In Memory of Sir Lynden

I shall not in my writing, attempt to demonize a man while vindicating another. Like him I am able, but unlike John Marquis my gift shall not be used in venom and spite. Every one is eventually weighed according to his or her deeds, and because none is above reproach, it is hoped that when all is said and done history reflects that one’s life effected more good than harm, and that shortcomings as gross and unforgivable as they may be, even in the imaginations of those who know not truth, fade in comparison to all that was noble and kind and notable about one’s momentary existence. That analysis awaits John Marquis as well.

Similarly, I am in no position to vindicate a man whom having already been weighed posthumously, leaves a conceded legacy which strides about the landscape of the history of the modern Bahamas as a colossus. Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling needs no vindication. While some, in the face of aspersions cast by a meaningless entity, wish to recount his many achievements for and on behalf of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and its people, one generation removed from segregation and oppression, as some form of defense, I regard the current episode, a shining testimony of the timeless contribution of L.O. to an emerging successful democracy.

That an Englishman can in this Country write about our hero and not be ruthlessly bound and killed; or that such a story can be published by a negro-owned paper that has survived for decades; or that the said article can ignite the level of debate and level of patriotism that prior to seemed dormant, is noteworthy. Out of the vitriolic motive and ramblings of a broken man, we hear the echoes of a giant, who though lying in the dust, can never die but forever lives amidst us. More compelling than our current woes and crises, John Marquis’ article revives for us Sir Lynden’s admonition in the face of all and any adversity, in the face of all and any adversary, to “Step Now!” and in our stepping, we must commit to going “All The Way!” And with this we prove again the scriptural words of the prophet, that what man intended for evil, God has turned into our good.

When we speak of the British monarchy we do so in transcendence of their many sins. When we worship the Hebrew liberator, Moses we overlook his murderous past, the same applies to their “gangster-ish” King David, described no less, as a man after God’s own heart. We overlook the philandering nature of Martin Luther King Jr., as we accept the many flaws, known and unknown of Sir Winston Churchill. We lend this kind of credence and respect to certain figures in history because the sacrifice in what they achieved for others, indeed for our quality of life even now, far outweighs the frailty of their humanity. In The Bahamas, this is no less the case for a far less controversial, Lynden Pindling.

Life so opportune, that I knew of Sir Lynden beyond what I had heard or read. Even beyond my acquaintance with him through my father who served as a Member of Parliament for two terms in his Government, my last correspondence with Sir Lynden was a matter of months before his death. He had sent to me, at the University of Buckingham, a letter and a copy of his last public address in Grand Bahama, in what was his last effort to redeem me from my youthful ignorance also uttered on the platform of that final public gathering in Grand Bahama.

Long before I gained some semblance of wisdom, Sir Lynden chastised me for my position on the role of the Grand Bahama Port Authority in Freeport. Borrowing from his “Bend or Break” speech, I fashioned my presentation along the suggestion that those controlling the business climate in Freeport should “break or be broken.” Thereafter until our last correspondence he tried to convince me that the militancy of the past may no longer have been appropriate but that the next generation should advocate for greater partnership and cooperation between the powers that be and the Bahamian people. After years of trial and error, it is a lesson that I now employ as truth.

As with his stance on National Youth Service and National Health Insurance for example, this typified the extraordinary vision of Sir Lynden who was always years ahead, peering into the future of the Bahamian context and struggling for the fulfillment of a potentially better way of life. Yet more amazing than this is the fact that he made himself available and accessible even to confused young people. And that this exemplified the crowning achievement of his walk among us – he loved us, even the marginalized, especially the ordinary. He loved us and more often than not was loved by us, and he was prepared at moments notice to lay down his life for us. Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, first Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas was my friend – and yours too. For this, by overwhelming sentiment, we crowned him, “Father of the Nation.” For this, the then Free National Movement Government made the decision that he should adorn the currency that most of us can now only find in abundance, to remind us of his common touch. For this a far more important Brit, whose opinion is far more highly regarded and trustworthy, Knighted him and called him, “Sir!”

There is quite a bit of hate and anger infusing the essence of who we are as a people. In fact the hatred for Lynden Pindling in particular, is for some (those who grew up cussing him) almost entrenched. The fire of most of the membership of the Free National Movement is fueled by a hatred, an unforgiveness for Sir Lynden and the PLP. There can be no doubt that the general condition of Bahamian society, with its crime and violence, the arrested development of its youth, and the warring pens of some of its leaders, journalists and commentators, has been directly infected by those Bahamians who perceive themselves or loved ones to have been slighted or betrayed by past members of the PLP.

We can no longer allow this hate to creep in and ruin us. Just as we cannot allow John Marquis through the abuse of his position, privilege and pen, playing on our sub conscience and battered emotions to further divide us on the subject of Sir Lynden Pindling. We have already cemented our decision in Bahamian history. We did so in harmony, with Marguerite Lady Pindling on the day she led the procession down streets lined in great numbers with Bahamians of all walks of life to his final resting place. We did so with the contribution of white Bahamians and Black Bahamians, rich and poor, lettered and somewhat educated, PLP and FNM, friend and long-time foe, Christian, rasta-man, and undecided, indigenous Bahamian and paper made. He was weighed and with the majority of Bahamian opinion, after all was said and done, the verdict was unanimous: despised by a few, loved by the majority, respected by ALL … Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling, FATHER OF THE MODERN BAHAMAS!

MAY HIS SOUL BE ALLOWED TO REST IN PEACE.