The Tribune

By Rev Canon S

Sebastian Campbell

FORTY-four years is not a long time when considering the birth of a nation, and is by no means comparable to countries like the United States and Canada currently celebrating 241 and 150 years respectively. The Bahamas is a young nation, not even comparable with regional countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica. Our country is known for dragging behind even less developed countries in cultural advancement because of our conservative nature.

July 10, 1973 culminates a long march to nationhood that we can mark from the August 1, 1834, with the emancipation of slavery. Many obstacles had to be overcome, many battles fought and victories won, for us to realise the single most determining and important event in the making of a nation. These events include: Emancipation; the apprenticeship system; the formation of the mother of all political parties, the Progressive Liberal Party; the General Strike, the women's suffrage movement, Black Tuesday and Majority Rule. This truly was a march to freedom.

Many of us realise that from Majority Rule in 1967 the way was clearly paved for independence. The fight was clear and obstacles became more evident. Fear was being instilled through a well-organised and funded campaign, the slogan of which seemed to have been, "Independence; but not now."

In spite of these obstacles, July 10, 1973, became the birthday of our Bahamas; a new day, a turning point for all people at all times to come. Our heroes and heroines must never be forgotten, led by the father of the nation, Lynden Oscar Pindling. Their names must be etched in the rock of history and their deeds of valour written and repeated again and again throughout all generations. This is indeed our country; we must never allow our pettiness to overshadow all that is meant for good in advancing God's kingdom in and through this our Bahamaland.

In our national anthem we sing, "Pressing onward, march together, to a common loftier goal…" This is a call to reflection. Many obstacles will hinder this pursuit. We have made mistakes over these years. Many of our youngsters are on the fringes of society, drug addicted, trading in narcotics, and alcoholism continues unabated. Gang violence prevails in many quarters. Lesbianism and homosexuality are real challengers we must meet. Prostitution among males and females is an escalating concern. Do we need to go on to talk about the majority of our today's children having no fathers and the broken homes that litter our landscape?

This, however, should be enough now to whet our appetites for redemption. We have failed spiritually and morally in advancing our country. The 1982 Commission of Inquiry report states, "Dishonesty rocks this country to its very foundation…" Now what do we do? Turn to God; the road we trod is to lead us to God…" Remember. It's always a good time to repent, so as to redeem. Our God is always in the forgiving business. We shall not be destroyed if we keep turning to God; God is indeed a good God.

Also, it calls for us to challenge self-righteousness. We must be creating institutions that allow for redemption, to give our Bahamian people another chance to get it right. As Minister of Education, the late Bernard J Nottage created programme SURE, for example. This institution allows us to save troubled boys in our schools, rather than expel them. For infractions they are sent to SURE for redemption, which culminates in their return to regular school. There is PACE for our girls; an organisation whose main function it is to assist pregnant teens. Too many private schools kick our children to the curb.

Then there is the Correctional Centre, once the prison. Pray it achieves its objectives as a Correctional Centre that lives maybe redeemed in this place.

As we press on, let us evolve a new mindset of redemption, that we might put love on the ground and find real and practical ways to be Christ-like...Christ, who never condemned but gave another chance. Pray for more love in our Bahamaland. Our social, spiritual and civic forces must unite, to activate and build vehicles of redemption as we march to our 45th anniversary of Independence.