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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 Today, our beautiful chain of islands celebrates 43 years of independence from British Rule. 43 years since a group of bright and bold Bahamian men and women fought for the right to govern themselves, to set their own course for the future and find their own version of freedom.
That journey which began with the likes of Sir Lynden Pindling, A. D. Hanna and Sir Randol Fawkes continues today. In the past four decades, Bahamians have excelled. We have become Rhodes Scholars, world class athletes, engineers, teachers and preachers. We have made incalculable contributions to the development of our great nation and nations around the world, and in many ways, we are a fulfillment of the dream our forefathers had of a free and independent people.
Like our forefathers before us however, we have come to yet another critical juncture in our country’s history. While many of us have excelled, many more of us have fallen victim to unaddressed cracks in the system. Some of us have lost sight of the values which once held our families together. Some of us traded in hard work for quick fixes and fast money. We have in my cases become an angry people, a violent people unable to settle our differences without the use of physical force. In some cases we have been betrayed by those elected to guard our interests, and, in other cases, we have simply been failed by government systems which have not evolve with the needs of the public.
Even in the face of these challenges however, we can have hope. It was Voltaire who once wrote “Injustice in the end produces independence”. Our forefathers also faced injustices but from those injustices was born a movement which propelled our country forward. Now more than ever, we must not allow injustice to defeat us. Instead, we must be spurred to action, to continue the journey to Freedom which began 43 years ago. We must remember who we are, and tap into the powerful lessons handed down by those that came before.
It is my hope that Bahamians across this great archipelago are able to recognize the power of this very moment and seize it, for the decisions we make now will have far reaching and long lasting implications for future generations of Bahamians.
The road to freedom, true freedom – from fear, freedom from economic and mental bondage – will not be easy, but we are a proud people, a resilient people, and a resourceful and determined people. As long as we are able to keep this thought at the forefront of our collective consciousness, I have no doubt that the Freedom we seek will be ours. Happy Independence Day Bahamas!
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