The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I consider former Prime Minister Hubert Alexander Ingraham to be the greatest political leader in the annals of modern Bahamian history. If Sir Lynden Pindling is the Black Moses, then Ingraham is the Black Joshua, who led The Bahamas into the land of Canaan, where true democracy along with its attendant freedom of speech and expression, evident in the opening of the airwaves, resides.

Clint Watson's Beyond the Headlines on ILTV, 100 JAMZ, Jones Communications Network, Guardian Radio, BCN TV, Island FM, Peace 107.5 FM and other private media houses, all owe their existence to Ingraham, who had the progressive foresight to end the decades-old monopoly held by the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas. Ingraham's aim of cleaning up the tarnished image of The Bahamas, while bringing in foreign investors, resulted in the advent of Atlantis on Paradise Island, Bah Mar on Cable Beach and a slew of other multimillion dollar foreign direct investments throughout The Bahamas. Both Ingraham and his former law partner, Perry Christie (Centerville), were fired from the Pindling Cabinet in 1984 for voicing their disapproval of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) subsequent to the 1984 Commission of Inquiry. Both successfully ran as Independents in the 1987 general election, which was held on June 19, 1987.

The FNM, led by Sir Kendal G L Isaacs, who served as attorney general under the United Bahamian Party in 1963, decided against fielding candidates in North Abaco and Centerville, which insured that the two erstwhile PLP MPs would be re-elected to Parliament. The PLP would win, shockingly, 31 of the 49 seats; the FNM 16. Five years, two months later, on a Wednesday, which was August 19, 1992 – during the Quincentennial celebrations of Christopher Columbus's discovery of San Salvador and the New World in 1492 – the FNM would win 33 seats; the PLP 16. Ingraham would join the FNM in 1990, becoming leader after the untimely death of Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield. He was about 44 and energetic. His audacity in openly challenging the "Chief" caught thousands of Bahamians completely off guard. Derisively nicknamed the "Delivery Boy" by Pindling, his former political mentor, Ingraham's charisma was a welcome change to FNMs accustomed to the benign, laissez faire attitude of Isaacs.

Many FNMs took issue with Isaacs for not challenging the results of the 1987 election. He would be appointed acting governor general in 1992, being privileged to read the speech from the throne. The substantive governor general, Sir Clifford Darling, did not participate in the opening of Parliament. Many FNMs, feeling wronged by the outgoing PLP administration, balked at the idea of having Sir Clifford read the speech from the throne. The political wounds of these FNMs was still fresh. I am convinced that had Ingraham had his way, Sir Clifford would've fulfilled his duties as governor general. Ingraham showed political maturity by allowing Sir Clifford to remain in his post as governor general until January 1995, when he was succeeded by Sir Orville Turnquest. Ingraham vowed to end state sanctioned political victimization, which was new to the Bahamian people, accustomed to the tribal practice, dating all the way back to the Bay Street authorities. If I recall correctly, the FNM's election theme was deliverance. Its campaign Manifesto was breathtaking and progressive.

Pushing the election date two months beyond the constitutionally allotted five years, Pindling was accused on engaging in stalling tactics in order to avoid the inevitable. Truth be told, the general election in 1992 should've been held in June, not August. In an August 21, 1992 article written in The New York Times, it was said that FNM strategists had opined that Pindling made the "fundamental error by scheduling the vote during the summer, when college students traditionally return from studies overseas." Obviously, the young voting demographic were not old enough to appreciate the significance of Majority Rule Day or the achievement of Independence from Great Britain. The issue dogging The Bahamas in 1992 was the lack of employment opportunities.

Pindling would hold on to his South Andros seat until his retirement in 1997. PLP heavyweights such as Sir Clement T. Maynard, A.D. Hanna and Milo Butler Jr. were among the many shocking political casualties of the historic 1992 general election. If my memory serves me correctly, one of the ZNS TV13 panelists on election night was the late Norman Solomon, who gave an accurate assessment of the stunning results. In my opinion, the August 19, 1992 general election is one of the most important dates on our secular calendar. In fact, I think it is more important than Independence Day. I have stated before that Sir Randol Fawkes had bandied with the idea of independence years before the PLP wrested control of the government from the Bay Street oligarchs in 1967. I consider that day in August of 1992 to be when The Bahamas was providentially afforded a much needed reset, made possible by a national treasure named Hubert Alexander Ingraham.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport, Grand Bahama.

August 18, 2021.