The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The uproar over naming Paradise Island Bridge in honour of Sidney Poitier made me cringe.

Sir Sidney is a Bahamian. Born prematurely in Miami of poor Bahamian farmers, he’s also an American.

Through hard work, grit and determination, Sir Sidney was able to overcome tremendous obstacles and harness his remarkable talents as an actor. As the first black person to win an Oscar for Best Actor (Lilies of the Field), he broke down racial barriers in film and beyond, changing racial perceptions forever.

In his autobiography, Sir Sidney credits his childhood of poverty on Cat Island for equipping him with his unshakable sense of self-worth, family values and simple ethics that shaped his world.

Why would we reject naming Paradise Bridge West after him? After all, we have a highway named after JF Kennedy.

Secondly, what’s wrong with American singer Bebe Winans paying tribute to Sir Sidney alongside a showcase of fantastic Bahamian talent?

Imagine if other countries were this insular? Baha Men wouldn’t have won a Grammy (an American Award), Stevie Wonder would not have performed at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert and Paul McCartney wouldn’t have played at the Super Bowl – that most sacred of American events.

Thirdly, Atlantis is paying for Jennifer Hudson to perform at the resort and has every right to invite who they please.

The outcry mirrors our insecurities as a people and perhaps explains why we are what we are.

We accept the horrendous crime problem, the litter, substandard public education, the deterioration of our judicial system and so on, but we suddenly find the giddy-up to raise a ruckus over naming a bridge after a great Bahamian of international stature.

It is especially sad to hear all the criticism when our country is in crisis and the young people are desperately in need of role models (and by that, I don’t mean tarnished politicians and drug traffickers).

So much for teaching our kids to reach for the stars.

ATHENA DAMIANOS

Nassau,

November 2, 2012.