The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE National Honours… Is it just a small storm or a gigantic Cat seven hurricane? In 2018 we have resurrected partisan division based on ethnic and political lines…We should be ashamed. Surely we are not so immature? It seems we are totally insensitive. Shame on PM Minnis.

Firstly must say that the power of awarding these Bahamian Awards posthumously was wrong in perception and creation unless the Award was given and the person dies before bestowal.

The PLP fundamentally designed this National Hero Award to establish in history that the PLP were the nation builders and what went prior to 1967 did not matter – actually did not exist. I suggest no one can contradict this and I can politically understand that.

Pindling - Butler - Whitfield all received when they were alive the highest permissible Award of the State a Royal knighthood - I challenge all why should they logically receive anything further posthumously?

If there is going to be a National Hero Award may I suggest petitions have to be made to The House of Assembly and on obtaining a certain agreed number of signatures of registered Citizens, not voters - the Speaker will put on the Agenda the petition to receive the argument to make a certain person a National Hero - the House of Assembly will decide, not Cabinet, and certainly not a Prime Minister. Plus one vote in support you are awarded the title of National Hero.

The other Orders - a bipartisan Committee will approve - requirement to award will be that 95% of the Committee will have to agree. No interference from Cabinet or the Prime Minister. It further has to be understood that these Orders have a maximum membership only when there is a vacancy from the death of a past member that you can award.

I don’t support that the Governor General and the Chief Justice may continue to receive Crown knighthood - if the Bahamian highest Award is not good enough then stupid give nothing. You either get rid of the use of the Crown Awards or you continue 100% with them not both to be silly and substantially downgrade the reason for the Bahamian Awards.

It is so ironic that the chief advocate for the removal of ‘colonial awards’ represents a foreign Government in a capacity of an Honorary Consul - now that is laughable Sir! Check the front part of BTC Directory page: 63 fourth listing in the left column - Belize.

Sad in 2018 in a sweep the Prime Minister & Cabinet resurrected social and ethnic partisan divide…the FNM’s are mad - the PLP’s are as mad.

The young people are mad also but at the stupidity!

A divided people is not good.

W THOMPSON

Nassau,

July 15, 2018.