must be adhered to long after the election and an administration is sworn in. Until this happens, we can forget what was of The Bahamas, and accept what it has become as it races steadily toward the decline of Bahamian ownership. The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is not an FNM, PLP or DNA thing, it’s a Bahamian thing, and keeping it to just that; should be the sole priority and responsibility of its leader!

DENO P. ELLIS

Nassau,

November 29, 2017.