The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

I am a Bahamian citizen by birth, origin, heritage, lineage down through time were Bahamian. My grandparents birthed my mother and she bore children– there were ten of us – each gender properly represented…and we all were given names…so that differentiation/can take place…so that we/they would be able to systematise the differences.

In furtherance of these principles, the various births had to be recorded by the laws of the land…coupled by the names given each child (And we need not ask why)…but each child carried his, or her own piece of identification, be-it- a-passport…a birth certificate, whatever…and for me even after 59 years on planet earth…I am still stuck with the name my parents gave me….what am I saying?

As foreigners to my country and those that have not given our government any indications that they intend to become a citizen of The Bahamas in their application citizenship, being made to the minister responsible for Nationality and Citizenship/for registration/nationalisation as a citizen of The Bahamas…by renouncing their place of birth…and embracing the principles of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas…including its laws and heritages…this has not been the case…but what we see is more and more requests being made in the newspapers to have their names changed?

Why and as we suspect that these Bahamian names are derived from headstones of deceased persons…a dangerous practice because after assuming the identity of the deceased persons…there is a fear among intellectuals of the land…that they can steal property belonging to persons whose names they take on, especially since they often use the names of deceased persons.

I am totally against the Deed Poll and think it is time for the government to initiate a change of the deed poll.

FRANK GILBERT

Nassau

November 20, 2018