The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement administration was yesterday given a strict charge to overhaul the country’s governance structure and implement an ethics and human rights commission.

During the anniversary service of its 1992 election victory, Parish Rector at St Barnabas Anglican Church Canon Basil Tynes drew numerous parallels between the present-day struggle of average Bahamians and the biblical portrayal of the Israelites.

He also suggested it was time to “let Mother England go and start working on our own”.

“There are too many of us that bow to the powers that be, a hangover from colonial days,” he said, as he criticised the failure of religious leaders and unionists to use their platforms to pursue justice and good governance.

“I am not a politician nor do I want to engage in your public debates, but one thing I can tell you is that the situation in this country is extremely complex, far more than ancient Israel. Please we need help.

“I will tell you as a citizen of this country as a parish priest, as a leader in the church of God what I believe needs to take place at this particular time in our country,” he said.

“My text for this afternoon tells us that God in his word ought to be foremost in informing every facet of our lives, and while we talk about corruption and evil that surrounds us, these are the symptoms of an even greater issue.”

Canon Tynes added: “We need to get to the root of the unchecked greed godlessness and wickedness of the people who use everything at their disposal to rape and plunder this country and they do it and don’t give a hell about the rest of us.

“What I’m about to say may be very controversial, but it needs to be said. We refuse to hire persons because they have relatives in particular ministries or in certain corporations, but we allow family and friends of those in public office access to inside information and to public funds as though it were their personal slush fund. So that the few could keep on exploiting the many.

“We tired of that,” he said, “it’s time to follow the money.

“We need to establish an ethics commission to put an end to the hypocritical practice of the few screwing the many. It is ‘the people’s time,’” he said, invoking the FNM’s election slogan.

Canon Tynes called for a deliberate attempt on the part of the government, to stop “domesticated slavery”.

“The educational system is not just to prepare our children to be the maids and the domestics within the hotel industry,” he said. “It is time to expose our people to science, research, technology, business commerce in its diverse forms and open it up for many.”

Salute

For his part, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis saluted his predecessor former Prime Minister and FNM Leader Hubert Ingraham as he remarked on the parallels between the party’s 1992 and 2017 victories.

He heralded the party’s founders - known as the Dissident Eight - and spoke to the vigorous opposition the party maintained in its two decades-long struggle to governance.

The Dissident Eight included Sir Cecil Wallace Whitfield, Sir Arthur Foulkes, Warren Levarity, Maurice Moore, George Thompson, Dr Curtis McMillan, Jimmy Shephard and Dr Elwood Donaldson.

“Amidst the fear, the mass corruption, the assault on democracy; amidst the brutal victimisation, the destruction of values and the cult of personality arose men and women of courage, who dedicated their lives to save the land and the people they loved,” Dr Minnis said.

“The Freedom Fighters of the FNM, including many of you, sacrificed much to save our land. The sacrifices were not for the sake of power, but for the sake of doing what was right even at great risk.

“Their courage is our legacy. Their legacy is our duty and guiding star.”

“Deliverance has always been a rallying cry of the FNM. It remains a central theme today.

“Once again,” Dr Minnis said, “the Free National Movement has the awesome responsibility to rescue an economy that was on the brink of collapse.

“We must once again restore the good name, international reputation and public finances of the Bahamas.

“Once again, our task is to clean up the massive and pervasive corruption that was bankrupting our democracy and devastating the Public Treasury.”

Notwithstanding the similarities, however, Dr Minnis reiterated his charge for the party, and its officials, to remain humble.

“Any arrogance shown to the people, including public officers, is unacceptable and goes against the spirit of our victory.”

Dr Minnis added: “The election is over but it is still ‘the people’s time.’ We are stewards of the people’s business. We have not been elected to dominate. We have been elected to lead and to represent in a spirit of humility.”

The party commemorated the 25th anniversary of its 1992 victory with a service at St Barnabas Anglican Church, followed by a parade to its headquarters on Market Street.