EDITOR, The Tribune
As I watched them playing vigorously on the court I listened intently as they teased each other. Shouting out in English, broken English, and Creole calling each other names. Teens and preteens, boys from all over the neighbourhoods. Bahamians, Haitians and Haitian-Bahamians cheered on by the crowd mingling under the pavilion. In the background the younger children are on the swings and see-saws running all over the playground having fun. We are all glued in front of the TV cheering on our Bahamians and Haitian-Bahamian athletes as they compete against other athletes from around the world, some of them unable to speak a “lick”of English embraces, encourages and congratulate each other before and after the competition. Scores of foreign nationals coming to our aid in our time of despair putting their own health and safety at risk, leaving their families at home to assist us in taking care of the victims of Hurricane Dorian.
I listen to the talk shows and tune into social media, read and hear the negative harsh comments about the Haitians. The children are on the basketball courts and on the playgrounds playing, having fun enjoying each other’s company doing what children do. While parents are complaining. We watch them on TV representing our country, competing against other nationalities in the universal language of love. And the moment the match is over, the moment the performance comes to an end we go back to our bitterness. We show our gratitude to the international mercy missionaries by treating the foreign sojourners in our land with disdain.
Unfortunately this behaviour is not limited to the way we treat the anti-social uncivilised aliens in our land. It has taken root. No, it is embedded in us kindhearted, loving, civilised Bahamians. We, the adults, motivated by envy and greed are not speaking to each other maligning each other’s character.
Backstabbing and hating over some trivial matter that can be resolved by an easy explanation, review, a simple apology, a single handshake or a hug. But for us it’s not that easy. Not only are we practising it in front of our children we are encouraging them to grow into this behaviour. We let it go on for so long we forget why we are not speaking to each other. In the long run who are the losers? It is the nieces and nephews, the cousins that are being deprived of the companionship of their relatives, their parents, brothers’ and sisters’ children. Many growing up not speaking to or knowing who their families are. Sadly this trait is more prevalent amongst the baby boomers than in any other generation, but is slowly being secreted to them. If we are treating ourselves this way how can we expect to treat others differently.
God bless the Bahamas I Love you.
ANTHONY PRATT
Nassau
November 6, 2019
Comments
jamaicaproud 4 years, 5 months ago
Good one, but dey go roast you. They law is the law is the buzzword. LOL
joeblow 4 years, 5 months ago
While I appreciate the sentiments, it appears Mr Pratt lives in a bubble or is cognitively impaired. It is impossible not to see the impact that decades of illegal immigration has had on the socioeconomic well being and culture of this country. It is hard not to draw a direct link between massive illegal immigration and crime, scarcity of resources in health, education,increases in government borrowing and corruption in the immigration and other government offices. Nobody really cared too much about immigration UNTIL it started affecting them directly in their pockets. People are now getting tired and are frustrated!
Loving care and concern for others has nothing to do with law enforcement, protecting our sovereignty or utilizing scare resources for the benefit of the citizens of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas! I do agree that we should pay attention to how we enforce the law though!
Sickened 4 years, 5 months ago
Soon everyone is going to have so many rights that no-one has any rights. You have the right to call yourself any gender you please yet I don't have a right to call you a boy because you have a penis. You have a right to shit in the streets of San Francisco yet I don't have a right to tell you don't shit in front of my restaurant. You have anxiety so I don't have the right to clap at a concert on Oxford University's campus. You have a peanut allergy I (or anyone) am allowed to eat peanuts in school or on a plane.
Hopefully we will get back to law and order and people who don't have a right to be here will not have a right to stay. The way things are going though... we are in big, big trouble.
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