Former police commissioner Paul Rolle.
Order of The Bahamas
Hon Philip Bethel, Companion
Gail Saunders. Companion
Rev Dr Michael Symonette, Officer
Rupert Roberts Jr., Officer
George Myers, Member
Judge Joseph Strachan, Member
Hon Henry Bowen, Companion (Posthumously)
Hon Cadwell Armbrister, Companion (Posthumously)
Sir Clement Maynard, Companion (Posthumously)
Hon Carlton Francis, Companion (Posthumously)
Anthony Roberts, Companion (Posthumously)
Sir Kendal Isaacs, Companion (Posthumously)
Hon Norman Solomon, Companion (Posthumously)
Hon J Oswald Ingraham, Companion (Posthumously)
Robert Hanlon Symonette, Companion (Posthumously)
Sir Durward Knowles,Companion (Posthumously)
Emmanuel Osadebay, Officer (Posthumously)
Judge Neville Smith, Member (Posthumously)
Order of Distinction
Dr Conville Brown, Companion
George Weech, Companion
Neko Grant, Companion
Raleigh Butler II, Companion
Obie Ferguson Jr, Companion
Vylma Thompson Curling, Companion
Paul A O Rolle, Companion
Ellison Greenslade, Companion
Anthony Ferguson, Companion
Paul Farquharson, Companion
Reginald Ferguson, Companion
Michael Major, Officer
Ishmael Lightbourne, Officer
Gene Sands, Officer
Dorcena Nixon Rolle, Officer
Dr Nelson Clarke, Officer
Sybil Curtis, Officer
Celeste Lockhart, Officer
Barbara Cartwright, Officer
Kenrick O Murray, Officer
Senior Commander Amos Rolle, Companion (Posthumously)
Captain Simpson Penn, Companion (Posthumously)
Persis Rodgers, Officer (Posthumously)
Order of Merit
Pastor David Burrows, Companion
Warren Rolle, Companion
Cecil Thompson, Companion
Frankie Hinzey, Companion
Bishop Ellis Farrington, Companion
Ansel Saunders, Companion
Romeo Farrington, Companion
Gregory Burrows, Companion
Austin Knowles Sr, Companion
Paul Smith, Companion
Bishop Lawrence Rolle, Companion
Wellington Miller, Companion
Pastor Jeremiah Duncombe, Companion
Anthony Robinson, Companion
Maurice Tynes, Companion
Mario Donato, Companion
Louis Hanchell, Officer
Khandi Gibson, Officer
Alpheus “Hawk” Finlayson, Officer
Philip Burrows, Officer
Sonia Cox Hamilton, Officer
Denise Mortimer, Officer
Pearlene Cartwright, Officer
Elder Cora McPhee, Officer
Francina Horton, Officer
Gloria Ferguson, Officer
Nathe Russell, Officer
Andrea Gibson, Officer
Godfrey Eneas, Officer
Lawrence Burnside, Officer
Mark Knowles, Officer
Della Thomas, Officer
Mychal Thompson, Officer
Dr Norman Gay, Officer
Winfred Russell, Officer
Oswald Moore, Officer
Churchhill Tener-Knowles, Officer
Leo Rolle, Officer
Ali Culmer, Officer
Winton “Tappy” Davis, Officer
Andy Knowles, Officer
Rex Burnside, Officer
Allan Ingraham, Officer
Ed Smith, Officer
Phil Antonio, Officer
Florence “Flo” Rolle, Officer
Captain Ekron Pratt, Officer
Rev Dr Alonzo Hinsey, Officer
Frances Le’de’e, Officer
Yonell Justilien, Officer
Marie Ferguson, Officer
Sonja Knowles, Officer
Pericles Maillis, Officer
Vernal Sands, Officer
Cynthia Wells, Officer
Mario Simms, Officer
Bobby “Baylor” Fernander, Officer
Shelton Beneby, Officer
William Munnings, Officer
Rev Dr Charles Rolle, Officer
Angela Pratt Rolle, Officer
Tammy Ferguson Culmer, Officer
Edward Penn, Member
Anita Doherty, Member (Posthumously)
Rev Gilbert Rolle, Officer
Jason Albury, Member
Randy Ferguson, Member
Richard Manning, Member
Jenson Burrows, Member
Sean Smith, Member
Brad Thompson, Member
Ricky Martin, Member
Bishop B Wenith Davis, Companion (Posthumously)
Edison Armbrister, Officer (Posthumously)
Bertram “Cowboy” Musgrove, Officer (Posthumously)
William “Yahama Bahama” Brennan, Officer (Posthumously)
Elisha Obed, Officer (Posthumously)
Carl Minns, Officer (Posthumously)
Leon “Apache” Knowles, Officer (Posthumously)
Leonard “Boston Blackie” Miller, Officer (Posthumously)
Natasha Newbold, Officer (Posthumously)
Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson, Officer (Posthumously)
Sloan Farrington, Officer (Posthumously) Cecil Cooke, Officer Posthumously)
Rolle Gray, Officer (Posthumously)
Billy Lowe, Officer (Posthumously)
Sir Durward Knowles, Officer (Posthumously)
Osborne “Ank” Rahming, Officer (Posthumously)
Hezron Moxey, Officer (Posthumously)
Willard Cunningham, Officer (Posthumously)
Bishop Albert Hepburn, Member (Posthumously)
Rev Fr Addison Turnquest, Member (Posthumously)
Billy Rolle, Member(Posthumously)
Andre Rodgers, Companion (Posthumously)
Order of Lignum Vitae
Marine Seaman Edward Williams (Posthumously) Marine Seaman Austin Smith (Posthumously)
Marine Seaman David Tucker (Posthumously)
Able Seaman Fenrick Sturrup (Posthumously)
Medals for Acts of Bravery
Able Seaman Trevor Sands
Michelet Meronard
Captain Anthony Allens
Force Chief Petty Officer Denzil Clarke
Captain Whitfield Neely
Chief Petty Officer Anthony Russell
Chief Petty Officer Eugene Thompson
John Wallace
Leading Seaman Willard Saunders
Force Chief Petty Officer Peterson James
Samuel Mackey
Able Seaman Cladwell Farrington Sr.
Force Chief Petty Officer Gregory Curry
Petty Officer Leo Kirby (Posthumously)
Marine Seaman Edward Williams (Posthumously) Marine Seaman Austin Smith (Posthumously)
Marine Seaman David Tucker (Posthumously)
Able Seaman Fenrick Sturrup (Posthumously)
Chief Petty Officer Oscar Miller (Posthumously)
Sub Lieutenant Wilfred Sands (Posthumously)
Distinguished Service Medal
Deslene Cumberbatch-Lowe
Melford Clarke
Aldeka Thompson
Beverly Thomas Taylor
Winifred Murphy
Patricia Bethel
Vanderson Ferguson
Yvonne Moncur
Sharon Rose-Hutchinson
Alice Inniss
William Saunders
Olive Minnis
Debra Strachan
Jeffery Forbes
William Swain
Christine Lightbourne
Mirley Conyers
Wellington “Butch” Johnson Dr Nizamuddin Bacchus
Helen Stubbs
Diana Thompson
Joshua Culmer, Sr, JP
Cheryl Lloyd-Pinder
Fredrick Bonaby
Margarette Thompson Bain ❖ Claudine Virgil
Dr Francina Thurston
Christine Newbold Saunders
James Pinder
Inez Spence
Daphne Sawyer
Nurse Linda Stuart
Ashley Saunders
Fabian Stuart
Barbara Checkley
Mark Scott
Henry Bain
Luden Gibson
Francita Neely
Charlene Curry
Rev Irene Rolle (Posthumously)
Badge of Honour
Nyoschi Brown
Kennard Mackey
Letita Campbell Parker
Father Don Haynes
Lofton Neely
Levada Ingraham
Diane Smith
Stephen Hanna
Valdamae Rahming
Maryanne Colebrooke Marshall
Robertha Edgecombe
Pandora Evans
Vyreen Bain
Sheila Blatch
Maxwell Roberts
Mable Stubbs
Veronica Saunders (Posthumously)
Patrick Roberts Sr.
Vera Chase(Posthumously)
Jacqueline Estevez
• Further, His Excellency, the Governor-General, acting in accordance with Section 4: 5(a) of the National Honours (Amendment) Act, 2022 is pleased to recognise the following persons for long and exceptional service to the Governor-General:
Evardo Cox
Albertha Nairn
Sheila Andrews
By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
BISHOP Lawrence Rolle, community activist Khandi Gibson and former police commissioner Paul Rolle say they are honoured and humbled for recognition of their service to the nation as recipients of the Bahamas’ 49th Independence Day National Honours.
They were among a long list of Bahamians that were recognised in Governor General Sir Cornelius Smith’s announcement of this year’s National Honours on July 10.
Mr Rolle, who stepped down last week after taking up the position in 2020, was awarded the Order of Distinction. While the former commissioner said that he is grateful for the award, he never expected to be rewarded for his work.
“I’m honoured to be recognised and be considered for the recognition and all thanks goes to almighty God for allowing the authorities to recognise me for such an honour,” Mr Rolle said. “I’m privileged. Personally it demonstrates the appreciation for when we serve in these offices. You don’t look for (a) reward but I’ll say I’m honoured to be considered for the award of it.”
Mr Rolle also told other Bahamians who are doing good that someone will recognise the value of the service they’re giving to the country.
“It’s public service, you know. All of us ought to give some kind of service back to our community and I would encourage everybody just in the interest of community to do their part. When I decided to be a policeman I never considered anything like this, but you know when you get into service and you enjoy service and your life becomes about service and you know at some point people recognise you for the service that you’ve given to the country. And I think for me personally it affirms that in doing good someone will recognise the value and the worth of what it is that you do.”
FOAM founder and chairperson Khandi Gibson said that she was deeply humbled when she got the call saying that she’d been awarded the Order of Merit for her years advocating for the families of murder victims.
She said: “I am just teary eyed, I am just so grateful, grateful, grateful, grateful. Truly I feel honoured. I feel blessed because on Saturday I was just so down and so depressed. I said ‘God I am only human and I’m just tired of being overlooked’. And I’m tired of just going unnoticed for the hard-work, not that you’re doing it for recognition, but my God you know you’re out here doing it from the goodness of your heart you know? And I was just thinking Khandi maybe you too open. People don’t like you because you speak too much for the people.”
Ms Gibson went on to say that it was after being encouraged to continue her work by someone that day that she got the call saying she had been given the Order of Merit. The FOAM founder expressed her sincere gratitude to the Bahamian government and its people for finally acknowledging all she has done for the community.
“God allowed the phone to ring and it was the lady calling and letting me know the honour of merit (is what I was) getting. I just want to thank the Bahamas government, I just want to thank persons who would have been in a committee who would’ve seen and put my name forward, the person who put my name forward to recommend for the honour of merit award I want to thank them so much.” Ms Gibson said.
“And I want to give all the praises to God because God allowed tragedy, strife and trials to bring triumph in my life. In 2015 I was humiliated in all levels and in 2022 this is truly a new day, this is truly God. And I just want to thank everyone and I want to thank the Bahamian people for believing in me and supporting me thus far and I do believe god has more in store. I couldn’t understand the murder of my two brothers, I couldn’t understand cause I was hurting. I couldn’t understand Bowe getting killed and me having to go to Canada couldn’t understand it. But all of that God already had planned from when I was in my mothers womb so I am truly honoured.”
The Singing Bishop Lawrence Rolle said in view of his Order of Merit award he does not continue his food and social outreach programs for praise. The Bishop went on to say that while he appreciates the honour he still considers himself to be the least among us and a humble servant of the people.
He said: “To be honest with you, in all my days I was working helping people from about 9 years old. I am a Cat Island man. never really worked to be honoured. I won’t come down because I know one of these days my God is going to pay me. I appreciate everything, mind you but at the same time I know that my god is going to reward me but I appreciate the consideration of my country, I appreciate everything that the Lord would use. I believe that the Lord wired me to be or to help be this nation builder. I direct people. I show them the right not only in words but also In actions helping them . If I can help pay their bills I help, if I can help send them to college I help.
“When people would open up their eyes on a such a person like me when I am the least among them I say to god be the glory. And I want to thank God for those who are considerable, who say ‘Rolle is a hardworker’ . I appreciate the very thought. So, it’s a great honour. It’s a great privilege for the people to recognise me from the least among them, I’m the least among them and I appreciate it. But I give it my best shot. I want to see the better of people, all my days I put people in front of me.”
“So, to those the board or whoever took it upon themselves to consider somebody like me, let them know that I am the least among them far from being worthy. I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve to be honoured but I’m working for heaven, I’m going to work while it’s day because the night is coming when no man will see the work.”
Comments
tribanon 2 years, 4 months ago
LMAO
ohdrap4 2 years, 4 months ago
Next year is the 50th anniversary. Since all dead or alive got theirs this year, no one will be left for next year.
tribanon 2 years, 4 months ago
Not to mention that too many well known crooks are on that list thanks to their nomination by the very corrupt team of Vomit Christie and Cruel Davis. It's frankly a pitiful 'honouring' of too many infamous thieves and tax dodgers.
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