Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham address to the Nation this 36th Independence.
Click to listen to Prime Minster Hubert Ingraham
Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham address to the Nation this 36th Independence.
Click to listen to Prime Minster Hubert Ingraham
ndependence Day Message from the Prime Minister of The Bahamas
By Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham
Jul 10, 2009 – 11:50:48 PM
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The following is the Prime Minister’s Independence Day Message:
Fellow Citizens of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas:
We celebrate our independence this year in the midst of a global economic crisis. You may recall that when I spoke to you on this occasion last year I referred to external challenges that were even then increasing with great rapidity.
However, none of us — indeed, few if any in the international community — could anticipate the catastrophe that was about to engulf the banking system in the United States of America with calamitous consequences for the rest of the world.
Every sector of international economic activity, including manufacturing and trade in goods and services, has been adversely affected, resulting in the loss of jobs for millions of workers.
You are aware that we have not escaped this economic tsunami. In fact, we have been hard hit, especially in the hospitality sector which is the main engine of our economy. The result has been the loss of many jobs and deterioration across the breath of our economy.
In this regard I should like to thank all those public servants who have worked so hard to put into effect the Government’s programmes to provide relief to thousands of Bahamians affected by the crisis.
I should like also to thank our financial institutions for their forbearance and those employers who have tried to keep on the job as many of their employees as possible.
We do not know how long the economic downturn will last but in the meantime I call on those of us who are employed to give of our best on the job and to help our brothers and sisters who are not so fortunate.
We must not be like the Israelites of old who became ungrateful for their deliverance and complained bitterly when the going got rough.
We must celebrate in a spirit of gratitude what we have accomplished over many years in the development of our Bahamas.
Indeed, we are better placed than many other countries, large and small, to negotiate the treacherous shoals of which we are constantly reminded in our national anthem.
We must celebrate the sacrifice and resourcefulness of our ancestors going back centuries and the hard-won achievements of our foreparents in more recent times, all in the face of monumental difficulties.
It is through their struggles, resilience and spirit of self-reliance that we have come thus far. We are a proud nation with our heads held high in the community of nations, having achieved a distinct cultural identity, a stable parliamentary democracy and a large measure of prosperity.
As we go through these difficult economic times we should recall and reflect on those qualities so nobly demonstrated by our forbears and seek to emulate them in facing the challenges of our day. Let us see what we can do to help ourselves and to help one another.
Fellow Citizens:
In recent years I have taken this opportunity to pay tribute to particular categories of persons who have contributed in times past and in the present to the building of our nation.
This year I should like to express appreciation and gratitude to those talented Bahamians who have for generations contributed so much to our cultural heritage and those who succeeded them.
I believe it is true to say that over the last two decades we have been witnessing, especially among our young people, a healthy new awareness of our Bahamian cultural treasures and a desire to contribute to that heritage.
I speak of our musicians, painters, sculptors, writers, poets, humorists, performing artists and all who bring to our lives so much enjoyment and fulfillment, edification and inspiration, who make us proud to be what we are.
Indeed, many of them have taken our country to the far corners of the world and added glory to the name of The Bahamas on the international stage.
But our culture encompasses a great deal more than our art forms. It is about our whole approach to life and living, about who and what we are, and what we aspire to become.
So it is equally important for us, especially at this time of challenge, to reflect on and to reclaim our heritage as a friendly people, a gentle people, a mannerly people, a generous people.
I wish all Bahamians at home and abroad, and all our friends and visitors, a happy Independence Day. May God continue to bless our Bahamas.
Thank God for returning those boys safely back to their families.
Calm down there people. I believe in God as well, but we don’t know where those boys were.
Personally, I don’t think they were in that bush the entire time.
Praise God from whom all Blessings flow
Praise Him all Creatures here below
Praise him above the heavenly host
Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen!!
@media
Media This has to be the work of GOD.This is more proof that there’s really a GOD.It shows up that when we as human gives up,it is then time for GOD to show up and show off.Which he did today,keep praying and he would work it out for you and me.
Breaking News UPDATE ON THE ANDROS MISSING BOYS
Nassau, Bahamas — It has been confirmed by police, the two boys who were missing in Andros for almost 1 month, have both been found alive. The boys were found walking alongside a road near the South Andros area.
Dehydrated and looking 30lbs less in weight, medical officers in the area confirmed the boys were in fair medical condition. They were both flown to Nassau for further treatment.
It is still unknown how did those young boys survived in the wild that long. Police, who gave up search for the boys three weeks ago, say they are investigating the matter.
Bahamas Press/Editor
HAI have plenty sense. Noone but his own wants to see him anyhow. How can you expect people to receive him when they are hurting?
HAI chickened out realising the reception he was going to receive.He is a an up to date politician and is reacting to street vibes.Material and man hours lost practicing for the Tatoo is non acceptable at this time.Besides rememberr HAI has pissed off all of the law enforcement entities who were likely to report sick rather than perform.HAI sure ducked his own party but it was wise bcos despite my criticism of him I would hate to hear him booed at a celebration.Remember fellow bloggers this man HAI could not even get his own party members to join him on a walkabout.There have been discussions on this blog about who will be the next FNM Leader but lets discuss who will be returned as FNM members after the next General Elections.Only a handful,and they better fire HAI as he will duck the opening of Parliament like he did in 2002.
@Joseph Cox
¡Ahhhhhhhh! ¡Bueno padre Joseph Cox! Hola y Padre Bienvenido. ¡Bienvenido a Bahamas Aprietan! Bienvenido a nuestra casa, para nuestra casa es su casa.
Translation: Hello and Welcome Father. Welcome to Bahamas Press! Welcome to our house, for our house is your house.
Bahamas Press/Editor
Again Welcome!
@Joseph Cox
Welcome to the VOICE OF CHANGE IN THE BAHAMAS.
To get you started read this: https://www.bahamaspress.com/?p=1951
Bahamas Press/Editor
@Dibbles
really who is BP and where was BP
This isnt nothing new! 90% of the beaches in New Providence is walled off and some of it is walled off illegally. New Providence is a prison and now looks like the slave masters on PI dont want no black people over there either!
Happy independance Bahamas.
Media, you can count on your ONE HAND the amount of times the PM has addressed the country since he became PM. Obama does be giving press conferences where he is taking questions at least once a week.
This was the normal run of the mill Independence speech. Nothing special. It looks like it doesnt take much to impress you.
What is going on in this country.
BREAKING NEWS<<< 36th Anniversary of Independence is being marred by the tragedy of BEACH ACCESS! Bahamas Press has just received a report that hundreds of beach goers are today being barred from the public access at RIU on Paradise Island.
Beach goers tell us, police have barricaded the area and is denying the Bahamian families access. In 2009 look what Hubert’s pride and joy has delivered!
What a disgrace 36 years later and Bahamians are losing their rights to land access!
Bahamas Press/Editor
Here again folkes is another reason why I from time to time I admire Hubert. he is on point. Consistent and every year would address the nation when the time and need arises. He is a worker! The other fella?
I say no more.
Bahamas Press/Editor
I’m back BP,Happy Independence Bahamas,and to the one million readers to this site.The Independence show was good but nothing like the proformance from the R.B.P.F and the R.B.D.F in short the tatoo.What do they mean by that it is to expensive,they lost me on that one,aren’t the persons doing the Tatoo Civil servant so where does the expence comes in.Some one please tell me.HIA no be scared now be scared on election day.The result would not be in you and your party favour, talk that.Again HAPPY 36 birth day BAHAMAS
Media, you see Hubert was a no show last night at Clifford Park? Now what could be more important that he would miss celebrating our independence? You think he was scared of getting booed? We may be mad at him but I don’t think the Bahamian people would have booed him last night. You don’t have to be scared Hubert. We will boo you another time.
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