The Tribune

THE National Honours for 2024 have been announced - including the Order of National Hero being awarded to a former slave. 

A statement from the Office of the Governor General said that she was "pleased to announce the conferral of awards under the National Honours Act to Citizens of The Bahamas". 

Former slave Kate Moss receives the Order of National Hero postumously. In the 1820s, Henry and Helen Moss were plantation owners in Crooked Island. Kate Moss was a young house slave there. She was accused of theft, insubordination and insolence by the plantation owners. 

The statement from the Governor General's office said: "During her early service, Kate refused to mend clothes as instructed by her owners, and consistently refused to carry out negative orders from her “owners”. Her refusals in the era of slavery, caused her repeatedly severe punishment from which she eventually died.

"Abolitionists in England learned about the plight of Kate and called Kate -"Poor Black Kate" and when the authorities in Nassau heard about her death, they charged Henry and Helen Moss with murder. They were found guilty, and the magistrate sentenced them to pay fines totaling £300 or spend five months in Nassau’s common jail.

"Kate’s death and her action against slavery became big news on both sides of the Atlantic in the late 1820s and 1830s, and it was used to strengthen the growing demand for the abolition of slavery, a movement in England led principally by William Wilberforce.

"Kate’s actions to stand up for herself would become an act of defiance that was strong enough to make an impact on slavery worldwide and impacted on the history of The Bahamas and the world and must never be forgotten.

"The National Honours Committee, therefore, recognises Kate Moss for her timely and determined courage demonstrated against racism and slavery."

The complete list of the other honours awarded is as follows: 

Order of The Bahamas - Companion

Bradley Roberts (Posthumously)


Cyril St John Stevenson , MVO (Posthumously)

Frank Howard Watson, CD

Franklin Wilberforce Walkine


Idris Reid


The Rt Rev Laish Z Boyd


Neville Wisdom


Rev Canon S Sebastian Campbell, CM

Order of The Bahamas - Officer

David Alexander Knowles


Rev Fr James Betram Moultrie


Joseph Robert Love , CD (Posthumously)

Order of The Bahamas – Member

Anita D Hilton-Bernard, CD, CMG

Sir Baltron B Bethel, KCMG, CMG

Basil O’Brien, CMG


Camille F. Johnson, CMG

Donald McKinney (Posthumously)

Estelle G Gray-Evans


Ethlyn Isaacs , OBE (Posthumously)

Franklyn Kennedy McPherson Williams

Herbert C Walkine , CMG, OBE, CVO (Posthumously)

Indira Nicole Demeritte-Francis


Leonard Joseph Knowles (Posthumously)


Margaret McDonald, CBE , CVO (Posthumously)

Maxwell James Thompson, OBE (Posthumously)

Patricia Fountain Lady Isaacs (Posthumously)

Rodney Ezekial Bain (Posthumously)

Wendell G Major, OBE

Order of Excellence

James Lawlor

John Joseph Issa

Order of Distinction - Companion

Albert Sidney Ferguson


Angela Missouri Sherman-Peter, MD


Anthony Alfred Adderley


Audrey Eloise Major-Rolle


Barbara Carey-Burrows


Barbara Zonicle


Belinda Madgalene Wilson


Berchenal A Bethel


Bernardette Thompson-Murray


Caleb Bernard Osbourne Hepburn (Posthumously)

Calvin Balfour


Carl Francis Smith


Charles James Turner


Charles Christopher Albury

Cheryl Marie Darville

Colin Deane (Posthumously)

Colin Leslie Higgs

Colleen Nottage

Creswell Sturrup

Cynthia Lorraine Duvalier

Cynthia Gibbs

Charles Davidson Hepburn, OBE

Diana Lightbourne

Doan Cleare

Earl H Seymour

Edwin Culmer

Elikam George Moss (Posthumously)

Elise Delancy

Elliston Rahming

Elma Garraway, MBE

Emily Monique Williams

Ernest John Bowe


Eugenia C Cartwright, OD

Franklyn Agustus Butler II

Franklyn J Kemp

Geannine Renee Moss

Glen Samuel Beneby

Glenn Gomez

Godfrey Randolph Williams


Harcourt Victor Brown


Harold Munnings, OBE (Posthumously)

Harrison Thompson


Hyacinth Winder-Pratt

Irene Patrica Clarke-Stubbs


Ivan Ford Butler, Jr


James Allardyce Campbell, MBE (Posthumously)

James Anothony “Tony” McKinney


Janeen McCartney


Japheth Edison Deleveaux (Posthumously)


Jeanette Bethel


Jennifer Johnson


John Berkley “Peanuts” Taylor, MBE


John Addington Rolle (Posthumously)


Joshua Sears


Kelsie Dorsett


Larry Demeritte


Leanza Elizabeth Gardiner–Keju


Leila Greene


Leona Rosalee Jane Fernander-Samuda (Posthumously)

Luther Emerson Smith


Maisie Evans


Marco Rolle


Mary Mitchell


Mary Sweetnam (Posthumously)


Melvin Carvel Seymour


Myrtis Geneva Russell
N

ehemiah Waywood Francis (Posthumously)


Rev Newton Williamson, BEM


Nikkiah Meoshi Forbes


Noreen Yvonne Major (Posthumously)


Oris Stanley Russell, CMG, OBE (Posthumously)

Patricia Eaine Joan Rodgers


Patrick Ernest Bailey (Posthumously)


Patrick Wright


Peter Deveaux-Isaacs


Philip Steven Weech


Philip Miller


Philip Berlin Munroe


Raymond Julien


Raymond Roosevelt Neilly


Rena Glinton


Renae Lunel Ferguson Bufford


Rev Reuben Edward Cooper, MBE


Rhonda Sheena Teresa Chipman-Johnson

Ronald Thompson


Roosevelt Anthony Philip Bethel


Rudolph Alexander Levarity


Samuel Toney Evans (Posthumously)


Shelia Gweneth Carey


Sherrylee Denise Smith


Stevenson Smith


Talmage Raymond Leo Pinder, JP


Terrance S Bastian


Thelma Ferguson-Beneby


Theophilus Coakley


Tonya Bastian-Galanis


Washington Williams


Wilbur Courtney Preston Major (Posthumously)

Wilfred Alexander Horton (Posthumously)

Willamae Salkey


William B Donsel Styles (Posthumously)

William Edward Poitier

Order of Distinction – Officer

Andrea Sweeting (Posthumously)

Antoinette Saunders


Carmen Dawkins


Carmen Gomez

Clara Lowe


Clarice Turnquest


Cloretta Denise Cargill-Gomez

Coralee Mackey


Donna Marie Delancy


Iris Loretta Williams


Ismella Davis-Delancy


Jacqueline Priscella Barnett-Bethel

Leon Wilson


Miriam L Curtiss


Nerissa Gibson


Roger Irvin Forbes


Rosemary C Pintard-Bowe

Order of Distinction – Member

Beverly Wallace Whitfield, Governor-General's Gold Award, MVO

Bendalee Adderley


Cypreanna Winters

Eddington Alexander Burrows

Kim Saunders


Kimberley McKinney-Rolle

Paul Cecil Aranha

Sonja Annette Poitier

Order of Merit - Companion

Albert Cyril Armbrister

Andrew Johnson

Androsia Christina Fernander

Anthony Morris (Posthumously)

Arnold Edwin Josey Sr


Cheryl Lenora Carey

Christian Justilien


Daniel Ferguson


Dianne M Kemp-Dunn

Emmanuel Wesley Francis

Gary Mackey

George Willis Bethell


Gillian Gia Curry Williams


Glenroy Derrick Aranha


Herbert Zacharias “Mamba” Burrows (Posthumously)

Hubert Milton Smith


Irene Francis Charlton


Iris Rosemaria Knowles nee Dillet


Jackswell Charles Percentie


Lawrence Luke Bethell


Leroy McFarland Whylly (Posthumously)

Letitia Rose Taylor Curry


Loyd Nelson Ferguson


Mario Arlington Bain Sr (Posthumously)

Michael Eddward Sweeting


Nikolas LaDen Barnes


Paul Joseph McWeeney


Pete Joel Campbell (Posthumously)


Pastor Phalmon Alexander Ferguson


Phyllis Joy-Anne Garraway


Pastor Prince Bodie


Ralph Francisco McKinney


Richard David Moss, BEM (Posthumously)

Ruby Nadeen Beneby


Whitfield Ralph Rolle

Order of Merit - Officer

Alvan Kenneth Rolle


Ashley Anthony Rolle


Bridgette Arlene Francis-Ingraham (Posthumously)

Bruce Cedric Darville


Chaswell Andre Hanna


Damien James Robinson


David Garvin Beneby


David Rahming


Dencil Livingston Rolle


Dennis Gilbert


Derek Noville


Derek W Smith, Sr

Donnalee Veronica Bowe

Dwight Alexander Adderley

Earl Andrew Thompson

Elaine Ernestine Sands

Gary Van Smith

Godfrey Michael Ellis


Henry Curry II


James Simmons


Janet Chantel McKenzie


John Wesley Ferguson


John Beadle(Posthumously)

Judith Carol Lightbourne-Blair

Kendal Hanna

Kenneth Dudley Calvin Flowers

Lillian Hudson Jones


Milton Hanna


Neville Adderley

Rendal Coleby


Roberto Tyrone Goodman

Rodger Thompson


Shanta Emily Knowles


Sherry Beneby


Theophilus Seabron Cox

Warren Louis Dwayne Johnson

Whitney Paul Ricardo Kenny

Wilfred Ferguson

Order of Merit - Member

Anthony Stanislaus Capron


Casuarina McKinney-Lambert


Charles William Major Sr (Posthumously)

Devynne Charlton


Edward Joseph Deveaux


Franklyn Gustavus Darling-Ferguson

Lester Gilbert Herman Maycock


Marisa Dawne Mason-Smith


Robert Bob Pinder


Rudolph Balfour

Order of Lignum Vitae

Shania Adderley

Medals for Acts of Bravery

Andrew Sweeting


Sean Symonette (Posthumously)

Distinguished Service Medal

Agnes Elizabeth Ferguson

Alfreda Doralene Strachan

Alsette Cortez Deleveaux

Angela Johnson

Angela Florence Cartwright

Anita Dillet


Ann Morley-Carmel

Audrey Elizabeth Mortimer

Audrey Doloros Sherman-Dean

Augustine Ivan Roberts


Austin Stephen Roberts

Barbara Elinor Gibson

Benedict Charles Dorsett

Bercil Miller-Taylor

Betty Anne Sutherland-Brown

Beluah Carroll


Beverley Patrice Pinder

Brenda Ruth Williams

Brian Knowles


Carlotta Zinda Klass


Cedric William Bethel


Celestine Mae Donnita Allen

Christopher Austin Bain (Posthumously)

Clinton Charles Scavella


Craig L Bowe


Cynthia Olive Poitier


Daniel Henry Leadon


David Irving Ferguson


Debbie Dian McKenize Lightbourn

Delores Sweeting


Donna Grant


Dorcas Albertha Moss


Ella Jane Anderson


Elton Hinsdale McKinney


Eugeina Renea Roberts


Everette Zenus Mackey

Fiordelisa Bain


Federick Albury


Gail Patricia Wisdom


Gerald Erskine Cunningham

Gladston Charles Thurston

Harrison Franklyn Horton

Henry Dummett


Howard John Bastian


Huedley Moss


Hylene Iynesta Moss


Ian S Clarke


Idamae Diane Ferguson


Ingrid Rolle


Ivan Patrick Joseph Deveaux

Ivan Patrick Turnquest


Jeffrey Livingston Francis

Jennifer Elaine Braynen


Joseph Augusta Cunningham Sr.

Joseph Lorenzo McKenzie


Juan Pratt


Judy Ann Wemyss


Kevin Morley Sr


Kirklyn Benjamin Smith


Leroy Milton Summer


Lester Rosewell Bain


Levant Wright


Leyland “Cojack” Laing Sr

Lillian Louise Smith

Livingstone Adderley Sr


Llewelyn Henry Williams


Louise Pople nee Rahming (Posthumously)

Louvenia Ulan Rolle


Lucille Adell Scavella


Lucine Mingo Sr


Macumbla Avard Alfred Smith


Madeline Lena Young


Malachi H Roberts


Majorie Maria Wallace


Mary Mitchell


Nelson Recardo Strachan


Nolan Bartlett


Norma Eudell Roberts


Octavia Isadora King-Johnson


Patrick Bethel


Paula May McGregor


Perry Rudolph Cunningham


Philip Anthony McPhee


Ray Thomas Davis Sr (Posthumously)

Reginald Forbes


Robert Lance Simmons Sr


Rodger Gorden Mortimer


Rodney Roland Gibson


Rosemary Hanna


Ruban “Bishop” Roberts


Rudolph Whitfield Arthur


Sandra Veronica Archer

Shannalee Sands


Sharon Elmae Scavella


Spurgeon David Lightbourne

Stanley Deveaux (Posthumously)

Sylvia Rosalie Curtis


Timothy Bailey


Timothy Moses


Urvan O’Neal Moxey


Vanria Belinda Munnings

Vincent Alexander Ellis Sr

Wendell Gregory Deveaux

Wendy Quant


Wendy Fernander


Wesley Leo Thompson

Wilhemena Ruth Gibson


Willard Barr