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Last Updated: Jul 4, 2020 - 2:10:35 AM |
DPM GIVES WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest was the keynote speaker at the 47th Bahamas Independence National Pride Day Flag Raising Ceremony, held in Freeport, Grand Bahama, July 3, 2020 on the grounds of the Office of the Prime Minister. The Deputy Prime Minister said Grand Bahama and The Bahamas will overcome the challenges caused by Hurricane Dorian and the Covid-19 Pandemic. (BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)
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FREEPORT, Grand Bahama -- “We will overcome the challenge of Hurricane Dorian and we will overcome the compounding challenge of Covid-19,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Peter Turnquest stated during his keynote address at the 47th Bahamas Independence National Pride Day Flag Raising Ceremonies in Freeport, Grand Bahama, July 3, 2020.
Reflecting on the trials Grand Bahama has been through over the years, Minister Turnquest noted that Grand Bahamians possess a resilient spirit. “We have been tested over and over and over again and although we stumble, though we fall to a knee, we have not succumbed to the pressure, to the disappointment and to the despair.”
HOISTING THE FLAG – Kicking off celebrations for the 47th Bahamas Independence anniversary was the Flag Raising ceremony in Grand Bahama, on the grounds of the Office of the Prime Minister in Freeport, Grand Bahama. Members of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and the Royal Bahamas Police Force hoist the Bahamian Flag at the conclusion of Friday’s ceremony. (BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)
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The Deputy Prime Minister charged both the president and vice-president of the Grand Bahama Christian Council, that as the government seeks to try and take care of the physical needs of the Bahamian people, pastors are urged to fulfill the important task of taking care of the souls and the spiritual needs of all Bahamians.
He added, “We have to thank our private sector because we certainly could not have done any of this without your support, encouragement and entrepreneurial spirit. I also want to thank those from the public sector, who continue to partner together to ensure that this island that we love, this country that we love, continues to move forward, upward, onward, together.
“Today, as we raise our National Flag, the colours remind us that no matter our diverse background and paths as Bahamians, we share a common bond. Gold speaks to the rich resources of the land and the sea; blue notes the waters that surround The Bahamas; and black, a strong color, represents the vigour and force of a united people.
“The triangle, pointing towards the body of the Flag, depicts the enterprise and determination of the Bahamian people.”
GB MINISTER’S ADDRESS – Minister of State for Grand Bahama Senator Kwasi Thompson, during his Flag Raising ceremony address in Grand Bahama on Friday, July 3, 2020, said Bahamians are having to learn to adjust to the new norm, not just in the Bahamas but throughout the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic. (BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)
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The Deputy Prime Minister noted that since the first day when the Bahamian Flag was hoisted, no one could have imagined 47 years later that we would be living in a different world, where a global coronavirus pandemic would shape the way we live. He added that the Bahamian spirit will again triumph and the country will champion its setbacks and create opportunities as a result of the present trials.
“Forty-seven years later, our country and our world has been slapped with new norms -- every Bahamian must now play a part in transforming our nation for the better.
“As we raise our National Flag, our record of accomplishment shows that as a people we have always risen to the occasion. Independence is a profound feat. Our struggles and success stories are all connected to July 10th, 1973.
“The raising of our National Flag calls for reflection. Our Flag shines our national pride and the beauty of this moment is bigger than whatever can possibly divide us. We’ve come a long way, with many more miles to travel. Let us all today commit to nation building and to a united Bahamas.”
Also bringing remarks during Friday morning’s event was Minister of State for Grand Bahama, Senator the Hon. Kwasi Thompson, who noted that 47 years ago, the Fathers of the nation had embarked upon a new journey for an independent Bahamas. Thinking back, he said, “They must have had to overcome much fear, much doubt and a lot of uncertainty. Well, today, The Bahamas is filled with much fear, doubt and uncertainty. But as our theme for this year’s celebration suggests, we are pressing onward and this is a time of hope, triumph and transformation.”
The Grand Bahama Minister took the opportunity to thank all of the essential workers who have endured tough working conditions during the Covid-19 pandemic. He thanked police officers, defence force officers, doctors, nurses, immigration and customs officers, and all others who worked on the front lines.
He also paid a special tribute to those individuals who worked in the Emergency Center of the Office of the Prime Minister during the passage and aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.
“You will forever be my brothers and sisters, because it was during that time that we were in this building flooded out and taking care of the rest of the island, even while your personal homes were being devastated by the storm,” said Minister Thompson.
“Yet, you were committed to being here and taking care of the rest of the island. I say ‘thank you’ to you.”
© Copyright 2020 by thebahamasweekly.com
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