The Tribune

By FELICITY DARVILLE

“FOR every cause, there is an effect... for every action, an equal and opposite reaction!” Debbie Bartlett started out her famous show “Reaction” on ZNS Channel 13 with this quote for over a decade.

This was back during a time when cable television was not popular in The Bahamas, with people relying on antennas or a satellite dish if they wanted to watch something other than programmes produced by the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas.

Many a Bahamian household can attest to family members gathering around the television when Debbie’s show jingle came on and her famous quote resounded. We were guaranteed an exciting show tackling issues of the day in the country - investigative, strong human interest, shocking. By the time Debbie was hosting that show, she’d already had a long career in journalism. And since that popular show, Debbie has gone on to do so much more. She has an outstanding career in journalism, broadcasting and entrepreneurship. Even though she has done enough to rest on her laurels, Debbie is still going strong today – educating and informing the public and seeking ways to empower her fellow man.

She owned the radio station Gems 105.9FM for many years, and is the owner of an international network of high-calibre professionals from almost every field, called the CEO Network. The network hosts some of the most powerful international conferences and awards ceremonies in The Bahamas and in Atlanta. Political, business and professional leaders attend from The Bahamas, the Caribbean, the United States and international communities. The keynote speaker for the 2018 CEO Network Conference was Prime Minister Dr Hubert A Minnis. Also at The CEO Network Conference in May 2018, Debbie was conferred as a Princess by Nigerian royalty, Her Royal Highness, Princess Moradeun Ogunlana and Her Royal Highness Moradeun Adedoyin-Solarin.

While the CEO Network continues to flourish, Debbie has embarked on a new endeavour. She hosts “The Economic Emancipation” show, which airs across the US through 360Wise TV network. It is one of the largest major-market media operators in the country and a leader in social media marketing, news, brand and public figure advertisement. The show is now also being seen and heard in the UK on Heritage TV. It is a product of her Economic Emancipation Empowerment Movement and is about to launch in Africa through strategic partnerships Debbie has created there.

She has interviewed some of the world’s greatest influencers, such as Nelson Mandela, former US President Bill Clinton; the former President of Haiti, Jean Bertrand Aristide; Dr Tony O’Reilly, the Chairman of Heinz; and three Bahamian Prime Ministers, including Sir Lynden Oscar Pindling.

Dr Deborah Bartlett, affectionately and popularly known as Debbie, has so many accolades it would be hard to list them all here. But today, I take the time to honour one of my mentors in the field of media who continues to serve her country, and reach the world.

She owes her success largely to her grandparents Lillian Bartlett, Leonard G Bethell and Joanna Wilchcombe-Bethell; as well as her parents Frank and Mizpah Bartlett, mainly because of a very strong family network. Warm childhood memories abound of a time when her family moved to Montrose Avenue, and lived next door to her aunt, Susan Wallace and Uncle Sidney Wallace. Every weekend, Debbie and her brothers would go to their grandparents on the Fort Hill (Fort Fincastle) and there, grandfather Leonard would have countless old time stories and tales of wisdom to share.

“My grandparents first lived in West End, Grand Bahama, Debbie shared.

“My grandfather was determined that they would have the first radio in West End. And they got it! And my grandfather would say, ‘I am a great man’. He was a wireless operator. My grandmother wanted to be a teacher, and she would gather the whole community together, and that was her classroom. They always wanted their children to have the best education, and all eight of them moved to Nassau. They moved to Nassau Street, and where they lived, the rats would run over them. My grandfather told them, ‘don’t think of the rats, think of the future’. He was saving to build a two-storey home. He wanted to have the first one of it’s kind in his community. They moved to Fort Hill, and got that home, and my grandfather said, ‘I am a great man’. He would always say, ‘my children will one day help rule the world... and how will they do it? They will do it through service’. That has been what has shaped me to this day.”

Her parents made sure that Debbie and her brothers remained close knit. The family ate together almost every single day. Her aunt, Louis East was a diplomat in the United States and Debbie and her siblings had the opportunity to go to New York to be with her, where they got some exposure to the inner workings of the United Nations.

The Bartletts sent their children to family and friends in Canada to learn French, and they enjoyed an educational tour of Europe to broaden their horizons. They were given music lessons - Debbie played guitar in a band with her brother Greg for a time. Mizpah wanted to be an actress one day and therefore, named her daughter after her favourite actress, Deborah Kerr. Destined for greatness, her daughter would find a lifelong career in front of the television.

Debbie attended St Anne’s Anglican Primary School and High School, where she graduated as Head Girl. In 1974, she attended Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois, where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication. She received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Organizational Leadership/ International Media from Michael University in 2011.

“I knew I wanted to be in media since I was in high school,” she told me, “But I thought more about being an actress.

“When I went to college, I thought the thing to do was be a lawyer. So I ignored my desire to get into media until I went to college and I was taking up speech and drama. The professor said to me, ‘You don’t belong in law, you belong in media!”

It was enough to ignite an already budding passion: “I became one of the first blacks on our college’s radio station. They would call me ‘Debbie B... the queen of the DJs’. They selected me to intern at CBS and I became the first black reporter on CBS television in that area. They utilized me to help elect the first black mayor in Rock Island, Illinois. CBS Chicago sent for me. They offered me a Green Card and asked me to move there. They said in two years, I would be on the big screen. I turned it down with this notion that if I said yes, my success would’ve been attributed to my geographical location - the USA. So, I decided to come home... contributing to nation-building here.”

She returned home to work at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas.

She entered as a copywriter. Months later, she was the television talk show host of a popular programme “Woman”.

About a year later she expanded her television target market with the programme “Reaction.” It was the first programme in The Bahamas with a studio audience. Reaction was the Number One programme throughout it’s time on television. Hosting talk shows yielded to leadership roles in the newsroom. Debbie was news anchor, chief news editor and eventually Assistant General Manager with responsibility for news, programming, production, sales and marketing.

She still managed to make a difference in the US. Guest appearances on the Rightside television show, which is seen on 84 television stations including ABC, CBS and Fox affiliates and XM Radio and is hosted by Armstrong Williams, gained her popularity abroad.

In 2006, the media arm of the CEO Network was started with the establishment of Gems 105.9 FM. Gems chose women as its focus market, and succeeded. Interestingly, the station also gained a strong following among men and inner city communities. Gems 105.9 FM is a trailblazer in the international community as well. The Gems team, including myself, covered the Democratic and Republican Conventions and the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

For more than 30 years, Debbie has initiated and supported initiatives for inner city transformation. She used media platforms to promote and advance social outreach initiatives. She initiated the Yellow Elder Club as a crime intervention programme in 1983. The CEO Network established the first computer labs for DW Davis Junior, CC Sweeting Junior and CC Sweeting Senior Schools through its Brand New Hope Campaign.

“Say Yes to Life, Say No to Drugs”, was her brainchild and was one of the most successful anti-drug campaigns in the Bahamas. Her former colleague who was ZNS News Director at the time, Obie Wilchcombe invited her to co-host and co-produce a documentary called “Base Streets” which highlighted persons caught up in the cocaine epidemic in the 1980’s. This show captured an international award.

Debbie served as a consultant to the Trade Union Congress of The Bahamas and served on several Boards, including Zamar International. She served for 32 years on the Board of Governors of Bahamas Faith Ministries International founded by Dr Myles Munroe.

She presently serves as Senior Advisor to The Embassy International founded by Apostle Benjamin Smith. Debbie’s love for community development initiatives harnessed her event planning skills, and she organized the biggest concert in the Bahamas in the 1980’s featuring Grammy award-winning artist, Candi Staton.

Her influence in the international community continues to expand. She served alongside Ambassador Andrew Young as co-chair of the International Board of the 60th Anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

She has served as an international consultant for various international development projects. In 2006, Debbie served as managing consultant for the establishment of the first national television station in the Turks & Caicos Islands. It was the first HD station in the Caribbean. She was Senior Consultant of International Affairs for the Campaign for Maxo Joseph, Presidential candidate in Haiti in 2015. She was appointed Managing Consultant for the Caribbean for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Legacy Awards for three years (2012-2015). In 2013, her CEO Network were responsible for coordinating the events for the Caribbean for the 50th anniversary of the “I Have A Dream” Speech, and also the celebration of a global day for Coretta Scott King that was held on April 27, 2013. In 2018, Debbie was invited to be one of the keynote speakers at the Martin Luther King Day ceremony in Atlanta. In 2019, she was a keynote speaker in Ghana at a women’s conference. In 2020 she met with African Royals in London led by the King of the Remo Kingdom.

With all her accomplishments in media and communications, Debbie still found time to be a successful entrepreneur. She owned a gift and souvenir store for 20 years in the Melia Hotel, formally Radisson Resort. She also owned a Deli on Elizabeth Avenue, downtown Nassau for a number of years, and she has significant holdings in real estate.

“I believe a part of the reason I was born was to help inspire the human potential,” Debbie said.

“We were born to be economically liberated. We were born to be governed by vision that produces peace and prosperity. Vision it keeps you focused and when you have vision, it means you have a sense of purpose. Vision can only thrive in the right environment. Also, there is submission to the laws of success. One of those laws is productivity... diligent hands will rule the world. So I work hard; I go the extra mile. I believe in excellence. I am compassionate and I believe that success is defined by how we help each other. I live by the philosophy of helping each other succeed.

“My grandfather always told me that a good name is to be preferred over all the riches in the world. I give best efforts to protect my good name. I am careful with my company. Your company gives a glimpse of your future.

“I love to help people who don’t see a way out yet, but I won’t stay there if they are not willing to develop their vision. I help people who have a dream and are waking up to see a new reality. You can only grow as high as your thoughts.”

Of her beloved country, she says, “I don’t think it’s an accident we live in paradise. We have allowed contaminated thinking, warped thinking to convince us that success and prosperity are unnatural and only a small percent of the population can become rulers. I believe differently, and that is based on God’s word. We must develop our skills and talents in order to change the world and leave a generational legacy.”