The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Quite likely, someone is going to get mad about what I have to say here today. I wouldn’t be saying it if there wasn’t already a lot of madness all around us out there. So, the question might be ‘what am I hoping to achieve by writing this?’ Who knows? Maybe, not much. Nevertheless, by throwing this little, incy-wincy pebble of provocation, maybe it just might hit the right nerve. Instead of ignoring the plethora of madness enveloping us, perhaps a few more people will acknowledge it for what it is.

Recently, I saw a Letter to the Editor from Mrs Pam Burnside. It referred to this continuing debauchery in 2023 - 50 years after Bahamian Independence - whereby we must know better, yet refuse to do better. Madness in its classical form! Mrs Burnside commented on the largely ceremonial post of Governor General here in The Bahamas. Much like the extravagant decorations at Christmas time, there is a clear and mostly antithetical disconnect between reality and appearances.

Imagine continuing to poison the minds of our children (as well as child-like adults) with absurd notions, just because they were fed to us in the past. Just imagine Santa coming down the chimney at Government House, or even at your house. How could the madness of it all escape us in this day and age?

Before the chains were taken off our bodies and placed on our minds, we were befuddled with such crazy notions. In captivity, we had to fall for such madness, but now we can emancipate ourselves, or simply let the madness continue.

The wrongest thing one could ever do is know a lie and think it true!

Be honest. Who out there (meaning any person capable of feeding themself) believes that the good King Charles III knows Mrs Cynthia Pratt? Who among us believes that he would be able to identify her among a group of Bahamian women? Who believes that she was actually selected and will be appointed by the King?

Flip the coin. Is the Member of Parliament for Cat Island, Rum Cay & San Salvador - in the Office Of The Prime Minister - actually pulling the strings in this puppet show? Shall we consider that a centuries-old sleight of hand system is now guiding a sleight of minds? Madness by any other name might just keep the natives in a state of blissful ignorance/stupidity - ignorance being the state of not knowing better; stupidity being the state of knowing better, but doing it anyway.

What can I say! When we act like dummies, why not treat us like dummies!?

Turning the page from our refusing to let go of our colonial trappings, there is so much other madness to consider. From the trite and trivial to the downright preposterous, there’s enough to get our fill, and go back for seconds. No need for finger-pointing because the ping-ponging back and forth of the political blame game refuses to even pause.

Our current electrical problems seem to only increase with our bills, as no light is being shed on any imminent solutions. Factor that in with talks of the redevelopment of Bay Street. What madness is it that could cause considerations of expanding utilities - electrical and/or communications - when maintaining the little we do have is blatantly unmanageable? Madness, I believe, comes in all sizes, shapes, and fashions. Go figure!

A recent online graphics showed the nations of the world and their standings with respect to crime statistics. Our little Bahamas was right up there in the rankings. Swimming so long in our sea of madness, is it possible that we are oblivious to all the madness surging all around us?

When you check out the news tomorrow, will you get mad at the latest selection of madness which the media covers? Still, all is not lost. If you open your eyes wide enough, look in the right direction, maybe, just maybe, you would see a glimmer of hope out there... somewhere.

Unless and until we acknowledge our real problems, as well as muster the will to confront and correct them, there is no way that all the madness around us will dissipate.

Who can deny that we are a nation in need of collective rehabilitation. It’s said that learning new habits is way easier than getting rid of old, bad habits. Perhaps, we can try both - like walking and chewing gum. It’s worth a try.

That’s some of what I had to say. You can get mad at me for saying it if you want to. Otherwise, you can get mad as hell at those causing the problems, or those who are supposed to be fixing the problems.

Get mad as hell if you want to. But, unless and until that madness of yours comes up with some meaningful remedies soon, we might all be mad as hell, on our way to hell.

MB

Nassau

August 20, 2023