For the first time in my life, I find myself at odds with the Tribune. Recently, an unscientific survey was conducted and the question was asked to the effect “if the Bahamas was ready for a white Prime Minister?” Honestly, at all levels, this is clearly a non-issue as the Bahamas Constitution spells out quite clearly who can and cannot run for Parliament (and thus become Prime Minister). This opinion poll was only conducted amidst speculation the Honorable Brent Symonette, MP for Fort Montagu constituency would be contesting the leadership of the FNM. Should he become the leader of the FNM and the FNM win the next election, there is a very strong possibility that he could be the next Prime Minister of the Bahamas.
In fact, the only restriction from entering Parliament is basically insanity, imprisonment, and bankruptcy. Race, religion, sex, creed, and place of national origin, etc has no bearing at all on the matter. You can be a crab with eight legs and two biters from Andros or a pink flamingo from Inagua or sheep runner from Long Island, once you are a Bahamian under the constitution you can run for any political office in the country.
What was even more disappointing was that out of the persons responding to the survey, only 66 % of those surveyed repeatedly had no difficulty with a white person being Prime Minister. This figure should have been absolutely 100 % because it clearly reflects that contrary to the constitution of the Bahamas, Bahamians are making decisions based not on merit, but on race. In a nation that is supposedly built on Christian values, how can the Bahamian people maintain such a discriminating, sinful and victimising posture? Wasn’t it the great Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. who stated not to judge a man by the color of his skin but the content of his character? Even more disappointing that nothing was heard from the Christian Council or prominent members of the cloth condemning this state of affairs as unacceptable. Even prominent and supposedly intelligent Bahamians were publicly stating that the Bahamas was not ready for a white Prime Minister.
This was despite the fact that the first Bahamian Premier, the late Sir Roland Symonette, was white and had served with distinction during his administration. Racism was regrettably practiced in the Bahamas unofficially in a post-Independence Bahamas by the old PLP government, even though they had come to power due to the unfairness of race in government. The fact that the majority of Bahamians are non-white was exploited to serve the selfish political agenda of the government of that day. Whites were openly denied and vilified.
On a number of occasions, the government of the day identified itself as a black government in a black country. This of course is not literally correct as the constitution clearly provides no advantage or disadvantage for any race in the Bahamas. The Bahamas is a country where the majority happens to be black. Can you imagine the ruckus in the U.S., Canada or Britain where the majority of people are white, should the leader of their countries identify themselves as leading a white country? The current Prime Minister, the Honorable Perry Christie has on a number of occasions acknowledge the problems that the white Bahamian has had with his PLP party. To this end, he has often indicated that he is attempting to find a bridge between the Bahamian whites and his PLP party.
In reality the majority of Bahamians, no matter their pigmentation are of white descent as many Bahamians can trace their lineage back to a white ancestor in the past. In a Supreme Court case in the state of Louisiana, a colored person was defined as someone who can trace his roots back to their great grandparent to someone of a different race. That is, one of your great grandparents. Even one of the great human rights and pro-black activist of the Caribbean Robert Nesta Marley was a half breed.
Sadly, too many Bahamians still have their minds imprisoned by racist political propaganda that they aren’t thinking objectively. The old PLP government should take much of the responsibility for this with their showing of racially charged movies such as “Roots” around election time. Colored Bahamians who chose not to support the PLP were openly referred too as ” Uncle Toms” and any political party opposing the PLP were identified as “UBP.” This was the stigma placed on the FNM for years. It wasn’t until Election 2002 that there appears to be a significant number of Bahamian whites comfortable enough to openly support the PLP. The new PLP Chairman, Reverend Rigby is now openly soliciting white support. The PLP has even used race to change history as a committee celebrating the 50th anniversary of the PLP this week on Grand Bahama identified the founders of the PLP as Henry Taylor, Clarence Bain and Lynden Pindling. This is incorrect as the original founders of this PLP were basically all white.
The time has come for Bahamians as a people to go to the next level and put the issue of one’s race behind us. Those who can make a contribution to take the country forward must be welcome to the table to make their contribution. I hate to see the day when a Bahamian of Haitian desent comes forward to offer their leadership.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Lea Percentie
