The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party paid tribute to Obie Wilchcombe at the Sir Lynden Pindling Centre last night, the PLP headquarters named after the nation builder Wilchcombe studied, emulated and revered throughout his life.

Hundreds attended the event. Some sat inside somberly. Others watched a giant screen outside as many of the most prominent living PLP officials paid tribute to the fallen party stalwart who died unexpectedly last week Monday, aged 64.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis told reporters Wilchcombe’s funeral will be held on October 12 at Christ Church Cathedral.

“There are times when the weight of grief feels like an anchor, heavy and unforgiving,” Mr Davis said. “Tonight, we’re gathered under its shadow, and I find myself stepping into it not just as a prime minister but as someone who’s lost a dear long-time friend.”

He recalled his conversation with Wilchcombe about appointing him Social Services minister.

“I remember quite vividly when we were talking about his appointment, and he said, ‘Brave, you think I could do it?’ I said to him, ‘look, you are a PLP. Social Services is the bedrock of the PLP.”

“As I reflect on the final words spoken by the Hon Obie Wilchcombe, I am washed by a myriad of emotions. His impassioned plea to the Women’s Branch of the PLP was not just an address, it was a legacy. In his voice that day, I heard the echoes of every conversation, every shared dream, and every hope we had for our nation.

“Obie always had an uncanny ability to pinpoint the core of an issue and to rally us around it. He said, ‘Let’s take these issues and make them real,’ and to me, it meant more than just understanding statistics or laws. It was a call to recognise the lived realities of our people, to bridge the chasm between policy and reality.”

“For me, as the prime minister, his words are a stark reminder that leadership is about genuine connection, about truly listening.”

Former Prime Minister Perry Christie said Wilchcombe distinguished himself as the former tourism minister.

“My brother, I thought, I often said to you, that one day you will have the privilege of eulogising me,” Mr Christie said. “Never would I dream that I would have the privilege of speaking in tribute to him.”

“I verily, verily believe that when students or academics examine the period that he was minister of tourism in the full light of the history of this country, they’re gonna see that Obie Wilchcombe was defining, that he made a significant impact and that for generations he set up a regime, a tourism product that will continue to be the leading economic generator in our country.”

Education Minister Glenys Hanna Martin traced her connection to Wilchcombe to the 1970s when they were students at Queen’s College.

“He knew that it was this Progressive Liberal Party that was the catalyst for the liberation of a groaning and oppressed people,” she said. “He knew that this party was born in the fight for human dignity and the struggle for justice and that it was in its organisational DNA to champion our Bahamian people.”