The Tribune

THE nation’s leading lights have been recognised in the Independence Honours, as announced by Governor General Cornelius Smith.

The highest honour awarded, the Order of National Hero, is posthumously conferred on Dame Doris Johnson, who was the first woman to contest an election in The Bahamas, the first woman to be appointed to the Senate, and the first woman president of the Senate. She also served as acting governor general, and is also famed as a teacher and suffragette.

Six people have been named as companions of the Order of The Bahamas, including The Tribune’s editor and publisher, Eileen Dupuch Carron. Also named are Lowell Jason Mortimer, Cynthia “Mother” Pratt, Rev Dr Harcourt Whitfield Brown, Dr Perry Gomez, Archbishop Patrick Pinder, and, posthumously, Rev Dr Harcourt Whitfield Brown.

Three people are names as officers of the Order of The Bahamas, including Rev Kenris Deveaux-Carey, Lynn Pyfrom Holowesko, and, posthumously, Rev Dr J Emmette Weir.

Names as members of the Order of The Bahamas are E Clement Bethel (posthumously), Senior Justice Bernard Turner, Justice Milton Evans, Justice Kim Adderley (retired), John Dean (posthumously), Justice Jon Isaacs, and Dr Richard Demeritte.

The Order of Excellence includes Erica Gates (posthumously), Nina Gape, president of Rwanda Paul Kagame, and US congresswoman Maxine Waters.

Honoured with the Order of Distinction (Companion) are: Admiral Lorenz Ferguson Sr (Posthumously), Eric Carey, Amos Ferguson (posthumously), Andrea Archer, Anita Beneby, Barbara Hanna-Cox, Barbara Pierre, Brensil Rolle, Rev Dr Carlton Bursil Moss, Commissioner Clayton Fernander, KPM, Commissioner Bernard Bonamy (posthumously), Commodore Clifford Scavella (retired), Commodore Davy Rolle (retired), Commodore Tellis Bethel (retired), Commodore Roderick Bowe (retired), Commodore Dr Raymond King, Rev Edwin Taylor, Effie Walkes (posthumously), Eleanor Philips, Errison Pallman Johnson, Errol Winston Bethel, OBE, Everette Ferguson (posthumously), Captain Fernley Arthur Palmer, Frances Butler (posthumously), Pastor Francis Carey III, OBE, Assistant Commissioner Grafton Ifill Sr (retired), Harl Taylor (posthumously), Bishop Helen McPhee, Pastor Henry Carlisle Francis, Dr Earl Deveaux, Theresa Maria Moxey-Ingraham (posthumously), Mabel Walker (posthumously), Maria-Teresa Butler, Marion Stuart (posthumously), Mark Wilson, McFarlane Anthony Gregory McKay aka Tony McKay (posthumously), Raphael Aguard Munnings, Ray Minus Jr (posthumously), Reginald William Eldon, Reginald Charles Grant (posthumously), Ricardo Deveaux, Robert Love (posthumously), Dr Sandra Dean Patterson, OD, Shawn M Turnquest, Sherlyn Hall, Sidney W Smith, Sylvia Eujeneth Scriven, OBE, Theodore Grant Glover (posthumously), Valerie Trephena Hepburn-Knowles, and Vernice Walkine.

Named as officers of the Order of Distinction are Alfred Williams, Anita Elizabeth Collie-Ferdecia, Diane Holowesko-Dunkley, Horizal Alex Simmons and Irvin Montgomery Taylor.

New members of the Order of Distinction are Eulease Cynthia Beneby, Alexander Doyle Burrows, David Jabis Knowles, Fletcher Ferguson, Inez Maria Ferguson-Peet and Kevin Maurice Moss.

New companions of the Order of Merit are: Alexander Wellington Gibson, Alfred A Rolle, Breon Standford Leary, Carlton Russell, Cheryl Bastian, Cheryl Marie Marshall-Campbell, Clare Rolle, Daniel Nixon, Diallo Gary Ingraham, E John Deleveaux, Edison Alric Dames, George Gilbert Esdale Pinder, Gladstone Moon McPhee, Harrington Marlyn Nixon, Helen Smith, John Richard Phillpot, John Sidney Rolle, John Johnson, Kirkwood Rodger Cleare, Deputy Commissioner of Police Leamond Deleveaux, Deputy Commissioner of Police Loretta Mackey (retired), Marcellus Charles Taylor, Marvin Henfield, Melberth Una Emmerita Charlton, Michael Symonette, Michael Reckley, Michael Todd Braynen, Nathaniel McArthur Dean, Nathaniel Beneby Sr (posthumously), Dr Norris Stubbs (posthumously), Philip James Stubbs, Richard Johnson, Russell Miller, Sheila Mae Culmer, Stuart Bowe, William Bill Naughton.

Conferred with the title of officer of the Order of Merit are: Arthur Lightbourne, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Ashton Greenslade (retired), Basil Minns, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bernard Bonamy Jr, Brendamae Catherine Cleare, Brynda Knowles, Charles Smith, Assistant Commissioner of Police Craig Andrew Stubbs, Assistant Commissioner of Police Dellareece Marie Ferguson, Denise Verna Williams nee Knowles, Donald Shannon Bullard, Sr, Edrin Symonette, Emmanuel Nathaniel Rolle, Frederick Byron Ferguson, Hilbert Richards, Sr, Hilda Louise Symonette, Juanita Estella Colebrooke, Assistant Commissioner of Police Kendal Alexander Strachan, Assistant Commissioner of Police Kenwood Elroy Taylor, Assistant Commissioner of Police Kirkwood Andrews, Llewellyn Augustine Cartwright, Pamela Jones-Burnside, Pandora Virginia Williams, Samuel Elijah Butler, Spence Finlayson

Mrs. Stephanie Eudence Johnson-Bethel, Stephen Sawyer, Assistant Commissioner of Police Theophilus Andrew Cunningham, Ural Bertram Pinder, Assistant Commissioner of Police Zhivago Henry Dames.

New members of the Order of Merit include: Albert Dilette (posthumously), Alexander Thompson, Almela Sheila Campbell (posthumously), Alphonso James Smith (posthumously), Alvery Vernice Hanna, Rev Andrew Christopher Burrows (posthumously), Anita Jane Bethel-Williams, Anthony Rudolph Marshall (posthumously), Arthur Talmage Peet, Barbara L Bethel, Basil Sands ‘aka’ The Kid, (posthumously), Brendan Gregory Paul Foulkes, Carl Bethel, Carol Leila Hanna, Clara Elizabeth Evans, Corydon Cyril Mitchell, Danny Thomas Davis, Debbie Bartlett, Derrick Bookie Nesbitt, Dorothy Panza, Earle Bethell, Edmund Errol Dorsett, Edward Josh Wilkerson, Everette Standord Miller, George Arlington Martin, Godfrey Gordon Rolle, Greg Christie, Henry Anselm Wemyss, His Excellency Tony S Joudi, Pastor Israel Jenese Pinder, James Pinder, John Jefferson Scavella, Juanita Percentie, Kirk Smith, Krista Danielle Sherman, Laddy Daswell Bevans, Lionel Dorsett, Marina Allerdyce Louise Strachan, Max Dean, Mike Smith, Morris Rufus Rolle, Nixon Simms, Jr, Pastor Joel Rolle, Sr, and Randy Rolle, Sr.

The title of member of the Order of Merit has been awarded to Reg Smith, Rembert Albury, Ron Overend, Rozanna Predesta Moore, Samuel Leviticus Saunders, Sandra Edgecombe, Rev Fr Sebastian Arthur Campbell, Sophia Ann Butler, Stephen Hubert Beneby, Sylvia B Beneby, Dr Theresa E Moxey-Adderley, Velma P Dorsette, Vivian Prince Rolle, Watewell Rigby, Winifred Cornell Barry nee Saunders, and Yvette Stuart.

Medals for Acts of Bravery have been awarded to Anthony Garfield Archer, Jeffrey Hugo Gibson (posthumously), Lorenzo Douglas Carey, Patrick Neil Rickey Johnson (posthumously), Shawn Roosevelt Rolle, and Sullavin Benjamin McKenzie.

Finally, Distinguished Service Medals have been awarded to A Alan Strachan, Agatha Louise Delancy, Anthony Leslie Ryan, Antoinette Rolle, Antoinette Donnalee Stuart, Basil Andrew Dean, Belinda Raquel Clarke-Chipman, Betty Ann Lloyd-Turnquest, Blanche Alicia Sherman-Weech, Carl Fred Curry, Charlene Rahming, Charles Edward Hall, Cheryl Fox-Cambridge, Claudette Andrea Rolle, Claudius Bethel Sr, Curleane Gwendolyn Weech, Daphanie Sawyer, David James Poitier (posthumously), Derence Anthony Rolle-Davis, Donald Allen Fernander, Elmeta Rolle, Elva Margaret Smith-Russell, Ercell Dorsett, Godfrey Knowles, Henry Adolphus Nixon, Hilton Emmanuel McIntosh, Irene Parker (posthumously), James Washington Pratt, John Ellis Cunningham Sr (posthumously), John Nelson Davis, Judith Pamela Thompson, Julie Bertha Thompson (posthumously), Keno Ricardo Wong, Kenry Alexander Stubbs, Kevin Delancy, Lelah Deloris Farquharson-Cunningham, Leonard Brave Stuart, Lincoln James Maycock (posthumously), Loretta Jones, Malvenia Dawkins-Williams, Mary Elizabeth Clare-McCartney, Mavis Suzanne Ellis-Saunders, Mavis Knowles, Mazell Beatrice Hinzey, Michelle Farrington, Millard M Bethel, Paul Duncombe, Peggy Elizabeth Albury, Peter Weech, Phillip William-Dorsett, Playdale Newton, Portia Patrice Sweeting, Rebecca Pamela Johnson, Rudolph Vincent Bowe, Rudolph Hazlet Ferguson, Ryan Oneil Forbes, Sandra Pauline Walker, Sean Ricardo Wright, Sheron Lydia Johnson, Sherrick Lingstone Ellis, Sidney E Darling, Stanley Benjamin Pinder (posthumously), Stephanie Burrows, Stephen Knowles, Tezel Florine Anderson, Valderine Cordelia Turnquest–Rumer, Veronica Theresa Burrows, Wanda Lucile Kemp-Stuart, Xavier Colton, Yvonne McDonald (posthumously), and Zelma Maxine Albury.

The following were also recognised for long and exceptional service to the Governor General: Doris Whyms, Edgar Kemp, Jack Thompson, Joel Bucannon, Patricia Musgrove-Gooding, Philip Saunders, Rochelle Major-Minnis, F Samantha Gray, Sherlyn Bastian-Wallace, and Tiffany Frazer-Dean.