‘We should march to force removal of Columbus statue’

Latrae Rahming speaking in front of the statue of Columbus.

As of Thursday, June 11, 2020

The statue of Christopher Columbus in front of Government House.

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

REVEREND Sebastian Campbell says Bahamians are too docile and should march to force the removal of the Christopher Columbus statue in front of Government House.

He spoke to reporters yesterday after Progressive Liberal Party supporters announced at a press conference that they will try to get a petition for the removal of the statue tabled in the House of Assembly. The petition had 8,750 signatures up to press time.

Christopher Columbus statues have been targeted for removal or destruction by protestors in the wake of the controversial killing of American George Floyd in Minneapolis last month as people across the world protest systemic racism.

Father Campbell said: “Maybe this an ideal time for Bahamians to have their protest and bring this to the forefront. This an ideal time, Bahamians are too docile and too laidback, we need to march and probably have this as the centerpiece of our march and educate, educate, educate. The real story of Columbus has not been told. A lot of lies have been told about Columbus in our schools and therefore we venerate him as some kind of hero.

“Bahamians need to be more radical, we’re not radical enough. We only get radical when it comes to our money, that’s when we ready to march and turn the town down. I think (marching for removing the statue) is setting us on a more intellectual course where we can think more intellectually about what this represents and liberate our minds from where we are to where we ought to be and uplift those Bahamian heroes in our society today.

Father Campbell noted that he was on the national heroes committee 25 years ago that called for the removal of the Christopher Columbus statue. The committee’s campaign resulted in the government replacing a Discovery Day holiday with a National Heroes Day holiday.

“Because Columbus is just posing here the way he’s posing, our children, generations unborn, will immediately think of him as some hero, as somebody with some positive work and that is unfortunate and in this era of an independent Bahamas we need to look at those heroes, those nation builders, those legends, such as Sir Milo Butler, Lynden Pindling, Cecil Wallace, Dame Doris Johnson, the list goes on, to somehow find a way to venerate these persons,” he said. “Look and see what we did with Milo for example in Rawson Square, just a little bus we have of Milo sitting opposite the Victoria statue then we come here and we have this imposing life size statue of Christopher Columbus.”

Latrae Rahming, a prominent PLP supporter, said talks have began with parliamentarians who are prepared to table the petition for the statue’s removal in Parliament. The petition was started by Craig Woodside.

“If we aren’t successful (at getting the document tabled), we would’ve done one thing, at least have a conversation as to who we are and where we are so this petition has sparked a vigorous debate as to who we are and it also sheds light on the history of Christopher Columbus,” he said.

He added that while the statue should be removed, it should not be destroyed.

“I leave it in the hands of the historians and government officials to find what is the rightful place of Columbus,” he said.

He also discouraged a protest movement that seeks to remove the Columbus statue without the support of authorities.

“I think our democracy gives us the instruments that we must use,” he said. “We must allow democracy to take its course, we must allow Parliament to accept the petition.”

Asked if the PLP would remove the statue if it regains power, he said: “I can tell you this, the members of parliament for the PLP have always advocated for the removal of the statue. I have spoken to the chairman of the PLP Mr Mitchell who said I have his support on the issue so there is support on that basis and I do intend to ask a member of the minority in Parliament to bring this petition to parliament and if a member of the government believes in this cause we will accept that as well.”

SipPis 3 years, 10 months ago

Please lord let's not begin this marxist history erasing craziness here. Bahamians are sensible, not radical.

thephoenix562 3 years, 10 months ago

Have a conversation about Columbus statue all you want.how about a conversation about how the hell thousands of people with families will pay their bills on half pay(NIB) or No pay for months on end.No jobs in sight.Little income or no income.Columbus dead and long gone.Moving that damn statue wont help one bit .

joeblow 3 years, 10 months ago

... and while millionaire residents were flying in to Nassau on private planes, with and without swabs, Bahamians were stranded in foreign countries without help or resources and Campbell said nothing about that injustice. I wish he would continue to shut up!

themessenger 3 years, 10 months ago

Yes Father Campbell, let’s replace Columbus statue with one of Fred Mitchell’s one time idol, a man he disparaged in one breath then venerated in the next. A man who ruthlessly crushed anyone who stood in his way, black or white. Fish, cut bait or get out of his boat. The Father of the Nation who led us to the pinnacle of Majority Rule only to plunge us into the the pit of corruption, drug abuse, poverty and crime that our country is today. Six of one, half dozen of the other,he would be a very fitting replacement for Columbus .

Cobalt 3 years, 10 months ago

Wow.

joeblow 3 years, 10 months ago

Bahamians get passionate about the wrong things. Why is Sebastian Campbell not protesting the governments continued financial decimation of the most vulnerable in this country under the guise of fighting COVID-19, local police brutality or the high rate of single parent homes, serial sweet hearting, failed parenting, the pervasive anger in society leading to the murder of so many young men, widespread domestic abuse, obliteration of the middle class by discriminatory government practices, the failure of governments to provide equal opportunities for Bahamians in their own country, the failure of the educational system to properly prepare Bahamian youth for the world ahead, the failure of the church in stemming the tide of evil that assails this country; the rising Chinese influence that has made us slaves in our own country, predatory banking practices and the list goes on and on. Instead he wants to channel his energies into removing a statue that ain't bothering nobody and replace it with people who were also oppressive, victimizers of their own people in many instances?

Using their lunatic logic the only person who should ever have a statue is Jesus Christ, but even then they may have a problem with the statue being painted white!

Cobalt 3 years, 10 months ago

Damn. Y’all are on point today.

John 3 years, 10 months ago

But Jesus was not white. ‘His feet was like burnish bronze and his hair was like wool’

ISpeakFacts 3 years, 10 months ago

As usual, well said Joeblow!

hrysippus 3 years, 10 months ago

Sebastian Campbell is a man desperately seeking relevance for himself by espousing causes that provoke un ill considered emotional responses.

Proguing 3 years, 10 months ago

Actually everyone living on this island benefits from the crimes of Columbus. Had he not exterminated the natives, this island would belong to the Lucayans. Therefore it is appropriate to have his statute in front of Government House.

juju 3 years, 10 months ago

The beauty of the Bahamian people is that historically they are a peaceful people. This has helped them through difficult times.

TalRussell 3 years, 10 months ago

Why is it about such a statue's stoodin' ever so silent since the year 1830 that could've possibly left comrades the likes Sebastian - feeling so long in years marginalised?
Isn't there more than just the one statue Christopher in front of government house, including the one on display in Rawson Square? Nod once for yeah, Twice for no?

juju 3 years, 10 months ago

We don’t need to be radical to be heard. We don’t need to destroy our brothers property to be heard. It would help if those 8,000 people signing a petition read the history of our country, to better understand and put these statues in perspective. Bahamians don’t have to follow what is happening in the U S. We are our own country, our own people.,Be proud of what we have. If you are angry, deal with it some other way. Tread carefully now. It is a trying time. God bless

tribanon 3 years, 10 months ago

The real problem lies in the fact that most of these radical nut heads have Haitian blood in them. They literally prey on the docile nature of Bahamians and would like nothing better than to destroy all of our history and replace it with their own history that is replete with much violence.

themessenger 3 years, 10 months ago

I haven’t seen or heard of any of our Haitian brethren clamoring for a statue of Toussaint L’ouverture recently, our homegrown radical priest is a whole different can of worms. Lets leave the long suffering and generally innocent Haitians out of the statue debate.

ISpeakFacts 3 years, 10 months ago

Well said tribanon or should I say mudda!!! Not to mention that these nut heads also want to sell our country to the Yellow Chinese which is ran by the 2nd most evil leader in history in Xi Jinping, the number ONE isnt even up for a debate, the most dishonorable, disgusting, greedy, ruthless, nasty, and EVIL Hubert Minnis!!!

John 3 years, 10 months ago

Guy Fawkes had a plan and see how that ended up. Lol, just sayin

mandela 3 years, 10 months ago

Christopher Columbus was a piece of S$$T and should be removed and removing this F$$k shot has nothing to do with what is happening in the USA.

islandgirly15 3 years, 10 months ago

The statue of Columbus needs to be replaced with Woodes Rogers. Our history barely recognizes his contribution. He has a measly statue by the Hilton but if anyone read the history books, they would see what an undertaking it was to clean up our country. His motto rang true then and it rings even truer today. We need to expel the modern-day pirates so that all Bahamians can have a prosperous future. Modern-day heroes deserve their praise (and should receive it bountifully) but without Woodes Rogers we might have been a Spanish speaking country or had no country at all.

joeblow 3 years, 10 months ago

... may I suggest both. Imagine the history of the world without Columbus first setting foot in these islands. We acknowledge our pre-eminence in that accomplishment and the major contributions to knowledge and exploration that resulted, not his personal shortcomings perceived through the lens of 21 century sensibilities!

islandgirly15 3 years, 10 months ago

We can just switch the location of both statues. There is no need for Columbus to receive more praise/promotion than Woodes Rogers.

themessenger 3 years, 10 months ago

@ Mandela, Sigh, a typical example of the level of literacy bequeathed to us by the radical priests’ candidate for Government House steps.

moncurcool 3 years, 10 months ago

So the PLP was in power for how many years? And when did they move a petition as the government to take down the statue? And now in opposition they want to bring a petition to parliament? You cannot make up this nonsense. People cannot pay bills and over the hill dont have inside toilets and these people worrying about a darn statue.

But I have a suggestion for them. When they bring the petition to remove Columbus, make sure bring one for Victoria, and also Milo Butler too, and any other statue. .

The_Oracle 3 years, 10 months ago

Erase your history, good and Bad, you will know neither where you are going, or where you came from. Let the self appointed Reverend Father sit and ponder the Biblical path he has chosen. Or shed the cloth and pursue the Political one he has apparently engaged.

ThisIsOurs 3 years, 10 months ago

These types of decisions should be reviewed by a three judge panel. Witness submissions can come from historians so the true weight of the individuals contribution to country can be assessed on a factual basis not the heat of a black peoples movement or political bias

I've thought about what such a process would mean for Sir Lynden. He was a "part" of a freedom fighting movement but he quickly lost his way when he got power and reigned over the drug era. In addition, there were also others who fought alongside him and played equal parts. Does the good of his contribution outweigh the bad? Is he deserving of a place of honour and national symbolism or should he be relegated to a position in a museum only where he is appropriately recognized for his contributions and his failures realistically portrayed. Because others on the frontline weren't tainted by campaigns of victimization and drug scandal. His choices likewise could have been different.

These are the types of considerations that the panel should have a set of objective criteria to assess

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