A lilie in our Bahama land
On April 13th, 1964, Sidney Poitier won an Oscar
for best male actor for his role in the movie Lilies of the Field. He helped
bring down a major race barrier in acting and became the first black male to
earn this award. His genius on the big screen brought sensitivity to the plight
of many Blacks around the world who were second class citizens in their own
homeland and faced many injustices that were enshrined in their constitution.
He went on to lead a stellar acting career and his works
throughout the world is legendary. He is a philanthropist, a movie director, a
former Bahamian diplomat and not only is he a Bahamian citizen, but indeed he
is a citizen of the world.
He was born in Miami, Florida to Bahamian parents, but his
childhood was spent on Cat Island and Nassau. For those Bahamians who might be
ignorant to the fact, Sir Sidney Poitier is a Bahamian and has always spoken
proudly of his heritage.
The recent controversy surrounding the renaming of the
Paradise Island Bridge in Sir Sidney’s name in my view is baseless, without
merit and to some degree unpatriotic. Here is a Bahamian whose prowess directly
contributed to the liberties of blacks in the Bahamas and all over the world. Here
is a man who is not only an ambassador for the Bahamas, but also an ambassador for
the world.
Bahamians everywhere should be praising the decision by
Atlantis and the government to honor Sir Sidney in this way. Sure there are
other Bahamians who may be equally deserving and also need recognition; there
always will be. Bahamians trying to castigate this son of the soil and iconic
figure in a time when we rarely honor our own to me is unbelievable and
unthinkable.
The recognition that the country has received and will
receive through this giant of a man is incomparable. Maybe adding core programs
in our educational system that teaches our children their Bahamian history can
avoid controversies of this nature in the future.
Sir Sidney is a grand citizen of the world. He is a lily in
our Bahama land and is downright deserving of all the accolades that he
receives from the Bahamian people, the Bahamian government, Atlantis and any
other people who recognize his iconic value and legendary contributions in our society
and indeed the world.
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