The Tribune

By Simon

When the late Rodney Bain, who was the first Bahamian Secretary to the Cabinet, was tragically killed in a car accident while still in office, senior members of Sir Lynden Pindling’s cabinet rushed to the scene of the accident, horrified and reeling.

It was a personal loss for his family, friends and colleagues. The death was also a blow to the government and the country.

The untimely death of the first Bahamian to head the public service in a newly independent Bahamas saddened Bahamians of all political stripes. Rodney, an Anglophile, was a courtly gentleman. He was also deeply, loyally Bahamian.

Unlike the British heads of the civil service, Bain’s compelling interest was the advancement and development of a sovereign Bahamas, which became independent amidst global economic turbulence, including the October 1973 oil embargo by OPEC, which plummeted the world into panic and recession.

It is unfortunate that the building downtown Nassau, which bears Rodney’s name, is derelict and an eyesore. It is a sad sign of the desperate state of much of our public infrastructure, neglected by successive governments. The building is reportedly set to be demolished and replaced by a new Supreme Court complex.

Post-independence, the public service has grown in numbers and in the quality of officers. Despite the many and glaring deficiencies in the service, we have a more sophisticated bureaucracy in terms of personnel and the myriad functions of a 21st century government.

The love of country and patriotism exhibited by Bain and his generation of public officers has been exemplified by new generations of officers who have served a post-independent Bahamas with energy and intellect.

Like Rodney, Joshua Sears, who passed away yesterday, also exemplified a commitment to building a more equitable country with greater access to opportunity for more Bahamians.

In his character and work ethic Mr Sears epitomised the best of public service. This included service as a public officer and his broader national service. He was devoted to his family, to The Bahamas and Exuma, to his church, and to his friends.

Mild-mannered and approachable, he was ever humble. He achieved many top posts in government including those of permanent secretary, director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ambassador, and chief policy advisor to the prime minister.

The scores of those who worked with him as colleagues and subordinates attest to his decency and integrity. He deployed his keen intellect in various areas of public and economic policy.

A particular interest was foreign policy and international relations. He brought to debates on foreign affairs a historical perspective. He listened intently and was prepared to adjust or change his views based on the quality of the arguments presented. He was diplomatic by nature and discipline.

Unlike some others who held similar posts, he did not use office for personal gain or self-aggrandisement. He eschewed the breezy corruption of those who used office for personal gain rather than public service. He abhorred victimisation.

Though a strong and devout FNM, he treated those of other political affiliations with respect. Indeed, he did not ask others who worked with or for him how they voted. He helped promote many public officers based on merit.

An Exumian by birth, he never forgot the needs of Family Islanders. Josh was at home in the back of Fish Fry with friends for some drinks and good conversation, or in a remote Family Island settlement, as he was in the corridors of power at home and abroad.

Hardworking and intelligent, Josh was dedicated to a developing a better Bahamas, serving in various ministries over a long career as a public officer and diplomat. He was an effective and productive senior civil servant.

Usually the soft voice of reason, he spoke deliberately and carefully, offering his best judgment. He laughed easily. A man of kindness, he never sought to embarrass or harm others.

Today, we know well the ritual and understandable complaints and problems in the public sector. There are deficiencies of competence, personnel and procedures. The bureaucracy can be mind-numbingly slow and inept, endlessly frustrating Bahamians.

Still, we often fail to extend deserved praise to the public officers who spend careers protecting our streets and borders; educating our children; caring for our health; monitoring our environment; and administering departments and ministries, among a much longer list of public service.

The Bahamas Public Service is populated with professionals who often far outstrip in talent, expertise and judgement, many in the private sector, which is also often rife with incompetence and lethargy.

There are public officers, who earn considerably less than quite a number in private enterprise, though the former may be more talented and productive. But there is a satisfaction many of these officers enjoy including their significant contributions to national development and the common good.

The dismissive and contemptuous treatment by staff in a number of commercial banks, mostly in recent years, stands in contrast to many public officers who serve with consideration and empathy.

We tend to breezily generalise about the merits of the private sector and the demerits of the public sector. The reality is more multilayered.

This is not to deny that there are quite a number of surly and condescending public officers who can ruin one’s day because of their attitudes or gross inefficiency. Nevertheless, there is quality of service in a number of areas.

After 50 years of national sovereignty, there remains much work to be done to improve the public service, especially our administrative core and corps, and especially in senior positions.

Yet, even as we honestly face our deficiencies and promote change, we should offer grateful praise for those past and current public officers to whom we owe gratitude for their integrity, excellence, work ethic and service to country.

The current generation of public officers can learn much from Josh Sears, who was the consummate gentleman and public officer. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

And he will be missed by his government and political colleagues, all of whom have dear memories of a fine public officer, a fine Bahamian, and a good and fine human being. Thank you, Josh, for your service and for your example.