The Tribune

Am begging public support for a holiday to mourn the passing of unclaimed National Hero, the late Arthur D Hanna.

The day of his funeral will be the ideal, if the same is on a weekday or a designated day if funeral is on a weekend.

This will be breaking no new grounds; it will be in keeping with well-established traditions that came into play with the funeral of now acclaimed National Heroes the late Milo B Butler and Lynden Oscar Pindling.

We have nationally advocated that Hanna is in their league in parliament’s approval of having the image of Hanna mounted on the $100 note. Absolutely no true thinking Bahamian will think in contrary times to my thoughts, here, conveyed on behalf of the National Heroes Committee.

We have gotten over that hurdle of feet-dragging when it comes to National elevation, Bahamian style, of our Heroes and Legends.

I beg the government to keep that same blood running in our national veins.

This will certainly drive home, mightly, to our children, that a great Bahamian, an architect of modern-day Bahamas has fallen in the cold hands of death.

Hanna was not only one with Pindling in the forging of our new Bahamas, but indeed, also, with the late Governor General, Milo B Butler. Both of whom suffered the same fate on the same day, physical expulsion, being literally dragged over the green carpeted “floor of democracy” and deposited on the outside, even though elected to be inside to do their constituents business.

Hanna is entitled to a funeral mass within the confines of Christ Church Cathedral. Yet another opportunity to portray this hero for whom he really was, one who broke barriers for us to advance as Bahamians, freed from the enslaving yoke of colonialism. It is the ideal opportunity to make this great man live, come alive one more time in the hearts of a people who loved him now unlike never before. Independence would not have happened in 1973 had it not been for his driving force.

The Republic of the Bahamas would be a present-day reality had his vision been carried through as radical as it was at the time, he was daring enough to help his country steer courageously in the chilly teeth of the prevailing winds of change.

It is this spirit we will capture if we do in death that which we should have done in life for him, take a bold step forward into the unknown. Bahamians are far too conservative in national advancement.

A holiday for Hanna and a Mass, even now, at the cathedral will help Bahamians peep over the horizon and advance the dreams of a dreamer.

One who refused enslaving colonial honours and titles even as Governor General; one who said lets make our country truly sovereign with the attainment of Independence, a Republic.

A man who only wanted to swear allegiance to the Bahamian people rather than to some unattached monarch in a foreign land. For the father of Bahamianzation, let’s pull all stops.

CANON S. SEBASTIAN CAMPBELL, ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL HEROES COMMITTEE

Nassau

August 18, 2021