The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I’d like to respect the memory of two people who have gone on to glory, both of whom exemplify principles on which we, as a people stand, and must not lose.

Clara Bell, was a quiet deep thinker and an extraordinarily smart lady. Anyone who met Clara would come away strongly influenced by the encounter. Clara loved God. This was clear from the way that she lived and dealt with people, all of whom she regarded as equal in God’s sight.

Clara was clear also about her commitment to her husband, Keith, and her “3 boys”. She always found time to support Keith in his career and in his public life. As parents, you saw them with their children. She found time also to graciously serve in various charities, as the Red Cross can attest. By graciously giving back in thankfulness, she was giving her boys, and all of us, important life lessons.

Often today money is front and centre in our minds. If Clara had chosen to practice law in a law firm, she would have become a partner. For her, it was important to be in a place where she could touch people’s lives in real time and in doing so exemplify the meaning of servant leadership.

Clara was a smart, gentle, genteel, kind, generous and gracious lady. Through her life, she followed the edict of St Francis of Assisi, to “preach the gospel and, when necessary, use words”.

My first encounter with Obie Wilchcombe, not surprisingly, came through politics. Our fathers were deeply entrenched in the PLP. Sir Lynden invited us to become founding members of the Progressive Young Liberals. We also served together as founding officers. Obie was another example of Sir Lynden’s gift of discerning and mentoring leadership talent.

Obie was then an upcoming broadcaster. He took journalism very seriously, being mentored by some of the best in The Bahamas, who also saw his talent. He was committed to excellence and disciplined. His stories were well researched, facts accurately conveyed, and words correctly pronounced.

Obie brought this same discipline to front line politics. From his family, immediate and extended, he understood the roots of the PLP and its commitment as a progressive movement for empowering and transformative change. He was unwavering in his commitment to these principles.

While acknowledging the many accolades about his accomplishments, I would like to highlight his spirituality. Obie was a committed Christian. I believe that his Christian beliefs were the source of his love of and respect for people and his love for his family. I also believe that he was deeply committed to the movement to eliminate all forms of violence against women. While we recall his speech to the Women’s Branch of the PLP hours before he met his Saviour, let us also recall his speech at the meeting of Commonwealth Ministers of Women’s Affairs, at Atlantis, in August of this year. Obie reminded the world that in 1985 The Nassau Declaration, which emanated from the 1985 CHOGM meeting in Nassau, led to the release of President Mandela. Speaking from his heart, without a script (as he often did), he asked Bahamians, and the world, to seize the opportunity of a 2023 Nassau Declaration leading to the elimination of violence against women.

Clara and Obie knew that Bahamians could be a light to the world on the importance of servant leadership. Do we?

Allyson Maynard Gibson, KC

Nassau,

October 1, 2023