The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

International women’s day (March 8) is intended to highlight women all around the world. This is a day when accomplishments of women should be the focus of everyone’s attention.

Every newspaper should have a column dedicated to our heroines. But as I read the local papers I might have overlooked it but there was very little said about this day especially the accomplishment of the Bahamian woman. What happened, was it an oversight or have we forgotten Dame Doris Johnson, Ruby Ann Darling, Janet Bostwick, Dame Marguerite Pindling, Sylvia Scriven, Eileen Carron, Mother Pratt, Pastor Lavenia Stewart and the scores of other women, including the straw vendors, the janitresses and maids who have made invaluable contributions to the country.

Or is it because humanism is no longer a factor. I must say the radio stations made an effort to showcase the importance of this day.

Hats off to one radio host in particular whose entire show was dedicated to this day. He placed great emphasis on how important women are to the stability of the family mentioning several of our heroines. As I listened to him it took me back to the days when every boy was quick to fight if you would say to him “das ya Ma.” In many cases your Pa might not be around he is either to work or no longer a part of the family, but ya Ma, oh Lord ya Ma was always there.

Throughout my daily commune I’m privileged to interact with elderly mothers and widows on a regular basis. While the majority of them are fortunate to have caring relatives who have not turned their backs or forgotten them. There is a noticeable number whose children pay little or no attention to them. In the homes for the elderly there are pearls whose children even though they pay for them being there visit them very seldom or not at all. And there are some whose children leave them alone in their homes all day. I’m talking about pearls that are severely handicapped some of them in disposable undergarments and confined to a wheel chair.

What is so distressing is if you see some of these children you would never think they would treat their family that way. But come Mother’s Day you can see them parading their mom up and down in the church and to lunch and dinner all over the place hogging up the spotlight “bout what good chirren they is”.

Next day their Ma sitting to the table in a wheelchair with a jug of water and left over food from the Mother’s Day lunch that has to last them until six o’clock.

ANTHONY PRATT

Nassau

March 8, 2019.