NASSAU, The Bahamas – The University of The Bahamas (UB) has posthumously conferred an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree upon the late Hon. Arthur D. Hanna, former Bahamian governor-general, parliamentarian, deputy prime minister and minister of education at the institution’s Spring 2022 Commencement exercise.
UB President and CEO Dr. Rodney Smith, by virtue of his authority, conferred the honor on Mr. Hanna in recognition of his accomplishments as Minister of Education. The presentation was made Thursday, May 26, 2022 at the Atlantis Convention Centre. Dr. Faith Butler-Cleare, Chair, Academic Senate, presented the citation for the conferral.
The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical & Vocational Training, accepted the honor in the presence of the 600 graduates; HE the Most Hon. Sir Cornelius A. Smith, Governor General; the Hon. Philip Davis, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; family, government officials, and UB faculty and administration.
In her commencement address she said: “In his political life and to his last breath our father’s vision was spurred by his love and devotion to his nation. His vision of national development was focused on policies and strategies to ensure the advancement of the Bahamian people and the development of institutions that ensured the primacy of Bahamian people and culture. The University of the Bahamas was one such institution and was the ultimate goal in the establishment of the College of The Bahamas.
“He saw a nation where national honors were not granted by his former colonial masters but rather those flowing from the cultural heartbeat of the Bahamian people and nation.
“The honor you have bestowed on him today reflects this and is something I know would make his heart swell with pride because it flows from this national cultural heart beat – a Bahamian honor from the Bahamian institution,” she said.
