The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

HAVING celebrated a bountiful 2019 with unprecedented record-breaking tourist arrivals. We reaped the benefit of its harvest for the first two months of 2020.

But unexpectedly, out of nowhere, in March, COVID-19 struck, and the country took a dramatic change, spiraling out of control.

Not in our wildest dreams did we imagine we would be where we were.

Stuck in the new ordinary, a mask-wearing people who couldn’t hug or kiss friends and family.

We could not even give our departed loved ones the homegoing service they deserved, nor commemorate our love with the beautiful matrimonial ceremony we dreamed of.

Church services and social activities were suspended as the country went into curfew mode.

In the same month, the Governor-General signed a proclamation placing the country under emergency rules. Prime Minister Hubert Minnis assumed the position of competent authority and made some disastrous decisions that disrupted the entire country’s sophistication.

While those decisions, according to him, were made with the best interest of the people in mind, a lot of them were not carefully examined before implementation. And brought undue hardship to the nation.

We thought 2020 was terrible. 2021 with the deadly Delta Corona variant casting its net of lamentation, making thousands seriously ill and causing the death and hospitalization of hundreds were worse.

However, hindsight is foresight; no matter how sad or severe, what is done cannot be undone.

Coronavirus, though a bitter pill, is not the end of the world.

We are resilient people that have weathered hardship before.

Someone said, “It’s going to be challenging, but we’re going to make it.”

From all appearances, if we were to take it at face value, the immediate future does not look bright, but the saying “behind every dark cloud, there is a silver lining” rings true.

Annie said, “the sun will come out tomorrow.”

Most of all we have God’s promise that He will never leave or forsake us.

With all of the associated graveness, it’s not easy to find anything to be cheerful about. However, the coronavirus has brought with it some positives.

Despite being unable to socialise with people other than close family, thanks to technology, we are getting closer now than before.

I am getting WhatsApp calls from friends I have not seen or heard from in months. No they aren’t asking for loans.

Virtual schooling has given parents a more significant opportunity to pay closer attention to their children’s learning.

Thanks to my daughters, Lauralee, his Auntie and Kristy, his mom, and his teachers, my grandson TJ is on the high honour roll again.

Civic-minded community members are going out of their way to show love and help the less fortunate.

Special thanks goes out to the Fox Foundation.

The frontline healthcare providers we have always taken for granted are now recognised for risking theirs and their family’s lives to help keep the nation safe and healthy. Doctors, Nurses, and Policemen, we do not know what we would have done without you.

Thank you.

Recently, more people are reading the Bible and connecting with their inner spiritual self and drawing closer to God.

Behind every unfortunate situation, if we looked close enough, we can find something useful in it; COVID-19 is no exception.

On September 16th, with the mantra it’s a new day, the Progressive Liberal Party, with a clean sweep, became the government. Giving the country hope with a more precise direction of where we are headed and how we will get there.

Put an end to the dictatorial rule of the self-proclaimed Competent Authority.

It has only been a little over three months, and already, the naysayers are predicting doom and gloom.

While opposition is needed to keep the government’s feet to the fire, opposing just for opposing sake is a waste of time and will only stifle progress.

Need we be reminded that according to Timothy 2:1-3

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people — 2. for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour…”

Our Prime Minister is Phillip Davis, and as long as God is willing, he will be our leader and it would be in our best interest to always intercede on his behalf.

With the Delta variant lingering and the omicron variant looming, the government is challenged, but holding its ground. Not prone to panic like its predecessor.

“How very little can be done under the spirit of fear” - Florence Nightingale.

As the countdown begins leaving the vestiges of 2021 behind and we look forward to 2020.

Bracing ourselves for the possibility of a new COVID wave. Let us make the next act the best act of our lives.

Let us do all we can to protect each other by obeying the established COVID-19 protocols.

Wear our masks, practice safe distancing, wash and sanitize our hands frequently, and please get vaccinated.

As a recovering COVID survivor I cannot express enough how important it is to get vaccinated.

I say recovering because, after almost two years, I’m still aching from the lingering aftermath of coronavirus.

If it was at all possible for me to give the nation one Christmas present it would be that everyone gets vaccinated.

I would not want anyone to experience what I went through.

God bless the Bahamas.

I love you.

ANTHONY PRATT

Nassau,

December 24, 2021.