Nassau, Bahamas - Remarks by Hon. Fred Mitchell Foreign Affairs Minister and Fox Hill MP at the Fox Hill Day Celebration 12th August 201:

I wish to welcome the Prime Minister and all colleagues to this annual celebration.   The PM has been coming here every year since 1998.  I am pleased to welcome him back again.  

Today we remember Shanique Sands, Eric Morrison, Shqauille Demeritte and Claudzino Davis.  These were the four people who were shot and killed on Freedom Park on 27th December.

Life takes twists and turns but we must no matter what do the things that make for peace and build up the common life.  

Today then we mark Fox Hill day which we have been doing since the 1870s.  No it is not true that the news took one week to get to Fox Hill.  It is simply this day is a separate tradition.  The late Dr. Cleveland Eneas spoke of the trek which the people of Bain Town used to make to Fox Hill to mark this day.  

I have copies of last year’s lecture which I would like to leave with the church which outlines the history of Fox Hill.  

I am glad to see you.  Today, I want to speak to some broader values those faithfulness, discipline, loyalty, trust.  

There is a scene in the movie Womanish Ways by Marion Bethel in which one of the supporters of the women’s movement explained how she came to support the right to vote for women.  She said something which this generation could perhaps learn today.  She said Mable Walker came to us and said we must support the right to vote for women.  She was out leader in the Elks. We didn’t know what Ms. Walker was talking about but  since Ms. Walker said so, we signed the petition.

  That is loyalty, faithfulness and trust.  That is what leadership is supposed to enjoy, implicit trust.   The Anglican hymn says: “ Our foes press on from every side, thine aid supply, they strength bestow.”

  I wish you all a happy Fox Hill day.