Dear editor,
In the name of the good Lord and anything sacred, pray, please tell me that it ain’t so! What on earth can this PLP government be thinking about when Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, the Honorable Cynthia “Mother” Pratt announced the disbanding or severely limiting the activities of the Royal Bahamas Police Band (RBPB) a few weeks ago. Supposedly, they will return to their routine schedule when crime is under control.
But, how can we be in such a state to make such a drastic decision? The RBPB is one of our national treasures and goodwill ambassadors that has been a symbol of Bahamian Culture for decades. They have traveled the world over and have been awarded the respect as excellent musicians that the Bahamas should be proud off. In particular, when accompanied with junkanoo performers, undoubtedly, they were the crowd pleasers no matter which city, state or country they were in. Be it the head of state or John Q Public, the RBPB always dazzled their audience with their precision drills and awesome sounds. As a frequent traveler with the junkanoo performers, this is something that I have witnessed often first hand. Oftentimes, the crowd is left begging for an encore performance.
Furthermore, the RBPB has been a part of so many community events such as the Goombays, family island regattas, etc. Virtually all the junkanoo groups have recruited horn players from the RBPB. But, most important of all is the fact that the RBPB has been a link between many young people and the police as an avenue of communication with the young people. With so much animosity between the police and the nation’s youth, this is one are that should have been nurtured and developed. A number of persons have admitted that they joined the Police Force inspired by the RBPB.
A number of members of the RBPB either individually or collectively, have taken advantage of this unique bridge with the youth of the Bahamas and utilize it to build better communities. One such officer is Corporal Pinder of Harbour Island who has done a fantastic job of revamping the youth band of Harbour Island. Assisted by other members of the RBPB including the infamous “Moon Walker”, he has restablished the youth band of Harbour Island, the pride and joy of that sweet little island, as probably one of the best in the Bahamas, if not in the region. Philanthropist James Dickie has aided the group by providing the necessary instruments for some eighty (80) members now of that talented youth group. Without the discipline, teamwork and focus necessary for this group to earn such a respectable reputation, many of these young people may otherwise be up to mischief, if not, in trouble with the law. In this situation, it would be considered a fair statement to say that activities such as these by the RBPB have actually assisted in reducing crime. This writer would also be bold enough to predict that based on a performance under the Fig Tree a couple of weeks ago on Bay Street, Harbour Island in front of hundreds of locals and tourist alike, “Briland” will upset Nassau and indeed the Bahamas at Junior Junkanoo 2003 in the area of performance and best music!
Minister Pratt should have exhausted all other possibilities in the war on crime, even including bringing in foreign police officers, before disbanding our “sacred” RBPB. With the RBPB being such a positive force in the Bahamas, only in an acute state of emergency should such extreme action be taken. It will break the heart of most Bahamians when they have to explain to a tourist looking at a Bahamian dollar bill what has happened to our beloved RBPB. Being on the Bahamian dollar bill is indicative of their status in the Bahamian society as the one dollar bill is the most common currency in the country. In short, Minister Pratt should reconsider her decision in restricting RBPB activities and return them to their routine schedule.
Yours truly,
Dr.Leatendore Percentie
