When you speak with senior Progressive Liberal Party Stalwart Councilors or persons who were eligible to vote for the PLP in the 1962 General Elections, repeatedly you will hear that the PLP’s loss in that Election was perhaps the most devastating of all time. So many of them were certain that the “Movement” which had begun in 1953, and really transcended partisan politics, would have proven successful in that not so fateful year. Notwithstanding the disappointment, there was a greater victory for all Bahamians despite that PLP loss. Not only was it the first time that all sane men 21 and over, irrespective of race and class, could exercise the right to vote but forty-five years ago, 45 short years ago, women finally got the right to vote in this Country, and vote they did in 1962.
Fittingly, the person who appeared on the Love 97/ JCN TV programme Jones and Company, at the beginning of what is embraced as National Women’s Week, was first female deputy leader of a major political party, and first female Deputy Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, PLP Deputy Leader, Cynthia “Mother” Pratt. Amidst all that was educational and even controversial about what was said during the interview, was a response by “Mother” to a question put by Mr. Jones with respect to the way forward for our Country. In no uncertain terms, The Hon. Mother Pratt, a former Nurse, Educator and presently a Minister of the Gospel in addition to her political duties made it clear that we needed to “go back” before we move forward. She insists that as a people we must go back to the basic principles of respect, love, and though increasingly unpopular in a political context, the “fear” of God.
If you didn’t know any better, you could quite easily be persuaded to believe that the progress of this small developing Island Nation is hinged first and foremost on matters of economics, foreign relations, and infrastructure – only. These after all are areas in which solutions are readily available via the history bank of what other countries have done before. And so where it is difficult to dream and have vision in these areas, copying at least sustains us in our pre renaissance state. However, there exists no readily available formula to tell us how to resolve the problems in the area of that which this Nation’s future is truly hinged upon, the “soul of Black folk” (to borrow from W. E. Dubois). Or is there?
Nestled beneath the facts of the modern political history of our Country, and by extension, the early history of the PLP, rest the stuff which once overcame the darkness of a seemingly impossible era of our time. Through it universal suffrage was achieved, as a crowning constitutional victory in what had been a trying struggle on the battle ground of our Parliament. But where all of these victories fell short, there stepped in, the will of a last minute but convicted people who went on to secure Majority Rule, Independence, 34 years of sustainable development, and continued parliamentary democracy. It was the love of Country, respect of self and others, and inspiration that comes only from God which awakened in our people the wherewithal to secure the future of the next generation. As broken as it was, and apathetic because of centuries long denial of fundamental rights and freedoms, and even harsher realities, it was the soul of Black Folk when challenged which overcame, centuries old injustices, White men, their money and their accepted inherent right to control the coffers of this Country. And there in the midst all the while was an ordained man of God, Rev. Harcourt W. Brown, preaching always, the power of those things basic – Respect, Love, God.
We know that it worked then. Like "Mother" Pratt, I can only admonish that we all return to those principles and get back to the business of our future. The next generation is counting on us.
Fittingly, the person who appeared on the Love 97/ JCN TV programme Jones and Company, at the beginning of what is embraced as National Women’s Week, was first female deputy leader of a major political party, and first female Deputy Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, PLP Deputy Leader, Cynthia “Mother” Pratt. Amidst all that was educational and even controversial about what was said during the interview, was a response by “Mother” to a question put by Mr. Jones with respect to the way forward for our Country. In no uncertain terms, The Hon. Mother Pratt, a former Nurse, Educator and presently a Minister of the Gospel in addition to her political duties made it clear that we needed to “go back” before we move forward. She insists that as a people we must go back to the basic principles of respect, love, and though increasingly unpopular in a political context, the “fear” of God.
If you didn’t know any better, you could quite easily be persuaded to believe that the progress of this small developing Island Nation is hinged first and foremost on matters of economics, foreign relations, and infrastructure – only. These after all are areas in which solutions are readily available via the history bank of what other countries have done before. And so where it is difficult to dream and have vision in these areas, copying at least sustains us in our pre renaissance state. However, there exists no readily available formula to tell us how to resolve the problems in the area of that which this Nation’s future is truly hinged upon, the “soul of Black folk” (to borrow from W. E. Dubois). Or is there?
Nestled beneath the facts of the modern political history of our Country, and by extension, the early history of the PLP, rest the stuff which once overcame the darkness of a seemingly impossible era of our time. Through it universal suffrage was achieved, as a crowning constitutional victory in what had been a trying struggle on the battle ground of our Parliament. But where all of these victories fell short, there stepped in, the will of a last minute but convicted people who went on to secure Majority Rule, Independence, 34 years of sustainable development, and continued parliamentary democracy. It was the love of Country, respect of self and others, and inspiration that comes only from God which awakened in our people the wherewithal to secure the future of the next generation. As broken as it was, and apathetic because of centuries long denial of fundamental rights and freedoms, and even harsher realities, it was the soul of Black Folk when challenged which overcame, centuries old injustices, White men, their money and their accepted inherent right to control the coffers of this Country. And there in the midst all the while was an ordained man of God, Rev. Harcourt W. Brown, preaching always, the power of those things basic – Respect, Love, God.
We know that it worked then. Like "Mother" Pratt, I can only admonish that we all return to those principles and get back to the business of our future. The next generation is counting on us.
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