The Tribune

Abaco Strong

Abaco Strong holds its next Abaco Farmers Market at Treasure Cay Park tomorrow from 9am-2pm.

It will be held in conjunction with a Trunks of Treasure Trunk Show and Flea Market, where members of the community will be selling gently used building supplies, furniture and household items.

The first farmers market was held in Februry in Marsh Harbour at the BAIC plaza and was a huge success. There were more than 25 vendors selling a wide variety of items including vegetables, seedlings, candles, jewelry, prepared food, baked goods, local honey and more.

For more information about Abaco Strong, visit AbacoStrong.org.

Anglican Church Men Council

Tribute to Men on March 18 at 5.30pm. Christ Church Cathedral. 21 men will receive the Bishop Michael Medal of Honour. All are invited to attend.

Antique Auto Club of The Bahamas

The Antique Auto Club of The Bahamas hosts its annual car show on Saturday.

The event takes place at Arawak Cay from noon until 6pm.

As well as the cars themselves, there will also be food, games and prizes.

Entry is $10, or $5 for children.

Some of the club’s Edukarting students will also be present - who were at the Motorsports Olympics last year in France with Team Bahamas.

One of the adopt-a-karts will also be present, and officials of the Bahamas Games Secretariat will be in attendance - with Edukarting to be featured as part of the Bahamas Games.

Bahamas Anglican Cursillo Ministry

Lenten Reflections will be held on March 25 at 4pm at Mt Olivet, Bishop Lodge, Fox Hill Road. Come and hear seven clergy give seven mediations. Light refreshments will be served. All are invited to attend.

Bahamas Mind Over Miles

Elite Outdoor Fitness will host the Bahamas Mind Over Miles 5k and 10k run, with 4 Seasons Race Management, on May 27 at Montagu Beach at 6am.

The event is being held in conjunction with the Potter’s Cay Fruit, Fish and Vegetable Vendors’ Assocation.

Registration fee is $25 and ther will be a DJ, cash prizes and surprises in addition to the event, while food and drinks will be on sale.

Contact Marco Armbrister on 421-1106 or email marcoarmbrister@icloud. com.

Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge

Officers and members of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands, and its subordinate lodges, recently commemorated the Grand Lodge’s 73rd anniversary during the regular bi-monthly meeting of Royal Eagle Lodge No I, held February 27. The Prince Hall Masons were joined by Brothers from the English, Irish and Scottish Constitutions.

The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas was constituted by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the State of New York on February 27, 1950, with Bro William Watson-Thompson as its first Grand Master of Masons. Twenty-five years later, the MWPHGL was incorporated by an Act of Parliament, commencing August 5, 1975.

The hosting of the anniversary meeting at Royal Eagle Lodge No I was of further historic proportions as the lodge will commemorate its 125th anniversary October 1, 2023. The then Royal Eagle Lodge No 45 was warranted by the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the State of New York on October 1, 1898 with Brother FW Adderley as its first Worshipful Master.

The celebrations are being held at a significant time in Bahamian history, as the country approaches its Golden Anniversary (50th) of Independence - The Road to Fifty – on July 10, 2023. The Prince Hall legacy has been inextricably interwoven with the history of The Bahamas in both the pre and post-Independence eras which includes playing major roles in the march to Majority Rule (January 10, 1967) and Independence. The Prince Hall Family of Masons has been devoted to social, political and economic improvement within the Commonwealth.

To provide context, Prince Hall Masons have played, and continue to play, pivotal roles at the three levels of government – executive, legislative (Parliament) and judiciary - in addition to the fields of education, religion, national security and law enforcement, cancer education and awareness, the legal profession, media, civic organisations, medicine, sports, banking and finance, business, the trade union movement, politics, arts, culture “and every area of our society in the building of our nation”.

It was Prince Hall Masons in the persons of Brothers Sir Lynden Pindling, Arthur D Hanna, George A Smith, Cecil Wallace-Whitfield, Philip M Bethel and Clement T Maynard who were among the framers of the Bahamian Constitution.

It was Prince Hall Masons serving in the government of The Bahamas, and headed by Prime Minister Lynden Pindling, and the Opposition, headed by Sir Kendal Isaacs, who led a delegation to London to discuss the Independence Constitution (December, 1972). On April 2, 1973, then Minster of Home Affairs RF Anthony Roberts announced in the House of Assembly that The Bahamas had a new flag.

The country’s new flag (which replaced the Union Jack), along with the Coat-of-Arms, was designed by Brother Hervis Bain. Brother Timothy Gibson composed the National Anthem – March On, Bahamaland which was adopted in 1973.

It was Prince Hall Masons who headed the first Independence Advisory Council and first The Bahamas Independence Secretariat which was responsible for planning the inaugural celebrations in 1973 in the persons of Lynden O Pindling (chairman, Independence Advisory Council), and Bro George Smith (chairman, Bahamas Independence Secretariat who served as Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister).

It was Prince Hall Masons who, along with others, and, recognising the value Bahamian women could make to the socio-economic development of the country, played leading roles in advocating for equal rights for women that led to the Women’s Suffrage Movement.

It was Members of the Order whose vision and foresight led to an independent Bahamas and the end of British Rule and under whose guidance the policy of Bahamianisation was instituted which resulted in qualified Bahamians being promoted to leadership positions in all spheres of society, but particularly the national economy and the Public Service which was hitherto unheard of.

The Prince Hall Family of Masons and Order of Eastern Star can boast of having among its membership former Premier Sir Roland Symonette, in addition to Prime Ministers Sir Lynden O Pindling, Hubert A Ingraham, Perry G Christie and Phillip “Brave” Davis among its membership.

Governors General Sir Gerald C Cash, Sir Clifford Darling, Arthur D Hanna and Cornelius Smith have been among Brothers who have received the Grand Lodge’s highest honorary designation – that of Past Grand Master, for their contributions to the Order, in the first instance, and society as a whole.

Prince Hall Brothers have served as leaders of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition - Brothers Sir Lynden O Pindling, Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield, Hubert A Ingraham, Philip E Davis and Michael C Pintard; as Chief Justice, Sir Cyril Fountain, and as Commander Defence Force, in the person of Commodore Leon Smith, the first Bahamian to serve as Commander, Defence Force. Prince Hall Masons have also served as Speaker of the House of Assembly.

Today, many Prince Hall Masons and Eastern Stars continue to honorably serve their country in the Halls of Parliament – both at the Senate and House levels.

Most Worshipful Past Grand Master of Masons, Carl R Culmer, in his charge to Brothers in attendance said: “While we can learn much from our past, we cannot be satisfied with those accomplishments” but must build upon “what our Brothers have done to bring us to where we are today.”

Past Grand Master Culmer admonished the Brothers to ensure that Prince Hall Lodges across the archipelago: “Become more involved in training and directing our Brothers in order for them to be better prepared to continue in the footsteps laid for us.”

“My Brothers, we must be more than about Titles, Collars and Numbers. There is nothing in Masonry that prevents us from building business, mentoring our youth, speaking out on troubling issues, moving beyond political, religion and social lines. The opportunities are there waiting for us to embrace them. Our Brothers prior to us have set a golden standard and wrote a great 73 and 50-year history. What will our Brothers say about us in the next 73 years, or on the Road to 100?”

Brother Leslie M Dean, the 16th Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, speaking on the way forward, says he envisions the Order’s continued growth and contribution “in the further achievements of this great archipelagic nation – spreading the cement of Brotherly Love throughout these fair islands and adjacent territories, building brick-by-brick”.

“Our Masonic leadership role within the various societies and communities must be constant, positive and relevant, building and shaping the minds and character of our young boys and men, and girls and women, through our various mentorship programmes” Grand Master Dean said. “It is my hope that our Masonic product will enlarge and redound to the benefit of our Masonic Jurisdiction specifically, and the wider society generally.”

Rotary Club of South-East Nassau

The Rotary Club of South-East Nassau will hold its Fun Run Walk event on Saturday, Martch 25, starting at 5am.

The route runs from Rotary Park at Western Esplanade to Goodman’s Bay and back.

Corporate registration is available for $1,500 (gold), $1,000 (silver), $500 (bronze), and $300 (supporting).

Individual registration costs $20 or free for children under 12.