National Myopia

This past Friday morning the back page of section A of my morning Tribune, featured an ad for a grand banquet to honor our dear Cynthia 'Mother' Pratt, the deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas. This advertisement again reminds me of the temporal nature of Bahamian political life. A fact of that life is this, current political figures are elevated to deity levels while former ones are avoided and in some cases disdained. If there is a grand opening, or a grand anniversary celebration, we invite our politicians: but only those on the government side of the isle. And to shorten this list even further, they must be currently serving in Parliament. How myopic?

It makes us seem to be a people who only want to be associated with the last election winners. At least until nearing the next election time when the political winds seem to be pointing to a change in political fortunes of the current government members of parliament (MP). So, are we only interested in politicians who won the last election? What about the ones who lost the last election, but who were beloved before the fall of the political axe?

This is not to say that there ought not be a banquet honoring the Deputy Prime Minister, who also happens to be the first female to hold the post. No, instead it is to point out that we should honor all those deserving of honor, no matter their politics. In fact it may be best to save the plaudits for our politicians for after they have left office. It goes to the fact that politicians are to the Bahamas what Britanny Spears, or Brad Pitt is to The USA, a celebrity. And befitting their celebrity status we seemingly have this belief that their presence at our local functions gives added stature and importance to them. Again however, why only the current government politicians?

A country of our size (300,000) can ill afford to throw away or discount anyone. And this is particularly true of those who have served us in Parliament. Least we forget, by virtue of their MP experience, many may be considered among the country's best and the brightest. And as they are already well known, they are already our celebrities. So let us resolve to treat our politicians equally. And always remember that they are politicians and not statesmen, or stateswomen - that is an honor that they must earn.