The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I am not sure why secular musicians and irreligious Bahamians are all riled up over the Independence Day Committee’s decision to feature a Christ-centered motif for our upcoming Independence Day celebrations.

The Preamble of the Bahamian Constitution mentions our “abiding respect for Christian values.”

Moreover, many religious Progressive Liberal Party supporters in the months leading up to January 10, 1967, and immediately following that historic day saw biblical similarities between Majority Rule Day, the Passover and the Exodus in the Old Testament.

That is why Bahamian historians had nicknamed Sir Lynden Pindling the Black Moses.

The Bahamas, at least from a cultural standpoint, is a Christian country. The Minnis administration’s spiritual approach to the 48th anniversary of Independence reminds this writer of the Assyrian monarch in the Old Testament book of Jonah, who led his nation in repentance before Yahweh. God always holds the governmental and ecclesiastical authorities responsible for the spiritual condition of the nation. This is also evident in the Old Testament book of Joel.

Bahamian evangelicals should applaud the Minnis administration for recognising God’s sovereignty in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and the catastrophic Hurricane Dorian.

I think both Dorian and COVID-19 represents the two greatest challenges The Bahamas has faced since 1973. Indeed, both could’ve easily sunk this small developing country into oblivion; and for awhile, it was looking like that would be the case.

Yet some 15 months after the first emergency proclamation was issued, tourism is rebounding with a vengeance.

Both Atlantis Paradise Island and Baha Mar are buzzing with activity, with the latter recently opening its $200m theme park.

Royal Caribbean International and Carnival Cruise Lines are now sailing and Crystal Cruises is wooing thousands of American vacationers to our country.

The Bahamas now seems poised to head into a period of unprecedented economic prosperity, owing to the fact that so many millions of North Americans and Europeans are anxious to travel, after enduring over a year of lockdowns and travel restrictions. Indeed, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar claimed that approximately 400,000 tourists have visited our jurisdiction in 2021.

I believe this ongoing turnaround can be directly attributed to God, Who has extended His mercy to this nation. Many Bahamian prayer warriors had been interceding on behalf of this country and its political leaders, especially throughout 2020.

The Minnis administration and its Independence Day Committee are spot on to acknowledge God during our upcoming July 10th celebrations. Independence Day 2021 should be a time of thanksgiving, praise and adoration to the God of The Bahamas for steering us through a tumultuous two-year period. It should also be a time of national repentance.

If nothing else Bahamians should’ve learned from Dorian and COVID-19, it is how utterly vulnerable we are in the hands of an omnipotent God. COVID-19 had brought the United States and other developed countries to their knees. I hope that committee members don’t capitulate to the secular musicians.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport, Grand Bahama.

July 5, 2021.