The Tribune

By FELICITY DARVILLE

AS The Bahamas gears up to celebrate another Independence anniversary, I wanted to take the time to take a look back in history at the man who helped to organise our very first Independence celebration cultural extravaganza.

Very much like today, as we hear local Bahamian artists making the call for an authentically Bahamian celebration event, Dr Livingstone Coakley –- who served as Minister of Education and Culture at the time – agitated for the right to ensure the celebration was truly Bahamian. It turned out to be the most successful and memorable Independence cultural event in Bahamian history.

When others suggested big American entertainers and other foreign talent to join the show, Livingstone’s daughter Jannifer told me he pushed to see an all Bahamian cast put their greatness, pizazz, cultural dynamics and patriotism on full display. And what a celebration it was!

Even though it occurred before I was born, it was one I could remember my mother (who became Miss Bahamas that year) and my Aunt Mavis Bowe (nee McCartney-Smith) talk about. It was Aunt Mavis who influenced me greatly during my formative years with her love of Bahamian culture. She loved to entertain and her home was always full of great Bahamians, cultural and political giants, who would talk about their country with much fervour and pride.

Jannifer Thurston (nee Coakley) would speak of her father’s house in this way. Growing up with him opened her eyes to many things that have impacted her positively today. Livingstone Coakley was a gentleman, a scholar, a nation builder, Parliamentarian and a loving husband and father.

His jovial personality and love for life brought many to his Imperial Park mansion. There, he often entertained local and international guests. His children Douglas and Melbourne (deceased), Zenovia, Theodore and Jannifer were all exposed to the greatness of their father and the grace of their mother, Marietta Coakley (nee Armbrister). Jannifer did a month-long Facebook tribute to her father leading up to Independence. People from far and near responded with love and admiration for the man affectionately called “Sir Coaks”.

Dr Livinstone Nathaniel Coakley, CBE, JP, former Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament, was born at Simms, Long Island, on April 3, 1925. In those days expectant mothers in Exuma travelled to Long Island to have their babies with the assistance of a midwife. There, Amos and Armenia Coakley, residents of Georgetown, Exuma, welcomed their bundle of joy, the first of two surviving children.

He was found to be ambitious and driven from an early age. He would walk some 30 miles to an after-school tutor three days a week to improve his studies. At the age of 12, while attending George Town Public School, he became a class monitor, a title bestowed on the brightest and best students, to be the teacher’s assistant. The seed of a love for education was planted in the young Livingstone because of this. He found a passion for sharing knowledge and empowering others, a trait which lasted him a lifetime.

Livingstone went on to further his studies in New Providence. He attended the Agricultural Department, Windsor Farm; DW Davis Evening Institute; and the Bosfield Johnson Institute. He went on to gain more knowledge in America. He studied both at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts and the University of Miami in Florida.

During World War II, Livingstone served as a Sergeant and an Educational Instructor for the Bahamas Battalion. After the war, he became an assistant teacher at the Eastern Senior School, then Principal of the Glinton Public School in Long Island. He provided private tutoring for ambitious students and he even opened his home for the students who lived far away to board there, rather than make the long trek he did as a boy.

After a time, he returned to Nassau and got into the field of finance, putting his Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Economics and Accounting from Northeastern University to good use. He worked as an Assistant Manager of Centraland Limited, then Assistant Accountant for Sassoon Banking. He later accepted a position as Principal of Jordan Prince William High School, which he enjoyed for a time before becoming an Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Finance.

In 1967, the era of Majority Rule, the Progressive Liberal Party first took the reins of Government and named Livingstone Chairman of BaTelCo. In 1968, he won a major victory and became the Member of Parliament for Exuma and the Ragged Island constituency for 19 years. He was well-loved for it. He fully enjoyed not only representing his people in Parliament, but going above and beyond to help as many as he could and make a difference in their lives.

As a Cabinet Minister, Livingstone held various portfolios, including the Ministry of Works; Education and Culture; Tourism; Health; and Labour, Youth, Sports and Community Affairs. As Minister of Works, he focused on the construction of schools and the availability of public utilities throughout the country. He is said to be the longest-serving Minister of Education, and he worked to improve the standard of education for the Bahamian people. He motivated locally trained teachers to seek further education. Among them is Dr Leon Higgs, former President of the College of the Bahamas, who alludes to Minister Coakley’s benevolence in giving him the full scholarship he needed to achieve his academic dreams. Livingstone also facilitated tertiary programmes locally, including a Bachelor’s Programme through Nova University and the University of Miami.

He took great pride and joy in being able to assist in pulling off the 1973 inaugural cultural show for Independence, attended by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip. The best in Bahamian talent came together to pull off a breathtaking series of performances.

The Clifford Park Performance was a musical and cultural display entitled “Pages from Bahamian History”. The Bahamas Independence Secretariat was responsible for the entire Independence celebrations of 1973. The chairman was George Smith (my Aunt Mavis’ former husband and father to her daughter, Gena), who was the Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister. He was also a long-serving MP for Exuma. He was assisted by Harold A Munnings, who was the Co-ordinator.

The Independence celebrations also had an Advisory Council, and Premier Lynden Pindling was the Chairman. Many talented Bahamians were given the chance to head committees for the Independence celebrations. These included Clement Bethel for Folklore and Music; Hervis Bain, Patrick Rahming and James Rolle for Arts and Crafts; Bishop Michael Eldon for Poetry, Essay and Drama; Horace Wright for the Float Parade and Gus Cooper for Track and Field. The government spent $2 million on the celebrations.

In his obituary, these Independence celebrations are listed among his pride and joy of achievements, along with hosting the Carifta Games, and the establishment of the College of the Bahamas in 1977.

In 1987 when he retired from politics, during the Queen’s birthday honours, Livingstone was awarded the CBE - Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. He has been given honorary Doctor of Laws and Doctor of Commerce degrees by Northeastern University and Fort Lauderdale College, respectively. His professional memberships include associate and Licentiate (1 and 3), the College Preceptors; and the International Society of Accountants, Washington. He has fellowship membership in the Society of Professional Teachers, London, and the Association of Accountants and Auditors, Nassau. He served as The Bahamas’ non-resident High Commissioner to five Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago between July 1987 and August 1992. The L. N. Coakley High School in Exuma was named in his honour.

In her father’s tribute, Jannifer pointed out that her father was able to achieve so much because of her mother: “It was she, as a young mother with two infant sons, who encouraged my dad to pursue his formal education in Boston while she held down the family. She was always there to be his support. I can’t tell you the number of times daddy would call home and say, ‘Marie, I’m bringing a couple people by’. Anyone who knew my dad, knew that meant a party! With no complaints, she would jump in the kitchen and knock up a feast... with the kitchen assistant (that would be me) helping to serve. I could go on all day, but I just want to conclude by saying, thank you, Heavenly Father, for choosing Livingstone and Marietta to be my Earthly caretakers!”