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Beyond The Borders - MICAL.
"You cannot change the world, but you can present the world with one
improved person, yourself. You can go to work on yourself to make
yourself into the kind of person you admire and respect. You can become
a role model and set a standard for others. You can control and
discipline yourself to resist acting or speaking in a negative way
toward anyone for any reason. You can insist upon always doing things
the loving way, rather than the hurtful way. By doing these things each
day, you can continue on your journey toward becoming an exceptional
human being."
Hope everyone had a good weekend and here is to a productive week take care and be safe.
Marvin, RN-APN
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Beyond the Borders:
By: Ammadou
Email: micalvoice@gmail.com
Who could believe it had been already 6 months since the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., had given to the world, " I have a Dream" speech, August 28th, 1963.
It was a breezy Sunday morning in Mayaguana, as many residents heard and supported his Gandhi-like, non-violence tactics (USA) and even begun to filter into New Providence island to join the voices led by Sir Lynden O. Pindling (PLP) and others against the forces dressed as United Bahamian Party (UBP).
As the local people learned more about non-violence resistance, equal rights and justice, a local preacher kept reminding the congregation that the time had come for Mayaguanians/Inaguians to be " resolute and face the task ahead."
However, what the preacher wanted too was running water, paved roads, electricity, telephone services and regular low cost air travel to New Providence and elsewhere for all Mayaguana/Inagua citizens.
Maybe a " son of the soil" in Parliament would be helpful. One to advocate growth and speared efforts to bring full employment opportunities and light industries to M/I.
Then like now, all they knew was what they still know today - Morton Salt had been the lone employer who generated multiple paychecks for migrating workers from neighbouring islands, thereby helping many families to eat food and buy clothes for school children, church services and other events.
We give thanks for Morton Salt - Inagua Bahamas.
Anyhow, in Pirates Well, Mayaguana, the lone local constable drove down the narrow quarry road heading to Besty Bay, greeting everyone by their names.
Many residents loved and knew the constable at the time, but was he the "son of the soil" the preacher alluded to ?
" Time would tell," bulla Danny would say, but with lunch time approaching another British overseas airline was seen over the horizon on the way to the large airbase not far away from Abraham's Bay.
Meanwhile some residents in Pirates Well and Upper Bay were preparing to go to the evangelical church, this time for prayer meeting, as news flashed on ZNS radio community announcements, requesting a group of anchored residents of Mayaguana who lived in New Providence to report to Yellow Elder primary school for an organized meeting called by notables like Mr. Freeman McPhee, Miss Linda Collie, Miss Roselene Gibson, Mr. Everrett Lewis, Mr. Nesbitt HIggins, Mr. Lincoln Taylor and Mr. Lionel Charlton, to name a few who had been summoned that evening.
The hurriedly called meeting was to establish a group designed with one objective ( i.e) to advance the interest of Mayaguana and its people following the defeat of Mr. Bernard Depuch (Independent ), by Mr. T. Joseph Ford (PLP), Progressive Liberal Party 1968.
That was hope manifesting itself as a " son of the soil" was elected to the House of Assembly. The preachers' prophecy had come through. Mayaguanians were proud and shouted, " All the way. All the time." T. Joe Ford All the way Ford as he was affectionately called by many was simply a Mayaguanaian/Inaguians child. And so it was.
Mayaguana/Inagua residents welcome change. Nevertheless, going as far back to World War II, the people made a shift in thinking and political loyalty and voted settlement after settlement for Mr. Bernard Depuch (Independent) instead of Mr. T. Joe All the Way Ford (PLP) 1968. True story.
The youths and older people who could get out to vote, rallied and a voice was heard loud and clear by the ruling party as Mr. Bernard Depuch, who had been elected only a short time before was greatly admired by Friends and foes alike, saw, the hand writing on the wall and political retirement was compelled upon him by the defeat.
Not one person would lie then, Mr. Bernard Depuch was a man of integrity. valor and cared greatly about the people of both islands even to this day and time, interfaces with many residents. Which without a doubt speaks volumes in the annals of former Members of Parliament (Bahamas) history.
In the meantime, the debate continues as to why Mayaguanians favored the man who they knew best at the time and the sister island differing substantially. Was it because of the electorate total or the land size of Inagua?
Indeed almost single handely Inaguains had- elected Mr. T. Joe Ford (PLP) 1968 and his apparent response to the people of Mayaguana as a result of their voting record.
However, with M/I proximity to New Providence island, at this juncture in the British occupied colony, the prevailing consensus in the House of Assembly and beyond was " no need" to parcel an economic stimulus or plan far away from Nassau, the capitol.
That was then and so it was, as no forward strategic thinkers dared to craft or structured a plan to birth the growth of light industries, eco-tourism, oil exploration, inter-island low cost air bus transportation, population growth or re-distribution and housing development outside of New Providence.
But one thing remained clear; T. Joe Ford PLP, finished the job begun by Mr. Bernard Depuch and did get the people new schools, new medical clinics, paved roads and water mills sprung up in the wind along the road between Betsy Bay and Pirates Well. That was not all; even the resident Commissioner and Nurses moved into official and modern residences.
Things could not have been better. 1968 true story.
T. Joe Ford was doing what islanders had hoped for, from a Member of Parliament - i.e to pay attention to the needs of the people and so it was.
Then a tropical depression clamped down on New Providence island and when it was calm again, the sun shone so bright with no clouds in sight.
Later in the day, Radio Bahamas ZNS news announced another seismic move by the beloved Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Sir Lynden O. Pindling, had appointed Mr. T. Joe Ford, Chairman of a major government operated Board.
No one could call on the telephone long enough or get a courtesy call back from an agent of the Chairman of the Board. That was just how it had become, while the looting and scattering of the children's' dreams and ambitions were fair game at the time.
No one still knew for sure what had happened. But rumors are not always true, as one thing became crystallized and obvious to the Mayaguana people, T. Joe Ford's door or telephone was no longer accessible to many of the constituents of M/I.
The democratically elected Member of Parliament benumbed and reneged on his promises. What had happened, many people still asked.
" But never give up on the man," an esteemed lady from Betsy Bay would always say, as people moved back and forth to the constable residence to use the telephone, get vital mail boat information or just chat about the happenings in the town and throughout the Bahamas.
Again this day the beloved gentleman constable had made contact with the high command in Abraham's Bay, but the commissioner was out fishing with his local confidants. However, words did get to constable before he had seen the commissioner, gossip was everywhere that the Member of Parliament had taken refuge in New Providence and did not visit the twin islands much anymore. Most people had noticed that already,
as the Member of Parliament had become incredibly busy and residents could no longer reach out and touch him any more.
Though he would show up here and there. Someone would always know where he was. That was a true story, as words did get from the Commissioners' office who took heart to revealed, T.Joe Ford sounded " incoherent and did not give a damn." That did not fall well with constituents who voted for him or those who did not vote for him.
Anyhow who could Mayaguanians turn to?
Main while the mail boat did arrived and was reasonably dependable most times when inclement weather did not caused delays.
But the group of civic minded Mayaguanians tried to fill the void and attempted to act as a counter balance to the trifling demeanor displayed by Mr. T. Joe Ford, as the looting and arresting of the beloved children's ambitions and dreams continued.
Who was to give the children a chance? The bona fide Member of Parliament refused to help them delelop or become productive citizens who would live and cherish the homeland.
Mayaguana & Inagua parents never gave up on their children you know, though the MDA ( Mayaguana Development Association) did have a mandate and functioned well to booster the confidence, self esteem and island pride of all who came through the doors even as hope was crushed and dragged into the mud by T. Joe Fords' propensity to berate the children's' promises by their leaders in New Providence. They too overcame diversity and the venom heaped on their heads by this Member of Parliament.
Things are not always what they seem, but with wisdom like Solomon of long ago, Sir Lynden O. Pindling shuffled his cards again and a new cabinet was named with vibrant new faces surfacing as Mr. T. Joe Ford M.P was sidelined fading into oblivion just before being booted out of the House of Assembly for another " son of the soil" under the banner of FNM ( Free National Movement), who for the most part jiggled politics with a level head recognizing decorum as mandated by his constituents.
Nevertheless Mr. Venon Symonette FNM, did championed the causes for M/I people, through his practical plans that claimed would have attracted and re-invigorated the twin islands economy back into the hey day of yester year.
Main while the personalities and characters who did the leg work for the people of Mayaguana succeeded to bring about a dialogue amongst quarters in the community that conveyed the looming threat to " homeland security" imposed or implied by Nassau that shun structured economic and civic institutional development in the outer islands.
In retrospect, MDA (Mayaguana Dev. Association); under the steady eyes of Miss Linda Collie, Miss Roselne Gibson and Mrs. Marie McKinney, Patron saints of Pirates Well, Mayaguana, who mentored the leadership of Mr. Lincoln Taylor and also Mr. Lionel Charlton to be proactive and to foment a brotherhood of anchored " indigenous" Mayaguanians who had been witnesses to the turbulence, hurricanes, Cuban missile crisis and rifts within the " House" of Mayaguana and knew so much more was ahead.
Unlike Mr. Nesbitt Higgins, who was coered into office with much hoopla and cheers.
Though during his rule the exodus of anchored Mayaguanians were accelerated, due in part to his dislike of dissents and free flowing dialogue.
The patron Saints were never able to tap into his platform as bedlam surrounded his tenure.
Even while the partisans of territorial doom and selfish contours triumphed; inter-islands commerce and cultural development remained like a glass ceiling advancing into the new millennium.
True story. Mayaguana Dev. Association (MDA), had many popularly elected presidents and supporting individuals who knew a Mayaguana of 900 or more inhabitants where emerging enterprises were borned even as the exodus to Nassau, Freeport Grand Bahama and beyond where propelled by the surge and furry for independence from Great Britain throughout the Caribbean and African territories.
MDA the story continues.
For info contact micalvoice@gmail.com
A celebration & exploration of Family island life.
Copyright (c) 1972. 1985. 1999. 2005, 2007,2008,2009 C. St. Paul (Gibson. All rights reserved.
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